Hello,
I am finally going to try my hand at saltwater. I have had freshwater tanks and planted tanks for years, but never tried saltwater before. Going to start off with a small 10 gallon reef tank. Looking to just keep basic beginner type corals with maybe one or two fish. I know bigger tanks are supposed to be more stable and easier for beginners, but I don't have the space or money for a bigger tank so starting small! Been reading about saltwater for awhile, but there is so much info out there!
Some questions I have: Do I need a lid or not? I see some tanks with lids and others without. I am leaning towards a lid just to keep the cat out of the tank. The tank will be on my kitchen counter so the cat will have easy access to it.
Can I use tap water to mix my salt? I see some people saying they use it with no issues and others saying you have to have use reverse osmosis for the water. I live in Coquitlam if that makes a difference.
What do I need for a light? There is tons of info on this online and I'm really not sure where to start. What do I need for growing basic beginner corals? I am hoping to find a LED light for $100 or under if possible.
List of what I know I will need:
10 gallon tank
Test kit
Salt - are some brands better than others?
HOB filter - Is this needed? I see lots of people have them on nano tanks and use them as a sort of refugium.
Light
refractometer
heater
power head
sand - what type is the best to use?
live rock - I believe I want to get about 10lbs of live rock. That is the rule right 1lb of live rock per gallon?
Am I missing anything?
Will try to update this tread as the build continues.
I am finally going to try my hand at saltwater. I have had freshwater tanks and planted tanks for years, but never tried saltwater before. Going to start off with a small 10 gallon reef tank. Looking to just keep basic beginner type corals with maybe one or two fish. I know bigger tanks are supposed to be more stable and easier for beginners, but I don't have the space or money for a bigger tank so starting small! Been reading about saltwater for awhile, but there is so much info out there!
Some questions I have: Do I need a lid or not? I see some tanks with lids and others without. I am leaning towards a lid just to keep the cat out of the tank. The tank will be on my kitchen counter so the cat will have easy access to it.
Can I use tap water to mix my salt? I see some people saying they use it with no issues and others saying you have to have use reverse osmosis for the water. I live in Coquitlam if that makes a difference.
What do I need for a light? There is tons of info on this online and I'm really not sure where to start. What do I need for growing basic beginner corals? I am hoping to find a LED light for $100 or under if possible.
List of what I know I will need:
10 gallon tank
Test kit
Salt - are some brands better than others?
HOB filter - Is this needed? I see lots of people have them on nano tanks and use them as a sort of refugium.
Light
refractometer
heater
power head
sand - what type is the best to use?
live rock - I believe I want to get about 10lbs of live rock. That is the rule right 1lb of live rock per gallon?
Am I missing anything?
Will try to update this tread as the build continues.