Is An 8 Gallon Suitable For Saltwater?

It's an old 8 gallon cube. I've been keeping freshwater tanks for my whole life pretty much, but have NO knowledge or experience with saltwater. Is an 8 gallon even suitable? I'd like to keep at least one fish in there if I do this, but would prefer to have multiple. If this tank can't keep fish, probably a dealbreaker and I'll try saltwater later on in life.

 

Tbh. You could only really do a goby tank and/or shrimp. It is quite small for much else. An orchid dottyback is a suggestion too. But they need hidey holes and be by itself (or with shrimp) they only get to about 2.5 in MAYBE 3in.

 

Do gobys hide? I want something I can actually, you know, see.

 

Ok true spurtin from the top of my head. But the orchid dottyback is SUPER pretty. You can't miss that thing my uncle has one (The only fish) in his 10g

 

I mean... I don't even know how to start/take care of a saltwater tank.

 

Are you pretty well versed with freshwater tanks?

Typically I would not recommend a tank this size at all for a beginner to saltwater. Because after sand and rocks... your working water volume at most is 5-6 gallons.
What does this mean? It's a lot harder or I should say... very busy work in maintaining/keeping your water parameters stable, from Salinity, alkalinity... to calcium, etc etc...

Also - I do not recommend keeping a fish in a tank this size. Maybe just a few inverts.

 

given you have no experience with Saltwater then I'd say no. Its doable, but a Saltwater tank that small will require constant care and be demanding. Better left to the experts. For a beginner Saltwater tank its recommended 30 gallons or more.

 

Are you pretty well versed with freshwater tanks?

Typically I would not recommend a tank this size at all for a beginner to saltwater. Because after sand and rocks... your working water volume at most is 5-6 gallons.
What does this mean? It's a lot harder or I should say... very busy work in maintaining/keeping your water parameters stable, from Salinity, alkalinity... to calcium, etc etc...

Also - I do not recommend keeping a fish in a tank this size. Maybe just a few inverts.

I've been doing freshwater for 10+ years. No fish is a dealbreaker, not an invert fan. I don't care about maintaining and keeping the water good, that'd come as second nature and I'd probably grow to enjoy it.

 

I personally wouldn't do a salt water tank in that size. Salt water tanks need a lot of attention to parameters, sometimes even more then freshwater tanks. Saltwater fish are usually pretty sensitive.

 

I personally wouldn't do a salt water tank in that size. Salt water tanks need a lot of attention to parameters, sometimes even more then freshwater tanks. Saltwater fish are usually pretty sensitive.

As already stated, I don't care how much time or attention I have to put into it, if I decide I want to do it I'd do anything to keep it running good. But I'm probably not going this route.

 

As already stated, I don't care how much time or attention I have to put into it, if I decide I want to do it I'd do anything to keep it running good. But I'm probably not going this route.

Sorry if I offended you. I was simply giving my input as was asked.

 

Sorry if I offended you. I was simply giving my input as was asked.

Trust me, I was not offended, just don't like saying the same thing in multiple posts. If I was offended you would have known.

 

At most you can keep a goby, but it's just too small in my opinion.

Seems like you have plenty of experience though, are you into corals at all? Pico coral tanks are pretty neat. But it's all corals. Nothing else.

 

At most you can keep a goby, but it's just too small in my opinion.

Seems like you have plenty of experience though, are you into corals at all? Pico coral tanks are pretty neat. But it's all corals. Nothing else.

Corals could be interesting, I'd look into it.