New Tank Stocking / Equipment Advice Needed

HI everyone, I just created a FishLore account today lol. After successfully creating two Freshwater Planted Tanks that are thriving, I have been interested lately in getting into the Saltwater Hobby. Most folks say "Go Big or Go Home" when it comes to Tank Size. Yes I know that the bigger the tank the easier it is to maintain water parameters and you can have more fish, but I'm not so sure if I am going to commit to Saltwater. I have little knowledge and no experience in saltwater fish-keeping. My plan is to start out small and most likely stay small until I get my own house. I'm liking the size of the 10 gallon reef tanks. (a little backstory)

I am setting up a 10 gallon nano reef tank soon so I have three main questions that I have been wondering about.

1. Do I need a protein skimmer if I limit the amount of food I feed my Fish?
2. Would a Clownfish, a Fire Goby, a Cleaner Shrimp and some snails and Hermit crabs be a good stock? Most people say that Clowns are overrated and territorial, and they need a bigger tank. I've seen many videos of successful 10 gallon reefs with clowns. So I was wondering what the Fish-lore Community had to say.
3. What are some nice looking beginner corals for a nano tank?

 

I don't keep saltwater, but I would like to say welcome to fish lore!

I'm sure the saltwater folks will come along soon

 

Congrats, FishLore is one of the best aquarium community there is. I'm not into saltwater but here some links of 10 gallon builds:
(clownfish setup)
(goby)

After reading some other articles it seems that a 20 gallon should be the minimum for a nano build.

 

1. No, water changes can make up the difference of a protein skimmer. Just a form of exporting nutrients. However if you have the budget I would say find one that fits the build. I use one on my 15gal, I consider it a safety net. Skipping water changes in small tanks is a whole lot more dangerous than skipping it in a large tank and that skimmer kind of covers my butt so to speak in that regard. The entire time I've run my skimmer I've NEVER seen it NOT pulling something out of the water consistent water changes or not. So if you can swing it I say go for it but no you don't have to have it in such a small tank.

2. I think that stock is fine. I keep a pair of clowns in my 14gal and still looking for something else to add. Clowns are underrated IMO. Very common and suggested fish but it's hard to beat a good clownfish as far as visibility in the tank goes. The Perculas or Ocellaris clowns don't tend to have aggression problems IMO. And would be the best species choices for your tank.

3. Well this should be the last thing you add after your tank is cycled and stabilized/matured. But it really depends what your lighting is and stuff. And how comfortable you are with care. The easiest corals are the soft stuff. Mushrooms, leathers, zoanthids, palythoa, star polyps ans stuff like that. They are the easiest to grow, require the least amount of light, and spread like crazy making them pests to some of us that have been reefing long enough or that have developed a specific taste. Don't underestimate the beauty of a full softie reef though, they can be very impressive. They are the cheapest as well. Your LPS like brains, acans, hammers, frogspawns, etc are medium hard to keep they require a bit more light than the softies and are pickier about water quality. I wouldn't recommend jumping into any stony coral just yet, it's the hardest and most picky about it's conditions.

Link to my reef in my signature if you want to check it out.

 

Slug what kind of skimmer do you have on your nano tank? Is it a HOB?

 

Thanks!

 

Thanks for your suggestion Slug! I have decided that I might go with a HOB Skimmer but definitely a high filtration capacity HOB Filter for the build (Just to be safe. I'm going to stick with the plan for the livestock and I have decided to get corals. They are truly beautiful! Thanks for your advice!

 

lol Alphonsus I have a spare 20 long in my basement, but I'm going to stick with the 10 because I want it to be a desktop Tank.

 

I don't keep saltwater, but I would like to say welcome to fish lore!

I'm sure the saltwater folks will come along soon

Thanks!

 

1. No, water changes can make up the difference of a protein skimmer. Just a form of exporting nutrients. However if you have the budget I would say find one that fits the build. I use one on my 15gal, I consider it a safety net. Skipping water changes in small tanks is a whole lot more dangerous than skipping it in a large tank and that skimmer kind of covers my butt so to speak in that regard. The entire time I've run my skimmer I've NEVER seen it NOT pulling something out of the water consistent water changes or not. So if you can swing it I say go for it but no you don't have to have it in such a small tank.

2. I think that stock is fine. I keep a pair of clowns in my 14gal and still looking for something else to add. Clowns are underrated IMO. Very common and suggested fish but it's hard to beat a good clownfish as far as visibility in the tank goes. The Perculas or Ocellaris clowns don't tend to have aggression problems IMO. And would be the best species choices for your tank.

3. Well this should be the last thing you add after your tank is cycled and stabilized/matured. But it really depends what your lighting is and stuff. And how comfortable you are with care. The easiest corals are the soft stuff. Mushrooms, leathers, zoanthids, palythoa, star polyps ans stuff like that. They are the easiest to grow, require the least amount of light, and spread like crazy making them pests to some of us that have been reefing long enough or that have developed a specific taste. Don't underestimate the beauty of a full softie reef though, they can be very impressive. They are the cheapest as well. Your LPS like brains, acans, hammers, frogspawns, etc are medium hard to keep they require a bit more light than the softies and are pickier about water quality. I wouldn't recommend jumping into any stony coral just yet, it's the hardest and most picky about it's conditions.

Link to my reef in my signature if you want to check it out.

Subbed to your Channel!

 

Slug what kind of skimmer do you have on your nano tank? Is it a HOB?

Yeah it's HOB I think it's an eshopps 75? Bigger skinner than I need but it works. You can check my thread first post to be sure of model.

Subbed to your Channel!

Thanks! YouTube or thread? If YouTube stay tuned I'm planning a whole overhaul and increased content coming hopefully!

I also use a HOB refugium basically as a filter rather than a fuge. Hides my equipment and it's a place I can stick media if need be, also moves water. If using something similar just make sure you clean it and don't let stuff build up in there.