What Should I Get For A Saltwater Tank?

I need something small. Thanks though.
I will ask my parents for some dry reefsaver rock from a LFS. I want reef saver rock because it does’t have to be cured.

I have a marineland penguin 350 in my 20 gallon fresh water tank. I think I will buy another one and switch one of the biowheels to help cycle.
I will look into a RO system for my birthday, which is less than 2 weeks after Christmas.

Do you think I should add fish first after my tank has cycled, or coral? I really would like some coral in my tank.

Also, do you have any stocking recommendations or tips.

I am thinking about doing a bare bottom setup, is that a wise choice?

Will this light : be sufficient for a coral with a need for moderate light?

Thanks everyone. You guys have been a great help. I don’n know where I would be without this forum and the advice I get from here!

 

Some people love bare bottom, some people hate them. If none of your desired fish or cleanup crew need a sand bed, and you like the look, I’d go for it.

 

I need something small. Thanks though.
I will ask my parents for some dry reefsaver rock from a LFS. I want reef saver rock because it does’t have to be cured.

I have a marineland penguin 350 in my 20 gallon fresh water tank. I think I will buy another one and switch one of the biowheels to help cycle.
I will look into a RO system for my birthday, which is less than 2 weeks after Christmas.

Do you think I should add fish first after my tank has cycled, or coral? I really would like some coral in my tank.

Also, do you have any stocking recommendations or tips.

I am thinking about doing a bare bottom setup, is that a wise choice?

Will this light : be sufficient for a coral with a need for moderate light?

Thanks everyone. You guys have been a great help. I don’n know where I would be without this forum and the advice I get from here!

The Biowheel filters will be fine for cycling provided you sanitize it first with tap water and distilled white vinegar (assuming it was used in your freshwater setup). I don't recommend the Biowheel filters for saltwater in the long run though (lot's of complaints about clogging, maintenance). The Fluval 50 or 70 really are best once the tank is cycled. As for barebottom it is easier in terms of not having a substrate to trap the nasties, but it also limits your stock for fish and certain inverts (ie snails). Many gobies will be removed from your list as they will require a substrate to sift through/burrow in. I am one of those people who doesn't care for barebottom tanks. Not just because of the aesthetics, but because they don't work with some of my favorite fish and snails (ie sand burrowing wrasses, conch snails). Either way though it's a personal choice, you just have to decide what works best for you.

As for what to add first, I would say that a few snails and hermit crabs (if you want the hermits) after you have your brown algae (aka diatom bloom) at the end of the cycle would be the best way to test your new tank out. Definitely cheaper than any fish you would want to add. Try them out for a week or two and then add your first fish. Corals are definitely last as they are the most demanding for water parameters and it would be a good idea to get down the basic care of fish and inverts before venturing into the coral realm. Corals are known for being the more expensive/demanding side of the hobby.

As for stocking recommendations for a standard 20 gallon tank, I would say you could go up to 4 fish total of any of the following:

Ocellaris or Percula Clownfish (add these last though as they can be very territorial once they are established)
Pajama Cardinalfish
Royal Gramma Basslet (although I am not sure if they require a sand burrow at night)
Pink Streaked Wrasse or Possum Wrasse (these don't require a sand bed). The Pink Streaked tends to be a bit more visible than the Possums though.

As for the light, I would say that would not work well for corals. It really is best to have a full spectrum light. The cheapest option is the Chinese Black Box, it will need a separate timer, but those are pretty cheap to pick up:

 

The Biowheel filters will be fine for cycling provided you sanitize it first with tap water and distilled white vinegar (assuming it was used in your freshwater setup). I don't recommend the Biowheel filters for saltwater in the long run though (lot's of complaints about clogging, maintenance). The Fluval 50 or 70 really are best once the tank is cycled. As for barebottom it is easier in terms of not having a substrate to trap the nasties, but it also limits your stock for fish and certain inverts (ie snails). Many gobies will be removed from your list as they will require a substrate to sift through/burrow in. I am one of those people who doesn't care for barebottom tanks. Not just because of the aesthetics, but because they don't work with some of my favorite fish and snails (ie sand burrowing wrasses, conch snails). Either way though it's a personal choice, you just have to decide what works best for you.

As for what to add first, I would say that a few snails and hermit crabs (if you want the hermits) after you have your brown algae (aka diatom bloom) at the end of the cycle would be the best way to test your new tank out. Definitely cheaper than any fish you would want to add. Try them out for a week or two and then add your first fish.

As for stocking recommendations for a standard 20 gallon tank, I would say you could go up to 4 fish total of any of the following:

Ocellaris or Percula Clownfish (add these last though as they can be very territorial once they are established)
Pajama Cardinalfish
Royal Gramma Basslet (although I am not sure if they require a sand burrow at night)
Pink Streaked Wrasse or Possum Wrasse (these don't require a sand bed). The Pink Streaked tends to be a bit more visible than the Possums though

I have been going back and forth about what size tank to get. I need something affordable.
I would really like some advice on the pros and cons of a smaller (10 gal) vs bigger (20 gal) tank. I don't care so much about fish, but I really want coral.
Thank you a lot. All of your guys' advice has been really helpful.

 

As mentioned above, unfortunately your area of focus (corals) is the more expensive/demanding side of the hobby. Not only do they require more stable water parameters, they require a more expensive light (any basic LED light will be fine for fish and most inverts) and the corals themselves can get expensive really fast.

To give you an idea, my original hammer and frogspawn coral frags (just a small piece of a larger coral) were $70 combined. That was just for two relatively small fragments and my LFS (Local Fish Store) tends to be a bit cheaper than most. Add in the fact that you are going to need a light in around the $100 range (mentioned above) and you can see where the costs go from there. Even for the cheaper corals (ie leather mushroom) in a 10 gallon tank you could easily be in the $200-$300 range just between lighting and coral frags.

As for the advantages and disadvantages here you go:

10 gallon advantages:

Somewhat cheaper to setup (probably about $100 cheaper between the tank heater needed, smaller filter, less live rock, smaller powerhead/wavemaker)
Smaller Footprint
A little less time cleaning the glass
Less money spent on corals and fish to fill out the tank

10 gallon disadvantages:

Much more limited on stock for fish (You will be limited to Firefish, Small non-sand burrowing/sifting Gobies, Possum Wrasse) and you won't want more than 2 of any
More of an issue with salinity levels rising due to evaporation, an auto top off system can fix this but it will add an extra cost
Much less forgiving if you accidentally overfeed your fish/tank
Will need to test water more frequently (ie Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates, Alkalinity, etc)
Will need a bare minimum of 2-3 gallons of water changed out per week and may need more than once a week depending on your bioload (how many fish, how often you feed it, etc)
Much more limited on coral selection since certain corals will overrun and kill off nearby corals and outgrow a really small tank
High likelihood of getting bored with the severe limitations of a smaller tank and having to waste a bunch of money upgrading the tank, equipment, etc. to a larger tank later down the road. This is a serious consideration as upgrades are an expensive pain and transferring things sucks (I have no desire to ever repeat the experience I went through upgrading from my 36 gallon to my 90 gallon EVER AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!)

For the 20 gallon you can basically flipflop the aforementioned list. The initial setup cost will be a bit more but you open up your stocking options for fish considerably and can double the number of total fish. Don't get me wrong, Corals are cool but ultimately they just sit in a stationary place and other than the long polyp type corals you don't get much in the way of life and movement in your tank. Fish add in a mobile coloration and personality that corals just can't match IMHO. The 20 gallon will also give you more room and open up certain additional options for corals. I am definitely partial to the Euphyllia variety (ie Frogspawn, Hammer, Torch) as they have the long polyps that wave the current/flow and will grow out, but they do need about 5-6 inches of space to grow out as they can kill other corals off in that radius, but for eye catching factor and adding life to the tank they are incredible. You could add a couple of these (as frags) in a 20 gallon and have a few other options as well, but in a 10 gallon that is about all you could put in the tank as they would completely overrrun it in a year or two. Here is my tank with some recent additions (all Euphyllia Corals except for the Zoanthid I got for free):

 

As mentioned above, unfortunately your area of focus (corals) is the more expensive/demanding side of the hobby. Not only do they require more stable water parameters, they require a more expensive light (any basic LED light will be fine for fish and most inverts) and the corals themselves can get expensive really fast.

To give you an idea, my original hammer and frogspawn coral frags (just a small piece of a larger coral) were $70 combined. That was just for two relatively small fragments and my LFS (Local Fish Store) tends to be a bit cheaper than most. Add in the fact that you are going to need a light in around the $100 range (mentioned above) and you can see where the costs go from there. Even for the cheaper corals (ie leather mushroom) in a 10 gallon tank you could easily be in the $200-$300 range just between lighting and coral frags.

As for the advantages and disadvantages here you go:

10 gallon advantages:

Somewhat cheaper to setup (probably about $100 cheaper between the tank heater needed, smaller filter, less live rock, smaller powerhead/wavemaker)
Smaller Footprint
A little less time cleaning the glass
Less money spent on corals and fish to fill out the tank

10 gallon disadvantages:

Much more limited on stock for fish (You will be limited to Firefish, Small non-sand burrowing/sifting Gobies, Possum Wrasse) and you won't want more than 2 of any
More of an issue with salinity levels rising due to evaporation, an auto top off system can fix this but it will add an extra cost
Much less forgiving if you accidentally overfeed your fish/tank
Will need to test water more frequently (ie Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates, Alkalinity, etc)
Will need a bare minimum of 2-3 gallons of water changed out per week and may need more than once a week depending on your bioload (how many fish, how often you feed it, etc)
Much more limited on coral selection since certain corals will overrun and kill off nearby corals and outgrow a really small tank
High likelihood of getting bored with the severe limitations of a smaller tank and having to waste a bunch of money upgrading the tank, equipment, etc. to a larger tank later down the road. This is a serious consideration as upgrades are an expensive pain and transferring things sucks (I have no desire to ever repeat the experience I went through upgrading from my 36 gallon to my 90 gallon EVER AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!)

For the 20 gallon you can basically flipflop the aforementioned list. The initial setup cost will be a bit more but you open up your stocking options for fish considerably and can double the number of total fish. Don't get me wrong, Corals are cool but ultimately they just sit in a stationary place and other than the long polyp type corals you don't get much in the way of life and movement in your tank. Fish add in a mobile coloration and personality that corals just can't match IMHO. The 20 gallon will also give you more room and open up certain additional options for corals. I am definitely partial to the Euphyllia variety (ie Frogspawn, Hammer, Torch) as they have the long polyps that wave the current/flow and will grow out, but they do need about 5-6 inches of space to grow out as they can kill other corals off in that radius, but for eye catching factor and adding life to the tank they are incredible. You could add a couple of these (as frags) in a 20 gallon and have a few other options as well, but in a 10 gallon that is about all you could put in the tank as they would completely overrrun it in a year or two. Here is my tank with some recent additions (all Euphyllia Corals except for the Zoanthid I got for free):

Thank you. This is exactly what I needed.
What is a list of the bare minimum of what I would need to start cycling my tank with dry and a pound of live rock would be?
I want to see if It would be reasonable to ask my parents for just the bare minimum and I could save up for the rest by birthday happens shortly after christmas and I could ask for the rest then. I really don't want to ask for something really expensive.

Thanks!

 

To start cycling a tank you will need the following if you are doing a bare bottom tank:

A tank (preferably 20 Gallon or larger)
A Marine compatible tank heater in the 50-100 watt range (50 for the 10 gallon, 100 for the 20).
A power filter
A powerhead/wavemaker
10lbs of dry rock for the 10 gallon and 20lbs of dry rock for the 20 gallon (you can go all dry to save money, it just takes longer to establish the bacteria)
A source of 10-15 gallons of RODI/Salt pre-mix (as long as you have a reliable local fish store it might be worth it to just buy the water pre-mixed to start from them). You can pick up 3x5 gallon water safe jugs with lids to carry the water with.
A reliable Marine Care Test kit (ie Red Sea, Salifert). I am not a fan of API for saltwater tanks due to it's inaccuracies with nitrates and it can give false positives for ammonia. It's also the only kit that doesn't have screw top lids for it's test vials.
A refractometer would be advisable as well (to measure salinity levels)

Figure the 10 gallon tank will run about $15 at regular price, the 20 gallon Long would run about $30-$40
The 50-100 watt tank heater will run: $20-$25



The powerhead/wavemaker Around $40:




Some kind of basic power filter just running carbon during cycling, A Fluval 50 or 70 would be best in the long run ($38-$50 from Petsmart):



Figure 10lbs of dry rock at about $23-$30 and 20lbs of dry rock at $46-$60

Red Sea Marine Care Test Kit $43




Refractometer $20:




10-15 gallons of RODI/Saltwater mix $1-$2 per gallon at most LFS

3 5 gallon jugs $18

Something like Dr. Tims for a source of ammonia to jump start the cycle $6.50:



Source of Bacteria $10:



The total:

For a 10 gallon tank: $300 to get started (keep in mind that you will need to purchase a light and RODI system still, the light isn't needed until the end of the cycle and any LED light will do)

For a 20 gallon tank: $330 for the same

It is likely sticker shock, but keep in mind that even a freshwater setup can cost well into the mid 100s range. I spent $150 on my 10 gallon Glofish setup just to get it ready for fish.

 

To start cycling a tank you will need the following if you are doing a bare bottom tank:

A tank (preferably 20 Gallon or larger)
A Marine compatible tank heater in the 50-100 watt range (50 for the 10 gallon, 100 for the 20).
A power filter
A powerhead/wavemaker
10lbs of dry rock for the 10 gallon and 20lbs of dry rock for the 20 gallon (you can go all dry to save money, it just takes longer to establish the bacteria)
A source of 10-15 gallons of RODI/Salt pre-mix (as long as you have a reliable local fish store it might be worth it to just buy the water pre-mixed to start from them). You can pick up 3x5 gallon water safe jugs with lids to carry the water with.
A reliable Marine Care Test kit (ie Red Sea, Salifert). I am not a fan of API for saltwater tanks due to it's inaccuracies with nitrates and it can give false positives for ammonia. It's also the only kit that doesn't have screw top lids for it's test vials.
A refractometer would be advisable as well (to measure salinity levels)

Figure the 10 gallon tank will run about $15 at regular price, the 20 gallon Long would run about $30-$40
The 50-100 watt tank heater will run: $20-$25



The powerhead/wavemaker Around $40:




Some kind of basic power filter just running carbon during cycling, A Fluval 50 or 70 would be best in the long run ($38-$50 from Petsmart):



Figure 10lbs of dry rock at about $23-$30 and 20lbs of dry rock at $46-$60

Red Sea Marine Care Test Kit $43




Refractometer $20:




10-15 gallons of RODI/Saltwater mix $1-$2 per gallon at most LFS

3 5 gallon jugs $18

Something like Dr. Tims for a source of ammonia to jump start the cycle $6.50:



Source of Bacteria $10:



The total:

For a 10 gallon tank: $300 to get started (keep in mind that you will need to purchase a light and RODI system still, the light isn't needed until the end of the cycle and any LED light will do)

For a 20 gallon tank: $330 for the same

It is likely sticker shock, but keep in mind that even a freshwater setup can cost well into the mid 100s range. I spent $150 on my 10 gallon Glofish setup just to get it ready for fish.

Thank you. This is very helpful.
Do I really need one pound per gallon of live rock? I have read otherwhere that I should have .70-.75 funds of live rock per gallon.
I also found a Koralia 240 for 24 dollars on amazon. Wouldn't that be sufficient flow?
Thank you all so much.

 

In a smaller tank, I would say you definitely want a pound per gallon to ensure maximum biofilter. In a larger tank you can cut corners a bit if your bioload is light, but in a small tank your bioload is almost always heavy. You are correct that the Hydor Koralia will get the job done, I missed that in my search. If you really want to cut some corners on your dry rock, you can try these, but be aware that they will definitely need to be cleaned well before going into the tank to prevent phosphate leeching. If you know anyone who is interested in starting their own aquarium you could split the cost. Or you could maybe work out some kind of trade with your LFS for the unused rock.

 

In a smaller tank, I would say you definitely want a pound per gallon to ensure maximum biofilter. In a larger tank you can cut corners a bit if your bioload is light, but in a small tank your bioload is almost always heavy. You are correct that the Hydor Koralia will get the job done, I missed that in my search. If you really want to cut some corners on your dry rock, you can try these, but be aware that they will definitely need to be cleaned well before going into the tank to prevent phosphate leeching. If you know anyone who is interested in starting their own aquarium you could split the cost. Or you could maybe work out some kind of trade with your LFS for the unused rock.

Ok thanks. I will look into it.
Do you have any suggestions on light for Coral.
I mentioned a light fixture and system near the top of the page. Will one or two of those get the job done?
I also found another light by the name of Current USA Marine Orbit LED.
Will that work?
Thank you.

 

I use the current marine pro on my 75 and love it. That particular light in the link is for freshwater, so choose carefully. Make sure it says marine.

 

I use the current marine pro on my 75 and love it. That particular light in the link is for freshwater, so choose carefully. Make sure it says marine.

Ok thanks.

 

Ok thanks.

Note that he is using the IC Pro and not the regular Current Orbit Marine. The IC Pro is significantly more expensive than the regular Current Orbit and much better for corals. I do not recommend the regular current orbit USA as the lighting is very weak in terms of coral growth. As for the lighting, I actually answered your question in a post above. The Nicrew is good for FOWLR (Fish Only With Live Rock) and not for coral growth, particularly if you want to focus on coral. The light I would recommend for the money (and it will more than cover a 10-20 gallon tank) would be a Chinese Black Box:

 

Note that he is using the IC Pro and not the regular Current Orbit Marine. The IC Pro is significantly more expensive than the regular Current Orbit and much better for corals. I do not recommend the regular current orbit USA as the lighting is very weak in terms of coral growth. As for the lighting, I actually answered your question in a post above. The Nicrew is good for FOWLR (Fish Only With Live Rock) and not for coral growth, particularly if you want to focus on coral. The light I would recommend for the money (and it will more than cover a 10-20 gallon tank) would be a Chinese Black Box:

What about the marine pro lights? Will that be better?

 

What about the marine pro lights? Will that be better?

No, the Chinese black boxes are actually cheaper and deliver a much better light. The Current USA are very programmable, but generally speaking pretty weak by comparison. With the black box you are getting a 165 watt full spectrum fixture. Here is one in action on a smaller reef tank:

 

No, the Chinese black boxes are actually cheaper and deliver a much better light. The Current USA are very programmable, but generally speaking pretty weak by comparison. With the black box you are getting a 165 watt full spectrum fixture. Here is one in action on a smaller reef tank:

Ok thanks.

 

Part of the problem is that they don't seem to carry the IC Pro line in anything smaller than a 36 inch light (which is even too big for a 20 gallon long) and would cost over $300 for said IC Pro model. For that size tank you could get an Ecotech Marine Radion XR15 Pro (literally the best LED light in the entire industry for a tank that size) in that price range and even the IC Pro doesn't come close to comparing to that for a light. The Chinese Black Boxes run about $90-$130 plus the cost of mounts and a timer from a hardware store (the timer runs about $10). It looks like the more expensive units ($120-$130) actually have a timer and basic wifI controls:

 

So this would be ok:




I already have a timer, so I don't need one
This would be good as moderate lighting, right?

 

Yeah, it's a Chinese Black Box without the extra bells and whistles, so as long as you are good with just a basic light with no more than manual dimming capabilities then it should be fine.

 

Yeah, it's a Chinese Black Box without the extra bells and whistles, so as long as you are good with just a basic light with no more than dimming capabilities then it should be fine.

You have been so helpful, I'm really grateful.
Thank you.

 

You have been so helpful, I'm really grateful.
Thank you.

Not a problem. I hope things work out for you, but you may need to go get a part time job to support yourself in this hobby. Even with a smaller reef tank, it isn't cheap.

 

Not a problem. I hope things work out for you, but you may need to go get a part time job to support yourself in this hobby. Even with a smaller reef tank, it isn't cheap.

I would if I could, but I am too young. For now, I will just have to rake the neighbor's yard.
I am about to start baby siting for a family near where I live, so hopefully, I can rake in some cash that way. Thanks!

 

I hope it works out for you. I just think you will have an easier time selling this hobby to your parents if they can see you contributing to this financially. I'll be honest, if I weren't in the hobby, and my kids asked me for a $300 plus saltwater setup, just to get started, the answer would be an emphatic NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Since I am in the hobby though, I have already stated that if my kids ever approach me about setting up a small saltwater tank of their own that I will work with them on it, but they would definitely be contributing to it.

 

I hope it works out for you. I just think you will have an easier time selling this hobby to your parents if they can see you contributing to this financially. I'll be honest, if I weren't in the hobby, and my kids asked me for a $300 plus saltwater setup, just to get started, the answer would be an emphatic NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Since I am in the hobby though, I have already stated that if my kids ever approach me about setting up a small saltwater tank of their own that I will work with them on it, but they would definitely be contributing to it.

Ok. Thanks for the advice. My parents have been impressed at how I managed my freshwater tank, and my dad recognized the fact that I have been researching a saltwater setup. Anything I don't get I can ask for for my birthday, which is right around the corner.
Thanks

 

Well, now that I think about it more, think I will start with just a FOALR tank.
Its less expensive and easier to care for, so I probably won't be good for a beginner like me.

 

If you really want to get into corals, do a lot of research before you buy anything. Make sure your setup right and start with beginner corals. Candy canes are easy to care for once your tank is ready.

 

Yup and FYI, Zoanthids are often advertised as easy corals and they are really hit and miss for beginners. Stella and I definitely lost a few in our early days. Another one that IMHO is easy (provided you feed your tank good stuff) are some of the Euphyllia variety corals that I posted earlier.