# Never done a saltwater tank



## balloonmollies3 (Mar 19, 2010)

Hi. I have never done a saltwater tank before. I am planning to do one soon. But i definitely have alot to learn. Like can you have a saltwater aquarium that is only like 10 gallons. And how do i make it a saltwater tank? And what is the like rules for how many fish i can put in there? Please help me out I really want to have a saltwater aquarium. Please!


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## fishesfriend (Dec 8, 2009)

I would not start with a 10 gallon tank. Many members say nothing less than 30 gallon for your first tank.


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## balloonmollies3 (Mar 19, 2010)

Oh ok =(


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## wake49 (Jul 2, 2008)

What are your ultimate plans for a saltwater tank? Maybe we can guide you towards the correct sized tank...


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## balloonmollies3 (Mar 19, 2010)

Well I want to have a coral but i looked and I think i am going to do a 20 gallon tank. I found out that instead of buying this one 10 gallon tank my friend had a 20 gallon tank she didnt want and was going to give it to me. So is a 20 gallon tank good? I mean i want to put a coral in it and have some saltwater fish?


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## wake49 (Jul 2, 2008)

You will be very limited in fish that you can keep, both in species and total inhabitants. Do you see any particular fish that you couldn't live without?

As far as corals go, you can do a twenty no problem. It willl be omore work as you will be fragging corals more often to eliminate overgrowth. Do you have any corals in mind?


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## balloonmollies3 (Mar 19, 2010)

For corals I like the clams and the polypes. For some fish i like is i like the clown fish, puffer fish, basslets, schooling bannerfish, butterfly fish, those different types of fish.


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## balloonmollies3 (Mar 19, 2010)

So what can I do and what can i not do? I mean i am new at saltwater fish tanks so i need the help


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## wake49 (Jul 2, 2008)

If you want most of those fish, you will need at least a 125 gallon tank. You will be safe with a twenty gallon tank and a pair of clowns and maybe a Royal Gramma. This would probably be it unless you wanted a goby or two. 

The clams are a hard bunch to keep . They have more strict care than other marine animals, and are not a coral either. They are an invetabrate, like an anenome or a shrimp.

THere are a lot of successful tanks in the Pictures and Vidoes section of twenty to thirty gallon size. Take a look at some of those to get an idea of what you could do...


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## balloonmollies3 (Mar 19, 2010)

Ok thanks. And i love the royal gramma!!! So clowns and the royal gramma are good right and for coral is the polypes ok???


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## fishesfriend (Dec 8, 2009)

I would use the 10 gallon tank as a sump.


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## balloonmollies3 (Mar 19, 2010)

What is a sump?


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## wake49 (Jul 2, 2008)

Read this: Marine fish compatability, creating a stocking list


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## balloonmollies3 (Mar 19, 2010)

Ok But is what a said in one of my last posts ok to have?


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## wake49 (Jul 2, 2008)

I think that is fine r a twenty gallon, but you have a long way to before you really have to worry about stocking anyway. I think we should be more concerned with how you are setting up your tank. Do you have any ideas as to what you'll use as saltwater filtration?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## balloonmollies3 (Mar 19, 2010)

Well I was going to use the filter that came with the tank is there specific filters I need because I would need to know everything because when I have my tank i want all the fish to be healthy and happy


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## wake49 (Jul 2, 2008)

Saltwater tanks rely on a different kind of filtration than freshwater. The majority of members here that run slatwater tanks run a Live Rock, Live Sand and Protien SKimmer Filtration. That is it. No Hang on Top filters or canister filters, no bioballs or wet-dry systems. Just the natural rock and sand found in your livestock's natural habitat. The Live Rock harbors aerobic and anaerobic bacteria that help complete the Nitrogen cycle. You will want about 25-35 ls of live rock (that is an arbritrary number, the tank should be about 2/3 full). As for Live Sand, you will want a 4-6" sand bed, anything between 1-4" will not be suffecient. Lastly, the Protein Skimmer pulls Dissolved Organic Compounds out of the water through the proccess of foam fractionization. This helps to keep your Alkalinity and Calcium steady. Those arevery important elemnets of a marine tank.


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