Trying to start a 10 gallon Tank

NateT · 11/24/2006, 05:55 PM

I have been wanting to start a tank for quite a while now but have not had the money to do it. I have gone to my LFS and they have made it seem a lot more expensive then I thought it would be. I would like some recomendations on how to start a tank on a tight budget.

drummereef · 11/24/2006, 05:57 PM

Try looking at some 10 gallon setup in the nano forums. They like to keep it really simple with a diy hang on fuge. Some of the setups are really cool.

TekCat · 11/24/2006, 06:03 PM

It is very difficult to do reef on a tight budget, however FOWLR (fish only with live rock) it is doable (in my opinion).

First read stickies on this forum. Come up with plan, what you want (FO, FOWLR, or reef). Each type requires you to aproach filtration, lighting, etc... differently. But common things you'd need to have is RO/DI water (buying or making it at home), refractometer, powerhead(s), heater, test kits.

On the other hand, since it is 10G tank, you might want to get better answers from Nano forum.

Good luck, and Reef ON!!!

aquarius77 · 11/24/2006, 06:04 PM

A 10g tank is totaly possible.
I am curently running one with a coralife 96 watt light wich i hate and wish i would have bought a Current metal halide fixture, a 30-60 gallon walmart hang on back filter and a AC 201 powerhead with a hydor on the output. I dont have carbon filter inserts in the filter but rather the bio inserts that came with it (floss stuff) and some filter media (same thing as the floss only finer) floating in it to trap the particals other than that i have the filter housing itself jammed with live rock rubble.
I clean both the heavier grade floss inserts and the finer floss i have floating with every water change in a bucket of tank water. I dose 2 part and do water changes at least once a week. HTH

aquarius77 · 11/24/2006, 06:08 PM

I would like to add that i plan on a overflow and sump in the near future and a metal halide upgrade as well. I am also going to get a hang on back fuge/skimmer to go on the sump. The overflow i am having made because the commercially available ones are much to large and intrusive to be on a ten gallon tank.

Here is a link to my photo bucket, in the salty reef folder there are a few pages of pic of my setup. I hope this is of some help to you, GL!

http://s31.photobucket.com/albums/c3.../Salty%20Reef/

The most recent pic in there is 2 months old. I will take some more after my next water change and glass scrape.

chip721 · 11/24/2006, 06:43 PM

Guidance from the LFS isn't necessarily all bad, but they are in business to sell things. The startup cost of a nano tank can be kept to a minimum. However once the tank is up and running, there will still be recurring cost you should also plan for. You will need synthetic salt and RO water on a regular basis. Decide on the type of environment you want to create: FO, FOWLR, or a nano reef. That will help determine what hardware is required. Then there's the ever present desire to upgrade, just a little bigger, a little brighter, etc. Bottom line, salt water tanks aren't cheap. Look at the used goods sellers forum and ask lots of questions before spending any money. Good luck.

Shooter7 · 11/24/2006, 08:13 PM

My 10g setup is very much like aquarius77's - interestingly enough, we also share a dislike of the coralife fixture we both have, lol. Nothing fancy, just something to move the water, something that I can run carbon or whatever in if I need to (small HOB filter), and water changes (which I have been negligent of recently). I need to scrape badly too because I have coralline all over the place. This tank is pretty cool because I've noticed that it is really starting to become a stomatella snail breeding tank. I've got a bunch of them of all sizes going in there now and I'm starting to move them over into my 120g.

aquarius77, I'd be very interested in the projects you spoke of because I've considered several of them myself, especially adding a sump and MH lighting.

aquarius77 · 11/24/2006, 08:17 PM

We literally live ten mins from each other...... PM me

11/24/2006, 05:55 PM	#1
NateT Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mission Viejo CA Posts: 12	Trying to start a 10 gallon Tank I have been wanting to start a tank for quite a while now but have not had the money to do it. I have gone to my LFS and they have made it seem a lot more expensive then I thought it would be. I would like some recomendations on how to start a tank on a tight budget.

11/24/2006, 05:57 PM	#2
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	Try looking at some 10 gallon setup in the nano forums. They like to keep it really simple with a diy hang on fuge. Some of the setups are really cool. __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system

11/24/2006, 08:13 PM	#7
Shooter7 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Tolono, IL Posts: 6,754	My 10g setup is very much like aquarius77's - interestingly enough, we also share a dislike of the coralife fixture we both have, lol. Nothing fancy, just something to move the water, something that I can run carbon or whatever in if I need to (small HOB filter), and water changes (which I have been negligent of recently). I need to scrape badly too because I have coralline all over the place. This tank is pretty cool because I've noticed that it is really starting to become a stomatella snail breeding tank. I've got a bunch of them of all sizes going in there now and I'm starting to move them over into my 120g. aquarius77, I'd be very interested in the projects you spoke of because I've considered several of them myself, especially adding a sump and MH lighting. __________________ Dave Current Tank Info: 10 years salty - standard 29g reef - moved from 120 gal reef, 2x250w Reeflux 10k's on ARO electronics and VHO super actinics on Icecap ballast, 2xTunze 6060, MSX 200 skimmer, GEO 612 Ca reactor, mag 12 return

11/24/2006, 06:03 PM	#3
TekCat Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: MN Posts: 3,130	It is very difficult to do reef on a tight budget, however FOWLR (fish only with live rock) it is doable (in my opinion). First read stickies on this forum. Come up with plan, what you want (FO, FOWLR, or reef). Each type requires you to aproach filtration, lighting, etc... differently. But common things you'd need to have is RO/DI water (buying or making it at home), refractometer, powerhead(s), heater, test kits. On the other hand, since it is 10G tank, you might want to get better answers from Nano forum. Good luck, and Reef ON!!!

11/24/2006, 06:04 PM	#4
aquarius77 Moved On Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Highland, Il Posts: 2,198	A 10g tank is totaly possible. I am curently running one with a coralife 96 watt light wich i hate and wish i would have bought a Current metal halide fixture, a 30-60 gallon walmart hang on back filter and a AC 201 powerhead with a hydor on the output. I dont have carbon filter inserts in the filter but rather the bio inserts that came with it (floss stuff) and some filter media (same thing as the floss only finer) floating in it to trap the particals other than that i have the filter housing itself jammed with live rock rubble. I clean both the heavier grade floss inserts and the finer floss i have floating with every water change in a bucket of tank water. I dose 2 part and do water changes at least once a week. HTH

11/24/2006, 06:08 PM	#5
aquarius77 Moved On Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Highland, Il Posts: 2,198	I would like to add that i plan on a overflow and sump in the near future and a metal halide upgrade as well. I am also going to get a hang on back fuge/skimmer to go on the sump. The overflow i am having made because the commercially available ones are much to large and intrusive to be on a ten gallon tank. Here is a link to my photo bucket, in the salty reef folder there are a few pages of pic of my setup. I hope this is of some help to you, GL! http://s31.photobucket.com/albums/c3.../Salty%20Reef/ The most recent pic in there is 2 months old. I will take some more after my next water change and glass scrape.

11/24/2006, 06:43 PM	#6
chip721 Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alexandria, Virginia Posts: 1,260	Guidance from the LFS isn't necessarily all bad, but they are in business to sell things. The startup cost of a nano tank can be kept to a minimum. However once the tank is up and running, there will still be recurring cost you should also plan for. You will need synthetic salt and RO water on a regular basis. Decide on the type of environment you want to create: FO, FOWLR, or a nano reef. That will help determine what hardware is required. Then there's the ever present desire to upgrade, just a little bigger, a little brighter, etc. Bottom line, salt water tanks aren't cheap. Look at the used goods sellers forum and ask lots of questions before spending any money. Good luck.

11/24/2006, 08:17 PM	#8
aquarius77 Moved On Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Highland, Il Posts: 2,198	We literally live ten mins from each other...... PM me