Getting Started! need help

Shipley18

Shipley18

Large Fish
#1
Nov 27, 2004
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#1
all right guys I have a succesful 55 gal in my room right now that is well stocked but I'd love to add a small salt water tank on my desk top. The room i have is roughly 12 inches wide 12 inches deep and about two feet high. What size tank can i get and where can i get it? and also being new at thsi what kind of hardware do i need. i'm currently doing alot of reading but i trust you guys more and your always so wise :D . also how many fish could i put into it and how much woudl aproximate cost be? Being that I got accepted to uwm I no longer need to try so hard in school so i can slack off, so i hav eplenty of time to dedicate to my tanks! and my boyfriend doesn't mind so any help would be great! i really do apprecaite it!
 

S.Reef

S.Reef

Superstar Fish
#3
Dec 1, 2003
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#3
I would probably stick with a eclipse system or a 5 gallon tank. You could go with a custom tank, but that runs a little more money. 1-2 small fish for a these tanks...you really need to develop a plan and then ask us about it. A lot of it is personal preference. For a tank with some small fish and hardy inverts I would say it would cost around 200-300dollars. For a nano reef tack on another 100 bucks. Of course this is a really rough estimate.
 

Shipley18

Shipley18

Large Fish
#6
Nov 27, 2004
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#6
well i did it i went to my lfs and bought a littl e5 gallon aquiruim and the guy was extremly help ful he gave me everything i needed salt , filter, substarte, hydrometer, thermoter, hood, heater . and it was all 70 bucks...so what else will i need i currently have it cycling
 

zanoshano

zanoshano

Large Fish
#7
Oct 11, 2004
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www.zanoshanoismynamo.tripod.com
#7
70 BUCKS! Sounds to me like you got a pretty good deal. I think the next thing you need to do is ask your self : do yuo want liverock? Liverock in my oppinion is a great addition to any SW aquarium. And for your 5 gallon, it woudl be fairly inexprensive. Just in case your unfamiliar with it, liverock is pieces of rock from the ocean, it has tiny organisms and bacteria that help a lot with your biological filtration. Im setting up a 38 g SW now. Im sure you will love it very much!
 

Shipley18

Shipley18

Large Fish
#9
Nov 27, 2004
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#9
really 3 weeks..is that with or without the live rock in? can i get coral to grow on the live rock if i get a flourescent light bulb?, How many fish can i put into my 5 gallon i fi got one "finding nemo" fish and i wanted to get two other smaller fish maybe? what do you suggest? thanks fo rthe help
 

zanoshano

zanoshano

Large Fish
#10
Oct 11, 2004
349
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Santa Cruz, California
www.zanoshanoismynamo.tripod.com
#10
lets see...Its possible for you to grow corals on your LR, but dont expect to, if you are handling your setup well after time, then id say that you can get a coral/anenome and try to put it with your liverock. As far as the capacity, id say that you could have a percula clown (ur nemo guy)lol, and one other small damsel. you MIIIIIIGHT be able to fit a small hermit or lshrimp in there or something if you would like.
 

S.Reef

S.Reef

Superstar Fish
#11
Dec 1, 2003
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Michigan
#11
A fluorescent light is fine for live rock and mushroom corals. When you want other corals you will need a higher intensity light or a few more fluorescent bulbs. You could fit two small fish in there, but its recommended to keep it to one. You could also put a hermit crab or two, snails, shrimp and other little inverts in as well.
 

Shipley18

Shipley18

Large Fish
#12
Nov 27, 2004
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#12
thanks a bunch guys! i really appreicate the help so if i got one nemo guy(LOL) and two other similiar size fish that would be too much ...? so can i get just one nemo guy and oen other fish and like a snail or crab or sumthin gos is that too much?
 

zanoshano

zanoshano

Large Fish
#13
Oct 11, 2004
349
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33
Santa Cruz, California
www.zanoshanoismynamo.tripod.com
#13
Uhm, i would definetly say no about the 4 fish in afive gallon. Look at it like this, do you share a room? if you do im sure u dont like it too much, (at least i dont), imagine if you shared your room with 4 other ppl and 2 babies or 2 dogs. lol-good analogy huh? anyway, i think the best thing for your situation, would be to get one clown (NEMO) and the one other small fish, and perhaps a couple shrimp/crabs if you still want to. Anything more than that i would definetly get a bigger tank, im not sure, but i thought i remember u saying something about having a 15 gallon, if so (if you want more fish, i would make that one a SW instead, but its up to you. no problem with answering your questions, this si a great site, amd people always help me equally when i have questions/problems in good time. Feel free to ask anything!
 

Shipley18

Shipley18

Large Fish
#17
Nov 27, 2004
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#17
Zanoshano i have msn messenger what do you have i have aim on my phone i think? but ya so i coudl get two small fish and then two shrimp would that work or no? an dalso i jsut go tit set up today and I'm going to pick up live rock tommorow is that too soon? it will probally be fuji live rock
 

zanoshano

zanoshano

Large Fish
#18
Oct 11, 2004
349
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33
Santa Cruz, California
www.zanoshanoismynamo.tripod.com
#18
Thats good, fiji is pretty nice. Theres no such thing as too soon, if your gonna have LR, i would start cycling your tank with it in there so yeah, tomorrow hwne you get it just put it in there and keep cycling for a few weeks. Do you have all of your other equipment? tank stand, filter, skimmer, hydrometer, etc? Uhm, i dont have MSN messanger, but i have AIM and yahoo. my aim sn is xSmartistChildxx
 

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