10 Gallon Fresh To Salt

[unknowntbeast]

Right now I have 2 tanks, a 10 gallon with 6 zebra danios and a 20 gallon with black mollies, platys and guppies (2 of each). I am thinking of moving my danios to the larger tank and I want to make the 10 gallon a saltwater tank. I am not sure what kind of fish to get, or to make a reef, or to have something like a sand dollar or star fish. And plus I don't have the slightest clue how to cycle a saltwater tank. Would the current fresh water filter still work? Can someone give me the low down on how to set a salt tank up?

 

[unknowntbeast]

Oh really? I didn't know that! Thank all for the wonderful help......

 

[beetlesteve]

Oh really? I didn't know that! Thank all for the wonderful help......

Dude, have you looked here?

[URL="http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=286583"]http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=286583[/URL]

Maybe then ask more specific questions rather than expecting people to guide you through it? You may find it more useful?

 

[unknowntbeast]

Thank you....This site has a lot of info, and quite a bit it is conflicting. That link will do me good I am sure and that is all I ask for just somewhere to get started. But when I see 2 dozen views and no replies, it gets to some people.

 

[lgarvey]

Hey,

I was going to reply earlier but got embroiled in a convo with house mate!

I have just done the same thing you're thinking of doing with a 45L / 11 USG tank.

<a href="http/s609.photobucket.com/albums/tt180/i...nt=SDC10450.flv" target="_blank">http/s609.photobucket.com/albums/tt180/i...nt=SDC10450.flv</a>

You need adequate live rock and a powerhead (Koralia nano being ideal) to create the biological filtration. About 5kgs of live rock would be perfect for your tank. The filter is useful and you can still run it, but with saltwater filters tend to become nitrate factories over time. So unlike freshwater, your marine filter would be purely for mechanical filtration and phosphate control - filter floss and rowaphos. But you'd need to wash the filter floss in chlorinated water on a regular basis to prevent a build up of nitrates.

The biological filtration is handled by the live rock and the powerhead. The live rock colonises the nitrifying bacteria, and is probably the best way to run the system.

A protein skimmer is also very helpful (if it's a decent protein skimmer that it), but you can forego a protein skimmer if you do larger water change - say 25% per week.

You do not need live sand, and it's debated just how live the sand really is when it's been sat on a shelf for months on end. Better to use cheap argonite sand which has buffering capacity and will become live as it's seeded from the live rock.

You'll need a refractometer (preferred) or a hydrometer to test salinity on a regular basis and given the tank is small, you will need to do regular top ups with pure RO water to keep the salinity in check.

Cheers,
L
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