12 G Nano Cube

[Sky042]

Ok so my Fiancee tells me she really really really wants a salt water tank.
Now I'm not too keen on converting any of my existing tanks to salt water and she tells me she's interested in one of those 12 G Nano Cube tanks.

Now I know the price of the tank but frankly I don't 100% understand the salt-water aquarium yet and the more I read the more complicated it seems.

She really wants a clown fish (Ugg yes like Nemo in the movie)

So I'm assuming more or less in the nano cube I could put one of those and hopefully a shrimp of some sort along with live sand and a little live rock and call it a day yes?

Now I'v read that you need to cycle a saltwater tank for several weeks before adding anything living. Though I'm confused here because if you're using live sand or live rock during the cycle exactly what is the bacteria feeding on? Do you have to add an ammonia source like you would in freshwater fishless cycling?

I guess my questions are is the setup she wants feasible. And having done freshwater tanks for 10+ years is the saltwater really as complicated as it seems from the start?

 

[Navarre]

HI and welcome to the saltwater forum.

If you are using good quality cured liverock to the system then you can add fish immediately (or perhaps the next day is better)

Unlike freshwater tanks, marine tanks have the secret weapon called liverock. This rock will immediately cycled the tank and thus enable you to add livestock immediately.

You are quite right to ask the question about the bacteria, what will it eat if no fish are in the tank?? The answer is very little.. the bacteria will reduce in numbers and by the time you get to add fish to the system you will find you might have done more damage to eht rock than good and it will take a few weeks to replenish these lost bacteria

In a 12 gallon cube you would get away with a pair of clowns, perhaps a goby and shrimp. DONT under any circumstances consider an anenome as these creatures are extremly difficult to care for (no matter what the lfs tell you).

Hope this helps.