hello. i just got an eclipse hex 5 gallon fish tank as a gift recently. it says it's saltwater ready. after doing a bit a research, i've found that it seems hard to maintain saltwater fish in a small tank. however, i would really like to have saltwater fish. i would appreciate any advice about maintaining a 5 gallon saltwater tank. thanks!
5 Gallon Saltwater Tank
- Thread starter boister77
- Start date
EddieW
Fish Addict
Sorry to be a downer, but it is VERY difficult to do a 5 gall nano SW tank.
You need to plan carefully, spend a lot of money, plan some more, do regular water changes, keep it topped up (maybe three times daily), check the water parameters very regularly (maybe even daily).
The volume of water in a nano is very small so any mistakes will show up very quickly. I started with a 20+ gall nano which is running fine and am in the process of setting up a 10 gall nano which has given me no end of problems so far. It looks like it is settling down now, but it has taken a lot of work.
HTH, Eddie
You need to plan carefully, spend a lot of money, plan some more, do regular water changes, keep it topped up (maybe three times daily), check the water parameters very regularly (maybe even daily).
The volume of water in a nano is very small so any mistakes will show up very quickly. I started with a 20+ gall nano which is running fine and am in the process of setting up a 10 gall nano which has given me no end of problems so far. It looks like it is settling down now, but it has taken a lot of work.
HTH, Eddie
DrOizo
Fish Addict
Eddies do you sump your little nano tanks? Is it worth putting a protein skimmer on such a small tank aswell? Cheers
EddieW
Fish Addict
DrOizo,
I personally don't sump - both due to lack of space (I live in a small flat and three tanks take up most of the space
) and also becuase none of the tanks is drilled and I am paranoid about syphon overflows.
I don't currently have a skimmer on either of my nanos, but I do have two CPR BakPaks (well one is a knock off copy) one of which I will get around to installing on the larger nano eventually. It is just a case of re-arranging rocks, pipe work and spray bars so that I can fit it in.
I am keeping the other CPR and a nice 12" refugium for later in the year when I (possibly) convert my 160l from cichlids to marine. Still undecided on that one...
Cheers, Eddie
I personally don't sump - both due to lack of space (I live in a small flat and three tanks take up most of the space
) and also becuase none of the tanks is drilled and I am paranoid about syphon overflows.I don't currently have a skimmer on either of my nanos, but I do have two CPR BakPaks (well one is a knock off copy) one of which I will get around to installing on the larger nano eventually. It is just a case of re-arranging rocks, pipe work and spray bars so that I can fit it in.
I am keeping the other CPR and a nice 12" refugium for later in the year when I (possibly) convert my 160l from cichlids to marine. Still undecided on that one...
Cheers, Eddie
Adrinal
4k gallons and growing!
The best advice I can give (and I am no expert) is if you are sure you want to go this way do a FO tank at first. A 5 gall tank can only handle 1 fishy at 1"
or perhaps a shrimp.
In any case I would Not get any corals and such untill you are sure you can handle the shrimp.
general difficulty
crabs
fish
shrimps
soft corals
hard corals / clams
If after a year of shrimps or fish you think you are ready for reefing (durring which time I assume you would be planning and saving for it). Go for the upgrade
or perhaps a shrimp.
In any case I would Not get any corals and such untill you are sure you can handle the shrimp.
general difficulty
crabs
fish
shrimps
soft corals
hard corals / clams
If after a year of shrimps or fish you think you are ready for reefing (durring which time I assume you would be planning and saving for it). Go for the upgrade
Similar threads
Most reactions
-
456 -
311 -
252 -
215 -
200 -
188 -
168 -
164 -
163 -
154 -
124 -
121 -
110 -
102 -
89