First Time Saltwater Tank.

[HaliHostility]

HELLO!
So yeah, i just set up my nano cube 6 gallon tank, I got premixed saltwater from the fish store, I think I'll just keep doing it that way....Just seems simpler.
I got 5 lbs of ARGONITE live sand and 3 live rocks one of them has that slimy pink algae around the rim it's pretty cool looking, I bought a testing kit, a thermometer and a tiny little mag float.
No fish yet i wanna wait until it's fully cycled and I have an anemone and some coral first, so maybe in 3 weeks to a month I'll get to that part.
I'm just looking for some extra tips and pointers about what I should, and shouldn't be doing. I've read up a little but always room for improvement:]
I'll add a picture when it clears up right now the sand and everything is settling and it'll probably be cloudy for another day or two because the filter media [except for the sponge] is new.
I really want to know the importance of protein skimmers and calcium [something, can't remember the word right now] because it being this tiny little self contained tank there doesn't leave much room for extra equipment, and though I want the fish to be properly cared for and healthy i'm still concerned about the way it looks so since I'm already adding an eyesore of a filter for extra current, I don't want this big clunky thing hanging in there to. So are they REEEEALY necessary or just a nice thing to have?

 

[-Nemo-]

Hello!

Protein skimmers and calcium reactors (I'm assuming is what you're thinking) are not needed, and probably best left off of a tank so small. Weekly water changes will be enough to cover all those bases.

I do suggest, if you're going to continue to use pre-mixed water, that you test the density of the water before you use it. I've heard more than once of pre-mixed water being incorrect densities and messing up people's tanks.

Also, I strongly suggest NOT putting an anemone in that small of a tank... Almost all anemones have the potential to get a foot in diameter and they grow quick! Mini Maxi anemones stay smaller, but anemones still should not be added to a new tank. They are very very sensitive and need a mature tank and keeping things stable in a small tank and especially it being your first salt tank, is going to be difficult.

Corals will be OK, what kind of light do you have on there?

Keep in mind, when you start looking at fish, that you will be very limited on what you can put in there. Two small fish (1-2" adult size and probably only gobies/blennies) will likely be the max.

 

[theoilartist]

Hi,
Yipeee, this is a first for me as I'm also very new to this game. I'm running a 35l tank. I think that's about 9g if my calculations are right. This is an amazing hobby, by far the most challenging that I've ever tried. Anyway enough rambling from me. Welcome!
I have found that by reading the posts from the experts I have learnt a lot in a very short time. BTW they expect lots of photo's.
Regards,
Duncan

 

[HaliHostility]

Hello!

Protein skimmers and calcium reactors (I'm assuming is what you're thinking) are not needed, and probably best left off of a tank so small. Weekly water changes will be enough to cover all those bases.

I do suggest, if you're going to continue to use pre-mixed water, that you test the density of the water before you use it. I've heard more than once of pre-mixed water being incorrect densities and messing up people's tanks.

Also, I strongly suggest NOT putting an anemone in that small of a tank... Almost all anemones have the potential to get a foot in diameter and they grow quick! Mini Maxi anemones stay smaller, but anemones still should not be added to a new tank. They are very very sensitive and need a mature tank and keeping things stable in a small tank and especially it being your first salt tank, is going to be difficult.

Corals will be OK, what kind of light do you have on there?

Keep in mind, when you start looking at fish, that you will be very limited on what you can put in there. Two small fish (1-2" adult size and probably only gobies/blennies) will likely be the max.

Thank you.It's awesome to hear the calcium reactor and protein skimmer aren't needed, I had no clue where i would put those.
I got a salinity/specific gravity reader and the water is at the right level, and I don't really plan on getting any of the really cool corals, probably just the softies and I'm gonna look up those tree like ones [can'r remember the name] but they grow up the back of the glass and they're just these fragile lookin branches and they come in different colors, and im gonna see what lighting and stuff they need.
The light is a acintic blue / compact fluorescent / blue LED
when i had it as my freshwater feeder tank the light WHOOPED BUTT on any plants I put in there:] It was great they would just overrun the tank in a few weeks!
The anemones that are at the fish store are all really small and they seem to stay small, there's a few that have been there for months and they're still pretty small so if I DID get one it would be tiny and if it grew to big I would just bring it back to him or end up turning my 10 gallon feeder tank into a saltwater...
I only want a clown fish. Maybe two. And I think if i add enough rocks and stuff to hide in a small blue tang would be OK. But I wanna see how things go with a clown. I really love them
I thought about gobies and blennys but he NEVER has them NEVERRRRRRR. All his clowns and "dorys" look small enough and he says if I pick one that's more timid then I can house it with a clown or two so long as the tang has a rock to call his own.
I really just wan't a nemo and dory tank:] I've heard that it's a bad idea but he already has one little tank that has multiple clowns and a big blue tang so I'll probably just get them out of that tank, and wait for him to add a smaller tang.

 

[-Nemo-]

Unfortunately, NO tang should EVER be placed in a tank that size, no matter how small the fish is... They get a foot long and need lots and lots of swimming room... please seriously reconsider and think about the wellbeing of the fish. Just because someone else has it in a small tank doesn't mean that it is correct. Many LFS unfortunately do many things wrong.

I would also not suggest clowns for a tank that size... The smallest would still get 3-3.5". I still stand on what I said about the anemone as well...

Small tanks are very limiting. Not to be harsh, but what you're planning will be disastrous for the inhabitants.

 

[HaliHostility]

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