I need general advice!

[oscarlikesfish]

Hello! I am completely new to fishkeeping. I mean, I had a goldfish fish when I was 5 that my father took care of but that is it. I am most likely going to buy a 16.5-gallon nano tank, that I will put saltwater fish in. I have read lots about fish in the last few weeks so I do understand the effort needed to go into maintaining a fish and its tank. I have lots of questions so I'll get to it.

1. What are some fish that live for a relatively long time, are not too high maintenance, and look nice? (I am fully aware fish keeping is not just for the looks of a fish, but I would like them to look appealing )

2. Do I need real coral or a live rock? Do I need both, do I even need either? Can fish live without it for a while?
My plan was to wait a while as I do not think you NEED coral or live rock, but any advice would be appreciated.

3. How long will the whole process take until my fish are in the tank? I do certainly not want to rush the process but I would like to know how long. My friend said his 360L tank took 3 months to set up, however, the tank I am interested in being 6 times smaller, I do not know if there is a difference in the time period.

4. The tank I am looking at includes :
Protein Skimmer / Air Pump / Check Valve
Extendable LED Lamp
Smart Back Filter
Glass cover and holder
Removable Filter Cartridge for east maintenance
Elegant raised base
Ripple Effect

That is copy and pasted off the website but I do know what most of it is ( I will do more research of course)

Could you please tell me what else I will need to set up the tank and fish?

5. Can anyone give just general advice for me to be aware of or any useful information?

Thank you very much

 

[JxsPxxle]

Hello! I am completely new to fishkeeping. I mean, I had a goldfish fish when I was 5 that my father took care of but that is it. I am most likely going to buy a 16.5-gallon nano tank, that I will put saltwater fish in. I have read lots about fish in the last few weeks so I do understand the effort needed to go into maintaining a fish and its tank. I have lots of questions so I'll get to it.

1. What are some fish that live for a relatively long time, are not too high maintenance, and look nice? (I am fully aware fish keeping is not just for the looks of a fish, but I would like them to look appealing )

2. Do I need real coral or a live rock? Do I need both, do I even need either? Can fish live without it for a while?
My plan was to wait a while as I do not think you NEED coral or live rock, but any advice would be appreciated.

3. How long will the whole process take until my fish are in the tank? I do certainly not want to rush the process but I would like to know how long. My friend said his 360L tank took 3 months to set up, however, the tank I am interested in being 6 times smaller, I do not know if there is a difference in the time period.

4. The tank I am looking at includes :
Protein Skimmer / Air Pump / Check Valve
Extendable LED Lamp
Smart Back Filter
Glass cover and holder
Removable Filter Cartridge for east maintenance
Elegant raised base
Ripple Effect

That is copy and pasted off the website but I do know what most of it is ( I will do more research of course)

Could you please tell me what else I will need to set up the tank and fish?

5. Can anyone give just general advice for me to be aware of or any useful information?

Thank you very much

I noticed you said you were only 15 on your other post, I am also 15 and currently own multiple fish tanks which are doing perfectly.

Personally I think marine tanks are extremely complicated and take A LOT of research to understand them. I have been researching and wanting to start a tank for the last 6 months and I find new things out every day. Make sure your salinity is at the right level, this is vital for the fishes survival. I would start off with a pair of clown fish, and although live rock is not needed it does provide that extra kick to get your tank started. I would also recommend using live sand.

As for coral, it is not needed, but is a great addition to a marine tank and I would suggest you invest in some cheap, beginner coral when your tank is fully set up. You will be advised to get a cleanup crew, if I was to have a tank your size this would be mine: 4 hermit crabs, 1 tuxedo urchin, 1 peppermint shrimp and number of snails (not sure of the species).

Hope everything goes well with your tank. Make sure you have the temperature, salinity, lighting and filtration perfect or it may be a failure. You will also need a place you can get your water from, may that be your lfs, or if you plan to make it yourself. Making your own water will be very costly as you will need an RODI system and this will be extremely expensive, and when you own one nano tank, it is not usually worth it.

Finally, the bigger the better. Bigger tanks will be easier to maintain than smaller, nano tanks. If you can decide on a bigger tank do it. I would strongly suggest you go through the series by SaltwaterAquarium on Youtube, his channel has about 14,000 subscribers and is very informative. He sells a kit for a decent price containing everything you will need, as well as a tutorial for setting it up perfectly.

 

[Colin_T]

What are the tank dimensions (length x width x height)?

Marine tanks need to be cycled before fish are added. You do a fishless cycle by adding ammonia to the tank and letting the filter bacteria develop. It normally takes around 4-6 weeks to cycle a tank. When it has cycled, you can add some fish.

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You don't need live rock and can use dead rock (limestone or sand stone that is dry). Make sure it is free of chemicals and give it a rinse, then use that to decorate the tank. Dead rock turns into live rock after it has been in the tank for a few months.

You have some beach sand on the bottom of the tank. If you can't get that then crushed shells or fine gravel.

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Filter cartridges should not be replaced because they house beneficial bacteria that keep the ammonia and nitrite levels at 0. If you remove and replace the cartridges you remove the good bacteria and can kill the fish and other tank inhabitants.

If you have a new filter, add some sponges to it. Buy after market sponges form another brand of filter and put them in the filter instead of the cartridges. Sponges get cleaned in a bucket of tank water and re-used. They will last 10+ years.

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You will need a heater to keep the water warm if you want to keep tropical marine fishes.

Check the Kelvin rating and wavelengths on the light. Some are made for freshwater and some for salt water. They have different ratings.

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You keep marine fish the same as freshwater fish. Do regular water changes, gravel cleaning, filter maintenance. Don't overfeed them.

Go to a pet shop and make a list of the fish you like, then post it here and we can go through it and suggest good combinations.

The bigger the tank, the easier it is to keep them. Aquariums that are long and wide are better than tall narrow tanks because fish swim left to right, not up and down.​

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[Retired Viking]

Since you are just starting out I would suggest you go with freshwater, it is easier to maintain. As you gain more experience then look at marine-salt water. The others above have given you good info for whatever you decide. Good luck and enjoy your fish.

 

[Retired Viking]

Oh, Hello and welcome to the forum.

 

[Fishmanic]

Not only are freshwater fish easier for a beginner, the fish are generally a lot cheaper than salt water fish so if you happen to lose a few at the beginning , it won't hit your wallet as badly. In a 16 gallon, you could get a school of tetras such as lampeye tetras along with say a colorful dwarf gourami. Or a school of harlequin rasboras would work too. And maybe add a Nerite snail to help clean the tank of any algae or leftover food on the bottom of the tank.

What are the dimensions of the tank..more width than height is usually better for fish like tetras as they like to swim side to side. A 20 gallon long would work better.

 

[JuiceBox52]

Saltwater fish are amazing but freshwater fish (in this sized tank) have a lot more variety to choose from. Also, many pet stores have 1-2 week "guarantee" for freshwater fish. Saltwater fish are usually wild caught and are more stress out and prone to disease and death at time of purchase.

 

[oscarlikesfish]

I noticed you said you were only 15 on your other post, I am also 15 and currently own multiple fish tanks which are doing perfectly.

Personally I think marine tanks are extremely complicated and take A LOT of research to understand them. I have been researching and wanting to start a tank for the last 6 months and I find new things out every day. Make sure your salinity is at the right level, this is vital for the fishes survival. I would start off with a pair of clown fish, and although live rock is not needed it does provide that extra kick to get your tank started. I would also recommend using live sand.

As for coral, it is not needed, but is a great addition to a marine tank and I would suggest you invest in some cheap, beginner coral when your tank is fully set up. You will be advised to get a cleanup crew, if I was to have a tank your size this would be mine: 4 hermit crabs, 1 tuxedo urchin, 1 peppermint shrimp and number of snails (not sure of the species).

Hope everything goes well with your tank. Make sure you have the temperature, salinity, lighting and filtration perfect or it may be a failure. You will also need a place you can get your water from, may that be your lfs, or if you plan to make it yourself. Making your own water will be very costly as you will need an RODI system and this will be extremely expensive, and when you own one nano tank, it is not usually worth it.

Finally, the bigger the better. Bigger tanks will be easier to maintain than smaller, nano tanks. If you can decide on a bigger tank do it. I would strongly suggest you go through the series by SaltwaterAquarium on Youtube, his channel has about 14,000 subscribers and is very informative. He sells a kit for a decent price containing everything you will need, as well as a tutorial for setting it up perfectly.

Thank you so much!

 

[oscarlikesfish]

Hello! I have posted a few other threads on here, but everyone is so nice that I like coming on here for answers

If you would like, you can go and check them out on my profile, and reply to them there or here on this thread but now I have a specific question instead of just some general advice.

So, tomorrow morning I am going to pick up a 96 litre (25 gallons) Nano Tank. It comes with everything I need to set it up and get it cycling. I know I won't add fish for a week or so, but I would like to get an idea of what fish would be compatible in this tank.
NOTES:
-Saltwater
-Live rock + Live sand will be in the tank
- 1 sea anemone
-Everything I need for the tank, (extra hardware e.g filter, filter canister, heater, you get the point)

The fish I like the idea of keeping are :

-Clownfish
-Royal dottyback
-Gobies
-Damselfish
-Green Chromis

Now I know I cannot fit all of those fish in a 25g but I am posting to ask if there are any good combinations that would work out, or if anyone else has other fish ideas. I am also a beginner to Saltwater and I do have a friend with a 300g if fish get too big, but obviously I would rather not have to give my fish away, so reasonable suggestions, please! Thank you

 

[FallenPepper]

Personally I love gobies and with clownfish they tend to be territorial and aggressive so if you got clowns that's really all your getting. Other than that I wish you the best for your tank and would love to see it when its set up!

 

[oscarlikesfish]

Personally I love gobies and with clownfish they tend to be territorial and aggressive so if you got clowns that's really all your getting. Other than that I wish you the best for your tank and would love to see it when its set up!

Thank you! I'll post pictures tomorrow on this thread and next week once I have fish! Also, if I got gobies, how many do you think I could get in a 25g? I mean, I could look it up but I would rather ask you if you say that you like gobies!

 

[FallenPepper]

Depends on your tank setup really and how much open space you have along with what kind of gobie. I love bumblebee and green mandarin. Personally if you want an active one bumblebees move around and love to dig with them also being a smaller gobie you could have more but they're better with other fish. Salinity is a huge factor as well so try choosing a main fish you def want then work around that one. I'm a brackish water guy to low end marine so I'm not the most experienced with salt and just know the basics.

 

[TheTenthDoctor]

May I make a point? Ahem. Saltwater can be very tricky. May I suggest that you try a freshwater tank since you are so new to the hobby? I wanted to do saltwater but after looking at what went into it and the price of the fish I backed off. Having a Marine tank is like lighting a 100 dollar bill on fire. So if you are prepared to watch 100 dollar bills go up in smoke before your eyes and are willing to shovel money, time and effort into it go for it. However you did say that you are new to fish keeping so I would recommend something easier. Nothing discourages humans like obstacles that seem insurmountable, and I fear that you may get discouraged with salt water and abandon the hobby right after watching a few 100 dollar bills burn.

 

[FallenPepper]

Idk I run a tank at 1.020 salinity with a sponge filter and a lamp. Most of that stuff is for tanks with fish that have different requirements and you only have room of .002 for salinity diffrence and your ph has to be like 7.88 on the dot or all your fish will die

 

[Colin_T]

Virtually all anemone fish (clown fish) are captive bred these days, as are lots of damsel and some gobies. Even some of the pygmy angels are captive bred now.

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Damsel fish and clown fish will not get along. They are territorial and will fight.

The tank is too small for a group of blue chromis that need to be kept in groups of 10 or more.

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Do not get a sea anemone until the tank has cycled. It will not survive in an aquarium that is cycling because the ammonia will kill it.

Do not add any fish, shrimp, starfish, crabs, corals or anything that is alive (besides rock) to the tank while it is cycling. The cycling process will tank 4-6 weeks, possibly longer.
Once the tank has finished cycling, you can add fish and other live stock.

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The salinity should be between 1.020 and 1.026
The pH should be between 8.2 & 8.6.

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A pair of Amphiprion ocellaris clowns (look like Nemo), a small dottyback and a couple of gobies should be fine together. You could probably add a small starfish and shrimp too.