Looking To Go Nano With My 30gallon

[BWBettas]

Heya everyone... been looking around anf ive always loved saltwater tanks. After hanging around teh Saltwater forums ive come to a descision i want to turn my 30Gallon into a nano. But... i want it to be like just hermit crabs some shrimps and other small "cleaners" because i dont want all the malarkey of loads of fish and tons of rock in my tank... Also for a tank that size what equipment will i need?

Hope i didnt sound too much of a n00b there im just interested in what i will need to keep shrimps, maybe a lobster (the right sort of course) and crabs.

OO and will i need a sump for it??

 

[steelhealr]

because i dont want all the malarkey of loads of fish and tons of rock in my tank

There is no other way to run a marine tank successfully without live rock. LR is the equivalent of an AquaClear filter for your FW tank..is the main 'filtration' unit for a nano tank. UNLESS...you want to go back a few decades and run an undergravel filter which is DINOSAURIC. There really is no way getting around purchasing live rock unless you make your own.

If you are not going to keep a reef, you could keep a purple lobster, but, they are nocturnal and you will rarely see them during the day. You'd be best off adding different types of shrimp, hermits and snails if you wanted an invert tank. SH

 

[BWBettas]

Ooh i know i need live rock SteelHealR i just said i didnt want TONS of it in there as i like a minimilistic look... I could get around 5 kilos of the stuff to start... but after that ill need to add it gradually... if i had aload of inverts in there like hermits and all would i be able to keep a pair of clowns in there? dont worry if i cant my mum just gazes at them for ages in the LFS... )Not because of Nemo, because she likes them anyway (

Bret

 

[steelhealr]

Bret..in a 30 G you could easily keep a pair of clowns. However, if you continually add live rock in different stages (not that you can't if you are careful about adding cure LR), you may risk mini-recycles. Be absolutely sure that as you add it, the rock has been precured and at the lfs for some time. If you should add a piece that is 'fresh off the truck', the dieoff could add ammonia and kill what's in your tank. SH

 

[BWBettas]

im moving soon so i will be able to get some money for around 10 Kilos of LR (madagascan i believe) then ill keepthat going until stabl. When its all levelled out ill buy a pair of clowns. Now would the clowns need anything special or will they hide in the rock crevices. I would also have alot of inverts as the clowns would be the only fish. Another LFS in my area has LR at 9.95 a kilo and this has been there for AGES so it should be cured and all. I told my dad about wanting to go marine and told me it would cost me around £7 a week to do.

Bret