help with setup

[jessterzx3]

Ok well im not new to the fish keeping hobby. I had a few years back 2 55g tanks with mixed cichlids for some time. Well i got rid of them all and set up a 10g tank i was going to have a smaller F8 puffer. With that said the tank is set up and running(complete just no fish) with brackish water, the salinitly is a stable 1.08. I am now looking and have been reading up on the nano's for the past few months. I am thinking of just converting it to a salt and housing a fasle perc(clown) since they stay relitivly small and if he grows to up size his tank in the future. I was looking into maybe just having it a fish only tank, or are the live rock needed making it a fish with live rock tank? Sorry if this is long and hard to understand just trying to explain it and im currently not feeling to good( been sick). Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks, Jesse.

P.S. This fourm is very helpful and looks like its full of people that know a lot. Keep it up guys.

 

[Trogdor]

You can run a fish only tank without live rock. The live rock, once the bacteria is established, will act as a natural filter. If you don't use the live rock method then a mechanical filter will be needed to help keep clean the water. Another option, if money is tight, is to buy base rock. Most LFS's will stock base rock and it's basically just dried out live rock. The base rock is usually a fraction of what live rock will run you. The only issue with this is that you won't get the hitchhikers that are normally found on live rock. You should be fine with the perc in the 10g tank but you won't be able to keep much else as far as fish go. Hope that helps a bit.

Here's a sticky that might help with fish selection
http://nanotank.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2758

 

[johnanddawn]

you can set up a tank without live rock, most salt water fish tanks of the past were done that way, and many still are. they are easier to clean and keep looking clean and algae is usually not a problem. it is just people looked at them as unnatural and they went kinda out of style....

but live rock, although not neccessary, just makes life easier. in a salt water tank live rock does the job of biofiltering. you also need a mechanical filter, for this any the the HOB power filters will work for you, but bigger is better, get one rated for a 30 gallon tank not a 10, it can also be used for carbon. if it is to be just a FOWLER any old strip light will do and the less you leave it on the better.
so here is what i would do:
1) drain the tank and refill will salt water
2) add 1" of dry aragonite sand
3) buy one cool looking piece of live rock or two smaller ones to make a cave for your clown - it will be happier (5lbs is enough for this purpose)
4) with the heater and HOB running but NO lights let the tank sit for a month and then add your clown
if you really don't want to mess with live rock - don't - but then you have to maintain the biofilter in your HOB ie clean the sponges less frequently and only in salt water not fresh

 

[jessterzx3]

ok, well after reading the replies i think i might just go with the live rock as it seems to be the way to go and a big help in the health of tank and fish. Thanks for the replies guys a big help as i am new to the reef thing. I think i might just get a bit bigger tank and run something like a 20g or something so it will be more stable and more forgiving then the 10g. Thanks again, jesse

 

[djconn]

Jesse, my first nano was a 20g high and I loved it. Still probably my favorite tank I've ever run.

Good choice to go with the live rock. The idea in all my tanks is to replicate the natural environment as much as I can to ensure the proper health and biodiversity of all its inhabitants. :mrgreen: