I need help :)

[Zoe]

I've been dedicated to FW tanks for a while now, but a nice 8 gallon tank has just been vacated and I want to try my hand at a small nano SW tank with little or no vertebrates.
I've been doing much research, but SW is still very foreign in mind, so I appologize if I ask obvious questions. Please bear with

My set up is as follows:
8 gallon tank - a bit on the tall side
In-hood filter (equivalent to HOB)
23 or 27W Compact Fluorescent light (I should go with 27W, yes?)
2 heaters

I was planning on purchasing some Instant Ocean and get the water at properly salinity, and add 8-10 lbs of live sand.
Now, for the water, can I use tap water? I've read that R/O is best, but I've seen set-ups that looked great and were apparently full of (treated) tap water.
Regarding the sand, can I buy 1 or 2 lbs of live sand, and the rest aragonite, and let the live sand seed the aragonite? And if so, how long will that take?

Then a good 10 lbs of LR.

Will the LR and LS be adequate filtration? I'd rather not get a skimmer for the time being. As for filtration media; can I put live rock rubble in the media holder? There won't be any light, though, so I suppose everything will die. Would regular carbon do, and maybe a sponge?

When that's all said and done and cycled, I would like to add some shrimp. Any suggestions? I adore sexy shrimp, so I was hoping to get a group of them - will they get along if purchased together?
I would also like to get a few soft corals, or maybe mushrooms if I feel ambitious... but I'll cross that bridge when I get there.

Thanks for the help

 

[The Kapenta Kid]

I just started in SW recently after years of FW experience, and it is quite a jump. And a very rewarding one.

No matter how much you have read, read more. Read, read, read. There is a vast amount of info on the Web, and the more you read the better you will be able to evaluate it.

More light is always better.

Mix and aerate your salt water in a bucket or other container, not in the tank. Use RO water. Tap water may work in some places, but the cost of RO is minimal for a Nano so why introduce uncertainty.

Live sand is normally sold in min. 5lb or 10 lb bags so for a Nano there is no point in cutting it with dead aragonite if you wish live sand.

Your LR/LS load will provide all the filtration you need without skimming--provided you do adequate water changes. LR rubble in the existing filter chamber will do fine--it doesn't need light unless you are wishing to grow macro-algae or such in there.

Others with more experience than me may be able to give you better guidance.