3, 40 or 0 gallon first tank

[NotThePainter]

Hello! I'm a total newbie when it comes to salt but I've been an active fresh water fish keeper for decades. I'm toying with the idea of my first salt water tank and I have a million questions. I've read a lot so far but know I need to read more.

I have a planted 40 gallon breeder that I could easy take down and convert to salt. I also have a 3 gallon desk tank. (I work at home, so the 40 gallon is also right next to me, and so is my 75 gallon mature planted tank, but I digress...) I have significant experience with DIY projects, indeed, I almost enjoy designing the tank, filter, whatever as much as running the tank. But... I'm a firm believer in low-tech approaches.

Now, why do I want a tank? I love the look of things swaying in the current, so believe it or not, a tank overrun with green star polyps is ideal. I was really happy to read that they are a great beginner coral. I could someday see having other corals so I would plan for that, not letting it over-run the tank. I read about "islands" and that sounds good.

I'm also fond of fire shrimp and scarlet skunk shrimp. I wouldn't mind some crabs and snails etc...

Fish? Frankly, I don't need them. I don't mind them but I don't need them. Maybe that's weird and maybe that will change.

I really like the idea of a sump since I hate seeing heaters etc... but I'm pretty certain I don't want one. I built a herbie system for my 75 gallon cichlid tank so I understand sumps. But I don't think I want one. I do like the tanks that have the divider in the back so all the stuff is hidden though. The 40 gallon tank is not drilled

I have enough dead rock from a cichlid project to almost completely fill the 40 gallon. So I'm set on rocks except for a seeding live rock. I need to buy lights, power heads etc... I have an Eheim Pro 3 I could us but from all I've read I shouldn't. I dislike hang on the back filters because they create too much splashing noise. (I'll be sitting right next to the tank.)

My timeframe is far away. Unless this is a tiny project I'll like not doing anything until January 2021. So I have lots of time to plan.

Oh, I have $0.50/gallon RO water available in town. (My wife uses that on her shrimp and snail tanks after of course mixing in their respective minerals.)

So, what's with the 3 gallon tank? I just lost my desk betta from old age. So I have a planted 3 gallon tank right next to my work monitor. It is a wonderful spot. It has the back wall built in so I don't see anything all, the heater and sponge and ceramic bits and power head are all hidden away. I wonder if I could put GSP and a fire shrimp in there? I'd need a better light and I think I'd need a power head to make the swaying motion I like, but it's such a small space I'm not sure that that is possible.

And what's with the zero gallon tank? The thing that needs to be stated is that my wife and I like to travel. Being away from home for more than a week is possible. This is easy with a planted tank, the fish just forage all the micro fauna and loose some weight. I'm not sure that this is possible with a reef tank. I could possibly find someone in town who could fish sit, but I'm not certain of that. So maybe setting up a tank is just a bad idea for me.

So, what do you all think? What questions haven't I asked?

 

[Dempsey941]

So I have a 40 breeder and really like it. However, if I was to do it again I probably would have gone to a 75 or a 120.

As for rock its actual reef rock right? Not texas holy rock?

oh and welcome to R2R!

 

[reefwiser]

Saltwater will require an ATO(auto top off)
Small saltwater tanks are touchy to keep parameters in check. Things can go south real fast.
Larger is always better with saltwater. Saltwater shrimps hide ALOT. They act nothing like freshwater shrimp.
The saltwater environment is all about stability so that is why the large volume is always better. Freshwater fish are use to changes of water quality whereas saltwater fish have alway been in a saltwater body of water.

 

[HOOPDEEZ]

I would drill your 40b and add a sump, easy and looks tidy. As stated you will need an ato, especially if you plan on leaving it a week. No fish makes it easier to be away. The rock has to be coral rock. Also I would purchase a reverse osmosis system. You will need I to make saltwater and for the top off water. You can use the RO waste water in your cichlid tank. I will say skunk cleaner shrimp are much more outgoing than fire shrimp

 

[NotThePainter]

So I have a 40 breeder and really like it. However, if I was to do it again I probably would have gone to a 75 or a 120.

As for rock its actual reef rock right? Not texas holy rock?

oh and welcome to R2R!

Oh no, they're different? I'm not sure what I have. I did buy it at a 95% salt water fish store. Here's a photo of some of it.

 

[NotThePainter]

Saltwater will require an ATO(auto top off)
Small saltwater tanks are touchy to keep parameters in check. Things can go south real fast.
Larger is always better with saltwater.

I know, I keep reading that. But I do see nano and pico tanks out there. So it is possible. I know if I have a 3 gallon tank that requires a cupful a day I'll just do that when I sit down to work each morning...

Saltwater shrimps hide ALOT. They act nothing like freshwater shrimp.

I keep on reading that but all the fire and skunk shrimp I see at the local fish store are out and about in your face. They seem to never hide. What's going on with that?

 

[Sandman99999]

I know, I keep reading that. But I do see nano and pico tanks out there. So it is possible. I know if I have a 3 gallon tank that requires a cupful a day I'll just do that when I sit down to work each morning...



I keep on reading that but all the fire and skunk shrimp I see at the local fish store are out and about in your face. They seem to never hide. What's going on with that?

From my experience, a bigger tank is better for beginners because it is more forgiving. They react to changes more like ocean liners...it takes a long time for things to change and you dont have to have your "hand on the wheel" at all times. A pico reef is more like a speedboat...parameters can change very quickly (within hours) and you must pay constant attention to them. Temperature swings are huge in a pico if you dont have a good controller for your heater (several degrees F per hour).

The key to any tank is vigilance in maintenance, getting the right equipment, and constantly reading and learning about the hobby.

Good luck and welcome to your new obsession!

 

[Auquanut]

Your rock looks good. Should be fine. I've seen some tanks with GSP covering the bottom like baby tears in a fresh water tank. Looks awesome. I have it growing up one side of the glass in my tank and I love it. It's not really that hard to control if you keep up with it.

If you like the idea of the All I One (AIO) type tanks, there are divider kits you can buy for the 40 breeder to convert it to AIO. Not sure about the 3 gallon though. Either way, you can top off manually as long as you keep up with it daily. Keep us updated on what you decide.

 

[Victor_C3]

My first tank was a 30 gallon and I had no problems learning with that. The 40 gallon breeder would be just fine for a first tank.

Nobody mentioned staying away from the tank for a week plus. That should be fairly easy to do with an automatic feeder and an auto top-off, assuming the inhabitants will eat flake or dry food.

 

[Victor_C3]

Oh no, they're different? I'm not sure what I have. I did buy it at a 95% salt water fish store. Here's a photo of some of it.

Reef rock is limestone or calcium carbonate based and that does make a difference, especially when it comes to maintaining PH and alkalinity.

From what I can tell in the photo, your rock looks appropriate, but I’m not 100% certain.

 

[wallyg]

I have a 32 gal biocube and it is the right size. Not excessive time to maintain . Our fire shrimp does hide a lot except during feeding time. Just start slow and don't rush stocking

 

[Max!]

Welcome! I have a 120 gal tank with 2 oscars that are about 14 inches

 

[NotThePainter]

Reef rock is limestone or calcium carbonate based and that does make a difference, especially when it comes to maintaining PH and alkalinity.

From what I can tell in the photo, your rock looks appropriate, but I’m not 100% certain.

Is there a way to test it, drip acid on it or something? I just looked at pictures of texas holey rock and yeah, mine doesn't look like that.

 

[reefwiser]

I know, I keep reading that. But I do see nano and pico tanks out there. So it is possible. I know if I have a 3 gallon tank that requires a cupful a day I'll just do that when I sit down to work each morning...



I keep on reading that but all the fire and skunk shrimp I see at the local fish store are out and about in your face. They seem to never hide. What's going on with that?

You are welcome to learn your own way. I am just trying to help you. I have been keeping saltwater aquariums for 40 years what do I know.

 

[NotThePainter]

You are welcome to learn your own way. I am just trying to help you. I have been keeping saltwater aquariums for 40 years what do I know.

Oh, I didn't mind to come off so harsh. I'm just trying to understand why what you say, and the rest of the online community says, seems to disagree with what my eyes say. I'm mostly just confused.

 

[Dixon B]

Start as big as you can afford, simply said. You will likely want a bigger tank anyway unless it's huge to begin with. So it's bettrer to aim higher than lower imo.

 

[Infidel]

I keep on reading that but all the fire and skunk shrimp I see at the local fish store are out and about in your face. They seem to never hide. What's going on with that?

In my experience, fire shrimp hide more than skunks.

 

[Dixon B]

In my experience, fire shrimp hide more than skunks.

they really do. I seldom see mine.