New Highs cool student to the hobby!

[michellejy]

Also what kind of livestock do you guys recommend? I was thinking of basing the Project on Setting up/Maintaining a Saltwater tank and Breeding clownfish. Or is there an easier option, like I know freshwater they call it a Community tank.

I don't know how much expense you want in your tank. Most clownfish you buy will be too young to start breeding any time soon. You generally only find juveniles in stores, and they won't breed for a year or more. I had 2 clowns that were a bonded pair for 7 years, and they NEVER mated.

For a community tank, a saltwater tank has to be populated much more sparsely than freshwater. In a 5-10 gallon tank, that's likely only 1 fish. I'm not even 100% sure what fish would work in a 5 gallon tank at all, actually. Maybe look at the pico tanks to see if people are keeping fish in those. They may just keep little shrimp.

 

[michellejy]

While not required to start up the tank do look into what might be needed to qt or treat a sick fish. These are very helpful to have on hand for emergency purposes.

I beat you to it for a change

 

[shrimpybuisness]

If you just plan fish and live rock, you can do things a bit more inexpensively. My first saltwater tank (which I set up before you were born), was run almost exactly like a freshwater tank with the exception of adding live rock. I had a HOB filter and just stock, junky lighting. That is plenty for a FOWLR (fish only with live rock) system. Corals definitely add to the expense and amount of things you need to test/track.

I also recommend a quarantine tank. I don't know how common that is with a shrimp freshwater set up, but a single disease can wipe out all of your livestock and mean leaving your tank empty for 3 months while it runs its course. The quarantine tank can (and should be) even more basic. You don't even need dedicated lighting, although I recommend at least something (even a Home Depot Clamp on bulb option) so you can observe your fish for signs of illness.

Ok thank you! Also do smaller tanks require Sumps? If so can you explain to me what a sump is?. Also freshwater shrimp can get a Bacterial Infection if you don't remove the infected shrimp it can wipe out the whole population

 

[shrimpybuisness]

I don't know how much expense you want in your tank. Most clownfish you buy will be too young to start breeding any time soon. You generally only find juveniles in stores, and they won't breed for a year or more. I had 2 clowns that were a bonded pair for 7 years, and they NEVER mated.

For a community tank, a saltwater tank has to be populated much more sparsely than freshwater. In a 5-10 gallon tank, that's likely only 1 fish. I'm not even 100% sure what fish would work in a 5 gallon tank at all, actually. Maybe look at the pico tanks to see if people are keeping fish in those. They may just keep little shrimp.

Ok I forgot about time, I only have several months to complete it. And I've heard of Pico tanks, if I can have a small tank with shrimp that will be a option I may consider!

 

[michellejy]

No, you don't need a sump. A sump is a separate container or water that is used to add water volume/movement and is often used to hide the ugly equipment and add more filtration options. It can also be used as a safe place for some of the beneficial pods to breed that will populate the tank. (Many fish eat pods.)

 

[michellejy]

Ok I forgot about time, I only have several months to complete it. And I've heard of Pico tanks, if I can have a small tank with shrimp that will be a option I may consider!

You could probably do a mantis shrimp (will kill other things so can't be combined with other shrimp). There are also sexy shrimp, which are tiny (like thumbnail size). There's fire shrimp or Pederson's shrimp or cleaner shrimp. In a 10 gallon, you could get a cool goby and pistol shrimp pair.

 

[helen ann]

Check in the club sections in the forum. I'm sure there are Florida members who would be happy to help. @helen are you in central Florida?

Welcome to R2R!!!

I am in South Florida!
I would do as @michellejy suggested!
Go to club section and find a couple people and shoot them a private message, that is what I did and I got a wonderful mentor - @ReeferEric !!!

 

[Naiad]

NANO GOBY TIME! Lol these would be your best bet as far as fish. Also you could do an anemone tank with sexy shrimp anemone shrimp and crabs

 

[shrimpybuisness]

You could probably do a mantis shrimp (will kill other things so can't be combined with other shrimp). There are also sexy shrimp, which are tiny (like thumbnail size). There's fire shrimp or Pederson's shrimp or cleaner shrimp. In a 10 gallon, you could get a cool goby and pistol shrimp pair.

Ok cool I like those Mandarin Gobies

 

[shrimpybuisness]

Welcome to R2R!!!

I am in South Florida!
I would do as @michellejy suggested!
Go to club section and find a couple people and shoot them a private message, that is what I did and I got a wonderful mentor - @ReeferEric !!!

Thanks you!
.
OK I have a potential mentor but if he bails I know where to find someone!

 

[michellejy]

Ok cool I like those Mandarin Gobies

Unfortunately, that one is not an option for you. Despite being tiny, they rarely eat prepared food and need enough living things on the rock to keep them fed. You would likely need a 100 gallon (or more) system for a mandarin.

 

[shrimpybuisness]

Unfortunately, that one is not an option for you. Despite being tiny, they rarely eat prepared food and need enough living things on the rock to keep them fed. You would likely need a 100 gallon (or more) system for a mandarin.

Bummer but good to hear lol

 

[Naiad]

Though expensive the Flaming prawn goby would do great in a 10 gal. A pair of green banded gobies would work. The unusual circus goby. Masked goby. These guys would give you an idea of the fish for such a small tank.

 

[rmcaum]

How close do you live to Tampa? I would get a used 10 gallon tank (make sure the previous owner didn't use copper). Set it up with a hob power filter and a small power head or wave maker. Use water from a local fish store or buy a box of instant ocean salt and find some distilled or RODI water to mix it with. Get in my car, drive over to Tampa bay saltwater and get the 10 gallon package. It comes with shrimp, starfish and a cucumber. He will throw in enough hitch hikers and freebies to make the tank interesting very quickly. It would require two trips to do it correctly, or you can have it shipped, but that would double your cost. It would be a one stop shop to a very diverse and interesting tank. You could consider your two visits as mentoring. Check it out. Simple, fast, diverse. You can throw a small goby or something in so you can have a fish, but you wouldn't really need it.

 

[Diesel]

It makes sense to post in your location where you are as there might be a local club or reefers that can reach out to help you with some freebies.
I encourage this project highly and have support many in the Houston area, with LR, water, equipment, corals and fish and the needed weekly support.
Of course we all here will be your mentor till the end.

 

[Bunnee911]

Compare the price of distilled water from the store to rodi water from the lfs.

 

[shrimpybuisness]

Welcome...

You are at right place and we all will try to help you out.

Small water volume need more attention for maintenance and regular care (like baby sitting). So you have to be on top of your maintenance schedule. You will learn a lot of chemistry with this venture and possibly marine biology.

As this is your first venture in salt water and this is a project so possibly I will recommend to buy used stuffs from local fish and reef forum as they will be quite cheap.

1. Small wavemaker (Hydor should be good enough and cheap)
2. Tank (look local reef forum for cheap used tank)
3. HOB filter and skimmer
4. HOB refugium (if needed)
5. Good light (if you are keeping hard corals or SPS) - A chinese blackbox led from ebay should cost $80. They are capable of growing everything.
6. Salt (instant ocean cheap)
7. live rock (need cleaning)
8. Sand or you can do bare bottom
9. Good quality RODI water ( for your water volume I will not buy RODI unit but buy it from LFS)
10. Basic starting kit (RED sea or API)
11. Thermometer

Everything including livestock should come in between $500 or lower.

Hi sorry to be a bother but could someone give me an average price of each item so I know how much I should pay? Thank you guys and girls again for so much support!

 

[Untamedrose]

Ok thank you! Also do smaller tanks require Sumps? If so can you explain to me what a sump is?. Also freshwater shrimp can get a Bacterial Infection if you don't remove the infected shrimp it can wipe out the whole population

It might be something to consider. In general larger tanks are much easier to keep stable.

Why are you going so small? Are you going to have to haul this back and forth to school to show the teacher/class?

 

[dbl]

When you say Central Florida, I'm assuming you mean the Orlando area. If so, here is a link to a section of R2R members in the Orlando area.

Although I'm a little too far to serve as a mentor, if you don't find someone to help with (read donate) some equipment from the local club up there once you're ready for it, you let me know.

http://reef2reef.com/forums/orlando-reef-caretakers-association.212/