Starting a new 5-gallon reef tank what do I put inside??

[tyreefkeeper]

Hello, I'm starting a new 5-gallon reef tanks any ideas what to put inside. Like cheap corals and fish. Thanks

 

[CMMorgan]

Water.... otherwise it may be an ACTUAL emergency.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hello, I'm starting a new 5-gallon reef tanks any ideas what to put inside. Like cheap corals and fish. Thanks

A 5 gallon wont hold much other than up to 3 corals such as candy cane, a small mushroom or leather coral and a rock anemone or a small xenia. Fish - A pajama cardinal and a firefish goby and a pair of clowns who should be added last
As for emergency, please keep in mind, and please refrain from posting a common question as emergency. Emergency is someone in crisis situation who is losing fish or coral, has a chemistry issue or tank leak and needs immediate attention

 

[tyreefkeeper]

Water.... otherwise it may be an ACTUAL emergency.

Lol

 

[Formulator]

Hello, I'm starting a new 5-gallon reef tanks any ideas what to put inside. Like cheap corals and fish. Thanks

I’m assuming emergency was accidental… anyways, your post history suggests you already had a 5 gallon tank that may not have gone well? I would highly recommend considering a larger tank. While not always intuitive to someone new, bigger is easier. Nano tanks require extreme attention to detail and should really be reserved for experts in my opinion. But if you must… get a couple clowns and maybe a royal gramma or a cardinal fish. Once established, maybe an anemone for the clowns.

Edit: Don’t listen to my fish suggestions. I am out of my depth and didn’t realize how small a space 5 gallons really is. Listen to the nano-experienced folks who commented after. I stand by my suggestion to get something bigger though.

 

[tyreefkeeper]

A 5 gallon wont hold much other than up to 3 corals such as candy cane, a small mushroom or leather coral and a rock anemone or a small xenia. Fish - A pajama cardinal and a firefish goby and a pair of clowns who should be added last
As for emergency, please keep in mind, and please refrain from posting a common question as emergency. Emergency is someone in crisis situation who is losing fish or coral, has a chemistry issue or tank leak and needs immediate attention

Thanks for the advice this will help a lot with my tank and my posts

 

[NanoNana]

Water.... otherwise it may be an ACTUAL emergency.

You win the internet today.

 

[tyreefkeeper]

Thanks for all the help I think I may go with a pair of clownfish but I'm no expert when it comes to corals can I get a small list of some cool cheap one's thanks

 

[NanoNana]

TBH, as someone with a nano tank, in a five I would do a shroom garden, a Duncan, and a photosynthetic candelabra gorgonian on the sand and encrusting corals on the back glass.
Livestock I would not put more than a pistol shrimp with a pink barred shrimp goby or a yasha goby. Or maybe a trio of micro gobies.

 

[Solo McReefer]

I’m assuming emergency was accidental… anyways, your post history suggests you already had a 5 gallon tank that may not have gone well? I would highly recommend considering a larger tank. While not always intuitive to someone new, bigger is easier. Nano tanks require extreme attention to detail and should really be reserved for experts in my opinion. But if you must… get a couple clowns and maybe a royal gramma or a cardinal fish. Once established, maybe an anemone for the clowns.

Get a bigger tank

Nanos are for those with more experience

Or for those who who wish a negative experience

 

[Formulator]

Thanks for all the help I think I may go with a pair of clownfish but I'm no expert when it comes to corals can I get a small list of some cool cheap one's thanks

I don’t mean to sound like a jerk, but what is your plan to make this tank successful? I’d rather not be an accomplice to coral and fish murder if you are just going to mix up some salt with a HOB filter and a heater with some cheap LEDs and hope it doesn’t kill everything again… what will be different this time?

 

[ScottJ]

I’m assuming emergency was accidental… anyways, your post history suggests you already had a 5 gallon tank that may not have gone well? I would highly recommend considering a larger tank. While not always intuitive to someone new, bigger is easier. Nano tanks require extreme attention to detail and should really be reserved for experts in my opinion. But if you must… get a couple clowns and maybe a royal gramma or a cardinal fish. Once established, maybe an anemone for the clowns.

A 5 gallon wont hold much other than up to 3 corals such as candy cane, a small mushroom or leather coral and a rock anemone or a small xenia. Fish - A pajama cardinal and a firefish goby and a pair of clowns who should be added last
As for emergency, please keep in mind, and please refrain from posting a common question as emergency. Emergency is someone in crisis situation who is losing fish or coral, has a chemistry issue or tank leak and needs immediate attention

A pair of clowns AND a 3rd fish in a 5 gallon? No disrespect intended, but is that good advice? I always hear a pair of clowns is pushing it in a 10 gallon, let alone with another fish in there. a 20 gallon, sure. But not a 5.

 

[Formulator]

A pair of clowns AND a 3rd fish in a 5 gallon? No disrespect intended, but is that good advice? I always hear a pair of clowns is pushing it in a 10 gallon, let alone with another fish in there. a 20 gallon, sure. But not a 5.

Fair. I’m a bit out of my depth when it comes to nano tanks. Figured 3 was Ok based on what I’ve seen in other tanks, but perhaps not best practice.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Yeah, it's generally not recommended to keep anything other than tiny inverts in small tanks like a 5 gallon, but people do keep small/sedentary gobies - for examples, a goby shrimp pair or something like trimma or eviota gobies.

 

[BubblesandSqueak]

Water.... otherwise it may be an ACTUAL emergency.

it is if it's not mixed with salt

 

[Spare time]

A 5 gallon wont hold much other than up to 3 corals such as candy cane, a small mushroom or leather coral and a rock anemone or a small xenia. Fish - A pajama cardinal and a firefish goby and a pair of clowns who should be added last
As for emergency, please keep in mind, and please refrain from posting a common question as emergency. Emergency is someone in crisis situation who is losing fish or coral, has a chemistry issue or tank leak and needs immediate attention

Pajama cardinals get huge though

 

[Spare time]

Thanks for all the help I think I may go with a pair of clownfish but I'm no expert when it comes to corals can I get a small list of some cool cheap one's thanks

Way to small of a tank for a pair of adult clownfish.

 

[tyreefkeeper]

I don’t mean to sound like a jerk, but what is your plan to make this tank successful? I’d rather not be an accomplice to coral and fish murder if you are just going to mix up some salt with a HOB filter and a heater with some cheap LEDs and hope it doesn’t kill everything again… what will be different this time?

Well, in my last tank everything was going perfect but soon I found out my school was shutting down and I had a very rough and busy year so I couldn't keep up with everything like water changes and studying but now it's summer and I'm used to my new school, so I'm prepared to restart my tank, ill also upgrade my equipment.

 

[NanoNana]

Yeah, it's generally not recommended to keep anything other than tiny inverts in small tanks like a 5 gallon, but people do keep small/sedentary gobies - for examples, a goby shrimp pair or something like trimma or eviota gobies.

Yup. And there are so many cool inverts. My orange lipped conch is the star of my tank.

 

[PharmrJohn]

I wouldn't keep any fish in a 5G. As stated a few inverts and a few corals. If you want a pair of clowns, a 20G is as small as I would go. I did a pair of O. Clowns in a 10G once, but j wouldn't do it again. Just not a lot of room to move about.