[nycsicktank]

First whats up girls and guys!
I want to start a saltwater tank, i was thinking to go for a 10 gal. reef tank if thats possible with a single fish or more if i can. my questions are:
what i do need for reef tank only? i know i need specific light, but what kind of lights?
how hard is it?
can i use my Aqua Clear 50 for filter?
can i get also get a list of reef tank and fish requirement.

remember its a 10 gallon or is it better if i went with 75 gallon.

[deelucky]

on that size setup i would go with t-5s,as far as skimmer you might not need one if you do regular water changes,but i would get one anyway,you can use the aqua clear filter to run carbon without the sponge.you can get your self some live sand ,live rocks,and power heads for circulation.a tank that small will only be able to house 2 or 3 smal fish e.g. clown coby,clown fish. i think thats basically it it and if i missed something there are plenty of people that will let you know.oh and most important a test kit,salt.

[manyfish]

if you could do it go with 75 gallon, that just me, more room to work with,setup 10 gallon few week later you want to go bigger

[thirty5]

IMO it is easier to work on a bigger tank. On a small tank if your levels start to get outta wack you have to "Be on top of it" fast. But with a larger tank the levels will not skyrocket "as fast" I have a 180 gallon an once it is up and running, i only have to do a water change. I dont even clean my glass, snails do that for me.

I would say go with the 75 if you have it already.

If you don't, i actually have a 72 bow that i am looking to get rid of.
Have the tank, wooden stand, Wet Dry filter, UV steralizer, BASIC light strip. So basically all you would need to get my setup runnint right is a new set of lights and a skimmmer. PM me if you are intersted.

[crox99]

Welcome to MR.

	Manhattan Reefs Manhattan Reefs, the best aquarium community on Planet Earth!

[autoponicz]

welcome....the first thing is deciide on what size tank your gonna keep.....then u can look into hang on filters or a sump...lighting...etc...etc.....

[Aqua Pro Builder]

Small tank is more challenge than larger tanks due to temp controll and water stability. However, it's not impossible to do a 10G reef. For a 75G you can do aquascaping easier but will cause you a lot more money to fill it up. Rocks alone is couple hundreds more and light is another couple hundreds to 3/4 of a thousand more, then the skimmer is hahahaha.

The smallest one I ever built for SW
http://aquaprobuilder.sunsun-usa.com...?album=5&pos=0

[Awibrandy]

Welcome to the family! Lots of great advice, and people here.
Go with the largest tank you can comfortably afford, you won't regret it.
Tank, stand, sump, skimmer, water pump, power heads, heater, thermometer, test kits, lighting (depends on what animals you plan to keep), chiller or A/C, RO/DI filter, water "Automatic Top Off", doser, that is a small list of equipment must have in my opinion. Then sand, live rock. Tons of patience. You will need to wait before adding any animal until your tank cycles possibly 2 months or more.
Whatever you decide, please put PATIENCE at the top of your list. Without patience you will kill the animals, feel like a loser, and end up quitting.
This is an awesome, greatly satisfying "hobby". Hobby in quotation because to me it is more then a hobby, it is a way of life.

We are not trying to scare you away. We are just trying to let you know what you can honestly expect. Make sure to check out the "For Sale Forum" here. The easiest way to save on money, and still have a decent set up. I for one got my lighting (MH with VHO for $200 not including bulbs) just to give you an idea on the $$ savings.

	MH Metal Halide Lighting, typically used for high intensity light demanding corals such as SPS. Bulbs come in varieties of spectrums (7k, 10k,20k), and intensity (175W, 250W, 400W).

	VHO Very High Output Fluorescent Lighting - Fluorescent bulbs that run on special ballasts and have an output that is significantly higher than normal tubes. It is very possible to run an entire reef system on VHO lighting providing the proper number of bulbs and mixture of spectrums are chosen. For most hobbyists, these tubes are used in conjunction with Metal Halide lighting for simulating dawn and dusk. They often provide the "bluer" end of the light spectrum and thus a more aesthetically appealing display.

[thirty5]

Very Well Stated!!!!

[Dj Orion]

why dont you just go for an all in one nano like an jbj 12 gallon dx or aquapod? All you would have to do is a few minor modifications and you'd be ready to roll. The only setback is that you wouldnt be able to grow SPS or clams in it with the stock lighting. I have a 12g jbj nano and it looks great, and its actually easier to maintain than my 75g fish only tank. I have a ton of mushrooms and assorted softies that more than meet my reef requirements.

Whatever you decide to do, welcome and the best of luck to you!!! And if you have any questions whatever route you decide to take, everone here is always willing to help however they can.

	SPS Small Polyped Scleractinians - Sometimes known as Small Polyped Stony corals. These are hard corals that have extremely small polyps. They are typically on the difficult side and require Metal Halide lighting or dense Power Compact or T5 arrays. These corals are prized for their rareness and ability to be easily fragged into multiple colonies.