new To reefs need help ahhhhh 10 gallon tank

[alexmich1]

Hi my name is alex im am from waterford michigan. I am currently considering starting a new tank. I have a 10 gallon tank and have no idea what im doing. I would like to have living rock and corals, but i ned help ahhhhhhh. I hear 10 gallons is a little small but its all i can afford. My friend at home hear works at this pet store called moby dicks and give me half off on everything. so I need to know what i should begin with. i've heard different things.....please help alex

 

[tinyreef]

warning: this is an expensive hobby! now that the disclaimer is out of the way.

buy a marine aquarium book. the less expensive ones i prefer are goldstein's Marine Reef Aquarium and tullock's Natural Reef Aquarium (my fav). lurking around the various forums is also good (free) but too piecemeal from my viewpoint. the various books all do a good job of going step by step imo. tullock's is esp good imo for offering different formats as well. it's also a good read/coffee book.

btw shop online or at least compare $$$. good luck! :wink:

 

[naesco]

Buy a book first.
I recommend either John Tullocks book or, Robert Fenners, Concientious Marine Aquarist.

 

[caecosystems]

Please do not make the "classic" mistake of setting up that tank until you feel more comfortable about your knowledge of this hobby. We are experienced hobbyists and professionals giving you helpful and wise advice. This is a tricky hobby and one that is in no position to be expiremented on by beginers who would save corals lives, your money and this hobby if you heed sound advice from people who have nothing to gain from your purchases. Please do not read this as putting you down for not knowing. We all were beginers once. I write this to you in the hopes you will enter our hobby successfuly and become another in the valuble pool of reef hobbyists. Good luck and build up your "reef library".

 

[Dewman]

I totally agree with everyone. Please Read, Read, Read.
Reading will not only save you time and money, but it will save your new critters unneeded stress and harm.
I speak from experience.
Don't make the same mistakes I made.

Tullocks Book is an easy reading, well illustrated book that you will want to keep for years down the line. He has also included ideas for a LOW-LIGHT Caribbean aquarium, that you might be interested in.

Good Luck
Welcome to the board!

 

[liquid]

I'm going to echo the sentiments of others and recommend picking up a good beginner's book before you go any farther. We have compiled a "recommended reading" list that can be found here: http://reefs.org/library/reading/

We have purposely not linked the reading pages to Amazon.com as we would prefer you buy them from our sponsors but that choice is up to you. Grab a couple books and read, read, read. Also, with the information on those pages, you could also take the list to your local library and have them get a couple of the books in for you on interlibrary loan. I did that a lot in the beginning and it was well worth it.

Shane