Anyone have experience with saltwater aquariums?

[Melophile]

I've been wanting a saltwater aquarium for the longest time, but my gf keeps trying to dissuade me because it's expensive to maintain one.

I'm curious, how much would it cost to get a small aquarium going? I'm going to say maybe a 10-15 gallon tank. What about a smaller 5 gallon tank, or the even smaller 1-2 gallon desktop aquarium kits? Is there a minimum tank size for saltwater fish? What if I only planned on having 2 fish, maybe even 1, how small could I go?

 

[MantisMatt14]

10 gallon may cost you over $400 to get started. Pm me and we can talk

 

[Rick]

No but I do know there are some good forums for salt water aquariums. That is where I would start.

 

[Orin]

I've been wanting a saltwater aquarium for the longest time, but my gf keeps trying to dissuade me because it's expensive to maintain one.

I'm curious, how much would it cost to get a small aquarium going? I'm going to say maybe a 10-15 gallon tank. What about a smaller 5 gallon tank, or the even smaller 1-2 gallon desktop aquarium kits? Is there a minimum tank size for saltwater fish? What if I only planned on having 2 fish, maybe even 1, how small could I go?

Smaller is not better but you could buy a nano cube and some live rock, a few clown fish and some tulip anemones for a few hundred dollars or less. It would require very little to maintain. You could set up something similar with a ten gallon, a small canister filter, and an overhead fixture.vWith any size tank you can use 5000K or higher LEDs from the hardware store unless you want to spend hundreds on specialty lighting fixtures with short lifespans.

It's when you get into reef tanks or large community fish tanks you start getting over a thousand just on livestock. A bare minimum for reef tanks is a nice skimmer like a remora which will set you back a few hundred. Fresh salt mix is cheaper than expensive supplements and weekly water changes will do a lot more than a squirt of magic sauce.

 

[Orin]

I wrote a number of articles on keeping saltwater between 1988 and 2004. I still have my 1989 reef tank going.

 

[MantisMatt14]

I wrote a number of articles on keeping saltwater between 1988 and 2004. I still have my 1989 reef tank going.

Thats impressive Orin! I have had a 10 set up for my female Starry blenny for 3 years now. I am currently setting up a 40g for her. Have you ever had a starry blenny?

-Matt

 

[KevinsWither]

Salt water tanks, from nanos, are pretty difficult unless you had experience with freshwater, (includes bettas) let alone saltwater. I say no fish for the 10 gallon. The 1-2 gallons can hold a few nano corals. The 5-10 gallons can hold a mantis shrimp. Or even a few hermit crabs (not land crabs). Bigger is better in the aquarium hobby, and a 20 gallon is a good starting point on those on a budget and having almost limited space.

 

[Orin]

Thats impressive Orin! I have had a 10 set up for my female Starry blenny for 3 years now. I am currently setting up a 40g for her. Have you ever had a starry blenny?

-Matt

My greatest interest is in marine invertebrates rather than fish but I have kept many types of fish in my invertebrate tanks. I don't think I've kept any of the blennies.

Salt water tanks, from nanos, are pretty difficult unless you had experience with freshwater, (includes bettas) let alone saltwater. I say no fish for the 10 gallon. The 1-2 gallons can hold a few nano corals. The 5-10 gallons can hold a mantis shrimp. Or even a few hermit crabs (not land crabs). Bigger is better in the aquarium hobby, and a 20 gallon is a good starting point on those on a budget and having almost limited space.

You are generally correct except I was suggesting the OP keep tulip anemones and clowns which are both about as hardy as you can get in saltwater and would do fine in a nano. The tulip anemones are quite pretty with hot pink tips and green fluorescing bodies (under UV) but they are as hardy as aiptasia though they don't reproduce as quickly.

 

[KevinsWither]

I suggest, a mantis shrimp. Reminds you of a sea praying mantis. Just kidding. But they are kind of like them if you think hard. They love to eat raw seafood. And they punch out crabs and many invertebrates.

 

[Chrisv8855]

Yeah a shrip mantis is awesome by very aggressive.they have these very very strong hammers in the front, They are actually called sledgehammers.so powerful hey can crack or even break glass.they love crab,they hammer their way through the armor on a crab,its very funny and really cute to watch.i have actually seen a mantis shrip kill a small octopus.i thought for sure the October had him but to my surprise with only one hit,it dazed the October and from there is was literally all over for the octo.