# First 15 gallon tank



## acer (May 18, 2010)

Ok,
So, I have started buying things that I need for my first saltwater tank and am pretty close to buying the live rock.

We shall start with they price/equipment list. I have included a rough price for the equipment at retail price, except for things I already have. I had gotten the light, skimmer and filter used off of aquariumpros. Probably could have saved a couple of dollars with buying some of the stuff at big als, but I had never been to menagerie and was picking up some stuff for my crs tank, so I just went with it.

These 3 for $70:
Taam Rio Nano Skimmer ~$40
Coralife S/W T-5 aqualight double strip light 30" ~$90
Aquaclear 20 filter ~$30

From Menagerie:
Instant Ocean Sea Salt Mix – 50G ~$35
Crushed Coral 5lbs ~$8

From Aquatic Kingdom:
Sand 10lbs ~$10
Hydrometer Plus-Thermometer-(8”) ~$10

Already Have:
15 gallon tank
Heater
Power bar with 4 spots with timers and 4 normal power

Still Need:
Live Rock
Powerhead

Which would bring us to a current total of... ~$133
I'm thinking after I get the powerhead and live rock the grand total will be ~$233
-should be roughly the same price for tanks up to 20 or 30 gallons, maybe 50-80 more dollars for a second powerhead and upgrade in lighting and filter.

I might get a second hydrometer for when I mix the saltwater for water changes, but I think I'm almost ready to set the tank up. Probably in about 2/3 weeks when I buy the live rock and pictures will follow. 

Also, not sure about using the skimmer, or when I should hook the skimmer up because I might not have a bio-load for a little while so it might sit out for about 2 months, but the ac filter I have diy'd it to a fuge (probably going to get a ac 110 when I have the money), but the 20 should be good for the first couple of months and will be changed back into a mechanical filter when I get the 110 set as a fuge. 

Hope this helps a few people out when they think about the financial headache going salt... it would definitely be cheaper if you don't have most of you aquarium equipment in use and don't have to buy mostly new. To those with experience in salt... let me know how everything looks and if I'm heading in a good direction.

Thanks for reading. 

PS- I'm a big fan of the layout and everything at Aquatic Kingdom... I went there and to Menagerie for the first time yesterday and was really impressed.... by far one of the better looking fish...anything I've seen. I was supposed to go to Oakville Reef Gallery, but I couldn't find it and was limited on time, so I had to skip it  , will go when I go on the hunt for live rock though.


----------



## Joeee (Apr 3, 2010)

acer said:


> PS- I'm a big fan of the layout and everything at Aquatic Kingdom... I went there and to Menagerie for the first time yesterday and was really impressed.... by far one of the better looking fish...anything I've seen. I was supposed to go to Oakville Reef Gallery, but I couldn't find it and was limited on time, so I had to skip it  , will go when I go on the hunt for live rock though.


I don't understand why you went to Aquatic Kingdom and not ReefRaft(I think it was ReefRaft) which is like right beside it when you're doing a saltwater tank, you should definitely go next time. I'm not a saltwater person, but $223 for a saltwater tank sounds kind of cheap. But then again, you don't have corals on that list so I'm most likely wrong.


----------



## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

Reef Raft doesn't carry a lot of equipment/dry goods, mostly livestock.


----------



## Joeee (Apr 3, 2010)

Chris S said:


> Reef Raft doesn't carry a lot of equipment/dry goods, mostly livestock.


I know, but it's fun to look at pretty saltwater fish. It's also good to look at a lot of different kinds of fish before you setup a tank, so you don't get bored cycling or you decide to change your mind and you decide to raise something else.


----------



## acer (May 18, 2010)

Joeee said:


> I don't understand why you went to Aquatic Kingdom and not ReefRaft(I think it was ReefRaft) which is like right beside it when you're doing a saltwater tank, you should definitely go next time. I'm not a saltwater person, but $223 for a saltwater tank sounds kind of cheap. But then again, you don't have corals on that list so I'm most likely wrong.


I didn't go to ReefRaft cause I didn't know of it. I only went to stores that were on the store list in one of the threads here because I don't know of any saltwater places other than big al's and lucky's... I only went to the ones closer to Mississauga cause they were on the way home from meeting the guy from aquariumpros in Toronto.

but thanks for letting me know about the store, and next time I'm in the area, I will check it out.

and as for the $223, that is for everything that is going into setting up a tank, no animals are in that price. I'll make an update later and have a list of animals once I figure out what I want to put in the tank. This is also what I wanted to point out... that setting up a saltwater tank isn't as expensive as one would think, cause when I was researching most of the equipment it was comparable to some equipment used for planted freshwater tanks.


----------



## PACMAN (Mar 4, 2010)

can't wait for the pics!


Last time I visited (last week) , the fish quality at Aquatic Kingdom for marine fish was not too good. I know a guy with a 120G who swears by it, but the last tiem I was there i was not impressed at all


----------



## acer (May 18, 2010)

that's too bad PACMAN, maybe it's a timing thing there, after shipment being the key time to go as most of the tanks looked quite healthy, but I guess that's the same with most places

Thought I would do a little update...

found a ~22 gallon tall (24"x12"x18")...with a few tiny scratches and a ton of calcium residue (which at the time didn't realize it would file my nails down if I scraped it off, so it hurts when I hit my thumb certain ways) at my friend's house whey they were moving in, and it fits on the stand thing I was going to put the 15 gallon on, SO... guess I'm going up (assuming the tank holds water) but I might have to upgrade the lighting as the T-5 fixture holds 2 18w lights... that would put me at 1.8w/gallon, if someone has knowledge about this it would be greatly appreciated (planning on just keeping zoa, maybe a nem, shrooms... would love a monti cap but not sure) I've been trying to find the minimum wattage for keeping these coral, but I can't find it.

Decided I'd get the AC 110 first then the powerhead if needed... so I went to petsmart... got an AC 110 was getting ready to diy the fuge... take the filter out of the box annnnnnd it's cracked  . so now I have to return it, hopefully they have one that is intact as this was the only one on the shelf. :s

pics of the mod will come up when it happens, hopefully later tomorrow?
but don't be looking for good pictures as I'll be using my blackberry as the "good" camera is at my parents'. and assuming all goes well, I'll be able to make the plexi-cover for the tank this weekend.


----------



## acer (May 18, 2010)

*Fuge build... AC 110*

Alright....went to a different petsmart today to make sure I would get the AC 110 I needed. I picked up some silicone, 6500k cfls and a clamp light from home hardware and my fuge is ready to go once I set up the tank. 

pics...

the AC 110 and parts from it that I used for the mod









with the parts from the basket, I siliconed the bottom grate to where the outflow is and I cut one of the sides and then siliconed that into place... like so:









not sure if you can see this image clearly... but I cut the ridges off of the second side piece of the filter basket so I could make a compartment for a filter media pad..









so it would look like this...









That's basically it, I painted the side that is closer to the tank with acrylic paint just to see how it would look this way, if I don't like it I can just peal it off if need be. Also, cut a small window on the cover of the filter for light to pass through better, I will cover that hole with some left over plexi I have to prevent corrosion. I didn't take a picture of the final look but not much has changed on the outside.

For those looking for more detailed instructions, I took this from nano-reef.com and searched for AC 110 fuge in the diy section. I just added in the part for the filter media (hopefully it will work).

let me know what you think...


----------



## acer (May 18, 2010)

ok... soo it's been about a month since I've updated this...

Current Livestock:
4 blue legged hermits
2 left handed hermits
2 mexican red leg hermits

I plan on getting more for a CUC...
2 peppermint shrimp (I have a slight aiptasia problem and I'd like to try a natural method first)
2 porcelain crabs
4 nassarius snails
5 trochus
5 nerites

as for fish:
a pair of true percs
2 gobies (undecided... maybe a yellow clown goby, some input here would be appreciated)
1 or 2 orange line cardinals (input here would be great too)

tank has been cycled. i think. well... nitrites and ammonia are at 0 and nitrates are at 5, so it looks like i'm nearing the end of the cycle.

ok... pictures... first a FTS... sorry for the bad pics, I took them with my phone








I'm not 100% on the whole scape... i'm thinking about taking that small rock on top of the "cave" off but not sure where I'm going to put it...

the cave









the right side...









ok... how'd I do?
opinions on the scape? livestock?


----------



## J-Ye (Mar 15, 2009)

Looks good. How much have you spent so far?


----------



## teemee (Aug 29, 2009)

Hi Acer,
I like your aquascaping!
I think you're considering a lot of fish for a 15g tank. The percs will grow pretty quickly (clown gobies are pretty small, though). + cardinals...
Unless you plan on upgrading. 
Maybe get some more feedback before buying all your fishies 
But so far, looks good !


----------



## acer (May 18, 2010)

J-Ye said:


> Looks good. How much have you spent so far?


thanks... with the live rock I spent $100. so I'm at $233 right now. I'm thinking about upgrading the lighting so I can get some LPS in (right now looking at a 4x24" T5HO light system), which would set me back about 100 if I buy from fishneedit (heard mixed reviews, but overall their service has gotten very good reviews, so I might try them out).... I'd also have to sell the 2x30" T5 light so that would help pay for it.



teemee said:


> Hi Acer,
> I like your aquascaping!
> I think you're considering a lot of fish for a 15g tank. The percs will grow pretty quickly (clown gobies are pretty small, though). + cardinals...
> Unless you plan on upgrading.
> ...


I actually "upgraded" already to a 20g tall XD. I should get the title of the topic changed... oh well. 
but I'm thinking about getting the gobies first then the clowns then the cardinal.. or the cardinal then the clowns... not sure about that ordering, but for sure gobies first.

but this is where the zoas will be going if I join your group buy in september . I'm selling my textbooks so I can buy some nice ones. lol.

annnnd I will probably upgrade to a 55g long in a year or 2 if all goes well and if I don't go too far away for grad school. lol.


----------



## acer (May 18, 2010)

Alright... update time.

went to Markham on Wednesday and went to Luckys and Sea U Marine. Got a peppermint shrimp, 5 cerith snails, 2 ricordea and 1 yellow watchman goby.

the week before that, I got a frogspawn, unknown green/brown zoa/paly and a candy cane coral.

the yellow watchman... I might get him a pistol shrimp friend, not sure yet. He's been coming out of his little cave more and eating very good. 









the two rics...still on the plugs, still deciding where they shall go, but they are on the left little "island" which I think might become a ric garden.

















frogspawn. hasn't fully coloured up, should be more green, but it's getting more green every day. 









and the zoa/paly (probably should find out) and they seem more green in person, the camera isn't picking up greens very well. 









the peppermint was being camera shy hiding in it's little cave. He/she has been doing well... attacking the 3 aiptasia I can see. not killing, but hopefully that will happen soon... every time I look they are not fully extended and are staying really small. I'm planning on getting another couple peppermints and after that not adding anything for a month.

didn't take a pic of the candy canes, forgot...

and no FTS until I can clean up the from of the tank which is littered with shells for the hermits cause they all decided to molt at the same time and scare my sister into thinking they all died.


----------



## Salty1 (Aug 1, 2009)

Looking good


----------



## acer (May 18, 2010)

thanks salty 

annnnnnnd 2 aiptasia down.... 1 to go.


----------



## acer (May 18, 2010)

*crisis averted? ... hopefully?*

so, I went on a week long canoe tripping course and during my trip the 20 gallon sprung a leak. water everywhere, from what I was told.... the family saved mostly everything, a few snails died... candy cane isn't looking so hot right now.

I think the leak was up near the top as when I got home the tank was about 3/4s full and running fine.

to be safe, I got a 30 gallon tank and transferred everything from the 20 and put it in there and everything seems to be doing ok. I might take the 20 apart and make it a rimless when I have time, but I think right now I'm going to keep everything in the 30... it has more width so it has more "depth" when you look at it and the rockscape has changed cause of the move, but it does look a little more stable.

oh and I ordered a light from fishneedit... 4x24" T5HO. hopefully I won't have problems with it, but I like that it has 2 separate switches so I can set a timer on each one. but, yeah... decided to order it since the light I had going on the 20 was just barely keeping the candy canes happy.

pics when I get the light set up.


----------



## KeMo (Sep 3, 2010)

Looks good. Id just keep that 30. 15 is small and wait 2 months and your gona want a bigger one anyway


----------



## aquanutt (Aug 27, 2010)

acer said:


> ok... soo it's been about a month since I've updated this...
> 
> Current Livestock:
> 4 blue legged hermits
> ...


I'm new in this SW hobby, 
but a fellow reefkeeper from this forums suggested I arrange the rocks well enough so nothing tips over...

cheers


----------



## acer (May 18, 2010)

KeMo said:


> Looks good. Id just keep that 30. 15 is small and wait 2 months and your gona want a bigger one anyway


haha... true, but it probably won't happen for a while, even thought I do have a couple of 55s sitting in the attic. :s

fishneedit lights should be in soon... hopefully friday. then setting it up this weekend and pics hopefully too.


----------



## Kweli (Jun 2, 2010)

Where did you find the cheapest cleaner shrimps in the GTA?


----------



## Big Ray (Dec 8, 2009)

Kweli said:


> Where did you find the cheapest cleaner shrimps in the GTA?


SUM hands down, has the lowest prices for fish and inverts and corals.

he is literally giving them away for free on the specials lol (when compared to prices from for example BA ! LOL)


----------



## acer (May 18, 2010)

yeah SUM is pretty good... dunno the price though.

lucky's for the small cleaner's (good luck finding them cause I've never seen them there) are 10.99 which is pretty good. 

but everywhere else I've seen them go around 22 or more.

BA's in Hamilton is getting read to do some reno's so they are doing a 30% off all SW livestock, not sure what they have left though.


----------



## teemee (Aug 29, 2009)

hi,
re. cleaner shrimp - ken at SUM has the best prices as far as I can tell, in general, but look out for his sales - posted friday for the weekend. those prices are unbeatable, and great selection.
NAFB also has good sales, but i can't seem to figure out how often they are, or what is on sale...
re. clown goby with porcelain crabs - my sister had this combination. until the porcelain literally sideswiped the poor little goby for a meal. 
my porcelain is getting pretty big now, too, and if i could figure out how to get it out of the tank, i probably would!
otherwise, things look good  definitely moving along!


----------



## acer (May 18, 2010)

so, I thought I did update this a while ago... but apparently I didn't... oh well... her it goes...

a lot of pics... :s
glass is kind of dirty... that algae really doesn't want to come off. :angry: I really don't want to get a turbo, but it looks like I might have to.... maybe more ceriths and astreas?

FTS








Actinic









YWG









Left-Handed Hermit









Acan








Actinic









Spotted Mandarin

















Experimenting with SPS









Ric









the left side of the tank and one of the YWGs many homes









blue-legged hermit, SPS frag I accidentally broke when putting it in place and some candycanes









top view... only half the tank though, lights got in the way and was too lazy to move them.









Frogspawn under actinics









couple things I need to ID...
the purple tube things on the ledge, its a macro of some sort I think.









that white tube thing... I couldn't get a clear pic but it's almost like a chain of blobs, I think they are cerith snail eggs.


----------



## acer (May 18, 2010)

no one has anything to say?

oh... 
if teemee sees this, I now have calupera prolifera if you are still looking for any macros.


----------



## BettaBeats (Jan 14, 2010)

after reading this I figure its best to go big right off the beginning. . .


----------



## teemee (Aug 29, 2009)

acer said:


> no one has anything to say?
> 
> oh...
> if teemee sees this, I now have calupera prolifera if you are still looking for any macros.


Hi,
Would love some of your caulerpa.
How about we trade 
birdsnest and zoo frag for your caulerpa?
send me a pm, okay


----------



## acer (May 18, 2010)

BettaBeats said:


> after reading this I figure its best to go big right off the beginning. . .


yeah... well I wouldn't have had to go to the 30 gallon tank if the 20 gallon didn't leak.... and I went with the 20 gallon cause it had the same footprint as the 15 gallon I had.

but yeah if you do, I'd definitely start with a larger tank. 

sending a pm teemee.


----------

