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View Full Version : Does a 10G Aquarium Need Skimmer? Powerhead?


4lti7ude
04-13-2010, 09:39 AM
Hey, Im currently setting up my first salt water aquarium and I was wondering if I need a protein skimmer on this?

I only want a clown fish and a few with some anemones.

Right now the 10 Gallon is running a 50Gallon Aqua Clear Filter on the Lowest Flow Rate, and the filter is on the left side of the aquarium.

I was also wondering if I would need a Small power head for the anemones or what not.
If so how strong of a power head.

Thanks.

intarsiabox
04-13-2010, 11:59 AM
You don't need a skimmer if you do water changes every week. I would use a power head to keep algae from growing on rock and to circulate nutrients to corals. Putting anemones in a new set up is usually not recommended, most will die. Let the tank run for at least 6 months. Clowns do not need an anemone in the tank and mine have survived 4 years without one just fine so you can get the clowns after the tank has cycled but you might want to hold off on the anemone.

Crytone
04-13-2010, 04:15 PM
Like the previous poster said a skimmer is NOT necessary. Many people (including myself) don't run one. I did turn my AC70 into a refugium though and that likely helps a bit. Just do a 10% water change every week or so (I sometimes go 2 weeks between water changes on my 10gallon but do more than 10% in that case). Have to keep up on the top-offs too which you will likely find gets annoying in a 10G.

A power head is definitely recommended. The Koralia Nano is what I'm using in my 10G and it's working great. My clownfish loves it since he can just swim against it's current all day and it gives great flow to my tank and corals.

I'd also suggest to stay away from the anemones in a tank that size. Everything I've read says they prefer larger tanks and most varieties do get quite large. Look into getting a fragspawn instead maybe. They look great, easy to care for and easily do well in a 10G (not to mention cheaper too).

Gaffer
04-13-2010, 07:14 PM
You could also look for a small GBTA. I have one in my 6 gallon Fluval Edge and my clowns love it.

I also have a frogspawn for the Sexy Shrimps to keep everyone happy.

Andrew

Snaz
04-13-2010, 07:49 PM
Anemones need strong light and in a nano that means evaporation so unless you can top off manually twice a day you will need an Auto Top Off solution to go with the big light.

skabooya
04-13-2010, 11:08 PM
good answers so far. You dont need a skimmer if your doing regular WC. As for the nem I wouldnt recommend one in such a small tank. They get big and a clown may or may not host in one. You also need to have a mature tank and strong light to keep one alive (takes a minimum of 6 months).
If you like the flowieness of a nem then look for another coral that does better in small systems and can be fragged easily to keep it in check. Maybe a torch?

4lti7ude
04-14-2010, 05:32 AM
Thanks for all the help everyone.
When I said Anemone I ment I wanted Frog Spawn and All the low light small stuff. I plan to get a Skimmer now and a power head for the tank.
Thanks for all the replies.

skabooya
04-14-2010, 06:01 PM
OH! well an anemone and Frogspawn and all that low light stuff are completely different things lol. You had us all thrown off hahaha

4lti7ude
04-15-2010, 08:49 AM
Sorry hahahah.
I am a big freshwater guy, finally decided to do salt.
Alot of my friends are helping me along the way, but the live stock...
Theres soooo much hahahah. Way more then fresh.

If frog spawn isnt a anemone then what is it...

4lti7ude
04-15-2010, 09:06 AM
You could also look for a small GBTA. I have one in my 6 gallon Fluval Edge and my clowns love it.

I also have a frogspawn for the Sexy Shrimps to keep everyone happy.

Andrew

Whats a GBTA?
I have no idea about slang yet

Bloodasp
04-15-2010, 01:47 PM
Green Bubble Tip Anemone

skabooya
04-15-2010, 09:31 PM
GBTA = Green Bubble Tip Anemone
Frogspawn is a Euphyllia.
Others that fall into the Euphyllia family are:
Hammer and Torch coral.

No worries about the freshwater thing. I too am into freshwater and have been since I was 13... wow thats 14 years ago LMAO.
I just started the saltwater craze but it was with about 2 years of research (on and off of course). Im starting my first salty tank and its been up for a while now but im not considering the cycle started until I get LR (Live Rock) to seed my system.

Cugio
05-12-2010, 02:06 AM
I am in the same boat. It is confusing but so interesting compared to freshwater. I thought plants would be the end of it but then I saw corals.

kien
05-12-2010, 03:21 PM
Welcome to canreef and saltwater all you "boat" people :-)

a frogspawn is a group of corals generalized as Large Polyped Stony corals or LPS corals. There are lots of them :-)

plants are generally things we don't want in our saltwater display tanks I think :lol:

4lti7ude
05-12-2010, 06:19 PM
Hello again.
Its only been a little bit, but I learned quite the fair amount of stuff finally.
I have set up my tank for a while now but its a 20G cause the 10 Cracked.

But

I choose the Rio Nano Skimmer after reading through the nano skimmer thread.
Some people had negatives about it, but what can you expect for a 30.00 skimmer. (OH ya it has a needle wheel to. Which is amazing for that price)

Well its still running now, and its picking up great. You just have to get the air to water ratio right with it, and it'll work like a charm.

For some easy learning about saltwater livestock, I used
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/aquarium-fish-supplies.cfm?c=15

At the top tool bar you can pick if you want inverts, corals, fish, and so on.
All the info on the temperament and lighting is on the side of all the fish when you click them.

The website doesn't have everything...But I haven't really seen to much stuff that wasn't on there so ts a good base.

Cugio
05-12-2010, 11:46 PM
Welcome to canreef and saltwater all you "boat" people :-)

plants are generally things we don't want in our saltwater display tanks I think :lol:

Thanks, and I mean freshwater plants as in aquascaping. But there was a time when I thought soft corals were called plants and hard corals were just corals. :razz: