Setting up my first reef aquarium`

[Tomoko Schum]

Hi y'all,

I am new to salt water aquarium/reef keeping. I am a seasoned freshwater aquarist so I have general knowledge about aquarium keeping.

I have been reading a lot of articles and a couple of books to learn about reefkeeping so I know enough before I take the first plunge into this new territory. I am trying to take it slow but it is hard to resist my urge to get started.

I have a spot in the kitchen where I can set up either a 10 gallon or 15 gallon aquarium. There is a 10 gallon freshwater tank in that spot at the moment. I have a twin fluorecent light fixture (40W) hanging from an upper cabinet above the 10 gallon tank.

My first question is whether I should go with a 10 or 15 gallon tank. One of LFS's around here has a nice 10 gallon reef aquarium set up with a skilter and two powerheads. I was thinking about doing the same but with a 15 gallon tank. Do you think 15 gallon can be successfully maintained with the same equipment? I intends to add live sand and live rock to the tank. I am hoping to keep easy to keep soft corals and a very light fish load.

My second question is about sand. Does the idea of denytrifying with live sand really work in 15 gallon tank?

TIA,

Tomoko

[BlAcK_PeRcUlA]

Yes live sand and rock work in small tanks. A 15 would be easier to keep than a 10 because of the a little more stable water conditions. You might need a lighting upgrade though

[Kapelakin]

For a first tank, I'd go with the larger tank. The main difference will be in lighting. You don't mention whether you're considering a 15 long or 15 high. Tall reef tanks can be difficult to light, so keep that in mind. A deep sand bed isn't needed in that small of a tank; if it does work for denitrification, the effects are probably negligible.

I'd skip the skilter. Just use a powerhead for circulation, and a small powerfilter for additional water movement and to remove particles from the water. With a light fish load, you can do without the skimmer. You might decide later that you want one, but wait and get a good one rather than starting out with the cheap stuff and then replacing it later.

For lighting, you'll probably want to go with power compacts if you want to keep corals. 2x36 watts is a popular setup for 10 gallon tank. If you get the 15 long, you get the benefit of being able to fit 55 watt PC's over the tank.

So to get started, you'll need 15-20 pounds of live rock, depending on which size tank you decide on, a powerhead, power filter, ten or so pounds of sand, a heater, hydrometer, thermometer, and bag of salt. You can cycle the tank without the PC lights, which gives you some time to decide what you want to go with, and to get it set up.

HTH