Best fish tank under 5 gal for saltwater

You will also need a test kit and a hydrometer or refractometer to monitor salinity. A filter device, and a protein skimmer (recommended). Proper lighting as well.

A hydrometer, test kit, good lighting and good filtration are a must along with a good heater. You don't need a protein skimmer right away but you will need one once you get fish introduced. Don't forget to add some Nova Aqua or one of the other chlorine removers. On a smaller tank your filtration is going to be very important other wise your levels can change and kill everything in your tank. I use compact florescent lighting with 50/50 bulbs and they are not cheap $48 per bulb and my lighting is on a timer. I would recommend to get a book on marine aquariums to help out and I like Instant Ocean for my salt, I have tried others and I like IO the best.

trev --you keep :horse: or in your case a dead fish-you asked for advice.. you got good advice IMO-- either go read a 'beginners guide to marine fish' or read up on-line.

You want a salt tank so bad that you seem to be blind. I worked at Jerry's Pets for nearly three years-- the vast majority that tried salt ---FAILED!!
Salt tanks can be one big moneypit.

I have absolutely no reason to tell you any lies.


I wish you a lot of luck--you will need it and a lot of $$$ too.

hak


EDIT----
IF you live near an ocean(or I guess any big body of salt water) you could get by with a small tank and practicly no equipment by simply changing most of your water every few days and gathering your own free fish. I did this once in South Mexico after catching three blue damsels in a tidal pool. I used a glass 5 gallon water bottle an air pump meant for inflting an air mattress and a single airstone.

Salt tends to build up because during evaporation the salt remains so one must replace at least 3gal. with 'new' saltwater quite often. After about three weeks i got lazy and one died so I returned the others to the Pacific. One day I could have caught a 8 inch spotted moray eel. If I ever live in a place like that I would say Why not?- you can fashion a fish trap and catch some way-cool fish with only fins and a snorkle. At low tides the fish are there in the pools for the hand catching.

BTW I never had to feed them very much as there was plenty of food in the new water I was adding. it was a ghetto salt set-up.

So Im probably gonna buy a biocube 14 in a few weeks when I get money But im not sure whether to start with salt, fresh or brackish. Eventually I want salt but not sure if I have enough for it now. I also would have to buy a better filter and probably a skimmer. Any thoughts?

:bumpit:

I would go for freshwater with a Cichlid Tank. Wait to do a saltwater for a while yet as the cost is prohibitive for you atm.

I kept a 14 gallon nano reef for several years and then swore off marine tanks for good. They are SOOO much more work than freshwater. I have a 90 gallon now with some amazon beasts in it and its alot less work than that 14 gal was.

Save yourself the money and try a freshwater first or if you really want salt just keep damsels because they are pretty tough and cheap which will help during the inevitable tank disasters you will face.

I was personally thinking of a figure 8 puffer. Could I put Cichlid(s) with a figure 8 puffer?

trever22 said:

I was personally thinking of a figure 8 puffer. Could I put Cichlid(s) with a figure 8 puffer?

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the chiclids would probably pick on it and if your talking 8 gallons you wont want cichilds anyways. Too small.

If you want a cool monster to keep in a small tank google mantis shrimp. Pound for pound one of the craziest creatures on the planet.

Helios said:

the chiclids would probably pick on it and if your talking 8 gallons you wont want cichilds anyways. Too small.

If you want a cool monster to keep in a small tank google mantis shrimp. Pound for pound one of the craziest creatures on the planet.

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ok, but I was going to get a 14 not a 8 just to let you know :beer:

even 14 is too small unless you were looking at very small cichilds. Otherwise you want a 40 or even 55 minimum. I have a 90 and only have 5 fish. Granted they are all 6-12" long but most cichlids get pretty large.

Also just a word to the wise...Dont listen to anything anyone at a pet store tells you. Join a fish forum and it will save you a lot of time, money, and lives of fish.

Helios said:

even 14 is too small unless you were looking at very small cichilds. Otherwise you want a 40 or even 55 minimum. I have a 90 and only have 5 fish. Granted they are all 6-12" long but most cichlids get pretty large.

Also just a word to the wise...Dont listen to anything anyone at a pet store tells you. Join a fish forum and it will save you a lot of time, money, and lives of fish.

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Do you suggest a specific fish forum?

depends on what kind of fish you want to keep. I used to be very active on monsterfishkeepers.com its a huge forum but its aimed mainly at exotic predatory fish. Most of these fish wont fit in a 14 gallon but you can learn A TON there. Most importantly before you buy anything learn the ins and outs of the nitrate cycle and tank maintenance.