equipment listing for a 10 gallon setup

[schoch79]

Ok so I plan on setting up a 10 gallon display with a 20 gallon sump. My plans are to keep corals and maybe 1-2 small fish. The wife doesn't like the idea of spending the money for a MH light and for this tank I'm ok with that (for now) LOL, so I am thinking of going with the 96w quad pc bulb. I would really like to be able to keep at least 1 sps coral but I don't know if I could keep one with that light, even at the very top of the tank. Any suggestions?

But here's the real question. I'm new to saltwater so please don't assume that anything is obvious to me. Anyway, can a few people please give me a complete/near complete list of all the equipment I should/they would buy to set this tank up? For the skimmer I would want an in sump one considering my sump will be 20 gal. Sorry for the bother but exact equipment would be great ie. brand name and model. Thanks

[bertoni]

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=239848

That thread is a good place to start. The nano forum is another good place for information on very small tanks.

[schoch79]

Yeah I've read that before, and I know the basics of it but what I'm really looking for is someones advice on what they would use. What kind of skimmer, powerheads/how many, what kind, is my lighting ok? If not what else can I do for it except halides? And anything else that they would use to set their system up. Sorry I know this is asking quite a bit.

[popimp06]

why not a 20 gallon with a 10 sump :)

[drummereef]

Many nano keepers don't use skimmers, they just keep up on the water changes. I'd go over to the Nano Forums and check out the tanks in there. Plenty of successful 10 gallon tanks in there. Like POP said, the 20 with a 10 sump might give you more flexibility.

[schoch79]

LOL I knew that question would come up. OK so for the long story. I wanted to do a 10 gallon just as an experiment tank. Went and drilled it and painted the back and got the bulkheads fitted, basically got the tank all set up. Then I started to make the stand. I measured everything out intending to make it a couple of inches oversized so that I could fit a 10 gallon under it for the sump but I didn't take into consideration for how it was to be assembled. I actually measured and oversized the shelf size and not the entire length and width of the stand itself. Sooo now it is big enough to hold the 20 gallon but the 10 is prepped to be set up. So I decided not to prep another tank right now and just stick with the original plan of the 10 gallon test tank. Well that about does it for the reasoning. LOL l would laugh if I were you too.

[bertoni]

Well, a skimmer isn't a necessity for that size tank, but you could get a CoraLife or some similar skimmer in case you upgrade some day.

For lighting, a 70 MH fixture would be one choice. I like MH. There might be a small T5 that would work, as well.