FO 5 gallon stocking options?

[dbsharp]

i Would like to put a fish (maby more?) in my 5 gallon tank. what kinda fish should i use to cycle it, or should i just use something else to cycle it? The idea of a nano reef seems relly cool but by what Ive read that wouldent be the best thing for a begginer. What should I put in there?

[smcdonn]

Don't use fish to cycle it. I would consider a clown goby. They are very small and stay that way for the most part. You could also consider a cleaner shrimp as they are very colorful and don't add much of a bio load. Cheers

[Jasen Hicks]

A small piece of live rock can cycle it and no death to a fish.

Jasen

[Shagsbeard]

It's not really about size, it's about stability. Your 5 gallon tank would take an expert to maintain. The slightest problem is going to be lethal to any fish you keep. If you are new to the hobby, I wouldn't start with anything under 55 gal. There's a lot to learn, and you don't have time with a 5 gal. Do your fish a favor and start bigger.

If you are dead set on trying to maintain a 5 gallon, I'd put about 7-10 lbs of live rock, about 2-3 inches of sand, let that go for a couple weeks, maybe a month. After that, I'd add 5-10 hermit crabs... they're really fun to watch and don't need much space. There are probably some very sestile fish that could tolarate a 5 gallon set up, but I'm not aware of any off hand. Look through the available gobys.

[theop]

I mostly agree with the prior poster, but don't want to discourage you from trying if you are serious about a nano. It may be easier to go with one of the all-in-one setups like the 6g JBJ Nanocube or 6g Current USA Aquapod.

Here is my recommendation:
1. Decide on your tank/light setup. A light bright enough for corals (I'd go with at least a 2 x 18W PC hood) will certainly heat the water a bit and cause significant evaporation. You'll have to top-off at least every couple of days. Again, consider an all-in-one design as the integrated filtration and lighting makes things easier.

2. Get 5-10 lbs of live rock. This will be the key to a successful setup. You don't need 2-3 inches of sand , just 1" or even less. If you can get aragonite that is even better.

3. Cycle with your live rock, not a fish. If you decide to have a fish, it really needs to be small and probably a smaller goby: clown, citron, catalina (prefer colder water), neon, etc. A good option would be to forgo any fish and just have a few shrimp.

4. Once your tank is cycled, get a small cleanup crew. For a tank in the 5-6g range, I'd recommend 5-6 total smaller snails. I like these: nassarius snail, asterina snail, cerith snail. If you want hermit crabs, get only 1 or two and get a scarlet (red-legged) and avoid the blue-legged hermits (they are aggressive).

5. Don't add any corals until the tank cycles and then wait a month. If this is your first reef, start with easier stuff like zoas, green star polyps, yellow polyps, and mushrooms. These also require less light than the stony corals.

[dbsharp]

i think Ill make my ball python a new cage and use my 29 gallon tank instead so that it will be easier. As soon as I finish my current project with my car Ill start this up. untill then ill learn. after keeping cichlids and making many mistakes i know not to just jump in nut instead learn instead of making blind decisions.

[philagothos]

Before you go using your python's 29 you need to make sure it is an aquarium and not a terrarium. Aquariums use thicker glass to be able to hold the weight of the water. Terrariums use thinner glass because they don't need to hold as much water and it's cheaper. For reference, the glass on my 29 is ~1/4". If yours is less than that it is a terrarium and would break when filled with water.

If you are looking for ultra-cheap you could try starting out with a 10 gallon. I set one up as a quarentine tank and I almost like it more than my display. Total cash outlay was only $40.

Another thing to do is to check your local club's forum. Often you will find people in your area with used equipment they are selling or sometime even giving away. You will always find people who are willing to help you out. It also gives you a good chance to see other tanks that are running to get an idea of what you want to do with yours.

One final thought. There's a good chance you plan on living a nice long life. In this hobby, only bad things happen quickly. Take your time and do a lot of researching before jumping in. It will save you a lot of time, stress, and cash in the long run. I spent about a year or so researching before getting serious about setting up a tank. I'm glad I did, it has saved me a lot of headaches and allowed me to get some pretty good deals on equipment.

HTH,
-Kevin