What should i do with my extra 10 gallon?

So I recently acquired a new 10gallon tank and sweet stand for $25. A pretty nice deal.

I know that I want to do some sort of salt tank...but not sure what to put in it or even what I will need for it entirely.

So take this opportunity to throw me some ideas (or live vicariously through me...depending on how you look at it)

So I know I want coral. That’s really the only certainty. Other than that I am open. Lights? Fish? Coral Type? Substrate? LR? Mermaids…?

What do ya think?

 

Seahorses

 

Before you decide on anything, READ READ READ. Saltwater tanks are very involved when you consider what each individual needs are. Corals are VERY particular in what they need and what equipment is needed to fulfill those needs. The tank itself is only a glass cage. The expensive part is the filtration system and the lighting. If you want corals to thrive, be prepared to cough up close to $1000 on all the equipment to do that.
SPS? LPS?

 

Fry tank for a pair of clowns

 

Well!!!! I was in the same situation last July. I just set up with some LS and LR and let it cycle without fish. It stood empty for about a two months. All I was running was a small mechanical filtration unit. Nothing special. No skimming.

One day I took my kids to an LFS that was closing down and saw a mated pair of ocellaris for $35. My kids noticed too. So now my 10g had it's first fish. It stayed that way for months. Regular 14W light, no skimming, light filtration. Then I decided to upgrade the tank to house corals. So I removed the mech. filt. and got a POS Rio Nanoskimmer. Rated at 20g max, it barely does the job for 10g, but that's OK. Works fine for what I need it to do. I got recently a small T5 set up from PetMountain.com and threw some corals in there.

That's what I did. It was a small work in progress for months and months. I just did a little at a time. Have fun with it. Just be careful of overstocking. Technically, I am overstocked with my mated pair. But I run as much as I can to keep the oxygen saturation up to par so they don't distress.....and so far they are very happy.

 

I already have an established 29 gallon with several corals, inverts, fish, and all the other general creepy crawly critters. I know what i am getting into, and i have done a lot of reading and will be doing more. As far as $1000 as the expected cost for a 10 gallon set-up...well let's just say that my current 29 gallon, including the living population, LR, lights, and everything, didn't even come close to that and it is a fine tank with very happy coral and fish. While i can see it being possible, spending that mush for me would mean going overboard.

I like the idea of seahorses...but would they do well in a 10 gallon? I thought they needed more room and a taller tank. Am i wrong?

 

No, your not. I am considering seahorses in the future and what I had planned was a 20g hex. It is tall enough and just barely enough room. IMO of course.

 

There are a few species of fairly small dwarf seahorses that would be OK with 10 gallons. Some stay under 2"

 

LoL I really don't know. You said live vicariously through you so I spit out seahorses because I've always wanted a seahorse tank!

I read up on them awhile back and don't seem to remember seeing that they need large/tall tanks. I could be wrong of course. It's something to look into...

 

That's along the lines of what i was thinking, but putting in some black clowns. hmmmm good ideas.

If the tank weren't glass it would be an easy choice...MANTIS