To all the haters out there with their $10k baller tanks, if you are careful and practice good husbandry, this tank is 100% possible to maintain. This dude is trying to get people into the hobby, not out of it. Get on Craigslist at any given time and you will see dozens of postings for giant saltwater setups from people leaving the hobby. Natural filtration like this little 5 gallon are super tough and are a great learning experience. IF it crashes, you have only lost a few specimens instead of thousands of dollars in livestock. Rookies, follow this setup, LET IT CYCLE, add one coral at a time, check your water parameters 3-5 times a week, you'll be fine! I would just buy your water from your local fish store, you will need so little of it. Usually about $1 per gallon. Good luck!
Thank you Randy! I have added a disclaimer to let people know that nano-reef setups can be challenging and require attention to detail, but I totally agree with your statement about larger tanks. Big tanks are just as difficult to maintain as small tanks (the easiest to maintain, in my opinion, are medium sized tanks) and yes, any type of crash in a large tank will result in a lot of lost $$!!! Trying a small tank to start is just a way to help people know if the hobby is for them or not. Thanks again!
Thank you, I appreciate that. I don't always know the best way to present information, but I try to upfront and honest with folks about what they really need. So many people I talk to think that keeping a saltwater tank is basically impossible.
These prices are regular prices. You can buy nearly a full setup 10gallon kit for $35-40 when on Sale. The substrate would be another $10-20 with a mixture of sand/substrate, bulbs($10) if you want to change them to flourescent. You could easily build a 10 gallon saltwater nano for under $125 if you tried and bought a tank kit on sale, fish included.
Great set up for jumping in the game of Saltwater Nano tanks. This set up will get you through the cycle process and support one of the few suitable fish for a tank this small. To go beyond that you will need some upgrades. But at that point you should know if this hobby is for you or not. Just remember on a tank this small you got to pay attention to detail, water quality can change quickly in a tank this small!
For beginners, you should mention on buying water vs RO water. I assume you're buying water for this size tank. How often do you buy, and do you top off with dechlorinated tap water since you don't top off with salt water?
Excellent point. For a tank that size, yes, buying water is the way to go. With a sealed tank you won't have to replace the water quite as often, so I'm not sure of the amount , but yes, you'll be topping off with RO water. You may have already known all that and were just suggesting I include the information, if so, sorry for the over-explanation!
@@TheFishTankGuy No problem, I assumed that's what was going on. Just wanted to get it out there for others who might not have known. Thank you, and great video!
I'm actually starting a 5GAL saltwater tank. Not doing coral as of now. It's all set up, water mixed, bacteria, Ph balanced and all. Just waiting to get some fish now
+JL- Aquariums What's interesting is that in my experience, it hasn't been all too bad. Granted, it does evaporate and you have to keep up with it, but it's better than an open top aquarium :)
2 weeks into a 32gallon biocube at the moment. Currently I am stressing about aquascape placement. I keep worrying that my future fish wont swim at the front of the tanks and there are no videos around that educate you on aquarium layout that naturally funnels fish to the front of the tank. Yes yes I get that you place towards the back but even so, might be a nice topic to touch on?
This is exactly what im looking for but the hood isnt a good choice, Id buy inexpensive LEDs that clip on one side of the tank. Rimless looks more neat to me.
+alianisz I hear you on that...the rimless tank definitely looks neater and is a better "showpiece" in a home setting. However, pros and cons...unless you get a glass/acrylic top for it, you'll notice a LOT of water evaporation. Thanks for the comment though, much appreciated!
The Fish Tank Guy Thank you for the feedback. Ive noticed that you've tried to achieve both utility and cost in this setup and it definitely works. My question is, how often do you recommend changing water and how much considering you haven't installed a skimmer?
+alianisz In a tank this small...1 gallon is 20%, which is a good amount if you are performing water changes regularly. No skimmer and not much else in terms of filtration, I would definitely say once a week if possible!
Hi. Nice reef tank. Every time I try to set one of these up, I get white slime, almost like cotton candy or snot tentacles - Some people say "just wait 6 weeks" or "just keep doing water changes & it goes way" - but it never goes away for me. Any idea how to deal with it?
@@TheFishTankGuy Sorry for taking a long time to reply; the day job has really been killer. But Thank you for caring enough to ask. Actually, I'm giving up on saltwater, at least for now & for a long time to come. No, I can't afford a RODI filter & I cannot afford pre-mixed saltwater. I tried just using a little PUR filter on the end of my faucet, but the Palythoa were still not happy; they retracted their testicles & would not open back up. However, I believe the white slime is related to something in my air. I've been able to grow white slime in a new plastic water picture + distilled water + inorganic fertilizer with the air as the only source of microbial life. Also, I have seen the white slime in different cities, so different municipal water supplies. Rad Perez & Fastt Life had videos on their channels about how hydrocarbons in the air can amount to a kind of accidental carbon dosing that could make some normal bacteria grow faster than normal. I do clean some things around my home with rubbing alcohol, so that could be it. And indeed, after I tried keeping rubbing alcohol fumes away from the tank as much as possible, I did see a reduction in the white slime, at least in my fresh water tanks. However, I also assist w/ the office fish tank & I clean things w/ rubbing alcohol around the office fish tank, yet it never has any white slime problems whatsoever. So maybe the microbes in my air are different? I do have very old wooden furniture, so fungal spores maybe?.... It reminds me of when I took "Intro to Logic" at Broward Community College. The very first lesson was "Avoid the fallacy of the single cause." (It could very well be both.)
What substrate is that? I am really stuck on what I should buy, I wan't it white and clean but I understand you don't want to go too fine or it it will blow around.
I really love the Fiji Pink from CaribSea. It's not pink...it's basically the white you are looking for with some color interspersed throughout. It looks good.
I think this is a great video to get people in the hobby, the only problem people who have no experience with reeftanks is a big no with nano tanks as they take alot more husbandry and its so easy for parameters to swing so I'd recommend for newbies is go big as it's alot Easier plus newbies would be putting alsorts of fish they can't keep in a tank this small lol
I have this thank... Its small... I have 1 goldfish in it and 1 janitor fish... I think its a 2 gallon tank... Can i use that type of aquarium for saltwater or do i need a larger one?
+CartoonsCreations Good, but not necessary, especially for a smaller tank like a 10 gallon. You'll want to do regular water changes so you won't need to be too worried about having a UV light.
Id like to get a small desk size salt water tank with one or two small fish or shrimp and some coral or live rock creatures for my cubicle. Is this doable if I fill a few buckets of ocean water and filter and treat for a few weeks first?
could you also keep some other stuff like anenomes, or clown fish with your corals, in say a 10 micro reef, or is that a little too much for something like this to handle?
If you check my channel, I have another video but for a 10 gallon tank! Yes! You can do two clownfish...see my 10 gallon tank here: th-cam.com/video/IsYb2TDESfM/w-d-xo.html
I have a 100 gallon reef tank but wanted a small one for my bedroom this one is great do you think I could keep a goby, pistol shrimp pare in this size
i have a nano freshwater tank. i was wondering if its ok to have the filter a little higher than usual. mine is situated so the output of the filter is acting as waterfall. my fish likes it because he can play in the bubbles and turbulance it creates. the input where the water enters the filter is only under about 4-5 inches of water. im wondering if that is ok and wheter or not it will not filte the water as good as if it was near the bottom of the tank. please tell me if this is ok.
That's probably fine...the cool thing about fish and owning a fish tank is that you can do whatever works best for you fish! If they like the waterfall effect of your filter, that's what really counts. Just make sure when you do water changes that you get into that gravel and suck all the gunk out! :)
I have an updated video yes, but it's a 10g rather than a 5g. Most things would be similar, would recommend the same light etc. I'd actually recommend a 10g tank over a 5g anyway. You can find it on my channel.
Good video, but for $100 you can snatch up a nuvo fusion 10g tank like mine and have a much much better tank. It already comes with the pump, and all you would need is the filter floss, the live sand,rock, the salt mix, the water and a light. Sometimes, you can even pick up a used tank like mine for a steal with everything included. I by experience, have started with a cheap tank like this and spent as much money or more instead of just getting a nice all in one tank to begin with.
Thanks for the info Jose! Yeah, for this particular build, I chose to go with a 5 gallon tank because it's something I had on-hand already as a hospital/quarantine tank. I looked up the Nuvo Fusion and it's definitely a nice tank! I'll have to look into getting one myself someday :) Thanks for subscribing and I'll be sure to check out some of your videos!
Yes...the reason I started my channel is that many message boards and veteran aquarists tend to over-complicate many aspects of the hobby, scaring people away. You will have to do regular water changes (weekly) in such a small tank, but yes, this is all you need. As for those shrimp, I think a pair would do just fine in a 5 gallon tank though...just be careful, they have a particular diet and will require some special attention.
Nope! Definitely not...you want to make sure you get a refractometer to make sure you know how high the salinity of your water is. Those salt kits assume you are raising the salinity to a certain point, but in the hobby, most folks raise it higher...so you'll need more salt than expected.
+John M Are you looking for some information on what kind of fish to put in a 5 gallon freshwater tank or what you should do to get it setup and prepared for adding fish?
+John M Ah ok...well, freshwater is a bit more straight forward than saltwater. For a beginner, I would stick to the basics for now. Grab yourself some nice looking gravel, a 5 lbs. bag will do. Next you'll need a 50w heater (in case you want to upgrade it will still work well) and make sure it IS adjustable. You'll want a small hang on back filter, and a small bottle of water conditioner. Did the tank come with a hood and lights? If so, those will work fine as is. Grab some fish food, fill up the tank and start your cycle! That's about it. I have a Cycling video in my 10 gallon Nano series that will fill in the details, but you'll need a test kit if you want to make sure your tank is ready for fish! Good luck and feel free to send any questions my way.
lol what did is just put every thing in their not knowing any thing went the the beach with a fishing pole gots some fish put them in the tank and there and they did awesome in a fresh water system i only spend 20 bucks the only thing is never put crabs in it
Keith's Planted Aquariums Yes! Always use RODI water when working with a saltwater system. I do use a small filter unit that you can find more information about on my channel. I have a video all about it :)
Keith's Planted Aquariums Hi! I have a nano reef and I would advise you to use RODI water. You can just buy this from your local fish store. If you are really in a bind you can even use declorinator and mix with salt. Fish are usually okay with water changes and can survive for short amounts of time with "bad" water.
+Alexander Rogers I have a friend who uses reeflowers water conditioner (removes metals and chemicals) and his tank is running great. While I'd never use Aqua safe for marines, I'm using treated tap water with reeflowers
what fish can you put in a 5 gal? i wanted to start a 5 gal nano reef tank but i would like to have a fish but I don't want to risk the fish's life for the sake of having one
If I were to buy a freshwater tank to see if I like the hobby, would it be less money to start with a five gallon tank, then upgrade to a ten gallon tank or just start with a ten gallon tank?
Hey there! This is what I would recommend. Honestly, smaller tanks such as this are more challenging to keep them middle sized tanks. I've always felt the 20 long is a perfect starter tank. If you don't want to start that big, out doing have the space, go 10 instead of 5. If you need some tips or equipment advice for a 20, let me know. If you get a 10, I have a ten gallon budget video already, just like this one.
There's no such thing as a tank that'll be up for 5-6 years without replacing anything, although if you figure out the secret, I'd love to hear it. In this setup, you could truly get by with replacing the sponge in the filter and doing water changes. In a smaller tank such as this one, any type of bioload (a fish or two for example) will make frequent water changes a necessity. Honestly, unless you are trying to keep SPS corals, many corals are relatively easy to keep and are not that demanding. I recently upgraded to a 10g tank with the same setup...we'll see how it goes in terms of longevity :)
i want to start a salt water tank, 5 gallons, one question tho .... why only one fish and what other salt water living creatures can be put in there ? besides live rock etc ...
I would suggest checking out craigslist, I bought a fluval 305 canister filter, 4 bulb t5, 56 gallon column tank and the stand for $50. This was an insane deal tho, you can find 29 gallon reef ready tanks all day long for $200 bucks or less.
+will i am oh yah Definitely, Craigslist is the way to go to save money, as long as you have some patience for a good deal to show up. If you live in a smaller town, you might be forced to hit the retail circuit though ;)
I prefer buying new tanks. Sure it's loads more money but you don't know what kind of things could be in the tank left over, and plus I am kind of lazy and prefer just setting it up with no cleaning beforehand!
+The Fish Tank Guy I did find a really good deal. I got a brand new 15 gallon nano reef with a heater, power head and a HOB filter for £80 (about 120 US dollars) and it has blue LED
Isn't a nano tank a 10 gal to 75 gal? Thought any less would be a pico tank. I could be wrong since I'm new to this whole thing but I have been watching alot of utube videos about corals and fish for nearly 2 months now. Still not in a good spot to own a tank but working on it.
Hi I have a question, so I really want to start a salt water tank, and when I started doing research I found out that nano tanks need more attention, but are still possible to mantain. Im not planning to put a bunch of fish in my nano, I just wanted to know If I would be able to keep a nano like that and not have to upgrade or if the upgrade is extremely necessary, I just dont have the space and money to have a larger tank. :/
+Leonie who? OK... So I get this question a lot, and I'll try my best to give you a straight forward answer. It sounds like you are very interested, so that already tells me you'd be willing to perform maintenance once a week or biweekly, so that's good. Can you keep a Nano to start... Yes. However, if I were you, don't do a 5, but instead do a 10. It's double the volume but still small, and it's large enough you could keep a pair of clowns and never upgrade! Good luck!
Anthony Parente Well, for a saltwater reef, you need at least one or the other, a pump or a HOB filter. Corals, in general, need water movement not only for feeding but also to stay healthy and grow. Personally, I would never bother with a 5 gallon again, I have upgraded to a 10 gallon and it's much easier to manage. The HOB filter makes it easier for maintenance for me, but if you don't mind doing weekly water changes (and doing them consistently), you don't need a HOB. You do need something for flow in the tank though. Good luck!
Please indulge me for a moment, I live near the ocean. So hypothetically if I filled a 5gal tank with water from my backyard ocean.and put in some local live rock and anemones, crabs, maybe one or two fish and heated the tank. Would that work without any additives or, would I need to add chemicals and will the stick filter do the job? Please walk me through any specifics I may need to know if I wanted to give it a shot hypothetically
I spent 70 $ on a 5 gallon tank here in Canada I’m getting nemos and anemone I’ve been putting the aqua plus in it to get the chlorine out need salt and then gotta wait again ofcoarse another week but all together I spend like 120$ on this tank and that’s not with the nemos everything brand new looks like this but it’s a neon tank
Thanks for the video! What dose a rio pump do? Help the filter or just circulate the water? I've never had a salt water aquarium yet.. Trying to learn :)
Running an AquaClear 20 with some Purigen and filter floss in the chamber. With a tank this small, doing a weekly water change will mostly bypass the need for any extensive filtration.
Yes! A tank of this size will require a lot of maintenance and regular water changes. A sump will definitely help keep everything in check. Bigger the better :)
Same thing but less expense. You won't need saltwater and you definitely don't need a ton of flow in your tank! Also, Bettas are typically happier with plants and soft substrate or gravel rather than sand.
If you're new to this, put it in 20 gallon or bigger. A 5g or 10g tank water quality can go bad faster, and will require you more maintenance than a 20g.
This looks like the tank I purchased recently, I think its made by aqueon. The filter that came with it is a Top Fin 10, which takes up a decent amount of space on the inside of the tank. Can you send me a link to the Filter you purchased. Also, how good is the filter working for you? Maybe a link for the hood you have as well. Nice setup.
Here's the filter that I purchased...it's actually an AquaClear 20. I don't have it anymore (as I don't have this tank anymore), but it worked great, and the compartment was big enough to through other things into, which was awesome. amzn.to/2gGqKY2 Here's the link to the hood for the 5.5 gallon tank...$10 shipped! amzn.to/2flwwIK
$172.00 dollars plus tax and being rounded that probably like $220.00. You could get a 20 gallon long fully decked out for a little more the $220.00 to $300.00
To all the haters out there with their $10k baller tanks, if you are careful and practice good husbandry, this tank is 100% possible to maintain. This dude is trying to get people into the hobby, not out of it. Get on Craigslist at any given time and you will see dozens of postings for giant saltwater setups from people leaving the hobby. Natural filtration like this little 5 gallon are super tough and are a great learning experience. IF it crashes, you have only lost a few specimens instead of thousands of dollars in livestock. Rookies, follow this setup, LET IT CYCLE, add one coral at a time, check your water parameters 3-5 times a week, you'll be fine! I would just buy your water from your local fish store, you will need so little of it. Usually about $1 per gallon. Good luck!
Thank you Randy! I have added a disclaimer to let people know that nano-reef setups can be challenging and require attention to detail, but I totally agree with your statement about larger tanks. Big tanks are just as difficult to maintain as small tanks (the easiest to maintain, in my opinion, are medium sized tanks) and yes, any type of crash in a large tank will result in a lot of lost $$!!! Trying a small tank to start is just a way to help people know if the hobby is for them or not. Thanks again!
Yea totally not everyone can fucking buy even a 20 gallon
@@tetrapod64Too bad if you're not American
Cosmos sales dont last forever...
@@tetrapod64 Well I bought a 40 litre tank for £40, which is 10 gallons and a bit more than $40
Your honesty is refreshing.....not trying to push people to $$$$$ spending to push the hobby which is seemingly more Ego driven 👌🏽
Thank you, I appreciate that. I don't always know the best way to present information, but I try to upfront and honest with folks about what they really need. So many people I talk to think that keeping a saltwater tank is basically impossible.
These prices are regular prices. You can buy nearly a full setup 10gallon kit for $35-40 when on Sale. The substrate would be another $10-20 with a mixture of sand/substrate, bulbs($10) if you want to change them to flourescent. You could easily build a 10 gallon saltwater nano for under $125 if you tried and bought a tank kit on sale, fish included.
I bought a 5 gallon fish tank kit for a steal, $10! Brand new in box!
Great set up for jumping in the game of Saltwater Nano tanks. This set up will get you through the cycle process and support one of the few suitable fish for a tank this small. To go beyond that you will need some upgrades. But at that point you should know if this hobby is for you or not. Just remember on a tank this small you got to pay attention to detail, water quality can change quickly in a tank this small!
have you made a video like this but for a fresh water tank?
I have not...I suppose that's something that I could definitely do. I think it would probably be a 10 gallon tank video though!
Fresh water is not interesting
@@deadpunk697 You're not interesting
For beginners, you should mention on buying water vs RO water. I assume you're buying water for this size tank. How often do you buy, and do you top off with dechlorinated tap water since you don't top off with salt water?
Excellent point. For a tank that size, yes, buying water is the way to go. With a sealed tank you won't have to replace the water quite as often, so I'm not sure of the amount , but yes, you'll be topping off with RO water. You may have already known all that and were just suggesting I include the information, if so, sorry for the over-explanation!
@@TheFishTankGuy No problem, I assumed that's what was going on. Just wanted to get it out there for others who might not have known.
Thank you, and great video!
Wish I would have seen this before I got my 10 gallon freshwater tank! Maybe this will be my next project!
I'm actually starting a 5GAL saltwater tank. Not doing coral as of now. It's all set up, water mixed, bacteria, Ph balanced and all. Just waiting to get some fish now
Very cool! What fish are you planning to get?
The Fish Tank Guy looking to get some yellowtail damsels and a few inverts, probably a small cleaner shrimp or a crab
Purigen is a good safety net for beginners to help keep PO4 down in the event of an over feeding.
+Brian Geiser Good point B, appreciate the tip!
Awesome vid, your channel deserves more subs.
I have a 15 gallon. So excited!
The only thing is that those hoods make a TON OF EVAPORATION i don't know about salt water but my freshwater will lose almost a GALLON over a week
+JL- Aquariums What's interesting is that in my experience, it hasn't been all too bad. Granted, it does evaporate and you have to keep up with it, but it's better than an open top aquarium :)
I just subscribe man I’m starting a saltwater tank 👍🏻👍🏻 thank you for tips
No problem, that's awesome man. Good luck! Post pictures/videos!
Exactly the kind of information I have been looking for! Thank you for taking the time, liked and subbed.
Glad I could help! I appreciate you checking out the channel, and thank you for the sub!
2 weeks into a 32gallon biocube at the moment. Currently I am stressing about aquascape placement. I keep worrying that my future fish wont swim at the front of the tanks and there are no videos around that educate you on aquarium layout that naturally funnels fish to the front of the tank. Yes yes I get that you place towards the back but even so, might be a nice topic to touch on?
This is exactly what im looking for but the hood isnt a good choice, Id buy inexpensive LEDs that clip on one side of the tank. Rimless looks more neat to me.
+alianisz I hear you on that...the rimless tank definitely looks neater and is a better "showpiece" in a home setting. However, pros and cons...unless you get a glass/acrylic top for it, you'll notice a LOT of water evaporation. Thanks for the comment though, much appreciated!
The Fish Tank Guy Thank you for the feedback. Ive noticed that you've tried to achieve both utility and cost in this setup and it definitely works. My question is, how often do you recommend changing water and how much considering you haven't installed a skimmer?
+alianisz In a tank this small...1 gallon is 20%, which is a good amount if you are performing water changes regularly. No skimmer and not much else in terms of filtration, I would definitely say once a week if possible!
The Fish Tank Guy Awesome, skimmers are noisy anyway
+The Fish Tank Guy also one would be concerned about smaller pets or dust that can get access to the tank through the top
I have two clown in my 5.5 gallon. Been in their for three years.
Poor fish. The recommended minimum tank size for clownfish is about 10 gallons if it's solo or 20 gallons for two.
Nice. I just got a Fluval edge for a nano reef setup.
***** That's sweet, if I wouldn't have spent so much money on my Biocube I definitely would've opted for a nicer nano-tank :) Good luck!
Hi. Nice reef tank. Every time I try to set one of these up, I get white slime, almost like cotton candy or snot tentacles - Some people say "just wait 6 weeks" or "just keep doing water changes & it goes way" - but it never goes away for me. Any idea how to deal with it?
Are you using RODI water?
@@TheFishTankGuy Sorry for taking a long time to reply; the day job has really been killer. But Thank you for caring enough to ask. Actually, I'm giving up on saltwater, at least for now & for a long time to come.
No, I can't afford a RODI filter & I cannot afford pre-mixed saltwater. I tried just using a little PUR filter on the end of my faucet, but the Palythoa were still not happy; they retracted their testicles & would not open back up.
However, I believe the white slime is related to something in my air. I've been able to grow white slime in a new plastic water picture + distilled water + inorganic fertilizer with the air as the only source of microbial life. Also, I have seen the white slime in different cities, so different municipal water supplies.
Rad Perez & Fastt Life had videos on their channels about how hydrocarbons in the air can amount to a kind of accidental carbon dosing that could make some normal bacteria grow faster than normal. I do clean some things around my home with rubbing alcohol, so that could be it. And indeed, after I tried keeping rubbing alcohol fumes away from the tank as much as possible, I did see a reduction in the white slime, at least in my fresh water tanks.
However, I also assist w/ the office fish tank & I clean things w/ rubbing alcohol around the office fish tank, yet it never has any white slime problems whatsoever. So maybe the microbes in my air are different? I do have very old wooden furniture, so fungal spores maybe?....
It reminds me of when I took "Intro to Logic" at Broward Community College. The very first lesson was "Avoid the fallacy of the single cause." (It could very well be both.)
What substrate is that? I am really stuck on what I should buy, I wan't it white and clean but I understand you don't want to go too fine or it it will blow around.
I really love the Fiji Pink from CaribSea. It's not pink...it's basically the white you are looking for with some color interspersed throughout. It looks good.
I think this is a great video to get people in the hobby, the only problem people who have no experience with reeftanks is a big no with nano tanks as they take alot more husbandry and its so easy for parameters to swing so I'd recommend for newbies is go big as it's alot Easier plus newbies would be putting alsorts of fish they can't keep in a tank this small lol
I have this thank... Its small... I have 1 goldfish in it and 1 janitor fish... I think its a 2 gallon tank... Can i use that type of aquarium for saltwater or do i need a larger one?
People start saltwater tanks in extremely small tanks. My personal minimum for someone new to saltwater is 10g, but I'm sure you could do it!
Bro u cant even provide your goldfish and whatever that “janitor” fish what they need
I’m thinking about getting a five gallon and the fish I’ll being putting in it is a fire goby and a some coral
Very cool. Is it your first saltwater tank? If so, be prepared to keep up with water changes, 5g can be hard to keep up with.
this HELPS 100% quick question ,do you think this is a safe set up IDEA for a 10 gallon tank?
+CartoonsCreations I also have a 10 gallon budget video on my channel, be sure to check it out!
+The Fish Tank Guy Yes,I found it but would you think that a UV filter is good for a coral reef? 10gallon of course
+CartoonsCreations Good, but not necessary, especially for a smaller tank like a 10 gallon. You'll want to do regular water changes so you won't need to be too worried about having a UV light.
+The Fish Tank Guy ok THANKYOU!&your videos have helped me 100% soo keep up the good work!
Great video and fun to learn, I have always wanted one of these...you explain it very well and stay on the topic...Thanks for this great video
Awesome video, what lights are you running in the hood ?
+Brandon Brumley Coralife CFL 20w 50/50 Bulb. It's definitely adequate for easy to moderate corals. Here's the link to it: amzn.to/1PLFIXH
+The Fish Tank Guy thank you alot, really helpful.
Do u need sand can you use rocks I mean I kinda want sand but I heard it’s a pain cuz it stirs that’s the only downside I seen big tanks
Yep...some people go with no substrate...but to me those tanks don't look as "realistic."
Would a little blue damsel work?
Absolutely. A small clownfish would work too.
thanks a lot. can it live in here for its entire life?
@@tsarmi9864 Yes! Blue Damsels don't really grow to be all that big, so it would be happy in a nicely planted tank of this size :)
awesome vid. Tank looks sick.
+TheKJV BibleAdvocate Thank you for checking out my videos!
+The Fish Tank Guy Nice man!
666 subs? Can't have that! I subbed!
goxcpre Thanks, I was wondering why I was feeling some bad juju for a couple hours the other day...
Lol, no worries. You deserve it! Great tanking channel. Keep putting out high quality content!
Lol
Id like to get a small desk size salt water tank with one or two small fish or shrimp and some coral or live rock creatures for my cubicle. Is this doable if I fill a few buckets of ocean water and filter and treat for a few weeks first?
What kind of inverts can live in that?
Can you just use tap water with dechlorinator?
Well...for saltwater...no. Tap water contains many other minerals/metals/etc. that are no good for a saltwater tank.
Thank you
not 100% true. i use tap on my tank for a long time now and dont have issues. all depends on what your tap water contains
For that price point, you could buy a nice 9 gallon fluval flex that can handle salt water
i need help.what cheap lights for 10 gallon nano reef soft corals and lps.
2 of the bulb that I mentioned in this video. I have a 10 gallon budget video as well. They are cheap and I could grow LPS and softies just fine!
ok thanks.
would you say a UV filter would be safe&good for a saltwater tank?
+Jeff R. Thanks!
could you also keep some other stuff like anenomes, or clown fish with your corals, in say a 10 micro reef, or is that a little too much for something like this to handle?
No Clownfish, but I'm not so sure about the anemone.
If I do this exact set-up, but with a 10 gallon tank, can I put in some clownfish or would it be too small?
If you check my channel, I have another video but for a 10 gallon tank! Yes! You can do two clownfish...see my 10 gallon tank here: th-cam.com/video/IsYb2TDESfM/w-d-xo.html
Can you make a list of the products you have used?
If you browse through the rest of my channel, you'll find a few videos containing all the supplies I've used in keeping a saltwater tank!
Do you need to put different lighting in the hood?
Keanu's Aqua life if u wanna grow coral
I have a 100 gallon reef tank but wanted a small one for my bedroom this one is great do you think I could keep a goby, pistol shrimp pare in this size
If it's a small goby, sure. If you have the space, bump it up to a 10 gallon to make life easier :)
i have a nano freshwater tank. i was wondering if its ok to have the filter a little higher than usual. mine is situated so the output of the filter is acting as waterfall. my fish likes it because he can play in the bubbles and turbulance it creates. the input where the water enters the filter is only under about 4-5 inches of water. im wondering if that is ok and wheter or not it will not filte the water as good as if it was near the bottom of the tank. please tell me if this is ok.
That's probably fine...the cool thing about fish and owning a fish tank is that you can do whatever works best for you fish! If they like the waterfall effect of your filter, that's what really counts. Just make sure when you do water changes that you get into that gravel and suck all the gunk out! :)
Updated video of this tank since this was 7 years ago?
I have an updated video yes, but it's a 10g rather than a 5g. Most things would be similar, would recommend the same light etc. I'd actually recommend a 10g tank over a 5g anyway. You can find it on my channel.
Good video, but for $100 you can snatch up a nuvo fusion 10g tank like mine and have a much much better tank. It already comes with the pump, and all you would need is the filter floss, the live sand,rock, the salt mix, the water and a light. Sometimes, you can even pick up a used tank like mine for a steal with everything included. I by experience, have started with a cheap tank like this and spent as much money or more instead of just getting a nice all in one tank to begin with.
Thanks for the info Jose! Yeah, for this particular build, I chose to go with a 5 gallon tank because it's something I had on-hand already as a hospital/quarantine tank. I looked up the Nuvo Fusion and it's definitely a nice tank! I'll have to look into getting one myself someday :) Thanks for subscribing and I'll be sure to check out some of your videos!
I'm trying to start a ten gallon nano reef. What would be a good hang on the back filter.
Awesome video, good setup.
A Bosch Thank you, appreciate you checking out my channel!
any need for a protein skimmer? I want to do this and have shrimp would that work?
If you do a weekly water change and keep up with it, skip the protein skimmer!
Is this all you need? Ive heard about 1000 other things that confuse me. Can i keep a pair of harlequin shrimp in that?
Yes...the reason I started my channel is that many message boards and veteran aquarists tend to over-complicate many aspects of the hobby, scaring people away. You will have to do regular water changes (weekly) in such a small tank, but yes, this is all you need. As for those shrimp, I think a pair would do just fine in a 5 gallon tank though...just be careful, they have a particular diet and will require some special attention.
Evaporation by the way thats in tune with Nature...no matter how much we wanna believe a fish tank aint a natural habitat ijs 👌🏽👌🏽
Of course its not. The idea od a reef tank is mimic or recreate what appears to be a natural habitat in your home.
Thank you! I was looking for a reef tank but on a budget ! Thanks so much
If I bought a 25 gallon salt kit from Instant Ocean, would it be fine to divide it by 5 to put in a 5 gallon tank for a small mantis shrimp?
Nope! Definitely not...you want to make sure you get a refractometer to make sure you know how high the salinity of your water is. Those salt kits assume you are raising the salinity to a certain point, but in the hobby, most folks raise it higher...so you'll need more salt than expected.
+The Fish Tank Guy do you use skimmer? ,do we need it?
what could I do with a freshwater 5 gallon tank? I'm a beginner
+John M Are you looking for some information on what kind of fish to put in a 5 gallon freshwater tank or what you should do to get it setup and prepared for adding fish?
+The Fish Tank Guy mainly what to put in it (freshwater) although I've never had a tank before
+John M Ah ok...well, freshwater is a bit more straight forward than saltwater. For a beginner, I would stick to the basics for now. Grab yourself some nice looking gravel, a 5 lbs. bag will do. Next you'll need a 50w heater (in case you want to upgrade it will still work well) and make sure it IS adjustable. You'll want a small hang on back filter, and a small bottle of water conditioner. Did the tank come with a hood and lights? If so, those will work fine as is. Grab some fish food, fill up the tank and start your cycle! That's about it. I have a Cycling video in my 10 gallon Nano series that will fill in the details, but you'll need a test kit if you want to make sure your tank is ready for fish! Good luck and feel free to send any questions my way.
+John M only tiny fish. Ember tetras, endlers guppies
lol what did is just put every thing in their not knowing any thing went the the beach with a fishing pole gots some fish put them in the tank and there and they did awesome in a fresh water system i only spend 20 bucks the only thing is never put crabs in it
Expensive hobby, this helps
Hi, did you use RODI water? And if you did do you make it yourself?
Keith's Planted Aquariums Yes! Always use RODI water when working with a saltwater system. I do use a small filter unit that you can find more information about on my channel. I have a video all about it :)
Keith's Planted Aquariums Hi! I have a nano reef and I would advise you to use RODI water. You can just buy this from your local fish store. If you are really in a bind you can even use declorinator and mix with salt. Fish are usually okay with water changes and can survive for short amounts of time with "bad" water.
+Alexander Rogers I have a friend who uses reeflowers water conditioner (removes metals and chemicals) and his tank is running great. While I'd never use Aqua safe for marines, I'm using treated tap water with reeflowers
what fish can you put in a 5 gal?
i wanted to start a 5 gal nano reef tank but i would like to have a fish but I don't want to risk the fish's life for the sake of having one
It's gotta be something small. A single Ocellaris Clown, a small damsel, or maybe a clown goby.
GennyKoala wouldn't even recommend a clown, id say a clown at least needs a 10, maybe a small goby
The hood is no longer available is there a alternative place to get it
Do you think a nano saltwater tank would be a good intro to saltwater for someone who has experience with nano and larger freshwater aquariums?
Can I put one clownfish in the tank. If not what fish can I put in it
do you think you can put an octopus or an eel in here?
LOL...I hope you're joking :)
what about a dwarf species?
No even dwarfs would be too big for something this tiny.
If I were to buy a freshwater tank to see if I like the hobby, would it be less money to start with a five gallon tank, then upgrade to a ten gallon tank or just start with a ten gallon tank?
Hey there! This is what I would recommend. Honestly, smaller tanks such as this are more challenging to keep them middle sized tanks. I've always felt the 20 long is a perfect starter tank. If you don't want to start that big, out doing have the space, go 10 instead of 5. If you need some tips or equipment advice for a 20, let me know. If you get a 10, I have a ten gallon budget video already, just like this one.
+The Fish Tank Guy Thanks!
Is this too small for fish? I mean, will they go mad inside ?
You can fit one small fish in here and they'll be ok.
I think it's too small but other animals would do fine, like starfish, snails and hermit crabs
The Fish Tank Guy one clownfish and shrimp r okey with that tank ?
Is this really going to keep fish/coral safe for 5-6 years? Without replacing anything?
There's no such thing as a tank that'll be up for 5-6 years without replacing anything, although if you figure out the secret, I'd love to hear it. In this setup, you could truly get by with replacing the sponge in the filter and doing water changes. In a smaller tank such as this one, any type of bioload (a fish or two for example) will make frequent water changes a necessity. Honestly, unless you are trying to keep SPS corals, many corals are relatively easy to keep and are not that demanding. I recently upgraded to a 10g tank with the same setup...we'll see how it goes in terms of longevity :)
Thanks!
i want to start a salt water tank, 5 gallons, one question tho .... why only one fish and what other salt water living creatures can be put in there ? besides live rock etc ...
lol nevermind i read some of your comments below .... i think i may just go fresh water :(
:) Best of luck with whatever you choose!
What’s the point in buying a starter kit if you’re just gonna throw everything away except for the tank?
I would suggest checking out craigslist, I bought a fluval 305 canister filter, 4 bulb t5, 56 gallon column tank and the stand for $50. This was an insane deal tho, you can find 29 gallon reef ready tanks all day long for $200 bucks or less.
+will i am oh yah Definitely, Craigslist is the way to go to save money, as long as you have some patience for a good deal to show up. If you live in a smaller town, you might be forced to hit the retail circuit though ;)
I prefer buying new tanks. Sure it's loads more money but you don't know what kind of things could be in the tank left over, and plus I am kind of lazy and prefer just setting it up with no cleaning beforehand!
+The Fish Tank Guy I did find a really good deal. I got a brand new 15 gallon nano reef with a heater, power head and a HOB filter for £80 (about 120 US dollars) and it has blue LED
I see 29-55 gallon tanks ready to go for 180-400$ which is so much cheaper than buying from a store
Can I use a top fin filter for 5-15 gallons with saltwater?
What kinda fish: inverts can you put in it
Shrimps. 5 gal is too small for fish.
do you use skimmer?
+Rick Chan at the rate you will have to change out water and the use of a backpack filter probably wont need a skimmer on something this small.
+Joker That's correct sir! Love the profile icon :)
do u need to do water changes on coral tank
Very good video! I want to start a salt water tank! I havn't much money so this could be the answer!! 😁
What's the brand of the aquarium kit you started with??
I'm confused I'm sorry I'm trying to start my first tank as well and the filtration I'm confused on it where Cani buy it?
A local pet store
Can you link what type of test kit i would need? Thank you, great video!
Isn't a nano tank a 10 gal to 75 gal? Thought any less would be a pico tank. I could be wrong since I'm new to this whole thing but I have been watching alot of utube videos about corals and fish for nearly 2 months now. Still not in a good spot to own a tank but working on it.
Hi I have a question, so I really want to start a salt water tank, and when I started doing research I found out that nano tanks need more attention, but are still possible to mantain. Im not planning to put a bunch of fish in my nano, I just wanted to know If I would be able to keep a nano like that and not have to upgrade or if the upgrade is extremely necessary, I just dont have the space and money to have a larger tank. :/
+Leonie who? OK... So I get this question a lot, and I'll try my best to give you a straight forward answer. It sounds like you are very interested, so that already tells me you'd be willing to perform maintenance once a week or biweekly, so that's good. Can you keep a Nano to start... Yes. However, if I were you, don't do a 5, but instead do a 10. It's double the volume but still small, and it's large enough you could keep a pair of clowns and never upgrade! Good luck!
Could I get away with bare minumum being tank, light, heater, live sand/rock? No pump and no HOB?
Anthony Parente Well, for a saltwater reef, you need at least one or the other, a pump or a HOB filter. Corals, in general, need water movement not only for feeding but also to stay healthy and grow. Personally, I would never bother with a 5 gallon again, I have upgraded to a 10 gallon and it's much easier to manage. The HOB filter makes it easier for maintenance for me, but if you don't mind doing weekly water changes (and doing them consistently), you don't need a HOB. You do need something for flow in the tank though. Good luck!
Please indulge me for a moment, I live near the ocean. So hypothetically if I filled a 5gal tank with water from my backyard ocean.and put in some local live rock and anemones, crabs, maybe one or two fish and heated the tank. Would that work without any additives or, would I need to add chemicals and will the stick filter do the job? Please walk me through any specifics I may need to know if I wanted to give it a shot hypothetically
Dont take stuff from the ocean please
But what can you keep in there
+Daniel 2 5 gallon... Not much. One fish or two little mini fish!
Daniel 2 maybe a coral and a crap or a little tiny fish
The Fish Tank Guy small shrimp, snails, and maybe another small invert.
I want that tank hood(LOL)! Ugh, I got a 5.5 gallon tank for free from a friend but no hood!
The hood is a HUGE help. Cuts down greatly on evaporation, which makes maintenance a LITTLE bit easier :)
can you keep fish in this
ozgur yeter Of course....not many. I would only recommend keeping one small fish at most.
I have 4 fishes in this hahah and 2 shrimps
hi what type of water did you use and where did you buy it from??
I spent 70 $ on a 5 gallon tank here in Canada I’m getting nemos and anemone I’ve been putting the aqua plus in it to get the chlorine out need salt and then gotta wait again ofcoarse another week but all together I spend like 120$ on this tank and that’s not with the nemos everything brand new looks like this but it’s a neon tank
Very cool, I hope it works out!
Cool video 👍 thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the video! What dose a rio pump do? Help the filter or just circulate the water? I've never had a salt water aquarium yet.. Trying to learn :)
what kind of filtration are you running ?
Running an AquaClear 20 with some Purigen and filter floss in the chamber. With a tank this small, doing a weekly water change will mostly bypass the need for any extensive filtration.
I have a 29 gal freshwater to saltwater
Nice!
Can you use normal sand and normal koi salt or pure salt
Can I add a sump if I wanted to would this improve the performance of the tank
Yes! A tank of this size will require a lot of maintenance and regular water changes. A sump will definitely help keep everything in check. Bigger the better :)
how can i make a 5 to 10 gallon tank for bettas
Same thing but less expense. You won't need saltwater and you definitely don't need a ton of flow in your tank! Also, Bettas are typically happier with plants and soft substrate or gravel rather than sand.
What's the saltwater version of a Betta?
Is it okay to use a ohf?
+Enar Josef Isnani oh boy, what is an ohf?
Can I put a pair of clownfish in this or a ten gallon
Minimum tank size is 20 but you can do it with 10, when they are fully grown, you will need 20... So start off with 20 will save money.
If you're new to this, put it in 20 gallon or bigger. A 5g or 10g tank water quality can go bad faster, and will require you more maintenance than a 20g.
Truth.
Another truth.
k
big help!!!! TANK YOU (thank you)
+Jimmy Quinzon You're very welcome! I like that pun :)
This looks like the tank I purchased recently, I think its made by aqueon. The filter that came with it is a Top Fin 10, which takes up a decent amount of space on the inside of the tank. Can you send me a link to the Filter you purchased. Also, how good is the filter working for you? Maybe a link for the hood you have as well. Nice setup.
Here's the filter that I purchased...it's actually an AquaClear 20. I don't have it anymore (as I don't have this tank anymore), but it worked great, and the compartment was big enough to through other things into, which was awesome. amzn.to/2gGqKY2 Here's the link to the hood for the 5.5 gallon tank...$10 shipped! amzn.to/2flwwIK
Great info!!!!
$172.00 dollars plus tax and being rounded that probably like $220.00. You could get a 20 gallon long fully decked out for a little more the $220.00 to $300.00
Yep, I agree with that. I love those 20G long tanks, but they are tough to light due to their width.
Big Nibba which tanks are you talking about?
how tall is the 5.5 gal aquarium?
Can I keep 3 fishes in this tank?
Why not buy a fluval evo 5?
just to be safe you can keep fish in there correct
Yes of course. If you wanted a fish-only tank, you wouldn't have to worry about having a reef-capable light either.