How much money am I going to spend?

[gunk]

I'm a biology major and I'm interested in going to grad school for marine biology, so I figure I might as well learn how to maintain a saltwater tank. I have a bunch of tanks laying around (10, 29, 40, 55) and I'd like to use either the 10 or 29 for a very basic saltwater setup with just a couple small and cute fish. Both tanks have heaters, HOB filters, and decent florescent lighting (about 1.5 wpg for the 29g, 2.5 wpg for the 10g).

My question to all of you is what else will I need and how much will that all run me? I can probably find live rock and live sand on craigslist for pretty cheap but I'm pretty clueless about everything else.

Also, what species of fish could live happily in a 10g or 29g? I'd kind of like to avoid clown fish but if that's all that I can have then I'm fine with that.

Anyway, I'd really appreciate any help you guys can offer me.

[OscarFan]

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

That for a 30 gallon, since you already have the tank and if you could find LR cheap it would cost you about 400.

[cocoa_pleco]

an alright 29g will cost you about $800 and a alright 10g about $400

[gunk]

Is powerful lighting required for all SW tanks? What if I don't want corals? Do I need a skimmer for the 10g?

[cocoa_pleco]

for a FOWLR, you can use regular lighting. skimmer is not needed but a good idea, even a $5 wood airstone skimmer

[gunk]

Cool. So what else would I need other than live rock & sand, salt, and fish?

And what kind of fish would be suitable in a 10g FOWLR?

[Tigerbarb]

I'd look for the book titled "The new marine aquarium", by Micheal Paletta. It has pretty much all the general information you'd need to know for setting up & maintaining a marine tank.

As for stocking a 10g, you could probably get an ocellaris clown & a goby/firefish, a pair of firefish, a pair of gobies,(I am pretty sure) or a royal gramma with another of the following fish besides clownfish.

You will need a hydrometer/refractometer to measure SG, tests for atleast ph, nitrate, nitrite, and ammonia,(I'd get a master test kit) 1xpowerhead if you will be running an HOB filter, and pretty much every piece of technical equipment you would need for a freshwater system.

[cocoa_pleco]

As for stocking a 10g, you could probably get an ocellaris clown & a goby/firefish, a pair of firefish, a pair of gobies,(I am pretty sure) or a royal gramma with another of the following fish besides clownfish.

no to a pair of firefish, they will fight to the death in that size tank

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

If they are a mated pair they won't but usually a pair in that size tank does spell trouble. I'd also say no the the Royal Gramma and the pair of clowns. One clown fine, but not a pair. Royal Grammas should be in at least a 20gal tank.