Nanotopia!

[Ethos]

Ok, so I was wrong.
I very possibly doing a nano.
I still need varification on some things though, because I dont want to spend $200 then realize I'm not up to it.

This is what I'm planning on doing please, please correct me!

Here's my plan, in order.

Buy 10 pounds sand, and a bad of salt. Buy salt mesurer. Buy heater.
Put sand in tank then add salt and water, getting the combo right. (How do I?)
Letting it settle with and empty filter running (current)
Add LR
Wait a couple weeks.
Add a few nano sized fish.
Add a few Invertabres (What kind and how?)

Please help, know your help is greatly appreciated, and is of great use!
Thanks you guys, I'm really trying hard to predict if I want to take the jump and set one of these up.
Thanks

Edit: This is for a 10G

 

[parker313]

Sept 29 - Started tank with fully cured live rock
Oct 14 - diatom bloom - added a few snails
Oct 30 - added clownfish...

Just FYI, that's the timeline I used for starting last year... I was pretty sure I had fully cured LR, just took a little while to be doubly sure.

If I were you, I'd get the salt/water mix right, then add the sand but it probably doesn't really matter. You'll want powerheads running at that point to help you ensure that you're getting the mix stirred up just right.

For inverts, I have:
5-6 hermits (can never count them all at the same time and they shell swap a lot) red & blue leg
Nassarius snail - 2 (had 3, one is now a hermit crab shell)
1 bumblebee snail
1 astrea snail
1 margarita snail

I had 3 cerith snails, but haven't seen them in quite a while so I assume they're gone. My first additions were the astrea, margarita and another that I think was a "top crown" snail but isn't alive anymore. Hitchikers on my LR include pods, limpets and mini brittle stars in addition to lots of different worms.

 

[Ethos]

You'd add the sand second?
Is that incase you add to much salt and need to empty the tank?
I want to spend the least amount of $$ as possible, so I dont want to by premixed.
Anu suggestions on fish? Clowns?

Edit: Does anyone know about the Banded Possum Wrasse?
I want one, I saw it said it can live in a 10G

 

[parker313]

Sand first, water first, it's probably not one of those things that really matters

I love my clownfish. In a 10g, you know you're going to be really limited to the number of fish you can have, so for me I wanted one that would be out and about and visible during the day, not hiding all of the time. Both my clownfish and firefish definitely fit that bill.

I don't know anything about that wrasse....

 

[Ethos]

Ok, next chance I get I'm going to PetCo to pick up some marine substraite sand and SW mix, and a hygomometer(sp?)
Anything else I should pic up?

 

[parker313]

Do you have a heater? Here, spend the money to get a decent brand - you don't want a shoddy heater b/c of the fishes' sensitivity to fluctuations.

I can't think of anything else you'll need, but if you're like me, you'll end up needing to make a second run to the store for something you shoulda known to get