I don't recommend a 10 gallon (or any other "small" under 30 gallons) tank to a beginner in the saltwater hobby unless that person has some kind of help from someone who has experience with it. While Harry is right, there are some seahorses (dwarf species) that require a smaller tank, they are also very sensitive to water chemistry and fluctuations. What Harry neglected to mention is that the smaller the tank is the harder it is to keep it stable.
I have been keeping saltwater for almost 20 yrs and my husband for over 30 yrs. When working with a small tank there is more evaporation to deal with and that can cause rapid and drastic fluctuations in salinity not to mention waste. Water evaporates but the salt does not.
Aside from that there is some equipment that is needed to keep saltwater that isn't needed for freshwater. A hydrometer or refractometer is a MUST to measure salinity, and this has to be tracked regularly anytime water is added to the tank. Saltwater must be premixed at least 24 - 48 hrs before used in the aquarium to ensure thorough mixing and accurate salinity readings, so that requires a separate container along with a pump, and as Donna mentioned a ready supply of salt mix at all times. The smaller the tank the more often you will need to do water changes, thus the cost of salt will rise somewhat for a smaller tank. A steady supply of freshwater is also needed, again to keep salinity stable and within a safe range for the animals being kept. Something such as dwarf seahorses (yes, I've kept seahorses) are much less tolerant to these fluctuations than some of the other animals available for saltwater tanks.
Skimmers are another consideration. For a beginner I always suggest a skimmer, however, there isn't an effective one available for a small tank and would require the hobbyist to do the skimming manually with paper towels. This takes a bit of practice but is not difficult to learn, just a little messy.
Test kits are also vital to keeping a healthy and successful saltwater tank, but aside from the 4 used in freshwater (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH), there is also the calcium test that is needed. Calcium is vital to the survival of the animals be it fish, corals/inverts, or seahorses. Calcium that is too high or too low will quickly affect the health of the animals. (they rely on proper calcium levels for organ function) There is no way to predict ahead of time whether or not a calcium supplement would be needed for any given tank, but this is a cost that should be accommodated from the start because many do need it.
In regards to expenses there is still the standard equipment such as filtration, heater, etc. that is required, and along with that, something such as seahorses or other reef animals would also require live sand or aragonite sand for substrate, and then there is live rock. Saltwater tanks rely much more heavily on biological filtration than freshwater tanks and saltwater is more of an exact science than freshwater, meaning less room for mistakes before you end up with sick or dead animals. Biological filtration should not be skimped on. Expect 1 lb of sand per gallon of tank capacity and at least 1 lb of live rock per gallon of tank capacity.
For an estimated cost for keeping a saltwater tank I would suggest you make yourself a list of each thing mentioned here and do some browsing around online to price them, or search your local pet store. Even a 10 gallon can cost as much as $150 - $200+ to set up properly.
If you wish to keep fish rather than seahorses, the limit for a 10 gallon tank would be 1 small fish that stays 3 inches or less, such as a shrimp goby. Small tanks, referred to as nano tanks, are best suited for inverts such as corals and shrimp, however, it will take some patience, research, and likely some experienced help to find animals that are compatible in that size of a tank. Not all corals are compatible and not all inverts are compatible. You may get 1 - 2 shrimp into a tank that size safely, but not more than that. The other consideration with corals is the growth rate. Healthy corals will grow quickly and if crowded will start to die off just as quickly. Incompatible corals will attack and kill each other, especially in a small confined space. If you desire to keep corals in a nano tank then you will want to learn ahead of time about fragging and propagation, and be prepared on how to deal with overgrowth. (either a larger tank ready to upgrade or an outlet such as a pet store that will take/buy the frags you are keeping... and this should be arranged ahead of time because most stores are specific in what types they will accept due to the difficulty in mixing and keeping them and the space, lighting, etc. involved)
Lastly is the lighting. If you desire to keep corals then specific lighting will be needed and that is dependent upon the species in your tank. Some require much higher lighting than others and this can also be expensive.
I hope this helps. I don't wish to discourage you from trying your hand at saltwater, but nor do I wish to see you end up with a dead and expensive mess because you weren't prepared. If you have more questions please feel free to ask. I will do all I can to guide you through.
Dawn
--- In AquaticLife@yahoogroups.com, "Ava" <aboswell91@...> wrote:
>
> I've only ever had freshwater tanks, but my dad keeps subtly mentioning how awesome it would be to have a saltwater tank. I have a 10 gallon tank and some accessories left over, but wasn't sure if 10 gallon is even worth it or if I have to go at least 20+ to get some cool fish. I'm not the most financially stable right now, and we're short on space. Is saltwater too expensive to just "dabble" in? I haven't looked into it before. I have a spot on a table I could but the tank, but would I need a stand to hide canisters and such?
> If you could put a price on a halfway-decent small beginner saltwater setup, what would it be?
> Thanks folks.
>
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