ok so i got onto youtube and i was scrolling through looking at 1.5 gallon betta builds (i know freshwater :P) but i came across a video where a guy had a 1.5 gallon full saltwater tank with live rock and just like rock plants (idk what they called) i thought it was amazing. my questions are how is this done? is it difficult? and what do i need?

Just a marine equilivant to an eco jar system.

using macro algae instead of plants as in FW.

just balance out the system with algae then let it take care of itself.

With marine commonly caled a nano system

my .02

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fw leiden since 1979, fo salt since 1979, mixed reef 55g 2002-2009. Strong emphasis on the tank taking care of itself. Balanced with plant life, no water changes, tap water, no filters in FW. Only dosing calcium, alk, mag in marine reef tanks. http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/my-...ods-26410.html
recent tanks (till 2009) 7 years- 10g FW leiden 7 yrs, 55g mixed reef 7, 2 yrs, 20g FW leiden, 10 g fw leiden , 29g mixed reef, current tank 55g leiden

can you PM me a possible way to set this up the utensils i will need and such?

Not a whole lot is needed. Just a jar, some sand, rock, saltwater and light.

In order to get hard (sps) corals or even hard macros (halimedia) thriving you will need to dose and monitor calcium/alk/magnesium. And it would probably be a good idea to use ro/di water as well.

Sure you're limited on fish and corals but that is the fundamentals.

my .02

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fw leiden since 1979, fo salt since 1979, mixed reef 55g 2002-2009. Strong emphasis on the tank taking care of itself. Balanced with plant life, no water changes, tap water, no filters in FW. Only dosing calcium, alk, mag in marine reef tanks. http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/my-...ods-26410.html
recent tanks (till 2009) 7 years- 10g FW leiden 7 yrs, 55g mixed reef 7, 2 yrs, 20g FW leiden, 10 g fw leiden , 29g mixed reef, current tank 55g leiden

so if i use a 1.5 gallon tank how would i make the salt water?

Aquarium shops have ro/di water (especially reef type shops) and salt mixes. Just add salt mix to the water untill you get the correct specific gravity (sg). I use a swing arm sg meter and would shoot for 1.025.

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fw leiden since 1979, fo salt since 1979, mixed reef 55g 2002-2009. Strong emphasis on the tank taking care of itself. Balanced with plant life, no water changes, tap water, no filters in FW. Only dosing calcium, alk, mag in marine reef tanks. http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/my-...ods-26410.html
recent tanks (till 2009) 7 years- 10g FW leiden 7 yrs, 55g mixed reef 7, 2 yrs, 20g FW leiden, 10 g fw leiden , 29g mixed reef, current tank 55g leiden

so just fill it with that water, mix salt with it until the sg is at 1.025 then i can add live rock and stuff?

Okay, what you were looking at is called a pico tank. There are other sites that offer a lot a information on them. Just google pico reef tanks.

yeppers.

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fw leiden since 1979, fo salt since 1979, mixed reef 55g 2002-2009. Strong emphasis on the tank taking care of itself. Balanced with plant life, no water changes, tap water, no filters in FW. Only dosing calcium, alk, mag in marine reef tanks. http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/my-...ods-26410.html
recent tanks (till 2009) 7 years- 10g FW leiden 7 yrs, 55g mixed reef 7, 2 yrs, 20g FW leiden, 10 g fw leiden , 29g mixed reef, current tank 55g leiden

ok i was thinking of buying a 20 gallon tank with heater and making it into a saltwater tank and having live rock maybe a few hardy ocean plants or something that would thrive on the rock and getting damsels

I would avoid damsels as they get territorial.

I would try this.

20g fine but get biggest you can afford.

add 1" or so play sand

the add rocks for decoration

(both play sand and rocks from building supply places.)

add caulerpa profilera ( a macro algae)

Use common flourescent lights at 1-2 watts per gallon.

let the tank set a week and check the profilera is growing and healthy.

Then add a single male molly. (yep the FW types) Just be sure to aclimate it slowly.

Don't add food for a week.

then start feeding a single flake per day for a week.

Once the molly and macros are both thriving try some other marine only fish like clowns that don't attack the macro.

Just replace water the evaporates.

just a thought

worth at most ,02

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fw leiden since 1979, fo salt since 1979, mixed reef 55g 2002-2009. Strong emphasis on the tank taking care of itself. Balanced with plant life, no water changes, tap water, no filters in FW. Only dosing calcium, alk, mag in marine reef tanks. http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/my-...ods-26410.html
recent tanks (till 2009) 7 years- 10g FW leiden 7 yrs, 55g mixed reef 7, 2 yrs, 20g FW leiden, 10 g fw leiden , 29g mixed reef, current tank 55g leiden

i may try that i have been delving deep into the world of bettas (own 2 happy lil guys now) and just bought a siberian dwarf hamster so once i get a new stand i may do that