I am compleatly new to the saltwater aquarium hobby, but I am very skilled in the freshwater aquarium hobby.
Awsome, good to see you come over to the dark side! SW tanks aint all that difficult but they are on the unforgiving side. Start out with a well laid solid plan and you should find yourself quiet successful.
I hear that soft corals are the easiest way to go if you are a beginner in saltwater tank keeping.
This is very true and these types of corals are especially well suited to such a tank as the one you have planned. Your biggest challenge other that maintaining proper water parameters will be getting enough light of the correct spectrum on the tank. This shouldnt prove too challenging or expensive as the manufactures in the last couple of years have made great strides marking to the Nano and Pico reef communities.
There are a number of very suitable corals such as Palys, Zoanthids, various polyps and Mushrooms. For a tank such as the one your planning I think would be fabulous with a collection of Ricordia!
How many pounds of live rock will i need?
The amount of rock you need kinda depends on the density of said rock. The more porous the less weight wise that is required. Generally 1.25 to 1.5 lbs is the standard so to speak. However having such a small tank you might find it difficult to get that much rock in the tank and still have water left. I would try as best as I could to pick up a couple of pounds at least and if you have the room 3 to 3.25 would likely be prudent. If using some really dense rock such as aquacultured Gulf Rock or Tonga Branch then you might need as much as 2 lbs a gallon. This is part of your "biological filtration" in the tank so skimping here is not something you really want to do unless you have too. I would look for some really choice small live rock thats very porous and top shelf. In a tank this small shape and size will be more important than pounds per a gallon in my opinion. Others may differ though.
Does someone recommend a particular filter?
Admittedly I am a huge fan of the AquaClear series of filters for Nanos and Picos. Thats not to say that there arent others that are suitable, its just I find these to be very reliable, flexible and there are lots of support parts out there should one need parts. I have some thast are 7 years old and they are still pulling Yeoman duty like the hero that never ran. I personally would choose a AquaClear 20/100. Its capable fo flowing 100 gallons per an hour, however the flow can be dialed down a bit so as to not be over whelming if needed. This should be more than adequate filtration and water flow and you shouldnt require any additional power heads for water movement. I am personally using this filter on my 5.5 and a 10 gallon Nano.
Do I need a protien skimmer?
In a tank this small that would be a no. You are better served and money ahead by doing freaquent small water changes. Most of the smaller budget priced skimmers get mixed reviews at best and take up a lot of precious space in such a small tank. Water changes will work just as good.
What type of light should I have?
Glad you asked this question! You have a couple of options here. Something such as...
Compact Fluorescent Aquarium Lighting: Mini-Freshwater & Mini-Aqualights
would probably be the most economical and no frills choice. If you are a DIYer kinda person then prehaps going to
Aquarium Lights Hellolights.com might be an option for you. I would try and shoot for 18 watts or more. This would cover everything except SPS corals and Clams. You need a 50/50 mix in day light and Actinic 03 in the 420 nanometer range. Use bulbs specifically designed for SW as FW spectrum bulbs wont work out well for you.
How many frags should i get for this small tank?
This is the great thing about corals as unlike fish there really aint much in the way of restrictions. You can basically fill it to capacity and have the "Garden Tank" look, such as Sally Jo's 55 at
Geothermal Aquaculture Research Foundation . I would definitely suggest frags not coral colonies for a tank this small and just allow the small frags to grow and spread. When choosing corals keep in mind that some corals send out sweepers and will sting near by corals. These guys must have space or you will have issues. Other corals such as one of the various Leathers will exude growth inhibitors making if difficult for other corals to cohabitate, especially in confined tanks such as the one your planning. So be aware of the corals needs that you choose for this tank.
What are the water parameters that I need to maintain for the corals to thrive?
The more pristine the better in most cases.
PH 8.2-8.4
Alk 8-10
SG 1.020-1.026
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 0-10
Ca 380-450
*Phosphates 0
(If you can detect it...its too high)
Stability in water parameters is more critical to an extent than anything else. Dont worry too much about the trace elements as if your using a good salt mix and not some off the wall brand you should be just fine. There is a rule in this hobby of if you can test for it dont be adding it. In a small tank like yours there is a very fine line between whats okay and whats an overdose! Adding something such as Iodine will get you in a heap of trouble fast in a tank this small if your not testing for this with a very exacting and precise test kit. Watch for evaporation. In a tank this small loosing just a half pint of water can drastically change the SG in the tanks water. Top your tank off daily, more often if required.
how do you affix corals to the live rock?
The short answer is lay them in place on a rock and secure with a rubber band, glue of some other method. Many of the corals you will purchase will come on a reef plug of some sort or rock rubble. Just place it in your rock work and it will do the rest for you as it grows and spreads.
For some great info I would suggest you check out coral propagation at
Geothermal Aquaculture Research Foundation . There is a gold mine of info here at this site that will keep you busy for weeks. These guys are old school reefers and dont use a lot of the high tech trick of the week stuff out there on the market. Just good solid basic husbandry skills. Its really hard to argue with thier success. I have been fortunate enough to have toured thier facility and there are no words in the English language or any other for that matter that can begin to describe the level of success they have achieved.
I am so confused. Please, please, please, I need your help.
Keep asking questions thats what we are here for. I wished I would have known about forums when I started, I wouldnt have to had to learn everything in the school of hard knocks. Just dont take our words for the last word. Research everything...EVERYTHING, and verify it for yourself. There are a lot of ways to have a jaw dropping tank in this hobby and very few sure fire ways to fail. What works for one may not work as well for you.
Good luck and happy reefing!