4g Nano Reef!!

[Dyaxley1]

Hey guys,
I'm new to the forum and thought i'd I'd share my new 4g nano reef that I bought today!
It's a TMC MicroHabitat 15 with about albs of LR and live sand!
Not sure what to stock it with yet! cycle hasn't even start yet so got some time to think about that but any suggestions would be appreciated.
What you guys think?

 

[Dyaxley1]

 

[florida joe]

Just my .02 you really limit yourself to what you can put into a tank that size. look into some type of goby. if it was me i would pass on the fish and add some coral and either

Sexy shrimp, blood shrimp designer shrimp. A small emerald crab Flame scallop ( hard to keep) And if I had had my way it would be a Curlique Anemone with a pistol shrimp

 

[Dyaxley1]

I think you're right there,If i was to get a flame scallop it'll be later down the line the water quality is perfect

are there any types of pistol shrimp/goby pairs that'll go in a tank this size?

 

[florida joe]

I don’t want to do your homework for you but if it was me I would try Blue Neon Goby, Green Banded Goby and Gold Neon Pygmy Goby. When you research these fish and I hope you do, you will see that they recommend a tank minimum of 10G BUT I don’t think you will find any retailer suggesting a fish in a 5g tank. That being said I feel if you buy small specimens you can keep them IF YOU REALLY HAVE TO HAVE A FISH. In a 5 g. as for the shrimp. Snapping Shrimp (Alpheus sp.)and a personal favorite shrimp

Banded Coral Shrimp (Stenopus hispidus)

 

[Dyaxley1]

I think I'm aiming towards no fish and just some shrimp etc. Probably best for this size tank!
Waters cleared up now and I'll test it later to see if the cycle has started or not!

 

[florida joe]

IMO good thinking

 

[Jesterrace]

Agreed. With saltwater fish 10 gallon is about the minimum for any that I have seen. I would go with a shrimp and a couple of easy to grow coral frags and call it good.

 

[snakeblitz33]

I've had my 5g tank (4g actual) for over a year now.

Here's a few lessons I have learned, after 11 years in the hobby:

1. Start slow.
2. No fish in anything less than 10 gallons.
3. No scallops, they eventually die and there isn't enough room for error.
4. Get calcium, alkalinity and magnesium bottles. Use 1ml pipettes to dose accurately. In a small tank, your elements are depleted faster than water changes can keep up. (Mine is one ml each per day./
5. Only use distilled water for top offs.
6. Do two gallon water changes max, and never before bedtime.
7. The equipment is so cheap, buy backups. A pump or heater may go out and you might not get a new one in the mail for a couple of days.
8. Inverts don't really do well. If you need anything, it ends up fouling the water easily.
9. Be patient.
10. Top off the tank daily. Salinity changes are hard on corals in a tiny tank.
11. Small changes over time are better than large, rough changes in a short period of time.
12. Good luck.

 

[S4Ltyz]

updates?