Fail to Plan.... Plan to Fail!!

cornellian

cornellian

New Member
Hi Guys,Im a college student who recently decided to go back in to aquaria and I have decided to start a mini reef. Not new to fish but new to reefs so I have a few (hundred) questions.Plan:
Tank
-14g Oceanic Biocube- Should I get a 29 instead?
-Live Sand 20lbs
-Live Rock 20-25lbs
-Lights- Are the stock lights sufficient or do I have to buy stronger lights?
-Oceanic Protien Skimmer- Do I need it?
-Reef Crystals- Does it matter if I get this rather than instant ocean?
-25W Visi-Therm Stealth Heater- Are there any better alternatives?
-Korilia Nano Powerhead
Stock:
Coral
-Some Rics
-Torch Corals
-Hammer Corals
-Couple Brains
-Mushrooms
-Maybe Zoas?
Inverts
-Fire Shrimp
-Golden Coral Banded Shrimp
-Emerald Crab
-Sexy Shrimp
-2 Cleaner Shrimp
-Gorgonian
-Orange Linckia Starfish
Fish
-2 False Percula Clowns
-Sixline Wrasse
-Firefish Goby
-Suggesstions?
Is this too much? I have been looking at alot of the 14g's like "KAT74's Biocube" and to me it looks crowded(In a good way)... is that ok or is an upgrade to a bigger tank necessary?
Any help is greatly appreaciated... I just want to make sure I am going in the right direction.
 
schadiest1

schadiest1

Active Member
stock lighting might be too low in wattage for LPS corals and don't get the linkia, it will starve in that little of a tank.
 
silverdak

silverdak

Active Member
I am also starting off like you.. I decided the 14 gallon Biocube would work... I will only have 10 lbs of live rock and some coral and anenomes with 2 false orcellious clowns tho...
 
oceana

oceana

Active Member
Q: Should I get a 29 instead?
A: Yes you should
Q: Live Sand 20lbs?
A: up it to around 30 for the 29
Q: Live Rock 20-25lbs?
A: fine for a start
Q:Are the stock lights sufficient or do I have to buy stronger lights?
A: depends on what you want to keep but in the 29 you can keep most soft corals and many LPS. you can even keep some monti cap and digi
Q:Oceanic Protien Skimmer Do I need it?
A: not really but it can not hurt at all
Q: Reef CrystalsDoes it matter if I get this rather than instant ocean?
A:that is a decent salt
Q:25W Visi-Therm Stealth Heater Are there any better alternatives?
A: that is also a good heater although depending on location you may not really neet it
Q:Korilia Nano Powerhead
A: great choice you may will want two for the 29
Stock:
Coral
-Some Rics- fine
-Torch Corals- fine depending on placment. very mean sting
-Hammer Corals- fine
-Couple Brains-fine
-Mushrooms-fine
-Maybe Zoas?-fine
Inverts
-Fire Shrimp- fine
-Golden Coral Banded Shrimp-fine w/ risk
-Emerald Crab- eehhh
-Sexy Shrimp- eehhh- may become lunch
-2 Cleaner Shrimp- fine
-Gorgonian - pass not a great choice for tiny tanks for long term
-Orange Linckia Starfish- not enough rock to live
Fish
-2 False Percula Clowns- fine
-Sixline Wrasse- fine
-Firefish Goby - fine
 
aqua_scaping

aqua_scaping

Member
Plan:Tank-14g Oceanic Biocube- Imo i would go with a 29 because i bet that in the long run your going to want a bigger one-Live Sand 20lbs Fine -Live Rock 20-25lbs lbs dont really matter imo i go by the size of the rocks-Lights- Are the stock lights sufficient or do I have to buy stronger lights? Some biocube light already have mh in it or have weaker one i can not make a verdict until you tell me which biocube you are getting-Oceanic Protien Skimmer- Do I need it? Yes because you want to increase the amount of bioload your tank and with stand-Reef Crystals- Does it matter if I get this rather than instant ocean? no but its your preferance

-25W Visi-Therm Stealth Heater- Are there any better alternatives?not much that will be sufficant
-Korilia Nano Powerhead if you dont plan on keeping any lps this will be fine
Stock:
Coral
-Some Rics good
-Torch Corals good
-Hammer CoralsGood Note: put adicute room between the hard corals
-Couple Brains With your other choices i would only get one lest be too crowded
-Mushrooms Awsome great choice
-Maybe Zoas of course

Inverts
-Fire Shrimp fineYour shrimp choices you must ewithier choose everyshrimp but golden coral banded or just coral banded because the coral banded will eat your other shrimp
-Golden Coral Banded Shrimp
-Emerald Crab Be warned they can get a liking to your snails

-Sexy Shrimpfine
-2 Cleaner Shrimpfine but i would choose 2 cleaner and no fire shrimp or thats too many shrimp thats only IF no bigger tank
-Gorgonian No because they need spot fed as well as little light and STRONG STRONG flow(mine is right next to my powerhead)
-Orange Linckia Starfish Absolutley not suitible they out grow 75 gallons in a year.....and they are the hardest specie of starfish to take care of
Fish
-2 False Percula Clowns yep make sure you buy them at the same time and put them in simutaneously
-Sixline Wrasse IMO sixline's become very territoral and in such a small tank he will (not a matter of if) killer any fish smaller then him. But if you still want one im selling one
-Firefish Goby be fine
-Suggesstions?
Here is what my stocklist would be for a 14g and 28g
Fish: 14 gallon
1 Dimond goby
2 clown (false, n--aked, or black)
Fish:28 gallon
1 Sixline
2 Firefish
1 dimond goby
2 clown (false, n--aked, or black)
If i missed anything please add

bye
 
aqua_scaping

aqua_scaping

Member
Yes and no.........They tend to be one of the angel fish that like the taste of harder coral and clam and even been known to chew on softer ones

Also they become very territorial........why not pgmy angel? they are the most reefsafe angels BUT like all angels their are no guarentees unless you choose the ugly lamarack.......
I like the pygmy angel the best imo.......very small and full of color
Ever think of about 4 clown gobies? they are only .5-1inch but loads of color and be great for ur nano and colors
 
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