Starting a 10 Gallon Nano Saltwater Tank

mr. limpid

mr. limpid

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by xoxDreamOn http:///t/389776/starting-a-10-gallon-nano-saltwater-tank#post_3448062
I'm still confused as to where I can get "plastic scrub pads"? from grocery store (the ones with no soap in them)Would I still need a Protein Skimmer? depends on bio load I can get a nano one from Petsmart for around $50... ? Do i need it though? you do need another tank for QT Basically the filtration is what I need help with right now..................what kind of help?
 
mr. limpid

mr. limpid

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by xoxDreamOn http:///t/389776/starting-a-10-gallon-nano-saltwater-tank#post_3448071
Ok a wish list of the fish I'm looking at is probably a Percula or Ocellaris Clownfish as they are pretty hardy. Which one is better for this tank??? The colouring I like is with small-medium thick black lines with the bright orange, like Nemo!!! I REALLY want a clownfish because I have always wanted to own Nemo.
I would go with the occellaris little hardier and less aggressive.
I want to get a couple snails to clean the tank if they are pretty good at it. Any other suggestions for TANK cleaners?
I also was looking at Firefish although these are not my favourite. I'm also worried about how people say they are good jumpers... yes jumpers
I don't know if there's anything else I would like that works in a 10 gallon. I want something that is NOT shy, and swims in the middle to top level of the tank. The cleaners will probably be along the bottom so I want something to fill the upper gap. Ideas??? I really like the clowfish so is it possible for me to get a pair? Would they be happier? TIA If you want a pair, buy them together one smaller than the other then cross your fingers. In a ten gallon I wouldn't put more than 2 clowns they may (probably) kill other fish when they spawn.
PS: I bought the aragonite today ($20 with taxes) and put it into the tank. I'll post a picture when the water clears a bit :) It looks great though. Awesome sand... I also bought a bag of instant ocean salt, 15.41 pounds - about $20. Have to wait for the refractometer to arrive before I can start the salt. I have a new bucket sitting around, its 4 gallons. I'm going to use that for water mixes. do not use your tap water, buy filtered water from local grocery store or walmart, there water is RO and usually have a UV on them.
Im still adding it up, and so far I've spent $110 (on 5lbs of rocks, 15lbs of salt, 15lbs of sand, refractometer, and light), and i still have to buy; powerhead, skimmer, fish, food, and a couple pounds of live rock to fill the gaps and start the cycle...
Anyway ttfn!!!
 
xoxdreamon

xoxdreamon

New Member
Yeah ok, thanks for the info!

ok UPDATE TIME!!! - I got the live rock from the LFS and its beautiful! I'll post pictures. It's about 1.8 pounds (for $15!! thats why i got the rest online for double that!) and i also got a bunch of things like a scrub brush and the plastic scrub pads... :)
SO, do I have everything???
What I have at the moment; sand, salt, light, HOB filter and filter inserts, heater, live rock, and some bits and bobs. = around $60
What I'm waiting to arrive; refractometer, bio sponge filter, check valve, other light, nano skimmer, 4lbs of live rock, and 5lbs of dry rock. = around $100
Do I NEED anything else other than fish and cleaners???
I think I've done very well with staying around my budget of $150. I still need the fish in two months or so, I'll get the pair then
.
So here are the photos of my tank today.

The tank is clearing up slowly but its getting better. The purple thing in the back is a cheap plastic coral. The shell in the front is just for decoration. :p
OK, I have a few questions about the rock and whats on it. I love the rock, It's beautiful, and pretty healthy looking but I don't know what might have come along with it. Last night, I saw a shrimp or baby fish about 2-3 mm long. It was semi clear, with two black dots for eyes and a split tail (like a shrimp's). I don't know if its still alive, I haven't seen it since. There are other things on the rock I have pictures of, and a green ball floating around the tank.

So, what is that worm thing near the center???? There are dozens of them all over the rock. I hope they aren't bad. I was searching Reefs.org in their hitchhikers guide and it looks like it could be feather duster worms? CHECK OUT THIS LINK: http://www.reefs.org/hhfaq/worms/photoalbum_photo_view?b_start=6
What doesn't show in MY picture is near the thicker end, there are several little antenna-looking things arranged in a semi-circle around the end. Are they going to be feather dusters like the pictures someday? HELP?
The next picture shows little wavy things attached to the rock in various places, i want to know, are they bad?.

Look just above that weird spiral (what is that?) and you can see little coral looking things... what are they????? Please help :)
Also........ A little green ball came along with the rock but it wasn't attached to anything. I read about bubble algae but I'm not sure if that's what this is. I thought is was a green marine plant i heard of...? (http://habitatnews.nus.edu.sg/news/labrador/blog/boergesenia%20forbesii.jpg). HERE......

Ignore the fact that it looks like a duck's head, i just want to know if I have to get rid of it or not. Is it aglae or a plant?? By the way, it's just less than a 1/4 of an inch long.
One FINAL PICTURE just out of curiosity... a snail shell came along with the rock, but I think it's empty/dead. What kind of snail is it? its about 2mm small. Here's a close-up of the shell.........

I would really appreciate it if someone explained what all this stuff is. THANKS!!!
 
mr. limpid

mr. limpid

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by xoxDreamOn http:///t/389776/starting-a-10-gallon-nano-saltwater-tank/20#post_3448660
Yeah ok, thanks for the info!

ok UPDATE TIME!!! - I got the live rock from the LFS and its beautiful! I'll post pictures. It's about 1.8 pounds (for $15!! thats why i got the rest online for double that!) and i also got a bunch of things like a scrub brush and the plastic scrub pads... :)
SO, do I have everything???
What I have at the moment; sand, salt, light, HOB filter and filter inserts, heater, live rock, and some bits and bobs. = around $60
What I'm waiting to arrive; refractometer, bio sponge filter, check valve, other light, nano skimmer, 4lbs of live rock, and 5lbs of dry rock. = around $100
Do I NEED anything else other than fish and cleaners??? Have you added the raw shrimp?
I think I've done very well with staying around my budget of $150. I still need the fish in two months or so, I'll get the pair then
.
So here are the photos of my tank today.

The tank is clearing up slowly but its getting better. The purple thing in the back is a cheap plastic coral. The shell in the front is just for decoration. :p
OK, I have a few questions about the rock and whats on it. I love the rock, It's beautiful, and pretty healthy looking but I don't know what might have come along with it. Last night, I saw a shrimp or baby fish about 2-3 mm long. It was semi clear, with two black dots for eyes and a split tail (like a shrimp's). I don't know if its still alive, I haven't seen it since. There are other things on the rock I have pictures of, and a green ball floating around the tank.

So, what is that worm thing near the center???? Tube worm, it possibly dead, its ok if alive. There are dozens of them all over the rock. I hope they aren't bad. I was searching Reefs.org in their hitchhikers guide and it looks like it could be feather duster worms? CHECK OUT THIS LINK: http://www.reefs.org/hhfaq/worms/photoalbum_photo_view?b_start=6
What doesn't show in MY picture is near the thicker end, there are several little antenna-looking things arranged in a semi-circle around the end. Are they going to be feather dusters like the pictures someday? HELP?
The next picture shows little wavy things attached to the rock in various places, i want to know, are they bad?.

Look just above that weird spiral (what is that?) and you can see little coral looking things... what are they????? Please help :)
Also........ A little green ball came along with the rock but it wasn't attached to anything. I read about bubble algae but I'm not sure if that's what this is. I thought is was a green marine plant i heard of...? (http://habitatnews.nus.edu.sg/news/labrador/blog/boergesenia%20forbesii.jpg). HERE...... bubble algae, bad pick them off, do not burst it let out spores and produce more.

Ignore the fact that it looks like a duck's head, i just want to know if I have to get rid of it or not. Is it aglae or a plant?? By the way, it's just less than a 1/4 of an inch long.
One FINAL PICTURE just out of curiosity... a snail shell came along with the rock, but I think it's empty/dead. What kind of snail is it? its about 2mm small. Here's a close-up of the shell......... I don't know, just turn it over to see any one is home (alive).

I would really appreciate it if someone explained what all this stuff is. THANKS!!!
 
andrewjardin

andrewjardin

Member
Forgive me if i'm wrong, you said earlier that you hadn't yet added the salt, but you have the LR in the tank already? That could end up getting rid of ALOT of important things on the rock making it 'live', so if you havn't yet, you should definitely do that soon!
Mr. Limpid is right about the bubble algae, a while back I bought myself a paly rock and it was covered completely in bubble algae, which then started spreading, so I had to buy an emerald crab to eat it all.
As for the little 'wavy' things, they just look like small plant matter, or deep water corals that probably wont get any bigger then that, so don't worry about them
And you are obviously very excited about getting fish, as anyone should be, but honestly I wouldn't worry so much about firefish, everyone says they are jumpers but if your water is good, and they are provided with lots of nooks and crannys for hiding in, it (they) should be perfectly fine, and if you really want a pair ( i love my little guy ) you should get them! But definitely invest in a QT tank so that you can monitor them for any diseases that might pop up like ich.
 
xoxdreamon

xoxdreamon

New Member
Thanks!!! OK, Mr. Limpid, yes, I have added the shrimp, its in the nylon bag floating on the top in the first picture. There is only one bubble of algae so I will pick it out, it's not attached. And i flipped the tiny shell over but i didn't see anything in it. :( Thanks!
And andrewjardin, thanks for reading the thread and posting :) I forgot to mention in an earlier post that I added the salt about two days before I got the rock. Sorry. Yeah, I knew the live things on the rock need it. :p As I said, I'll get the bubble algae out no problem. It's good to know that so far nothing seems harmful to the tank.
And YES I am excited, but i know I have to wait like 8 more weeks, for the cycling, and I don't mind. And about the fish choice, I think I'm going to stick with the clownfish because I have just always wanted to, and plus, it's on my bucket list
. A pair of ocellaris clownfish would be awesome :p In total after everything arrives, I'll have about 11 pounds of rock, so I'll definitely be building it up for hiding places for them. A QT might not be an option due to my low budget. I dont have any spare tanks or powerheads, and salt is pricy. It's going to end up being at least 60 bucks that I DON'T have (on top of having to buy livestock). Later on, for a larger tank (the 220 gallon I'm planning), I will definitely end up using my ten gal (or maybe get a 20) as the QT, because I know it will be essential. Thanks anyway for the advice :)
Ok back to the topic of TANK CLEANERS since it hasn't been covered here yet. I am OCD about the glass being clean, so I would like some nice snails that wont hurt my coralline or anything else, but make the glass nice. Suggestions? Also if I get aiptasia, I could get a peppermint shrimp, but what else do they eat? Oh and just as a side note, I don't really want crabs unless they are small and absolutely harmless.
Back to the types of fish, are there any peaceful, small fish that I could have in here with the clowns (ex: gobies, blennies, cardinals...?), or just stick with a clownfish pair and a cleaning crew for now? THANKS!!!!

Ok, now I was just thinking of what things I should add later on if this is successful.... i was looking into soft corals and polyps since I don't have bright lights. What about Kenya tree coral? It looks really cool but what kind of requirements do they have? http://www.sdyoung.com/home/media/wp/uploads/2007/12/dscn0489_resized.jpg Also i like the look of Yellow polyps and I heard they grow well. http://static.desktopnexus.com/thumbnails/64865-bigthumbnail.jpg And colony polyps (especially the orange and green ones) are cool along with leather corals. Could I buy any of these before getting fish, or wait a while? ish.com/smilies/shrug.gif" /> Is there anything I don't have listed that you would recommend? Anyway, thanks again!!!
***REMEMBER*** Keep it cheap! I'm poor!

PS: I just noticed a worm of some sort on the rock. At first I thought it was aiptasia but then it kind of unwound it's body and crawled away...??? I think its a bristleworm which are mostly harmless......
 
mr. limpid

mr. limpid

Active Member
As for snails i would go with 1 or 2 Cerith's as for cleaning the glass get a sponge, snails wont do a good enough job. Peppermint shrimp will eat the same food as your fish, they will eat polyps and may mess with soft corals. i had some kill my Ricordea. I would add fish first that way if there is a issue (fish getting sick) you have a place to treat them. Then when fish are clear (about 3 to 4 weeks) add corals, just need to dip them to rid them of parasites. As for lighting what light do you have?
 
andrewjardin

andrewjardin

Member
Its easier to get a magnet glass cleaner so that you aren't always reaching into the tank, but a sponge (regular kitchen, non-soaped) is cheaper. I agree with not wanting SOME crabs such as hermits, because they are nothing but trouble in a small tank, and you probably don't need crabs for such a new and small tank. I agree with about 3 cerith snails to begin with and eventually a few more, maybe some nassarious for the sand bed, and after that you could slowly add some more snails depending on how badly the tank could need it. Don't sweat it too much thinking about what fish you want, Occ. clowns are great, and if you in the SW hobby, chances are that they will not be your only purchase, you will have plenty of chances at owning other species!
You definitely should just start with the clownfish, because you don't want to increase the bioload too fast, but after having the clowns, seeing that they are healthy (4 weeks approx.) you could maybe think about adding another SMALL fish like a clown goby?
You can honestly keep kenya tree alive under flourescent lights without doing anything else, keep the water clean, good flow and you never have to feed them. Of course most corals do better with stronger lighting, some like the kenya tree do not REQUIRE intense light. But in all honesty, if you are planning to have corals in the future, i strongly suggest that you invest in some quality lighting as soon as you can save up for it. I had my kenya trees before i got my clownfish, and i didn't QT my clows, all of my fish are fine :) Just be smart about adding things!
 
xoxdreamon

xoxdreamon

New Member
Yeah I'm kind of worrying about my lights now. I've an 18" daylight florescent bulb that's about 15 watts. I Also have a lamp with the standard curly bulbs shining into the tank near the rock that's only 13 watts. The coralline on my rock seems to be rapidly receding and it's worrying me because I like the purple and pink of it. It was looking great before....(it was in a bright tank at my LFS).... Sand is still VERY cloudy when I stir it up... I have particle absorbing filter media in the filter to take out the dust which is working well to keep it clear..... UNTIL I stir the sand up, then there's a cloud of white. Should I just flatten the sand to where I want it then just place the rocks in/on top and not disturb the sand anymore??? I'm afraid that later on the sand will still be cloudy even when sitting still, but then it will get stirred up and kill my livestock or other life... It's great when the sand settles though.....nice and clear.
Of course still waiting for all my stuff to arrive, it should be here on the 16th at the EARLIEST. *sigh*
I'm glad to know that I can have a clown goby with the pair, it looks great and SO CUTE! I didn't even think of these, THANKS!!! They are cheap enough for me, too!!! And thanks for the snail suggestion. They look great too.
But when they burrow, will the dusty, settled sand hurt them? I'll probably get 3 of each...
Now, ALL I think I need to know for now is my lighting. I want to keep it cheap but I do someday want to keep Kenya Tree Coral, Yellow Colony Polyp, Colony polyp, and some sort of small-medium mushroom. What kind of lighting would I need for this??? I found a 20" T5 hood light strip for 36 watts, and its about $40 plus $20 shipping. I'll look for it at LFSs for AROUND $40 if I can (i doubt it would come with lights already all for $40). It comes with 2 lights (1x 10000K, 1x Actinic) on ebay, so I might get it if you all approve...
Here's the link:
www.ebay.ca/itm/110736553094?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649#ht_1460wt_1163
With this light I can use a piece of 1/4"glass I have to cover the tank, then sit these lights on it along with the light from the current hood to make about 50 watts. IS THAT GOOD ENOUGH???
Anyway, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! ttyl

PS: Another thing I'm might not be able to get but was looking at, was the same hood but that holds 4 bulbs instead, so twice the watts in the hood (72 watts) plus the blue moonlights for night time.... here's the link, but its just a bit out of my price range ($110 with shipping as opposed to $60). I could see if I can save up enough money, but not anytime soon. - http://www.ebay.ca/itm/20-T5-Aquarium-Light-HO-72W-Cichlid-Marine-Reef-LED-4-Lamps-18W-Odyssea-Nano-/290655164946?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43ac65da12#ht_1728wt_1163
AAANNNNDDD, the next one up is a metal halide lamp with cooling fans and stuff, for $150 (after shipping), which is near what i spent in TOTAL for this! :p HERE'S THE LINK ANYWAY...... http://www.ebay.ca/itm/110801740745?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649#ht_1928wt_1163
 
mr. limpid

mr. limpid

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by xoxDreamOn http:///t/389776/starting-a-10-gallon-nano-saltwater-tank/20#post_3449311
Yeah I'm kind of worrying about my lights now. I've an 18" daylight florescent bulb that's about 15 watts. I Also have a lamp with the standard curly bulbs shining into the tank near the rock that's only 13 watts. They make 50/50 bulbs that fit in 10 gal hoods, they sell them at Walmart. The coralline on my rock seems to be rapidly receding and it's worrying me because I like the purple and pink of it. It was looking great before....(it was in a bright tank at my LFS).... Sand is still VERY cloudy when I stir it up...you don't want to do that let just sit I have particle absorbing filter media in the filter to take out the dust which is working well to keep it clear..... UNTIL I stir the sand up, then there's a cloud of white. Should I just flatten the sand to where I want it then just place the rocks in/on top and not disturb the sand anymore??? place rock on bottom of glass push sand around it I'm afraid that later on the sand will still be cloudy even when sitting still, but then it will get stirred up and kill my livestock or other life... It's great when the sand settles though.....nice and clear.
Of course still waiting for all my stuff to arrive, it should be here on the 16th at the EARLIEST. *sigh*
I'm glad to know that I can have a clown goby with the pair, it looks great and SO CUTE! I didn't even think of these, THANKS!!! They are cheap enough for me, too!!! And thanks for the snail suggestion. They look great too.
But when they burrow, will the dusty, settled sand hurt them? I'll probably get 3 of each... They don't make that much of a distribinse.
Now, ALL I think I need to know for now is my lighting. I want to keep it cheap but I do someday want to keep Kenya Tree Coral, Yellow Colony Polyp, Colony polyp, I am going to look into that I advise you also research it good training and some sort of small-medium mushroom. What kind of lighting would I need for this??? I found a 20" T5 hood light strip for 36 watts, and its about $40 plus $20 shipping. I'll look for it at LFSs for AROUND $40 if I can (i doubt it would come with lights already all for $40). It comes with 2 lights (1x 10000K, 1x Actinic) on ebay, so I might get it if you all approve...
Here's the link:
www.ebay.ca/itm/110736553094?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649#ht_1460wt_1163
With this light I can use a piece of 1/4"glass I have to cover the tank, then sit these lights on it along with the light from the current hood to make about 50 watts. IS THAT GOOD ENOUGH??? I am researching
Anyway, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! ttyl

PS: Another thing I'm might not be able to get but was looking at, was the same hood but that holds 4 bulbs instead, so twice the watts in the hood (72 watts) plus the blue moonlights for night time.... here's the link, but its just a bit out of my price range ($110 with shipping as opposed to $60). I could see if I can save up enough money, but not anytime soon. - http://www.ebay.ca/itm/20-T5-Aquarium-Light-HO-72W-Cichlid-Marine-Reef-LED-4-Lamps-18W-Odyssea-Nano-/290655164946?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43ac65da12#ht_1728wt_1163
AAANNNNDDD, the next one up is a metal halide lamp with cooling fans and stuff, for $150 (after shipping), which is near what i spent in TOTAL for this! :p HERE'S THE LINK ANYWAY...... http://www.ebay.ca/itm/110801740745?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649#ht_1928wt_1163
 
xoxdreamon

xoxdreamon

New Member
Thanks mr limpid, i'm glad you're going to help me out here :) ill do some research too.
JUST SO YOU KNOW... i just want the Kenya Tree Coral, Yellow Colony Polyp, and a hardy, CHEAP (under $30) mushroom that would work in this tank. Don't worry about the colony, I'll have that someday in a bigger tank, if i can't have it just yet......... THANKS!
OH and with the 'rock in the sand' question, i wasn't thinking that i'm going to stack the rocks so they need to be on the glass so they don't shift and collapse. Thanks though! Anyway, I'll be checking in soon ttyl!!!
 
mr. limpid

mr. limpid

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by xoxDreamOn http:///t/389776/starting-a-10-gallon-nano-saltwater-tank/20#post_3449825
Thanks mr limpid, i'm glad you're going to help me out here :) ill do some research too.
JUST SO YOU KNOW... i just want the Kenya Tree Coral, Yellow Colony Polyp, and a hardy, CHEAP (under $30) mushroom that would work in this tank. Don't worry about the colony, I'll have that someday in a bigger tank, if i can't have it just yet......... THANKS!
OH and with the 'rock in the sand' question, i wasn't thinking that i'm going to stack the rocks so they need to be on the glass so they don't shift and collapse. you still need them on glass, incase a creatures tries to burrow under rock and then it falls on it and kills it. My yellow tail damsels digs under my rocks all the time. Thanks though! Anyway, I'll be checking in soon ttyl!!!
 
xoxdreamon

xoxdreamon

New Member
Ok THANKS!!! And just as an update, I received 3 shipments so far. I got 4 more pounds of live rock, the nano protein skimmer, and the refractometer. Have no idea how to work it, help? I have a few pictures of my tank that ill post with a brief explanation......

This is the tank in the moonlights i made. I think it looks pretty awesome for a DIY project!

The 4 pounds of live rock i received from Nova Scotia, Canada. Its not taken from the ocean which is good.

my nano skimmer... RIGHT after putting it in.

AND this is the photo of the tank so far with the first 4 pound shipment of rock and my original rock. It's looking pretty good! I know since i don't have a lot of water flow, I have to stack the rocks using as little sand-rock surface area as possible, and keep as many cave openings as I can, which has been easy so far because of the awesome rock with the bridges in the middle that I got.
but things seem to be running smoothly; i have seen two or three bristleworms, a small snail, and about 3 or so shrimp running around. The coralline is starting to revive itself and is looking good on my first rock. There is a bit starting on the new rocks already that may have already been there, and a light amount of diatom algae is forming on the sand and rocks as expected.
I'm waiting for 10 more pounds of DRY rock (not using all of it), the 7" light, and a biochemical sponge filter for extra filtration and current. All is well so far. I am definitely going to get two Nassarius snails but for the other few, what about Nerite? In the 'clean up crew' link from saxman, it says they are great for the cleaning the glass and sometimes rocks. My other choice was Cerith snails but they are apparently hard to find other than hitch-hiking on rocks. Would Nerites still be better?? And how many? What about Trochus snails? They sound good and clean glass too. That's what I'm looking for....... it says i should get about 3-4... right?
I have only two flourecent lights on the tank now which is working a lot better than the other bulbs shining in. They are both 18 inch standard T-8 bulbs that use about 15-20 watts of power... no idea how bright but the tank looks just as bright as the picture above, so it should be easy to see if that's enough. They are sitting on a larger piece of glass on top. Lights have to be on for 9 hours a day because I am using the same timer for this tank and my freshwater planted tank's lights and i don't want to buy a third timer (the 2nd is for the blue moonlight to come ON at night).
Anyway, look this over and see what I need help with. Help if you can and THANKS IN ADVANCE!!! ttyl
 
S

smallreef

Guest
Looking good!
when you see how much 10lbs of dry rock is your right, you probably wont use it all.. but you could always use it as the base so your rocks arent sitting ON TOP of your sand.. if you even got a burrowing fish like a goby he could cause a collapse like that...
and 4-6 snails is fine.. just get what you can find unless you are going to do an order online and get a nano sized cleanup crew with your first fish....
the lights look good on the tank and will support a fish only existance... if you ever decide to get corals that need lighting youll have to upgrade (though there are a LOT of non-photosynthetic corals you could always try...it helps that you already have a skimmer!)
 
xoxdreamon

xoxdreamon

New Member
THANKS!!! Which of the snails that i mentioned previously SHOULD I GET? Nerite or Trochus? Or are the both good? And smallreef, the rocks are on the glass with the sand pushed around them. I made sure i did that because i know it isnt safe ON the sand with fish that dig...
Oh and I tested the specific gravity and the reading is at 1.026 now. When about 1/2 a gallon evaporates, the reading goes up by 0.005, so i have to be careful. I am probably going to keep it around 1.022 so if i end up leaving it to evaporate 1/2 a gallon before topping up, it will raise to 1.027, which is still good for the ocellaris clownfish. I'll try to keep it topped up often though...

I'm still waiting for the cycle to finish.... The Nitrite has yet to go up... so until it's done, no livestock!
Again, thanks to everyone for helping me do this. I would be SO lost otherwise! Keep up the awesome work!
 
S

saxman

Guest
I would get both Trochus and Nerites. For the Nerite, try to find the lesser intertidal species, which is tan with black C-shaped markings:
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
That's one of my favorite Snails. Also on the list are Stomatella, Cerith, and Collonista.
My 10 gallon shows an example as to why I like Stomatella:
Daytime

Nighttime
 
xoxdreamon

xoxdreamon

New Member
Hey everyone! I'm busy at the moment but here is a quick update. I got two trochus snails yesterday and so far they are doing ok :)


(in the background, you can see omega one small marine pellets - 8.25 oz)

Aren't they cute? :p
Since yesterday they have pretty much cleaned one entire side of the tank. AMAZING!
ANYWAY Thanks!
TTYL!!!
 
xoxdreamon

xoxdreamon

New Member
Heyy i was thinking about my livestock plans and i need a bit of help................ I definitely want a pair of ocellaris/percula clownsfish. I can get them $9 each at Big Al's. I'm 100% sure about getting these.
HERE'S WHERE I NEED HELP CHOOSING. I was looking into getting the Yellow Clown Goby as another inhabitant because they stay small (1.5") and are really cute and apparently not as shy as other gobies. I was thinking maybe I could get a Sexy Shrimp to go along with this, or maybe three if they need to be with others and are TINY (i've read they do better in groups....?). Ok, so that's my first option.
My second option is something i've just recently thought about. When i was at Big Al's i saw a Tiger Pistol Shrimp and a Yellow Watchman Goby working together. I thought it was amazing that the shrimp was making a little cave by moving sand like a bulldozer. I went home and read ALL about the symbiotic relationship this pair (and others like it) share along with the cool popping thing the shrimp does. I also sadly read that they both get about 3", which is too big for my tank. So, i looked up other goby-shrimp pairs and found the HiFin Goby and the Red Banded Pistol Shrimp. I was trying to find a pair that reaches about 1-2 inches, and they both get about 2" which is good. I really like the look of them and it would be great to have something that will stir the sand around a bit.
ANYWAY, what would be the best option for my 10 gallon tank? The Yellow Clown Goby and 1-3 Sexy Shrimp, OR a HiFin Goby and a Red Banded Pistol Shrimp???

THANKS FOR ALL THE HELP!!!!! :D
HEHE Just for fun.....
Some of the fish meantioned.....

Clownfish............. (want 2 with this kind of pattern) AANNNNDDDD.............
and???
OR................
?????????????? THANKS!
 
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