Starting a 10 gallon reef

mckevinfang

mckevinfang

Member
well i havent been on SWF in a couple of months so hey everybody

Im starting a 10 gallon project got bored of my 45gal so i sold it off and i have some free time on my hands so i decided to start a nano with some old stuff and from my girlfriends 5gal which i broke down.
So far here what i have:
- 10 gallon tank
- Cascade 100 HOB filter
- 50 Watt Stealth Heater
- Odyssea 100 power head
- 20 lbs black live sand

- 5 lbs live rock
- 5 lbs dead rock
- Odyssea 175 Watt Metal Halides w/ 2 18 Watt 50/50 PC's
- Submersible thermometer
- 6 onyx nass. snails
- 3 or 4 dead coral that my still have some life left

Coming Soon.

- CPR CYHO II PROTEIN SKIMMER (IN THE MAIL)
- 1 MORE ODYSSEA 100 POWER HEAD (IN 3 DAYS)
- 15-20 BLUE LEGGED HERMIT CRABS (NOT SURE YET)
- 15-20 TURBO SNAILS (NOT SURE YET)
- 1-2 EMERALD CRABS (NOT SURE YET)
- 10 MORE LBS OF LIVE ROCK (NOT SURE YET)
Need Suggestions.
- What type of Shrimp?
- What type of Coral? (keep in mind im a college student not a millionaire
)
- Is there anything im missing?
- Is there any comments or suggestions on anything?
I set up the tank 4 days ago. ill post pictures soon.
Thanks in advance.
 
rotarymagic

rotarymagic

Active Member
Throw a chiller on that list, those lights will barbecue a 10gallon (unless you hang the MH up high)... good luck with your new sps tank.. I don't think you could keep much else... unless you hide some LPS or softies in a cave!!! LOL.
Even by prehistoric watts per gallon measurements, that's ALOT of light (and heat.)
That is alot of heater too for a 10gallon. If it stuck on, it'd cook the tank too. I'm not trying to be deconstructive, but you have more than likely too much of:
FLOW
LIGHT
HEATER
I'd do a 70w MH or (T5ho) if I were you, but if that's what you got then keep the MH high off the water and run an open top tank to keep light penetration high, but heat down.
If you did a 20high or 20long ( a tank at least 24inches wide, you could run a 24inch T5HO in a 2 or 4bulb config) and keep anything without alot of heat.. so unless you have the have the MH shimmer, sell it and go T5ho since you'll get lots of light, not alot of heat (or high electricity bills), and fine tunability of bulbs/color in a 4bulb config.
Also, too many crabs, too many snails...
I'd do like 10 astreas for the whole thing, no crabs (1 small emerald if you get bubble algae.) Thats my SERIOUS opinion.
Also is that CPR skimmer also a fuge?
 
mckevinfang

mckevinfang

Member
Thanks for the Honest Opinon Rotarymagic

ok so i thought it over...

- The light system sits 12in above the tank. (I will only run the Metal Halides and keep the top off the tank but will keep a good eye on the temp.)
- I will only keep the 1 powerhead
- I will add 5 turbos, 2 blue legged hermits and 1 coral banded shrimp
The CPR is a skimmer.
I haven't spent a dime on this tank besides the skimmer for $25.00
Question
- If i were to sell the lights how much should i sell them for?

- I have seen brittle worms already from the previous live rock what should i do?

Can i please get some more suggestions / opinions thanks!!
 
rotarymagic

rotarymagic

Active Member

Originally Posted by mckevinfang
http:///forum/post/2783211
Thanks for the Honest Opinon Rotarymagic

ok so i thought it over...

- The light system sits 12in above the tank. (I will only run the Metal Halides and keep the top off the tank but will keep a good eye on the temp.)
- I will only keep the 1 powerhead
- I will add 5 turbos, 2 blue legged hermits and 1 coral banded shrimp
The CPR is a skimmer.
I haven't spent a dime on this tank besides the skimmer for $25.00
Question
- If i were to sell the lights how much should i sell them for?

- I have seen brittle worms already from the previous live rock what should i do?

Can i please get some more suggestions / opinions thanks!!
coral banded shrimp is probably not a good idea for a 10gallon IMO, they get pretty big and will try to eat fish... its easy for them to corner fish in a 10gallon. brittle worms die quickly without food intake, but if you really want to get rid of them in a hurry, "borrow" an arrow crab and don't feed the tank for 1-2months and he'll eat all of them.
The lighting idea sounds good 12inches above the tank just go with like an astrolux 14000k or phoenix 14000k bulb to get alittle blue in there. Also with the powerhead just put it on the back wall and blast it across the back of the tank behind the rock and it'll cause a swirling effect with water going around the rock, just make sure not to put all the rock on the back wall thus leaving a 2inch gap so water can freely travel around.
I'm not trying to hate, I'm trying to find a way to make it all work for you so that you can get this tank rolling asap.
Remember, I LOVE nanos.
 
mckevinfang

mckevinfang

Member
Originally Posted by Rotarymagic
http:///forum/post/2783632
coral banded shrimp is probably not a good idea for a 10gallon IMO, they get pretty big and will try to eat fish... its easy for them to corner fish in a 10gallon. brittle worms die quickly without food intake, but if you really want to get rid of them in a hurry, "borrow" an arrow crab and don't feed the tank for 1-2months and he'll eat all of them.
The lighting idea sounds good 12inches above the tank just go with like an astrolux 14000k or phoenix 14000k bulb to get alittle blue in there. Also with the powerhead just put it on the back wall and blast it across the back of the tank behind the rock and it'll cause a swirling effect with water going around the rock, just make sure not to put all the rock on the back wall thus leaving a 2inch gap so water can freely travel around.
I'm not trying to hate, I'm trying to find a way to make it all work for you so that you can get this tank rolling asap.
Remember, I LOVE nanos.
Thanks again for the info.
- im currently using 2 cascade 100 until the skimmer comes in
- I have a Odyssea 175W DE Metal Halide Bulb (15000K)
- I dont plan on adding fish should i just get a scarlet cleaner or a fire red shrimp or a pair of sexy shrimp?
- Should i add fish? if so what kind? and why?
- I will move the live rock around for the flow
 
rotarymagic

rotarymagic

Active Member
I would add a bit more rock to make the rock work about 3inches taller, that long white tonga branch piece is kinda weird looking at the moment.
As far as adding a fish, you'd probably like a goby/shrimp pair. Personally I'm kinda biased with yashia gobies since those were my favorite that I ever had, but I did want to order draculas however at $130/each it's kinda steep for a shrimp goby. A yashia and candy stripe pistol would look cool in that tank and they're very interesting to watch with their daily routine. I'm somewhat against putting cleaner shrimp in a 10gallon since they get really big and if they're constantly banging their antennae on the glass, it stresses them.
Since you got the awesome light, I'd just maybe do the goby/shrimp pair and do some cool LPS, SPS (maybe), zoas, and ricordeas, maybe a REALLY small clam, but keep up on nutrient export (i.e. macro algae, rowaphos,etc) and water changes.
 
mckevinfang

mckevinfang

Member
Originally Posted by Rotarymagic
http:///forum/post/2784094
I would add a bit more rock to make the rock work about 3inches taller, that long white tonga branch piece is kinda weird looking at the moment.
As far as adding a fish, you'd probably like a goby/shrimp pair. Personally I'm kinda biased with yashia gobies since those were my favorite that I ever had, but I did want to order draculas however at $130/each it's kinda steep for a shrimp goby. A yashia and candy stripe pistol would look cool in that tank and they're very interesting to watch with their daily routine. I'm somewhat against putting cleaner shrimp in a 10gallon since they get really big and if they're constantly banging their antennae on the glass, it stresses them.
Since you got the awesome light, I'd just maybe do the goby/shrimp pair and do some cool LPS, SPS (maybe), zoas, and ricordeas, maybe a REALLY small clam, but keep up on nutrient export (i.e. macro algae, rowaphos,etc) and water changes.
thanks for the great advice again.
- what kind of clam?
- ill pick up some more LR in a couple days
- the tank is glass wont a pistol shrimp shatter it?
- any other cool combo's?
come on people help me out any other suggestions or comments thanks
 
rotarymagic

rotarymagic

Active Member
Originally Posted by mckevinfang
http:///forum/post/2784118
thanks for the great advice again.
- what kind of clam?
- ill pick up some more LR in a couple days
- the tank is glass wont a pistol shrimp shatter it?
- any other cool combo's?
come on people help me out any other suggestions or comments thanks
whatever you have money for, they'll all outgrow the tank within a few years so try to buy one thats like 1inch if possible. pistol shrimps don't shoot glass for no reason (I had one going crazy while trying to net him and it didn't shatter my tank), that's mantis shrimps.
You could always add a few nanofish later on, neon gobies would work for a newer tank because they'll eat frozen foods too along with the yashia(s).
 
mckevinfang

mckevinfang

Member
I checked my parameters today:

Nitrites: 0.25
Ammonia: 1.0
Nitrates: 5.0
PH: 8.0
Salinity: 1.022
i still need a KH tester and a tester for Alkalinity.

readings are a little high i will do a 3 gallon water change Thursday!!

more pics:
- I also purchased 10lbs of LR from Phtby https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/335883/premium-live-rock
should be here by friday!!!

I will post pic's of LR when it gets here and ill also do another test on friday
 
rotarymagic

rotarymagic

Active Member
I'd wait for all the parameters to get into check before you add anything because you're still showing ammonia and nitrites.
 
mckevinfang

mckevinfang

Member
Originally Posted by Rotarymagic
http:///forum/post/2785339
I'd wait for all the parameters to get into check before you add anything because you're still showing ammonia and nitrites.
Will do ill check parameters daily!! until they reach zero but a water change is good right?
 
mckevinfang

mckevinfang

Member
So im doing a 3 gallon water change today

I will post parameters later tonight

i'll also post a pic or two

SO THIS TANK IS OFFICIALLY A SPS REEF TANK!!
- Once parameters are in check and the rest of my LR comes in I'll go and get 3 or 4 SPS frags, a 2in clam or smaller and the rest of my CUC.
 
mckevinfang

mckevinfang

Member
got my new LR today from Phtby

parameter readings:
salinity = 1.022

PH = 8.0

Nitrite = 0 ppm

Ammonia = 0.25 ppm

Nitrate = 0 ppm

Temp = 80'F
 
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