Stocking 10 gallon starter tank

[jenniferk]

Hi all,
So I'm very new to having my own reef tank and am attempting to put together a little 10 gallon tank. I set it up about a month ago, it has 5 lbs of live rock and 5 lbs of "dead rock" with about 1" of sand. It has a 20 gallon filter and power head (no skimmer yet... I kind of wanted to see if I really needed one as I've read conflicting theories).

I let it cycle for the month and put 2 blue damsels in just because I wanted to have some fish. They did fine during the cycle besides beating each other up constantly. Ammonia and nitrates have been at zero for about a week or two. I went through a diatom bloom a week ago but everything looks clean now.

So I'm trying to stock this thing. I already got a black ocellaris. I was a little worried about him and the angry damsels but they left him alone after the first day or two and have stopped fighting with each other since I put him in.

My question here is what else can I put in the tank? I'd be willing to get rid of the damsels but I don't really have to as I don't really want too many more fish. I like inverts. I have a mushroom coral that I'm putting in tomorrow. I want some (cleaner??) shrimp and maybe an arrow crab but I've read that they aren't reef safe??? I'd like a goby or blenny but am worried that I'm already overstocked with the fish.

What is in my 10 gal right now...
1 black ocellaris
2 blue damsels
2 turbo snails
2 hermits (they're little, I don't know what kind)
1 mushroom coral

Thoughts? Also, do I have enough of a clean up crew?

Thanks!

 

[geridoc]

You are overstocked with fish. I would not add anymore fish. Depending on your lighting you could add another coral and even a small starfish, but a 10 gallon system is very small and difficult to keep balanced, so I wouldn't overdo the stock list until the tank settles down and you become more familiar with its behavior.

 

[flower]

Hi, welcome to the site!

I know folks think that to get their feet wet, get a little tank and see how they do with it.....well, the smaller the SW tank is, the harder it is to maintain and keep stable, a 10g tank is IMO...an expert only tank.

As GeriDoc pointed out, you are WAY overstocked on fish. One or at the most two little fish (nano size, that stays UNDER 1 inch when mature) is all that belongs in that tiny, tiny tank. A clown needs at least a 30g tank...the damsels, if you think they are mean now as little juveniles, wait until they mature. They will kill everything else in the tank less timid then themselves (including each other) and bite you drawing blood when you put your hand in the tank. They will never settle down and not feel a need to be aggressive, just fighting for territory as other fish do... it only gets worse with them.

You seem to have a pretty good grasp of how to cycle and the CUC you need. You can increase the snails as the algae develops. Only time will tell if the CUC is enough to keep things under control...if you see a bunch of areas loaded with algae that the snails don't seem get to...add a couple more.