tywtly13's 29 gallon reef in progress

[tywtly13]

I'm bored, so I'm gonna post up my tank. No pictures because I have no camera, but it is a 29 gallon tank with 50-75 pounds of live rock and 60-75 pounds of live sand (I don't really remember...it's everything from my 12 gal nano reef and my 55 gal FOWLR). Right now, it only has 2 yellow-tailed damsels and a big cleanup crew (15 nassarius snails, 10 cerith snails, 5 turbo snails, emerald crab-haven't seen him in a while-and a BIG serpent star, about 7 inches in diameter). I will get more when I get more money, but for now, I'm super broke. The original light blew and I don't have the money to get a new bulb, so I'm having to run a 10 gallon light over it, so no corals or anemones until I find a new bulb. Filter is a Marineland Emperor 400 Bio-Wheel Hang-on-back. The tank is very well established, with lots of copepods and coralline algae starting to appear. I can't give a specific age, but I can tell the backstory. I originally had a 12 gal nano tank with 15 pounds of live rock. It was a rather successful reef. Then I got a 55 gallon and set it up FOWLR with about 50 pounds of live rock and a small volitans lion, a small russells lion, a fuzzy dwarf lion, and a snowflake eel. When I moved, I had to take these tanks down and sell all the fish, and I condensed all the equipment and sand and rock to this 29, so technically, I suppose it is over 4 years old. Completely mature and healthy, with Nitrate-0, Nitrite-0, Ammonia-0, ph-8.2, specific gravity-1.025.
Once I get a light (and extra money), my planned list is as follows:
Get rid of the damsels if they are bullies
1 mandarin
2 ocellaris clowns
either a pygmy or coral beauty angel
2 firefish
1 green clown goby
3 chromis
more starfish-2 or 3 serpents, 1 or 2 sand-sifting
more crabs-emeralds and sally-lightfoot
coral banded shrimp
2 or 3 pink-tip haitian anemones
many feather dusters
2 black urchins
Any suggestions or feedback are welcome.

 

[tywtly13]

I went to the LFS today, and I saw some fish that really made me change my plans. Instead of a pygmy or Coral beauty angel, I will get a midnight angel. Also, would an engineer goby (convict worm goby) be ok in this tank? I saw one today and pretty much feel in love with it, but the little ID card in the shop said that they get 13" long...is that true?

 

[nissan577]

yes it is. also read upon the angel and make sure its reef safe even tho im kinda sure it is. everything looks great. i would also recommend taking out the damsels now. if you already have rock take them out cause once you start adding stuff to the tank it will be hard to take them out. urchins idk never had them so idk. anemones i would wait till you get Metal halides or t5 and 6 months after your tank is well established. 1-2 emerald crabs are fine. the coral banded shrimp i wouldnt do since ive read and also myself had the shrimp eat lazy or sick fish which is good but its annoying and sad.

the manderin yes but make sure your tank is full of pods and if you can make a refugium that would make it better as well. i would also wait 6 months to get the pods population up.
everything else

 

[tywtly13]

The tank is already CRAWLING with pods for the mandarin

I guess since that goby (not really a goby) gets 13", I will NOT be putting it in my 29

Also, I will research the angel. The only real "reef" characteristic of this tank will be the anemones, so maybe it will be ok.
Thank you for your feedback!

 

[nissan577]

N.P

 

[tywtly13]

ok, so...will the anemones (haitian pink tip) be ok with normal lights as long as i feed them meaty foods? I've heard a lot of stories of success with this, but a lot of people also say not to get anemones without super strong lighting? I've kept them before with normal lights and meaty foods, but I don't want to risk it without other opinions