Please critigue my nano setup

[Ben1]

10 gallon
No skimmer
mini jet powerhead
custom sealife ABS PC hood w/ 1x 28 watt 10k and 1x 28 watt actinic
3" sandbed added from southdown, (home depot in King of Prussia PA)
Live rock from my 75 gallons sump, maybe 3-5 lbs figi
A few scoops of live sand from my 75 and 40.
50 watt tronic heater


Theres already lots of spagetti worms, bristle worms, and mini stars from my adding live sand scoops. I plan on using this tank as a grow out mini display for my frags. I hate stressing my clown pair working on frags in my main displays and though this would be easy. I want it to be a nice looking display as well though. I will top off with Kalk very slowly and do RO/DI water changes at 2-3 gallons every 2 weeks fro nutrient removal. The tank is ina nicely A/C and heated room.

This is my first nano so, any advice. I would like to add a couple of fish as well. I was thinking of a couple of goby :!: , maybe 3 yellow clown gobys or something? Will this be ok?

 

[Bill2]

is that light going to be enough for your frags. Not saying what type of coral you are fragging it might not be

 

[ReefLion]

Two suggestions:

1) Make sure the hood does not cover the entire top of the tank. If it does, you may have heat issues from the lights alone. Also, with only the powerhead, you will need to make sure you have adequate gas exchange.

2) Consider a small Penguin or other hang on the back filter. Just use it for circulation without the media. Those things do a pretty good job of moving water in a small tank, and the overflow effect helps with gas exchange. Plus if you do want some carbon at some point, it gives you an easy option to insert a cartridge for a few days.

Tim

 

[wingd]

I had the same set-up for two years while in college. It seemed to work well. I used two lights of america ballasts to run my pc's in a DIY setup. I did not have any issues with heat either and I had the lights directly over the water. I was only growing soft corals and a brain. I never tried any sps in the tank.

 

[Anemone]

IMO, as long as the minijet is aimed at the water surface (creates an upwelling bubble), you will have enough movement for gas exchange (not saying the HOB filter isn't a good idea for the carbon though...).

A small tank like this would be a nice set up for a pistol shrimp/watchman goby pair - unless you plan on putting small frags directly on the sand. If so, they might end up being dragged into the pistol shrimp's burrow as building material.

The clown gobies would work, but keep in mind they like to perch on branching stoney corals, and this behavior can cause loss of tissue in the areas they frequent (may not be a big deal on larger colonies, but might prove problematic for small frags).

FWIW,

Kevin

 

[tinyreef]

i'm not sure if the nano is a good setup for a breeder tank for sps unless you're going to fastidiously maintain your cal/alk levels. the system will be depleted very quickly resulting in stunted growth. if you can maintain the additives then you'd be set (besides the other issues of water quality and light, etc.).

the light sounds good, mh would be better imo (esp. for frags).

watch the temp. and salinity levels. i'd invest into a iceprobe or at least a deskfan (beyond anything you're going to have in the hood). you may have to enclose the system (complete cover) to limit the salinity variation but that exacerbates the temp. issues.

 

[wade1]

Also consider topoff, its a chore in small tanks, especially with decent lighting on them. You'll have to replace it more frequently in smaller amounts than with a larger tank. Just something to consider...

Wade

 

[Ben1]

Wow thanks to all for all the responce.

I am planning on using this as a tank for my soft coral frags. I have a 40 tall thats pretty old, with mostly large soft corals. It uses 175 watt halides and a 55 watt actinic for lighting, it is a deep tank and this does well for softies. I cant work well with frags in the 40 because of the clowns always ripping into me and the depth.

My sps frags are fine in the 75 gallon because I dont have any freaky fish or depth issues.

For soft coral frags this light should be fine, right? Mostly colts, leathers, nepthea, thats about it.

The hood doesnt covor the whole top, it is something like 14" by 6" so it is supported over the tank by two acrilic bars one on each end that I glued onto the frame of the nano. The mini jet does move the surface pretty nicely although I am sure a HOT filter would be nice for carbon, ect. Too bad I threw them all out when I moved a few months back :x

I have also noticed that the evaporation rate is rather fast. I made a DIY kalk dripper which I set very slowly and add kalkwasser every night.

If I was to do my SPS frags in this tank I would add a 175 MH and an Ice probe. I might get a Ice probe anyhow, for the hot summer months.

Thanks All

 

[Ben1]

I forgot is the SPS for the gobies to rest on a must for their health? If so maybe they are a better canidate for a different set up.

TIA

 

[Anemone]

I forgot is the SPS for the gobies to rest on a must for their health? If so maybe they are a better canidate for a different set up.

TIA

Nope, I just thought you were going to be putting acro frags in their - clown gobies will hide/perch in almost anything branchy - including plastic plants.....

Kevin

 

[SPC]

Posted by Ben:

maybe 3 yellow clown gobys or something?

-I would not put even 2 of these in a 10 gallon. These fish are extremely territorial and one will dominate the other to the point of death. I tried 2 in a 58 at one time and within a month the dominate fish had harassed the other to the point where he found the carpet more to his liking.
Steve

 

[dizzy]

Posted by Ben:

maybe 3 yellow clown gobys or something?

-I would not put even 2 of these in a 10 gallon. These fish are extremely territorial and one will dominate the other to the point of death. I tried 2 in a 58 at one time and within a month the dominate fish had harassed the other to the point where he found the carpet more to his liking.
Steve

Steve rarely can we speak in terms of absolute when it comes to fishkeeping compatability. (Aside from the big fish eats little fish rule) I think the odds are decent that a pair of yellow clown gobies could be kept in a small tank together. Probably not every time, like in your case, but I definitely think it is possible. There are also other good choices. I love red head gobies and they ususally get along very well. The neon gobies are also very compatable, both the blue and the yellow kind. I also have a pair of the tiny Mexican salifin blennies in a 20-gallon with my pair of jet black ocellaris. For its size there is no fish cooler on the planet than the male Mexican sailfin blenny. These can be had these days for a reasonable price.

Steve if we are ever going to get serious about aquaculture we have got to start thinking about keeping fish in pairs whenever possible. And yes I know there will be instances when it will not work, but there will be successes as well, like Ming and his angels. Often times we will be able to notice excessive aggression and remove the weaker fish if it becomes injured. It is all part of the process of how learn and sometimes it is like falling down when we were learning to walk.