General questions

[alarmguy66]

55 gal sw
20 gal sump
80 lb lr

#1. I currently am using just an Aqua C Remora and a sponge on the sump intake for filtration, should I add anything else?

#2. I was using a power filter to filter my qt tank, which is now empty. After changing the filters, should the unit be ok to use in my display tank even though the power filter has been used with copper?

#3. If my tank has 2 clowns, and they are bestest buddies, would they normally be considered a "matched" pair? One is moderatly larger than the other, but the size diff isnt enormous.

#4. Tank has 2 perc clowns, 2 firefish, 1 yellow tail damsel, 1 coral beauty, 7 snails, 2 camel shrimp, 5 hermits. Would I be safe to add one more small fish like a goby or hawkfish? Percs and damsels are all juvey, 1.5" long, the coral beauty is the largest of the bunch, at close to 3".

#5. If the glass of my tank, as well as the rocks and overflow, is teeming with pods, do I have the stability and population to support a mandarin? Tank is a bit over 4 months old, but went without fish for the last month due to qt. Pod population exploded in that time.

All opinions welcome.

 

[kreach]

1. Do you have a live sand bed? That would be the only other filtration I would recommend adding if you don't have it already.

2. If it were me, I wouldn't use the filter on your display if it has been previously used in a tank with copper. It might be ok, but it's better to err on the side of caution with this one, I think.

3. Yes, I would say that your clowns are a mated pair. Clowns have the ability to change sex in order to accomplish this. Your larger clown will be the female and the smaller the male.

4. You should be ok adding one more small fish to the bunch, imo... just stick with something small.

5. It sounds like you have a healthy pod population started, but I would wait until the tank is at least six months old before adding a mandarin.

 

[steve-s]

#1. I currently am using just an Aqua C Remora and a sponge on the sump intake for filtration, should I add anything else?

Provided the parameters are good you may not need anything else. The LR and even a SSB will do what you need given your bioload. The only thing I would suggest augmenting is the snail population. It is not absolutely necessary to have the "suggested" number for a tank as it is directly related to need but you may wish to include a few nassarius snails. They are great with leftover foods and much less hassle/danger than hermits.

#2. I was using a power filter to filter my qt tank, which is now empty. After changing the filters, should the unit be ok to use in my display tank even though the power filter has been used with copper?

Never mix and match equipment between the QT and main tank. Very bad habit to start. If you are looking to suppliment the biofilter for the QT when it is needed, use the filter pad from your sump. The bacteria will colonize just the same. Be sure to rinse out any excess detritus in SW first though.

#5. If the glass of my tank, as well as the rocks and overflow, is teeming with pods, do I have the stability and population to support a mandarin? Tank is a bit over 4 months old, but went without fish for the last month due to qt. Pod population exploded in that time.

A 55 gal tank is on the small side for a mandarine in terms of a sustainable food supply. Generally speaking they are best off in a well aged (1 year) set up with pleanty of LR usually a 100+ gal tank. It may yet be possible if you are able to incorporate a large enough refugium.

Cheers
Steve

 

[alarmguy66]

My sand bed in the display tank is 4-5" deep, may or may not qualify as dsb. About 4" of water normally stands in my overflow and I am using a deep ice cube container (14" long, 4" wide, 6" tall) in my sump as a quasi refugium. It has several holes drilled in it. The top sits out of the water so little flow passes through it. OK, so its hokey, but it seems to work ok. I put some filter floss in it too.

How many snails would be a good number? By the way, my big turbo became crab food sometime today and the biggest hermit is sporting a new look.

I watched the lady at the lfs feed the mandarin. He ate some live brine shrimp and a few flakes, but he isnt tank raised. I will pass on this one, but this is what to look for in a mandarin or goby, right?

 

[steve-s]

How many snails would be a good number? By the way, my big turbo became crab food sometime today and the biggest hermit is sporting a new look.

Might want to consider less hermits and more snails. With the right combination of varying snail species, hermits are not needed at all. The loose general rule is 1 "crew" member for every 1-1½ gal of tank. I find it really depends on the stock level and amount of wastes and algaes produced. Some need less some need more. A good starting point is generally about ½ the recommended amount and build from there. For nassarius though, I would get about 10 as a start. A few mixed of the following would be good as well. Certith, nerite, trochus and margarita. Each seem to do best in different areas and all will contribute accordingly.

I watched the lady at the lfs feed the mandarin. He ate some live brine shrimp and a few flakes, but he isnt tank raised. I will pass on this one, but this is what to look for in a mandarin or goby, right?

It's always a great idea to be sure all fish are eating before purchase but especially goby species. Many never adjust to captive life and simpley starve. Finding a dragonet that eats is near impossible IME. That will make keeping one much more successful if it accepts prepared foods. The only drawback is you need to be wary of food competition from other fish that may steal the foods you feed or compete for it's natural foods. They are very unaggressive feeders. I am currently unaware of any successful TR/TB mandarin fish in the trade so be wary of anyone claiming so. If you are able to verify it, make sure you let others know.

Cheers
Steve