7 gallon pico reef build

[Zactheninja]

I've been silently building a 7 gallon pico reef and cycling it while I've been out of town.
Equipment-
7 gallon h2o aquarium from lfs
4-5 pounds life rock
5 pounds life sand
75 watt heater( no sure if it working)
13 watt "toms aquarium perch light"
And a aquaclear 30

And it's setup and cycled, I just need help with those stupid questions and stocking.
Any ideas and thoughts are welcomed.
I've put a few soft corals in along with a scooter Blenny. (saw him at petco and he ate brine at the store so I had to have him)
What else should I stock this tank with as long as fish, inverts, and what other kinds of coral could I put in along that's fun?

 

[Keithhjs]

I would think with a 7 gallon tank you get a pretty small bio load and may not want more fish.

 

[Keithhjs]

* bio load allowance

 

[Zactheninja]

I'm religious with my water changes, and that filter is pretty strong. :/

 

[Zactheninja]

Okay then, what corals and inverts would do well under this light?

 

[Sniperhank]

Id assume the light wouldnt do much for corals...maybe softies.

 

[Zactheninja]

I have some coral in there and it's doing fine and growing .-.
They are softies, except for my candy cane.

 

[crister13]

For how long?

 

[Zactheninja]

The candy cane for a few days, everything else two+ weeks

 

[edwardclaxton]

Try a duncan coral they dont need much light, maybe some zoanthids they may not grow fast but with a smaller tank you may not want them too. You might want to look into a mushroom. get a cleaner or fire shrimp they are really nice and a couple snails. And for crabs I like the eletric blue hermit crab. theres not to many fish that you could hold in there, but one that I know are gobies, most are 30+ gallons. There are some around 10 which you could do. Dont do more than 2 fish that is pushing it. Hope this helps

 

[Zactheninja]

What about a goby and a pistol shrimp?

 

[Keithhjs]

+1 for the goby / shrimp combo. I have them in my reef and they are one of my favorites. I'm actually thinking of adding another pair

 

[Zactheninja]

How do you get them to pair up? And is there anything special they need?
I saw this on YouTube or on here and I liked the sound of it, idk much more than that about them.
Can't wait to get a pair

 

[Beengirl]

I got my pistol shrimp first, he was there about a week digging his burrow. Then I got my yellow watchmen goby-they are a little smaller than some of the other watchman gobies-and released him right by one of the burrow openings. The goby peeked inside and the pistol shrimp immediately started making the opening bigger so that the goby could get inside. They've been inseperable ever since! It took all of about 30 seconds for them to pair up.

 

[edwardclaxton]

Many times its natural for bonds to happen. Like my clown and anemone, it took about 3 months until my clown finally hosted it. But I had my goby and tang before I had my cleaner shrimp, when I threw the shrimp in there the fish automatically went to the shrimp. Its really neat to watch the shrimp will jump off the rock on the tang and clean it, with the goby the shrimp cleans the inside of it mouth. So im assuming that the goby and pistol will bond pretty quick bc its nature.

 

[Zactheninja]

So I don't have to add them at the same time?
I read that somewhere.

 

[edwardclaxton]

No if can find them already bonded it would be good, but if you cant and put them in at different times or at the same time they will soon bond. I believe its bc they are benefical towards each other.

 

[Zactheninja]

My lfs sells them bonded, but they go for 60 a pair and that's a bit over board, if I add them at the same time would that give them the best chance? And thy should be able to find each other in 7 gallons lol.

 

[edwardclaxton]

Yea adding them at the same time they will bond quicker. Do you have an idea of what goby u want

 

[edwardclaxton]

And how deep is ur sand bed bc the pistol and a goby will share the same burrow that the goby makes.