16G BowFront --> 29G Reef Tank Build

[DanS180]

Originally Posted by CorallineAlgae

Hermits and snails are the best. Maybe a few more blue legs and various snails would be a good idea. I like red serpent stars or brittle stars. I always like to have one in a tank. They really make it seem like the tank is a mini ocean.

Do the stars require a lot of open space? Bc right now I don't have a whole lot, I mean I could take out a few tiny pieces of rock that's out in the open if I needed to

[22engine]

Originally Posted by DanS180

Do the stars require a lot of open space? Bc right now I don't have a whole lot, I mean I could take out a few tiny pieces of rock that's out in the open if I needed to

I have two big turbo snails, two large snails ( forget the name), five cerinth snails, 11 hermits and a sand sifting star. Had a couple other snails that the hermits decided they liked Better so they ate them. Even though I put a ton of extra shells in.

[DanS180]

So would u recommend more hermits and snails? Snails and a star? Or star and hermits?

[22engine]

Originally Posted by DanS180

So would u recommend more hermits and snails? Snails and a star? Or star and hermits?

Personally I like the hermits. They do a good job. Just get empty shells for them to change into. I like star fish too

[DanS180]

Originally Posted by 22engine

Personally I like the hermits. They do a good job. Just get empty shells for them to change into. I like star fish too

Yeah I got like 6-7 empty shells in there already.. okay so I'll go with a couple more hermits and maybe a star depending on the price lol

[22engine]

Originally Posted by DanS180

Yeah I got like 6-7 empty shells in there already.. okay so I'll go with a couple more hermits and maybe a star depending on the price lol

I like to watch them and I believe you can have 2 per gallon of water.

[DanS180]

Originally Posted by 22engine

I like to watch them and I believe you can have 2 per gallon of water.

Really?? I thought stars got to be a decent size?

[CorallineAlgae]

Originally Posted by DanS180

Really?? I thought stars got to be a decent size?

A single serpent star would be ok. They usually never get as large as brittle stars though you can order certain brittles that are minuscule. A sand sifting star may starve to death. None of them are necessary to have. Snails and hermits are all most people need. Variety is part of the appeal of a reef tank. If you want it and can safely add some type of star then it just comes down to preference.

[DanS180]

Originally Posted by CorallineAlgae

A single serpent star would be ok. They usually never get as large as brittle stars though you can order certain brittles that are minuscule. A sand sifting star may starve to death. None of them are necessary to have. Snails and hermits are all most people need. Variety is part of the appeal of a reef tank. If you want it and can safely add some type of star then it just comes down to preference.

Well I guess I'll read about some of em and see which I like if any

[crister13]

He was talking about 2 hermits per gallon. Haha 60 starfish...... Whew!!!!! Lol. Yes a sand sifting star would most likely die in a 29.

[DanS180]

Originally Posted by crister13

He was talking about 2 hermits per gallon. Haha 60 starfish...... Whew!!!!! Lol. Yes a sand sifting star would most likely die in a 29.

Yeah I was like really?!?! Haha that'd be insane... ok so no sand sifting star for me, guess I'll look into the brittle star or serpent star

[DanS180]

How often do u guys feed your fish??

[Beengirl]

Once a day in the evening I feed everyone. The herbivores also get a piece if algae on the clip in afternoon. But I have a canister rated for twice size of tank and an Aqua c Remora skimmer that is for a bigger tank too, so I don't have issues with cyano or algae so far. (Crossing fingers!!!)

[DanS180]

Originally Posted by Beengirl

Once a day in the evening I feed everyone. The herbivores also get a piece if algae on the clip in afternoon. But I have a canister rated for twice size of tank and an Aqua c Remora skimmer that is for a bigger tank too, so I don't have issues with cyano or algae so far. (Crossing fingers!!!)

Ok bc I've been feeding my 4 guys once every other day.. usually a 1/3 piece of frozen mysis shrimp. They all seem to be doing just fine considering they're all small.. do u think I should b giving them more often?

[Beengirl]

Originally Posted by DanS180

Ok bc I've been feeding my 4 guys once every other day.. usually a 1/3 piece of frozen mysis shrimp. They all seem to be doing just fine considering they're all small.. do u think I should b giving them more often?

That doesn't seem like an exorbitant amount of food. There are ALoT of mysis crammed into I cube, so 1/3 for 4 fish sounds okay. I would rotate food between several types, though. In the wild fish don't eat the same thing everyday. I rotate mysis, brine, cyclopeeze, chopped scallops and silversides, bloodworms. I would just cut up a cube and put remainder in a ziplock bag in freezer for next day. Keep an eye on the fish though and make sure their not lookin skinny or colors off.

[DanS180]

Originally Posted by Beengirl

That doesn't seem like an exorbitant amount of food. There are ALoT of mysis crammed into I cube, so 1/3 for 4 fish sounds okay. I would rotate food between several types, though. In the wild fish don't eat the same thing everyday. I rotate mysis, brine, cyclopeeze, chopped scallops and silversides, bloodworms. I would just cut up a cube and put remainder in a ziplock bag in freezer for next day. Keep an eye on the fish though and make sure their not lookin skinny or colors off.

Yeah I guess I should rotate with what I feed em.. usually mysis and flake food but I'll get something else, and yeah I keep everything in a zip lock in the freezer they're all looking good.. bright colors and not looking skinny

[DanS180]

However my diatoms on the glass is just not going away :/ any advice on this?? I don't mind that its on the sand and rocks bc its food for my CUC but on the glass just makes it look ugly lol

[CorallineAlgae]

Originally Posted by DanS180

However my diatoms on the glass is just not going away :/ any advice on this?? I don't mind that its on the sand and rocks bc its food for my CUC but on the glass just makes it look ugly lol

Your diatoms will go away naturally. Give it some time and stay away from tap water.

I always feed every day, usually 2-3 times in very small amounts. I cut my cubes into eights. I love the Hikari micro pellets and the smallest size New Life Spectrum pellets. Smaller pellets always seem to produce less waste than flakes or regular size pellets. Many people have experienced higher nutrients in their water from food brands like Wardleys and Tetra. My advice is to feed in crazy small amounts but often. The idea isn't to feed more food, but the same amount more often. Believe me your diatoms aren't a problem. Everybody goes through it.

[DanS180]

Originally Posted by CorallineAlgae

Your diatoms will go away naturally. Give it some time and stay away from tap water.

I always feed every day, usually 2-3 times in very small amounts. I cut my cubes into eights. I love the Hikari micro pellets and the smallest size New Life Spectrum pellets. Smaller pellets always seem to produce less waste than flakes or regular size pellets. Many people have experienced higher nutrients in their water from food brands like Wardleys and Tetra. My advice is to feed in crazy small amounts but often. The idea isn't to feed more food, but the same amount more often. Believe me your diatoms aren't a problem. Everybody goes through it.

Lol okay guess I'll just continue to scrub em off.. maybe I'll stop at the LFS today and see what kind of food I can get.. but overall feed 2-3 times a day in tiny amounts?

[CorallineAlgae]

Originally Posted by DanS180

Lol okay guess I'll just continue to scrub em off.. maybe I'll stop at the LFS today and see what kind of food I can get.. but overall feed 2-3 times a day in tiny amounts?

That's my technique. Some difficult to keep fish will only survive if fed like this. After buying a cleaner wrasse years back I knew he needed lots of multiple feedings. After he was trained to accept prepared foods he lived for about four years but I noticed my other two fish, a clown and a goby were in much better health compared to the once daily feeding they had been getting before that. I had read about the natural feeding habits of reef fish which was basically continuous grazing. Three feedings isn't the same as that, but it's closer to what fish have in nature. Again, I don't feed a lot, just often. Many fish do just fine on daily feedings so the choice on how often to feed comes down to the types of fish. I still believe that fish stay healthier on more feedings.

I would survive just fine on a single meal a day or even on one feeding every other day. Most people eat three times and snack in between. It's our nature. Fish, by nature, eat far more often, almost continuously while awake. Knowing that, I don't consider three daily feedings excessive. Again, the idea is much less food given more often. I also think that other feeding programs aren't wrong. Whatever works out best for the fish, the tank's water quality, and the person doing the work is fine. Everybody seems to have a different experience about what works for them. As long as it works out it's fine. The biggest danger is overfeeding. I still believe that I underfeed.