Thinking of putting a 10 gallon reef

[itsgracia]

To be purchased:

-10 gallon AGA
-AC 70 will only use either ceramic rings or rubble rock which one is better.
-20 lbs Aragonite sand
-16 lbs of nano live rock from liveaquaria
-Heater?
-light the nova extreme 24" what corals do you recommend?
-A mini skimmer rio?
-Nano Koralia?

CUC
8 Dwarf ceriths
2 Nassarius
4 Florida Ceriths
3 Blue Legs
3 Small to Medium Nerites

Stock
2 tank bred ocellaris

planning in starting after my son's 4th bday so around mid may.

I'm open to suggestions. This will be my first SW dip.

Edit: do I need a glass top? If I don't, will the evaporation be too much? Weekly PWC will be done.

 

[joy13]

You don't really need a glass top for evaporation. The only tank I have a glass top on is the one with a wrasse since I don't want it to jump out. Top offs should be everyday or even twice a day to keep the salinity stable. If you don't want to do top offs get an ATO, They are easy to set up and use.

You don't need a skimmer on a small tank but you do have to keep up with your PWC/ The light you will want a 4 bulb light if you go with T5

 

[iDream]

You're way over on your CUC, much too many.

In my 14G I have 7 blue- leg hermits and 7 Turbo snails

 

[joy13]

The dwarf cerith snails are very small and seem to be short lived in my tank. I don't know what the life expectancy is for them or if my hermits like to eat them. The Florida ceriths end up as new shells for the hermits. I am not saying not to get the hermits but be aware of the fact they will kill a snail just to try on their shell. I watched one of my blue legged crabs kill a Florida cerith try on the shell, which was to big since he could only back up. He backed up in a full circle and went back into its old shell. I have lots of other different sized shells in my tank. I do have hermits in my tanks.

PLEASE make sure you cycle your tank before putting in any fish. If your little guy wants a fish in there someone on a forum took some of those cling images and put on the tank. Keeping the child occupied while it cycled.

 

[itsgracia]

You're way over on your CUC, much too many.

In my 14G I have 7 blue- leg hermits and 7 Turbo snails

Got it from the reefcleaners website. The custom one. What would you suggest?

 

[itsgracia]

PLEASE make sure you cycle your tank before putting in any fish.

the tank will definitely be cycled before I would even think of putting anything alive in there. I am in no rush. This is more for me because my little ones have their FW tank. This one will actually be upstairs in my bedroom.

 

[iDream]

Defintely IMO go all snails, no hermits. Less to worry about. No need for extra shells for hermit, no worrying about them killing snails or each other

 

[itsgracia]

What snails and how many do you think I would need? Do you think I can put maybe a shrimp or two?

 

[Flake]

I'm a huge fan of astrea snails. They've always worked really well for me.

 

[iDream]

I say max out at 10-15 snails. Definitely some nassarius for the sand.

You could definitely add a shrimp, IMO they're not a part of CUC

 

[itsgracia]

4 nassarius
4 F Neriths
4 Astrea
1 sexy shrimp/peppermint which one is better?

 

[iDream]

As far as cleaning both don't contribute. That's why I said IMO they don't count as CUC.

That list looks good though.

(And a tip: If you do get sexy shrimp later on they like to be in trios, like 3, 6, 9, etc.)

 

[itsgracia]

Thanks so much you have been great help. I might just go with the peppermint then.

You think I can put all the snails together at once (after the tank have cycled of course) or do I have to put them x number at a time?

 

[iDream]

They're fun little guys for sure