Overstocked tank?

[Katweet]

I have a 10g fowlr (no room to upgrade as I may move into a dorm room soon) that's about a month old. 15lbs high quality live rock, 0 amm and trites, 20 trates, +-1.024 SG (because I haven't quite figured out the best routine to keep it constant; Im thinking of buying an ATO system).

It's currently stocked with two very young clowns- one of which I'm prepared to remove if they don't get along as they grow- a myriad of hitchhikers and two nessarius snails. I plan on starting a reef with only the hardiest corals 3-5 months from now, per advice from experienced reefers. I also want two peppermint shrimp to clean up my aiptasia and a skunk cleaner shrimp because they're neat. Would this tank be over-stocked?

 

[ImACoolguy]

Yes. 1 clown is more than enough for a 10g system, your nitrates prove this.

In freshwater you don't want to go about 20 nitrates, in saltwater with invertebrates you try not to exceed 10, 5 preferably.

I'd only do 1 clown to cut back on bioload (and possible over feeding)

Invertebrates will be fine.

I have a snowflake ocellaris
Peppermint shrimp
Skunk cleaner
3 hermits
And a snail in my 10g tank

Nitrates stay in check.

In a reef you can't let nitrates get that high or you will have some unhappy corals.


Caleb

 

[Katweet]

I wouldn't particularly mind upgrading as long as the footprint of the tank isn't much bigger than ~20 x 10. The only 20g I've seen that fits the specs is an extra high. What's the smallest you would keep two clowns in, and is horizontal space necessary to the species? There's a 15 (or 20, i dont remember) gallon hex at the lfs but it's probably twice as tall as it is long.

Also, where could I find a light for a tank like that? I've currently got a 15W actinic rod and three 6500k (i think) 13W bulbs on a tracklight mounted above my tank. Could I still grow SPS with these lights in a taller tank?

 

[Sniperhank]

Well, in a reef you don't really want to have your nitrates get higher than 40...depending on what all is in the system. 0 is always better. The more bioload the faster the nitrates will rise, more food = more poop = more nitrates.
The faster the nitrates rise the harder it is to keep up with them by water changes.