New to this with 10 gallon tank

[mr_X]

Originally Posted by Coralreefer1

No issues with switching though I would have gone with uncured rock to help the cycling of your tank. What are you currently using to cycle your tank? You need something to get the cycle going like a frozen piece of shrimp or a hardy fish like a damsel.

you don't want to torture a fish to cycle a tank. you can use any ammonia source.

[Its2sunny]

Originally Posted by superman1950s

I too have become obsessed with the hobby. Outside of the navy I got a second job so I could have more money for it. And the cardinals are a peaceful fish so I would add them first. Not all at once though, two fish at a time. Then you could add the goby then for sure add the clowns last since they will be your most aggressive fish. If you add in that order you shouldn't have any issues with territory.

Stay Salty,

Haha, I'll have to create a budget, saving an allocated amount form my wage, just to fuel this new passion. All stemmed from numerous scuba diving excursions.

So I have added some live sand to the mix, creating a deep sand bed, in order to try and use all and any means of natural filtration (will be adding refugium soon). However I haven't installed a plenum. Will adding sand shifting live stock (suggestions to what species) aid in reducing toxic gas build up within the sand, or do i need to add this?



Suggestions/help?

[superman1950s]

I've heard different things about using sand sifting critters with a dsb. The biggest thing I've heard is you don't want them, cause if they do make it down to the bottom of the dsb they can release the toxic bubbles and wipe your tank.

On my nano I have add more live sand for a nice dsb of 5". The only "sifter" I have is a diamond goby and then my watchman goby ( not really a sifter). The diamond goby doesn't do much digging and my watchman dug himself a nice cave about 1/2" deep and hasn't been digging since.

In the pass 5 weeks of the tank being fully operational I haven't seen an issue. But there is one lfs out here that has told their customers they won't even sell a sifter critter if they know it will be in a tank with a true dsb. I don't think you'll have any issues though.

[crister13]

Don't do a damsel. It will most likely die. Put a frozen raw shrimp in.

[crister13]

And I agree with sticking with gobies for a dsb. Gl!!!!!

[Its2sunny]

Originally Posted by crister13

Don't do a damsel. It will most likely die. Put a frozen raw shrimp in.

I was under the impression, with ls and lr, i didn't need an ammonia source. Is the shrimp a must for a source of ammonia?

As for sand shifters, i was thinking of a mandarin. I know this is a hard fish to care for, so next week i'm going to get a refugium, with algae and some copepods. And start breeding them as a source of food, and use the algae as a nitrate and phosphate eater.

Thus once the mandarin arrives, feeding it shouldn't be a problem. Then get some ocellaris, as of any other fish, not quite sure yet.

Clean up crew to contain some scarlet hermits, maybe some other species of hermit. Some snails, and a emerald crab... they look so cool.

[carey]

Mandarins arent sand sifters. They are absolutely not for a new tank, I have one and it was alot of work and effort to get her to eat frozen food. Alot don't ever make the transition.

I also had a pod grow out tank and it was pretty much a dud as far as it goes. I had live rock, chaeto, heater, light, filter and even put in a few thousand pods but the tank never took off.

[Its2sunny]

Originally Posted by carey

Mandarins arent sand sifters. They are absolutely not for a new tank, I have one and it was alot of work and effort to get her to eat frozen food. Alot don't ever make the transition.

I also had a pod grow out tank and it was pretty much a dud as far as it goes. I had live rock, chaeto, heater, light, filter and even put in a few thousand pods but the tank never took off.

Humm... well i guess i'll leave the mandarin out until i feel that i have established quite the pod colony, and am comfortable they have established themselves.

so what do you reckon is a good sifter? Gobies, as mentioned above?

[carey]

I have some gobies and none really sift sand for me. LOL I have a yellow watchman and a pink spotted that are known to sift but they dont. :-( Not all gobies sift. i have some clown gobies and a citron goby all of which arent known to sift.

You're kind of limited on fish, is this still a 10g build? Or did you go with a bigger tank?

[TLTGF]

This is now a 38g build

[Its2sunny]

Originally Posted by TLTGF

This is now a 38g build

Yea it is! Humm... should i just get some Nassarius Snails?

[carey]

Thanks, I thought so.

How about a yellow watchman or a shrimp goby? Plenty of room for them in 38g

[Its2sunny]

Originally Posted by carey

Thanks, I thought so.

How about a yellow watchman or a shrimp goby? Plenty of room for them in 38g

The yellow goby looks cool, those spots are brilliant. cool, so I'm thinning once i have my cleaning crew in, ill add the goby. Do you reckon i could add the Goby and Pistol Shrimp together?

[carey]

Gobies can actually pair up with a pistol shrimp. I'm not too sure about the yellow watchman, but shrimp gobies like the pink spotted are supposed to. I have a pink spotted and a pistol who pay no attention to each other though. LOL

[mr_X]

i don't think you can keep a mandarin alive in a 38 gallon tank, refugium or not.
they eat hundreds of pods a day. if you are stuck on them, you might try one that's been eating prepared foods, like the ORA mandarins. i heard many of them revert back to pods only though.

btw, you don't need any sand sifting fish. after the tank stabilizes, which may take a few months, the sand bed will stay white, providing you have enough flow in the tank and don't grossly overfeed.

[Its2sunny]

Cheers Carey... that helps a lot.

Mr_X... Well, i guess if a power head will do the trick i'm alright. I was just concerned that i might get some issues, as i have a deep sand bed. Aragonite below and fine live sand above.

I think i'll still go with the refugium and copepods. Just as a means of filtration. I'll wait to get the Mandarin, once i'm more familiar with the hobby, and upgrade to a bigger tank. I don't want to make any fish suffer unnecessarily, especially with tank size issues.

[mr_X]

a few burrowing snails like nassarius will do the job of keeping the top 1" aerated.and when i say few...3 is plenty. many more and you'll have to add food to the tank just for them.

[Its2sunny]

cheers for the advice. On another note, I've just had a tiny surprise in my tank. I just went to get some pizza out the oven, and noticed a moving shell. I thought it was just part of the rubble, that made up the ls. At closer inspection, i see it's a tiny blue hermit.

I can't believe i haven't seen this guy before. Well chuffed. And now worried as well. My tank is cycling, so will this little bugger be safe? Do i need to feed him?

[mr_X]

No need to feed him. He'll graze on the rock until you add fish and food. As far as the ammonia from the cycle is concerned, either way, you have to cycle this tank. You can either remove him or let him tough it out. There is a possibility the ammonia will be more than he can handle.

[Its2sunny]

Just a quick update. My water parameters are normal, and have been for a week straight. So i bought myself;

1x pseudochromie dottyback
2x clown fish
5x blue hermit
1x scarlet hermit
3x turbo snails
1x emerald crab
2x nassarius snails

All inverts and fish seem to be doing great, the dotty back likes to hide most of the time which is a bit annoying, however the clowns seem to be enjoying themselves, and exhibiting zero aggression towards each other which is a relief.

I think i will add a few more crabs and snails to the mix, and another fish for the moment. just can't decide what to get.

I'll post some photos as soon as i can.