new nano no filter stocking levels

[mattoid]

hi all,

new to marine, too many high tech FW to remember. I'm cycling live rock for a 64ltr (16-17USgal) 40cm (15.5") cube tank. I'm going with the following:

•8kg live rock;
•will add about 10kg aragonite for extra bio once filtered;
•2000lph (525USgal) wave maker;
•heating at 25-26C (78F);
•AI PrimeHD LED lighting when cycled; and
•no filtration apart from live rock and aragonite.


tank will be in a stable environment temp. wise without a lid.
I am looking at incrementally stocking with the following:
5 morphs (corallimorphs?);
2 or 3 hammers;
1 or 2 shrimp (peppermint);
1 or 2 snails;
1 or 2 crabs?; and
2 percula clowns.

I think I am making it easy on myself with relatively hardy stock but would appreciate feed back on my choices. I expect to take four weeks to stock with everything before adding the clowns.

•Is 2000LPH too much (31x volume)
•do I need two wave makers
•is 8kg LR enough filtration
•Would it be too much to add a couple of blennies as well
•am I able to potentially incrementally double or even more the number of corals in a few months once tank is stable? Intention is to PWC weekly then down to every other week when stable.

Sorry if too many questions. Thanks in advance! P.S. I am not pretending that this will be my only marine tank...



Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Sniperhank]

Pretty easy setup. For a hi tech freshie, you won't be happy without filtration. I'd suggest at least a mechanical way to remove gunk. This is going to be important as 2 clowns will max out the bioload for the tank due to the size.
You want to aim for 1 lbs of rock per gallon of water.
Coral have little to no impact on the bioload. Once things are stable, with real maturity of a tank coming in at 6-12 months, you can add coral in bulk with no issue as long as it is acclimated right. The only issue would be from aggression between neighboring corals.
Two powerheads usually helps make a more chaotic flow, but in such a small tank one would do. Aim for 10-50x water turnover.

Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[mattoid]

Thanks. Sounds like I'm mostly on the right track. I was going with just a little more than 1kg (2lb) rock per 10ltr (2.5USgal) so 8kg (17.5lb) to nearly 17USgal. Unless I look at a HOB, I might stick with some blennies which I prefer - clowns are mainly to convince my wife that another tank in the house will benefit everyone and of course the kids.

I started very low tech with the FW and needed more of a challenge over the years going more and more tech and smaller and smaller so might hold off on the mechanical filtration for a tad.

Having said that, I can't imagine that it will be long before I pack down a few of my excess stock tanks to make room for at least one dendronepthya tank...?



Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Autumnsky]

Maybe one Clown (just make sure not to get a 6" variety) and a Clown Blenny. Just do plenty of small pwc.

HOB is easy, just throw in clean filter / bulk pad or some prefer floss when it starts getting dirty.

 

[mattoid]

Sounds good. Will a clown be content on its own? My obviously novice understanding is that they function better (happier sic.) in pairs.

My life is a constant PWC so keeping them up will just be par for the course...


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Autumnsky]

Not completely sure for that exact question. But I do know they need to come together young then the sex of one will change as they grow up and will mostly get along then as a pair.

Introducing older young ones may or may not work and they can fight and kill off one, something you just have to watch out for. Sometimes great match happens.

I kept 2 young ones which grew into a male and female pair and homed them with a breeder who is trying for babies. (I am not equiped for Clownfish baby raising)

 

[mattoid]

I just spoke with my LFS where I got the live rock, excellent store, but gave me a bit of a $ scare that i didn't get when i first got the rock. apart from pulsing wavemakers and added filtration that I was aware of but trying to bypass, he was adamant that I should get at a minimum, a skimmer.

can I just add a skimmer attachment to a plain old HOB filter for such a little tank rather than a dedicated 'protein skimmer'? or is it the same thing? Just a clean out of the gunk every week or as required? 5-10 times water volume per hour?

really confirming my 'marine newbie' mantle...


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[54seaweed]

in a 16g tank 1 clown would be overstocked . I hate having to say that .
Saltwater Aquarium Fish for Marine Aquariums: Ocellaris Clownfish, Captive-Bred
you have a very small choice of fish that can inhabit a tank of that size, the corals are fine along with the shrimp,
your live rock will act as your filter but yes a skimmer would help you along,

yes clowns can get along fine by themselves .

 

[gemach7]

I think to break down filtration will expand on why a protein skimmer is used.

In saltwater due to increased water tension you can form a foam with air bubbles. This allows you remove particulate out of the water column without filters. Since in salt water live rock provides your biological filtration this can be very advantageous.

In a 16 gallon setup your weekly pwc will achieve much of particulate removal. So you could do only a simple hob. The goal being to remove particulate between pwc. Because your also planning coral these are a must on such a small system to maintain stability.



Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[mattoid]

in a 16g tank 1 clown would be overstocked . I hate having to say that .
Saltwater Aquarium Fish for Marine Aquariums: Ocellaris Clownfish, Captive-Bred
you have a very small choice of fish that can inhabit a tank of that size, the corals are fine along with the shrimp,
your live rock will act as your filter but yes a skimmer would help you along,

yes clowns can get along fine by themselves .

thanks. does overstocking suggest problematic for the clown, or high maintenance? I only ask as high maintenance does not phase me, but not too keen on reducing the quality of life for the inhabitants.

I'll be purchasing a skimmer today!


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[mattoid]

I think to break down filtration wil expand


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

sorry, can you please explain what you mean?


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[mattoid]

sorry, can you please explain what you mean?


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

Just saw your complete post. thanks, very helpful. I will look at getting a HOB with a skimmer.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[gemach7]

Do not buy the rio nano hob skimmer.
Worst piece of equipment fresh or saltwater I've ever purchased.

Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[mattoid]

Just drove past an aquarium store that really only sells basic kit and livestock... they just happened to have some gear for 30% the cost of regular prices as they don't stock marine.

All Aqua One which I am fine with. 2 wave makers (3500 LPH, 925USgal) and a nano HOB skimmer. Will look at getting a 45cm cube instead of the 40cm (91ltr - 24USgal) as I think I won't be able to get away with not getting one. LFS has captive bred percula and black ocellaris.

I'm assuming 39 times water turnover (plus some given the rock etc.) with just one of the wave makers will be not too much for a clown?


Sent from my iPad using Aquarium Advice

 

[gemach7]

Just drove past an aquarium store that really only sells basic kit and livestock... they just happened to have some gear for 30% the cost of regular prices as they don't stock marine.

All Aqua One which I am fine with. 2 wave makers (3500 LPH, 925USgal) and a nano HOB skimmer. Will look at getting a 45cm cube instead of the 40cm (91ltr - 24USgal) as I think I won't be able to get away with not getting one. LFS has captive bred percula and black ocellaris.

I'm assuming 39 times water turnover (plus some given the rock etc.) with just one of the wave makers will be not too much for a clown?


Sent from my iPad using Aquarium Advice

I have two hydor koralia nano 565 in my 20 gallon long along with the 180gph from my sump return. Not saying buy these, just an example of flow. Waves give a beating to fish.

The cube aquariums give easy maintenance they are good choice. When ever I have second thought equipment has always been from not enough planning for maintenance.

I now always ask
is there enough height for a siphon?
Can I do a water change with little effort?
Can I clean a filter easily?
Do my rocks and decor give enough space to clean the glass?
How do I connect wires and piping so I can disconnect if need to clean?

After my maintenance plan is setup I think about specifics for different species. You have months in a salt water tank of cycling before you add anything. Take your time on buying equipment, buy once.



Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[mattoid]

Sage advise. I don't think i've ever completely planned any of my tanks or even rebuilds. Only FW to date and the newer two are still very much works in progress. You'd think I would have learned something by now.

I am a big fan of the cube with 6 of them, four being properly scaped, though still fiddling around with lighting and species...


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[mattoid]

Take your time on buying equipment, buy once.

So an update on my first marine - still only cycling however - purchased a 24x18x18 120ltr (32USgal) rimless/braceless to go with the now 29 times water turnover wave maker and HOB skimmer - rated for up to 90ltrs, but won't go nuts on stocking. Will pick up more rock to make up around 15kg (33lb)

Hoping to have interesting enough scaping of the rock to not go nuts with soft corals, a couple of clowns, one or two blennies, a snail, and a peppermint shrimp. As a newbie, I am assuming this setup is akin to a first FW with a few neon tetras or mongrel guppies, some driftwood and low light java ferns ?

Thanks all for the advice and input! No doubt I'll be back on within a few hours of my first coral placement, but found an aquarium only 45mins from home (which is as good as it gets from where I am) with the manager ex-Melbourne Aquarium coral expert...


Sent from my iPad using Aquarium Advice

 

[Sniperhank]

Sounds like things are moving along. Keep us posted on the cycle.

 

[Autumnsky]

The extra size on the tank means there are so many more choices for selection of a fish.

Just remember Paly and Zoas and a few other types of coral have toxins and they are somewhat to very dangerous (like don't boil SW rocks). I just bumped a couple of my Zoas with a small frag stone that slipped off an upper rock and they poisoned nearly everything in my tank. (In my 12G nano - much less forgiving in a nano envioronment). Just a newbie heads up.

Just because this is a beginner tank doesn't mean it is needs to be or is going to be kinda Guppy cycling thing. You can do a good job right off and keep on going strong You have lots of support here! Take your time and do not get in a big hurry!

 

[mattoid]

Just remember Paly and Zoas and a few other types of coral have toxins and they are somewhat to very dangerous

Thanks. I had no idea apart from the possibly erroneous understanding that some corals can cause damage and subsequent infections in some fish...?

I love my aquascaping/design process with the FW, though never posted any pics as I've been inactive for a fair while on AA, so am looking forward to hardscaping LR. From what I have garnered, marine scaping relies very heavily on hardscape placement, but - at least with my tanks - FW aquascaping uses hardscape as a base with plants and their growth/form creating the visually balancing factors.

Going to get some magnet selection advice (N52 coated with 'pond safe' sealant?) from the 'coral guy' today. I picked up two very exciting shelf pieces with at least one of them that I'd like to stand alone.


Sent from my iPad using Aquarium Advice