1st SW tank. Need some advice

[DewDropPony]

I'm starting a 2.5 gallon pico reef. I guess its going to be an invert tank. I haven't never kept a SW tank before but I've been keeping FW aquariums for years pretty heavily. I have done planted tanks, cichlid tanks, goldfish tanks, community tanks, a frog tank, FW invert tanks, etc...

 

I would normally start out with a larger tank but that isn't a option right now because it's for a norm. I have some non-live base rock to use. I'll have to get some LR, the inverts, and corals yet. I have a protein skimmer that is for a 50 gallon. I noticed that some of you, a lot of you, don't have protein skimmers. I didn't know you could get away with that? Should I use my protein skimmer for the 50gal on this 2.5gal? I have a mini-heater on this tank, 80 watts of compact floursecnt lighting. I don't have the blue lighting. I don't know where to get it from, for this small of a tank? I could take out the bulb I have in there now and put in a 50/50 10watt compact flourscent bulb, but I don't think that will be enough light. Should I?

 

I have a RO unit and a UV starilizer. The UV starilizer is also for a 50 gallon tank. I wouldn't be able to use it on this tank. It's wider than the tank. The filteration is a AC 300. I think I'm going to move the heater into the AC. I have regular sand. What corals and inverts would be good for this set up? I'm kinda new to the refrugium idea. I was just going to use the AC for a sump and fill it with LR rubble. What's the benefit of making a refrugium and how would I go about doing that?

[icenine]

80w over a 2.5 gal?

 

That's gonna be hot.... might wanna think about auto top off as I would imagine lots an lots of evap.

 

No reason to stick a skimmer on such a small tank.. or UV (well no reason for UV ever really but..) regular water changes will more than handle the bio load for you.

Antinic is prefernece and not a requirement, so if you are OK with a yellow spectrum there is no reason to alter it.

 

As to what you might keep... what do you want? With that lighting you may have issues with some LPS ( as in your lighting will be a little too intense for some) but other than that your options are limited more by real estate inside that tank than anything else.

 

Good luck!

[DewDropPony]

80w over a 2.5 gal?

 

That's gonna be hot.... .....]

 

Actually, it's not bad at all.

 

might wanna think about auto top off as I would imagine lots an lots of evap.....]

 

I'd love to make a top off system! How do I do that?

 

Antinic is prefernece and not a requirement, so if you are OK with a yellow spectrum there is no reason to alter it.

 

Didn't know that! I really would like to use the antinic lights if they aren't too hard to come by. I have tons of room in my hood. I don't want to be limited in my choice of corals if there are hardier ones that need the antinic lighting.

 

As to what you might keep... what do you want? With that lighting you may have issues with some LPS ( as in your lighting will be a little too intense for some) but other than that your options are limited more by real estate inside that tank than anything else.

 

I'm not picky about what corals I want. It's my 1st SW tank so anything on the hardier side that stays small enough to fit in my tank and likes the intensity of light I'm providing.

 

I like hermits, but I heard if you keep too many of them, or a certain type, they'll eat the coral. I don't want that to happen. I like peppermint shrimp, and coral banded shrimp <----(I think that's the name of them. The ones with the really long legs). I like blue and red leg hermits.

[avalanche1201]

the actinics arnt needed for any coral. They are used to make the colors "pop" more for our enjoyment

 

check out the picos in this section, it should give you an idea on what to keep and help u think of a stocking list. Also read the threads...you might see what people have had to battle w/ or how to fix a certain problem...and u should see many "i wish I did this"

[Hekim]

Coralife makes a 20 watt 50/50 screw in PC bulb that is used on many 2.5s. Hermits dont eat corals, may irritate them by tramping on them, but not eat. They may or may not eat snails and or other hermits. Peppermint shrimps will pick on zoas if hungry so if you get them keep them feed. Coral banded shrimp are to big for a 2.5 IMO.

[DewDropPony]

Coral banded shrimp are to big for a 2.5 IMO.

 

What size tank does 1 coral banded shrimp need? If nothing else is kept in the tank, just wondering.

[Nevr]

What size tank does 1 coral banded shrimp need? If nothing else is kept in the tank, just wondering.

 

IMO I think that shrimp would be fine. Just go light on feeding it.

[Phedre]

I had a coral banded in a 60 gallon and wow the antenae (sp?) on these guys are incredably long and a 2.5 might not be big enough to accomadate them or contain them for that matter. Your choice ultimitely though. Have you seen Sexy Shrimp? you could have 3 of these in a 2.5 and they would be more to the scale of the tank. They are really niffty little guys. HTH

[circusordie16]

id also suggest skipping the coral banded shrimp and going with something smaller like sexy shrimp. i find that i like my 2.5 much better when things dont appear to be too big for the tank which is how it hink a coral banded would look. sticking with smaller corals and creatures makes it look much bigger and leaves you space for a wider variety of things. just my 2 cents.

[DewDropPony]

Well, here's a update. I decided to move everything over into a 5 gallon instead. I moved the light from the 2.5gal onto the 5gal. The light was originally taken from my 5gal anyways.

 

I need make a different lighting system for this hood though. The current one is bright enough, but not that right spectrum. I like the idea of LED lights. Has anyone else made lighting for their tanks using only LED lights? I'm thinking about using 50/50 (white/blue) and than a lower wattage moonlight. Where do you get the high intensity LED lights from?

 

I still really like the idea of the coral banded shrimp, but if they are too small for a 5gal I don't get one. I'd like to keep one fish, if possible. Really I just want ideas and input.

[Phedre]

Well, here's a update. I decided to move everything over into a 5 gallon instead. I moved the light from the 2.5gal onto the 5gal. The light was originally taken from my 5gal anyways.

 

I need make a different lighting system for this hood though. The current one is bright enough, but not that right spectrum. I like the idea of LED lights. Has anyone else made lighting for their tanks using only LED lights? I'm thinking about using 50/50 (white/blue) and than a lower wattage moonlight. Where do you get the high intensity LED lights from?

 

I still really like the idea of the coral banded shrimp, but if they are too small for a 5gal I don't get one. I'd like to keep one fish, if possible. Really I just want ideas and input.

 

I still would say 5 gallons is still too small for a coral banded. He took up a lotta space in my 60 gallon!! lol Seriously the LONGGG antennea they get take up a awful lotta space. I think my guys antenea's alone got like a good 4" long and he was not full grown at that point .

 

So avarege size of a coral banded is like 3" add 4" of antenea sticking out in all directions and you can clearly see how HUGE and uncomfortable a coral banded would be in a small tank.

 

A trio of Sexy's would be fun though ... they sit in the current and they a active little guys and they dance at one another cute very cute!! Also very to scale of small reef system.

 

HTH's!

[Nevr]

Holy cow! all the shrimps I see are MUCH smaller then what you are saying. i think i saw a 2 inch one ONCE.

 

majority says coral banded is out, but its up to you.

 

oh! pom pom crabs! do it!

[DewDropPony]

I still would say 5 gallons is still too small for a coral banded. He took up a lotta space in my 60 gallon!! lol Seriously the LONGGG antennea they get take up a awful lotta space. I think my guys antenea's alone got like a good 4" long and he was not full grown at that point .

 

So avarege size of a coral banded is like 3" add 4" of antenea sticking out in all directions and you can clearly see how HUGE and uncomfortable a coral banded would be in a small tank.

 

A trio of Sexy's would be fun though ... they sit in the current and they a active little guys and they dance at one another cute very cute!! Also very to scale of small reef system.

 

HTH's!

 

Alright, I won't get a coral banded shrimp. I'll keep sexy's in the back of my head, but my next favorite invert are hermits. 3 hermits would be nice, maybe 2 blue leg and one red leg. Is that safe enough for a 5 gallon with one 1'' fish? If so, what 1'' fish would work in this set up?

[Phedre]

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?...mp;hl=Nano+fish try this link if it works it will take you to IGreens fabulous nano fish guide if it does not just run a search here for nano fish it will come right up!

 

O' and please know I am in no way telling you what you should or should not do, just telling ya what my experiance was with a animal I have owned!

 

Good Luck!!

[DewDropPony]

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?...mp;hl=Nano+fish try this link if it works it will take you to IGreens fabulous nano fish guide if it does not just run a search here for nano fish it will come right up!

 

O' and please know I am in no way telling you what you should or should not do, just telling ya what my experiance was with a animal I have owned!

 

Good Luck!!

 

Thanks! It's hard to find places to look for nano fish. A lot of sites say you can't keep any fish in anything less than 10gallons and others say nothing less than 5gals. It gets confusing because I see a lot of people with one fish in a smaller nano. I don't want to cramp the fish though.

 

Don't worry. I didn't take your advice as being bossy or anything. I've seen lots of people keep coral banded shimp in 3gals or less so that's why I asked. I didn't know if they overstocked or what. Also, in all those cases it was still a small juvie so it might have only been a temporary situation. In either case I'd rather not push it. I'd like to keep some easy soft corals in this tank in a few months and don't need a high stock limit. I just want one fish and a few small inverts. I don't even need to have a fish, but I'd like one.

 

So far the possible prospects of fish selection are

 

Eviota Gobies

Redhead Goby

Trimma Goby

Black Barred Convict Goby

Firefish

 

What I end up getting depends on what my lfs has in stock, and is capable of ordering.

 

And possible prospects of inverts are

 

sexy shrimp

blue leg hermits

red leg hermits

blood shrimp

peppermint shrimp

 

Please note I won't be getting all of these. This is just a list of ideas. Again, it will depend on the lfs selection and ordering.