A few newbie questions

[darkgumby]

I'm planning on an AGA 5 gal minibow for my desktop at work.

 

Not sure which corals I want. I'll start with the simple stuff and then adjust lighting and other tank conditions as I learn more.

KISS mode at first. I think what I describe below makes sense, but if not please correct my false assumptions.

 

For lighting I plan to use the stock hood with a coral life 20 watt 50/50 bulb. Later I'll probably replace the hood with a custom job that will hold 3 or 4 of the bulbs. I'd think that I could keep just about anything under 80 watts. No way I can do MH in my office.

 

1. I want to paint the back of the tank black. Will krylon be ok for the acrylic tank? If not then what kind of paint should I use?

 

2. I plan to use an Aquaclear HOB for a 'fuge. Not sure which one yet, but it will be the largest that will fit across the back.

I'll slow down the flow with a smaller impeller.

I'll have some PC light for the 'fuge too.

 

Not sure what to put in the 'fuge. Thinking of LR and macro algae. Should I put in some LS too?

Should I partition off the fuge into a section for each or just put the sand on the bottom, LR on top of that and the algae above the LR?

 

Are there any critters that I should add to the fuge or just let nature take it's course?

 

Can the heater go in horizontally across the back of the fuge?

 

3. What kind of fish?

I'm not crazy about clowns.

I'd like to keep a goby with a shrimp and something else.

Would a 6 line wrasse work ok with the goby? I figure I'll get lots of pods from the fuge to feed the 6 line.

Fish will come after the tank is well established.

 

4. Can I skip the crabs? I've read about evil crabs. Will snails be enough of a clean up crew? If so which combination should I use?

I actually like hermit crabs but could do without the problems. If I decide that I need them I can always add them later.

 

5. What's so great about mysis shrimp? Should I add them specifically to the tank or will they be likely to ride in on the LR or algae in the fuge? Are there any other micro-critters that I'll need to try to cultivate? I expect pods will appear naturally.

 

Have I missed anything?

[Quash]

I think you are on the right track there bro. I dont have any crabs, straight up snails. some of them have died, so diatoms and hair algae are making a comeback i dunno, did you forget test kits? and some powerheads?

[darkgumby]

Did not forget, just forgot to mention in the first post.

 

I'll use the little PH that comes with the tank and add 1 or 2 more.

 

I'll get a test kit and test for everything as necessary

 

Good LFS is right across the street so I'll have them test water too.

I plan on a weekly 1 gal WC with LFS water. I'll keep RO water on hand too for top off.

 

Hey, are there pics of your tank available somewhere?

[MKramer]

For lighting I plan to use the stock hood with a coral life 20 watt 50/50 bulb.

 

Be aware that a Normal Output bulb like that has much less light per watt than a Power Compact (aka Compact Fluorescent). It'd probably be roughly equivalent to a 13W PC bulb. Which would still be enough for low-light corals, but only low light corals.

 

Later I'll probably replace the hood with a custom job that will hold 3 or 4 of the bulbs. I'd think that I could keep just about anything under 80 watts.

 

80watts could even be called overkill. I keep a clam and SPS in my 5g with 39W of PC light. The SPS isn't as colorful as the ones under MH at home, but they're growing for sure.

 

No way I can do MH in my office.

 

I'm just curious why you say that. I went PC in my office 5g, too, but only because the 70W MH kits weren't available then. Since you're building a custom hood, you can keep the bulb a good distance from the water. The single MH ballast will be quieter than the 3-4 fluorescent ballasts. And the power consumption would be about the same. And your tank would look spectacular.

 

Not sure what to put in the 'fuge. Thinking of LR and macro algae. Should I put in some LS too?

 

I wouldn't bother with the LS. LR provides better filtration, so why take up space with the sand? I'd just do rock and algae. I wouldn't recommend any critters either, as what you want in your fuge are the itsy-bitsy critters than come out of the rock itself. So on that note, I'd got the rock from a seasoned tank. Actually, what I like to do, is get all the live rock rubble crud out of the bottom of my LFS's LR tanks. Oodles and oodles of good life there. And lots of the time, they'll give it for free.

 

Can the heater go in horizontally across the back of the fuge?

 

As long as it's a decent-quality submersable, yep. Ego Jagr and Rena Cal are great choices, in my mind.

 

3. What kind of fish?

I'm not crazy about clowns.

I'd like to keep a goby with a shrimp and something else.

Any ideas what goby you're considering? I can't think of any shrimp gobies I'd put in that small a tank. Maybe some of the Stonogobiops gobies, but the smaller ones are really hard to find.

 

Would a 6 line wrasse work ok with the goby? I figure I'll get lots of pods from the fuge to feed the 6 line.

I don't think your fuge will be near big enough to provide a food source for the wrasse, nor will the small amount of rock in a 5g provide enough grazing area. Really, I think a sixer is a bad idea in a 5g. Goes for all wrasses, really. I haven't been around this board in a while, and maybe some people have shown it's doable, but I wouldn't recommend it.

 

Fish that I would consider easily doable in such a tank include:

Royal Gramma

Barnacle Blenny

Ocellaris Clown

Percula Clown

Most Damsels

Most Dottybacks/Pseudochromis

Wheeler's Watchman Goby (will sometimes pair with shrimp)

Yellow Watchman Goby

Any Clown Goby

Neon Goby

Red Head Goby

Firefish (not the purple one)

 

If you're looking for color, I highly recommend the Dottyback/Pseudochromis family. They're uniquely colorful, very hardy, and almost all available tank-raised. For personality, the clowns and firefish are great.

 

All the fish in that list are easy to care for, by saltwater standards. You do have some some other options if you go up in care level.

 

Can I skip the crabs?

I've never had a problem with my hermit crabs, but that's apparently nott he case for everyone. You can definitely do without them. Keep in mind that they're better for controlling filament type algaes, while snails are better with the film type algaes (or very early stages of the filamentus stuff). Hopefully you're tank will never need help with filamentus algaes, but they almost all do at some point in the maturation process.

[darkgumby]

Wow! Thanks for all of the nice advice.

I'll skip the LS in the fuge and skip the wrasse.

I'll do more research before I get any fish.

 

Be aware that a Normal Output bulb like that has much less light per watt than a Power Compact (aka Compact Fluorescent). It'd probably be roughly equivalent to a 13W PC bulb. Which would still be enough for low-light corals, but only low light corals.

 

I'm talking about this bulb.

http://www.franksaquarium.com/coralife_min...scent_lamps.htm

I'll use the 50/50 one so I get daylight and actinic. Maybe I should have called it a 'lamp' instead of 'bulb'.

Do you still think it won't be bright enough?

 

80watts could even be called overkill. I keep a clam and SPS in my 5g with 39W of PC light. The SPS isn't as colorful as the ones under MH at home, but they're growing for sure.

80 watts would be the max. I'd probably go with 2 of the lights and have plenty of wattage for a newbie tank.

I'm not going to go for a clam for a while yet. Probably never in this tank.

I'll add fans if the extra lights push the heat too high.

 

I'm just curious why you say that. I went PC in my office 5g, too, but only because the 70W MH kits weren't available then. Since you're building a custom hood, you can keep the bulb a good distance from the water. The single MH ballast will be quieter than the 3-4 fluorescent ballasts. And the power consumption would be about the same. And your tank would look spectacular.

 

KISS principal for the newbie.

These seem to be simple cheap screw-in PC lights that are easy to add if/when the light need increases.

I'm not planning on keeping anything that needs MH in this tank.

If I 'grow up' and decide I need MH then I can always upgrade with a different hood later.

I doubt that this tank will ever reach that point. If I need a more sophisticated setup then I'll do it at home.

[MKramer]

No need to change your terminology regarding the bulb, it was my fault, I wasn't aware such a thing was on the market.

 

The bulb would definitely be enough for low-light corals, and possibly even some moderate-light ones.

 

Good luck, and have fun.

[darkgumby]

Again thanks for the input.

 

Got pics of your office tank available?

[MKramer]

Some older ones are at:

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/showthread...=&threadid=8951

 

Unfortunately, I do classified work, and cameras are forbidden from our buildings. The livestock's changed (as has the cleanliness) since those old photos, but I don't have any pics. Currently, the tank is home to:

 

2 Rose bubble-tip anemones

2 Acroporas (one pink, one deep purple)

1 Montipora (orange)

1 2.5" Maxima clam (blue)

1 Yellow clown goby

1 scarlett hermit

2 baja snails

Various hitchikers (2 unknown crabs, 1 porcelain crab, a couple small limpets and cerith snails, god knows how many bristleworms)

 

I also have a home-made 1g fuge behind the tank.

[Quash]

pics or mine are at http://webspace.utexas.edu/ahe58 i plan on taking new pics with all my critters tonite, ive got a bit of a diatom and hair algae prob since losing some snails.