Thoughts on new 10 gallon setup

[AlmightyJoshaeus]

Hello all! My mother's 10 gallon is looking gnarly - it's overgrown with algae (Caulerpa prolifera and pest algae) and just doesn't look very good. Therefore, I am planning to restart the tank. Here's the planned specs;

- Filter: A Seachem Tidal 55 filter at 250 GPH

- Heater; A Finnex HMX titanium heater, 50 watts

- Light: A 23 watt Tuna blue PAR38 led bulb

- Do I need a wavemaker?

- Salt: Instant ocean

- Water: Primo RO water from Walmart (37 cents a gallon...should get a tds meter just in case. Can revert to distilled water if this is a bad idea)

- Flora; Macroalgae of various kinds (NOT including C. prolifera)

- Corals: A gorgonian or two...maybe others

- Fauna; a couple snails and hermit crabs, and a pistol shrimp (from the current build). Fishes are TBD. Mom has expressed interest in a bubble tip anemone and a clownfish.

 

What do you guys think of this setup? Thanks 🙂

 

[AbnormalReefer]

First, get rid of the algae. Caulerpa, when it goes sexual, will come back from the tiniest spore (or speck, or whatever scientific term, lol). Is the tank bare bottom or sand? If sand, I’d give the substrate a real good cleaning or if it’s really bad than replace said substrate. 

 

Regarding the wavemaker/powerheads, it depends on what corals you want to keep. If you want to keep softies and even some easy LPS, then the backflow from the seachem tidal may be enough. However, with your gorgonian and SPS if you desire them, you may want to add some wave makers. A bubble tip, albeit the easiest anemone to keep in captivity, will also require extra flow. In my opinion, 2 small powerheads are better than 1 big one. 

 

In a 10 gallon, I’d do a pair of clownfish as the interaction between male and female are so unique! I’d only recommend ocellaris or percula clownfish though. Maroons and clarkiis and the such get wayyy to big for a 10 gallon unfortunately. 

 

Everything else seems ok. Let me know if I missed anything!

[Clown79]

The tidal 55 is an excellent filter but I wouldn't use the stock media. Use filter floss instead of the sponge.

 

Cut the floss to size and replace twice a week. Floss is cheap and can be found in bulk.

 

I like to bag my own media but you can use chemipure.

 

A powerhead ot some sort is a good idea cause the filters flow is different. 1 powerhead and the filter would be good.

 

I wouldn't advise RO water. It's not pure and has tes in it which can cause issues with nutrients.

 

Using distilled is far better as it's pure water.

 

For clowns, stick with ocellaris or percs, the other species get big.

 

 

[AlmightyJoshaeus]

OK! Thanks. I am using a new 10 gallon for this instead of the old one, so I won't need to clean it as badly. Also, the tank WILL have sand.

[Lula_Mae]

C. prolifera honestly is fine if you keep it out of the rockwork and prune it regularly.  Any of the caulerpas grow pretty fast, I find prolifera easier to control than some others. Definitely avoid the feathery ones. Macros I'd look into include botyrocladia, dragon's breath, blue scroll, C. barbata, gracilaria, halimeda.

 

I would recommend some additional flow from a powerhead of some sort. Hold off on the nem for now, give the tank time to get established. The clowns will be fine and probably pick something else to host in the meantime. 

[AlmightyJoshaeus]

Here's my updated tank specs taking what you guys said into account;

 

- Filter: A Seachem Tidal 55 filter at 250 GPH
- Heater; A Finnex HMX titanium heater, 50 watts
- Light: A 23 watt Tuna blue PAR38 led bulb
- Wavemaker: A generic 350 GPH internal filter (also gives me more media space)
- Salt: Instant ocean
- Water: Distilled water, 2 gallon water changes a week
- Flora; Macroalgae of various kinds (NOT including C. prolifera)
- Corals: A gorgonian, and some green ricordea...have any additional suggestions?
- Fauna; a couple snails and hermit crabs, and a pistol shrimp (from the current build). Fishes are TBD.

 

How does this look? Also, what do I do with the snails and pistol shrimp while redoing the tank? Do I just keep them in a bucket with live rock for a few days?

[AbnormalReefer]

Keep the pistol and snails and the such in a bucket with a heater for a few days. Honestly, if you use the live rock and live sand then I don’t think you’ll have a cycle, so after a few days after the sand cloudiness disappears you can add them back. 

 

 

Don’t limit yourself on corals by the way. Unlike fish, corals don’t have a certain tank size required for them. The sky is your limit! Montipora, Acropora, Euphyllia, Zoanthus, Favia... etc...

 

[AlmightyJoshaeus]

So I should use the same rocks and sand? I was worried they could transmit algae to the new tank.

[AlmightyJoshaeus]

Also, should I use some of those phosphate and/or nitrate removing pads, or will those have a negative effect on the macroalgae?

[Clown79]

I wouldn't use an internal filter. Once again, not the right type of movement. You also will not need anymore room for media, the tidal is large enough.

 

 

Get a powerhead like a hydor 240 or 420 will give you the type of water movement corals need plus it will take up less room, which is more room for corals😁

 

 

[AlmightyJoshaeus]

OK, I will get a powerhead or wavemaker.