7G Minimalist Shrimp Cube

[WormLicker]

Stuff:

7 gallon systems cube tank (5.5g total water volume)

Fluvial sea nano LED light

Aquatop 25w powerhead with sponge filter

Topfin ch50 heater

5lb gravel

 

Inverts

1 peppermint shrimp

3 margarita snail

5 sexy shrimp

1 tail spot blenny

 

Macro

Dragons breath

Red gracilaria

 

Coral

GSP

Xenia

Apple zoaNo

_________

 

Most recent tank shot:

Started with 2ish gallon volume of bargain bin live rock from lfs. Lots of aiptasia babies, several tube worms. I actually think aiptasia is kindof cool, so I am planning to stock this with shrimp that can utilize it. Or eat it.

 

Plan: Sexy shrimp or a few peppermints, some ceriths, we will see what happens. I don't want fish, just shrimp as primary inhabitants.

 

Leak check complete, live rock in and added spent water from my 32G with some fresh mixed water (50/50?) Added a dash of bottle bac for good measure and now I'm just watching for other hitchhikers. 

So far the only other critter seems to be a single asterina starfish, I'm letting it stay. 

 

 

[WormLicker]

I am really surprised with how stable this little cube is already. I guess I underestimated the speed of starting with established rocks, populated water etc.. there is always something to learn in this hobby.

I'll keep monitoring everything for now. 8 nitrite. 0 nitrates. 

Ammonia at about 8

Ph still a little low, around 7.8. I know I need a new pH test kit though as it has been reading unreliably.

 

Hitchhikers look pretty happy, one of the aiptasia has opened up to about a one inch disk. I see a lot of tube worms popping up now.

[WormLicker]

Since we are cycled I've added a little bit of dragon's breath and red gracilaria to the display, plus one margarita snail. This live rock is POPPIN, overnight I have so many pods, tube worms, limpets and baby snails. 

Aiptasia count : 5

 

The plan so far is still sexy shrimp. I may include a pompom or a porcelain crab, also playing with the idea of leaving space for a peppermint pair Incase the anemones start to take over. I really don't know right now.

 

I'm still sortof playing with the idea of adding coral, I've read that xenia can compete with aiptasia. I'll keep reading about which corals can tolerate being near them.

 

[WormLicker]

Added two peppermint shrimp. Neither are aiptasia eaters.

But oh boy, these guys are so fun to watch. They are very inquisitive and are constantly next to each other, definitely a social shrimp species. 

I picked up some generic "shrimp pellet" and forceps to target feed them.

The young man in the house named them Big Red and Cherry. 

I also included two more margarita snails. 

I don't think I want hermit crabs since I still plan to add sexies and I don't want someone to be eaten while molting.

[WormLicker]

Oh. The cherries ate the aiptasia. Lol. Guess they just needed to think about it first. 

 

Added sexy shrimp. Look at them doing a little march. 

 

[WormLicker]

One cherry got eaten. It tried to molt and from what I can tell I maybe wasn't feeding enough or.. something. I've upped the feeding to twice a day, I'm having trouble getting the sexies to take food from tongs. 

 

Added one tail spot blenny for hair algae.

wow!! What a fun fish!

 

Added small GSP frag, xenia and a zoa from my other tank. 

Nitrates where getting a little high so I added some coral and today it is dipping back down. (From 20ish N03 to 15, stable for now.) 

 

One big bristle boy

I got a bristle worm on the live rock (I guess), he's pretty cool! But it nibbling on the macro..

 

 

Added a small 5g filter.

The powerhead with sponge was doing ok, but this was a good price and now I have a place for additional media if I need it going forward.