2.5 gallon Pico build

[Willster]

So, I am in the process of building what will (hopefully) be a new addition to my fish tank family I plan on and have built my 2.5 gallon bowfront, as well as overflow box, and a 1 gallon sump so far everything is working out perfect. My concerns are with livestock. It has a 20 watt 50/50 CF light (although looking to maybe upgrade to LEDs very soon :]). I was wondering if im going in the right direction with this?

Live stock will (hopefully) include:

3x sexy shrimp
1x white ray goby or
2x neon gobies
4x bumble bee snails
5x blue legged hermits

Corals:
1x frogspawn (frag from the 75 gallon )
1x GSP frag
1x monticap
as well as a bunch of zoas and shrooms


anyone have any ideas or suggestions? thanks!
:wavehand:

 

[Moonstream]

sounds like a good start- pictures are welcome!!

I have a mini-bow 2.5 setup on the desk in my family's living room; great little tank, using it mostly as a holding tank for a few extra corals and a damsel.

the light should be okay for most things, but I'm not sure the kind of growth you'll get on SPS with it.

I'd be very concerned with the planned stock; CUC-wise, bumblebee snails do little to help a tank, they're actually preditory snails who eat beneficial inhabitants of the sandbed. 5 hermits in a 2.5 is also asking for trouble. in my mini-bow, I have a single blue leg hermit, a cerith snail, two nerite snails, and 3 dwarf ceriths. I wouldnt go more than 1-2 hermits, and I'd highly recommend the dwarf ceriths, they're great cleaners.

as for fish, IMO I'd do just the neons; I just dont think a 2.5 is enough room for a yashia and pistol, or any goby/pistol pair for that matter.

 

[Willster]

i'll take all of that to mind when getting clean up crew! thanks for the advice, and pics coming very soon!

what do you think about the upgrade to LEDs? i was thinking of this "fixture" just to keep things simple.

http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=21600

Do you think it would be over kill? How high off the tank would i need to put the fixture? Any suggestions on mods i can make?

 

[Willster]

can anyone tell me if that light fixture will be too much? if i upgrade the lights, my tank will be SPS LPS dominated tank.

 

[Moonstream]

I'm sorry I cant help more, I dont know a whole lot about LED's (far outside my price range) but that looks to be quite a few for a 2.5- probably need to mount pretty high over the tank to avoid bleaching, and light acclimate corals. I realized I didnt mention it, but I found a great light at either lowes or home depot; a 27watt quadd-PC type bulb desk lamp with a nice white bulb, corals open up well under it, and it has a pretty decent color.

here it is:
http://www.google.com/products/cata...=X&ei=3V71Tb3ZF4PMgQe3xcG3Cw&ved=0CJQBEPMCMAQ

regardless, it sounds like it will be a great little setup!

 

[Willster]

this is the bulb i will be using until i get more info on LEDs
http://www.google.com/products/cata...a=X&ei=jIP1TaWJI9GWtwfvwqHxBg&ved=0CGIQ8wIwAQ

also, whats the best way to post pics?? im kinda a noob :3

 

[Willster]

I have decided to turn this build into a refugium for my 20 gallon sps tank