29 gallon setup - whats missing?

[johnd651]

After reading through a lot of this website, I have slowly started to build my SW tank. I am just not starting it because I know I will be moving within the next 6 months, and do not want to have to move another tank.

Yes it is hard to stare at it, all piled up next to my bed, ready to go!!! :furious: but i know the right thing to do is to wait.

I do have a list or stuff i own/need to be/wish list. I wanted some feedback on what i might be missing, what else i might need, what i should change.

What I already have
Tank
29 gallon tank
Current Orbit 24in
Eggcrate screen
2x Hydor Koralia 2 at 600gph
Aquaclear 110 (Fuge- cheato, LR rubble)
MagFloat
Seachem Seagel
Seachem Purigen
100W Ebo Jager heater
Thermometer

SW mixing
5 gallon bucket
Prime
Marineland Penguin 550
Marineland Visitherm 250Watt


Shopping List
Tank
Fiji live rock (around 45 lbs)
tahiti black reef sand (20lbs, probably only about 2inches in the tank)
Gloves
fish net

SW mixing
Seachem reef salt
refractometer
ro/di
API saltwater master kit
API reef master kit

Food
turkey baster
Marine flakes
frozen food
coral food

Stock
CUC
Blue leg hermit crab (8)
Scarlet hermit crab (10) (these are the red ones?)
cerith snails(8)
Cleaner shrimp (will one scarlet shrimp or a peppermint shrimp be ok?)

Coral
Brain coral (especialy open)
candy cane
frogspawn
zoa
ric's

maybe a mushroom
maybe dendros

Fish
Orange Stripe Prawn Goby
Firefish, purple
Clownfish (2) (does it matter which ones i get, true or false clownfish? is one easier to pair then the other? will they be ok without anemone?)

Christmas List(Or birthday, or easter, or some other random holiday)
Reefkeeper Lite

let me know
-johnd651

 

[pisces4u]

I would suggest less hermits and more variety of snails once you set the tank up. 18 hermits in a 29g is a lot and they'll prolly murder each other and the ceriths for food and fun. I would try 5 nassarius vibex (the small ones), 5 cerith, 5 astrea, and 1 or 2 turbo snails with 2 blue and 2 red hermits if you still want them.

Skip the flake food. Some people like pellets, I use all frozen.

If you get a refractometer, buy some calibration fluid also. Calibrating it regularly is important and using ro/di water won't give you the best accuracy.

 

[reefman5511]

Not seeing a skimmer on your list

 

[cardiffgiant]

If you get a refractometer, buy some calibration fluid also. Calibrating it regularly is important and using ro/di water won't give you the best accuracy.

+2. I didn't calibrate mine for 2 years and it was off (was reading 1.024 instead of 1.026).

 

[pisces4u]

IMO, 29g with those 4 fish and that coral list can be done without a skimmer. Careful feeding and weekly water changes are key.

The ac110 with chaeto on a reverso photo period will manage nutrients well. I run two nano reefs on the same skimmerless system.

 

[block head]

i think you have a workable plan. i run a very simliar set up and stock list. i'd skip the clowns unless your really into them. clowns are poopy tankmates. they will dominate the tank and most likley kill the p firefish.

 

[pisces4u]

Or introduce them last. We have a black ocellaris and false perc in a 37g hex with watchman goby and mandarin and they are 100% docile. They were also the last fish added.

 

[johnd651]

i will edit the CUC list

IMO, 29g with those 4 fish and that coral list can be done without a skimmer. Careful feeding and weekly water changes are key.

The ac110 with chaeto on a reverso photo period will manage nutrients well. I run two nano reefs on the same skimmerless system.

i already have a 55 gallon FW, and weekly water changes are not an issue, which is why I went skimmerless.

However, as time goes by, i might invest in a HOB skimmer.

as for the chaeto, why reverse photo period?

i think you have a workable plan. i run a very simliar set up and stock list. i'd skip the clowns unless your really into them. clowns are poopy tankmates. they will dominate the tank and most likley kill the p firefish.

the clownfish are kind of a cliche/my g/f thinks they look cute...small price to pay to actually have the tank

 

[Johnny C]

Definatly a nice setup, glad to see you did your homework!

Coming from someone who owned a 30G tank, I'd definatly recommend a small skimmer. You can get by without it but if your looking to get into coral (as your list suggests) it makes a noticeable difference in water quality. Check out the one linked below, it's a great skimmer for the price and has very good reviews. Good Luck!

http://www.aquacave.com/detail.aspx?ID=2347#Reviews

 

[pisces4u]

as for the chaeto, why reverse photo period?

Photosynthesis in corals and algae consume carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, raising the ph in your tank. Respiration during lights-off does the opposite. Running a refugium with chaeto or other macro algae on a reverse photo period helps to maintain a stable ph level.

 

[johnd651]

Photosynthesis in corals and algae consume carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, raising the ph in your tank. Respiration during lights-off does the opposite. Running a refugium with chaeto or other macro algae on a reverse photo period helps to maintain a stable ph level.

If i am running this chaeto in a HOB AC110, what would be a suitable lighting source??
Would any regular plant bulb work? Should I use a 50/50? One of these CF Bulbs?

Also, could I run it on the same time cycle as the moonlights?

 

[block head]

i run a aqua c remora and have about a quart of chaeto. i'd say they help ,but honestly not that much. weekly water changes are going to be your best bet. my p firefish was first in and punked the clowns when younger. once they pair up and mature ,they consider the whole tank there's. i'd pick hardy tankmates w/clowns. you can do almost anything you want nano's. imo you will save yourself alot of trouble by keeping everything as simple as possible and understocked.

 

[johnd651]

what about one clown? is that feasible? or a true and false, like in pices4u tank?

 

[johnd651]

So I have thought about it, and after looking around, i found a skimmer for cheap on the selling forum. I will have this running. is that ok, with a AC110 fuge right next to it???

Also, other then getting a bigger light and heater, and more LR would this setup work with a 55 gallon tank (depending on my FW tank), or would i need other equipment?

And here's the list again

Tank
29 gallon tank
Current Orbit 24in
Eggcrate screen
2x Hydor Koralia 2 at 600gph
Aquaclear 110 (Fuge- cheato, LR rubble)
MagFloat
Seachem Seagel
Seachem Purigen
100W Ebo Jager heater
Floating Thermometer
CPR Bak-Pak skimmer


SW mixing
5 gallon bucket
Prime
Marineland Penguin 550
Marineland Visitherm 250Watt


Shopping List
Tank
Fuge light
Fiji live rock (around 45 lbs)
tahiti black reef sand (20lbs, probably only about 2inches in the tank)
Gloves
fish net

SW mixing
Seachem reef salt
refractometer w/ solution
ro/di
API saltwater master kit
API reef master kit

Food
turkey baster
Marine pellet
frozen food
coral food

Stock
CUC
Blue leg hermit crab (2)
Scarlet hermit crab (2)
cerith snails(4)
nassarius vibex(4)
astrea (4)
turbo (1)
Scarlet shrimp

Coral
Brain coral (especialy open)
candy cane
frogspawn
zoa
ric


Fish
Orange Stripe Prawn Goby
Firefish, purple
Clownfish (2) (going in last)

Christmas List
Or birthday, or easter, or some other random holiday
Reefkeeper Lite

 

[block head]

still very doable. heat is your biggest issue with nano's. more stuff,more heat. honestly ,nano equipment is much more expensive and less effective. heaters are a weak link in all tanks. i ' m able to avoid using one all together. clown/nem pairs are the most popular fish for a reason. u can mix or have a single clown,but imo your really not going to get the full experience. a clown pair w "claim" about 25 g . anything that enters their space will have to hold there own. if it were me, i spend the money on a controler (used would be fine) and try a nem/ clown pair and maybe shrimp/goby pair. or if your willing to skip the clowns, there are many peacefull nano fish, that are beautiful and fit the size and scale of nano much better.

 

[johnd651]

sorry to bring this back from the dead...but plans have changed..and i want to pick everyones brain again.

so i will be moving to Utah this summer for grad school, and need to downsize (sort of). having 3 tanks is a little much, so i am going to convert the 55FW to SW once i am out there. and keep the 10 as a QT.

with that being said, a lot of the equipment i have will move into the 55gallon, but since i will now have more room, the stocking has chaneged a little. i want to see what everyones thoughts on it are.

55 gallon - 4x54W T5HO - 2x Hydor K2 - AC110 (w/ Purigen/seagel) - CPR Bakpa skimmer - about 20lbs live rock and 50lbs dry rock - 20lbs black sand -

heres the envisioned stock list. any thoughts? i am avoiding the cardinalfish though. there is something about them that just does not interest me.

CUC
Blue leg hermit crab (10)
Scarlet hermit crab (5)
cerith snails(8)
nassarius vibex(8)
astrea (8)
turbo (3)
Scarlet shrimp
Tiger Pistol Shrimp (Alpheus bellulus)

Coral
Brain coral (especialy open)
candy cane
frogspawn
zoa
ric's

Fish
Purple Firefish (Nemateleotris decora)
Hi Fin Red Banded Goby (Stonogobiops nematodes) or Orange Stripe Prawn Goby or yellow watchman goby
2 purple anthias
2 blue green chromis
coral beauty angel
Royal Gramma (Gramma loreto)
Fairy Wrasse
Clownfish (false ocellaris or true perculla) (2)

 

[johnd651]

anyone?

 

[lcs]

Hey!

Definately go with one of the shrimp gobies, very interesting with their shrimp buddy. I love my pair, even if my yellow watchman is a big chicken!

Were you thinking about paring down that stock list? It seems like a lot of fish and I keep reading/hearing that anthias can by difficult to keep, especially in a small tank. Not sure though. I have a 56 and will be getting a coral beauty as well - can't wait!

I'm also a big fan of rics. Great colors, reasonable price and, at least in my (very) limited experience, pretty tough customers. Also fun to watch eat!

Are you open to adding a sump? It would allow you to have at least a little extra water volume, a place to hide equipment and allow for a better/larger skimmer which you will probably want if you have a heavy bioload.

I like the idea of the AC110 as your chemical filter.

Just my $0.02! Hope you'll keep us posted as you go along!