New 15g

K

kcbonsai_matt

New member
I finally started a SW tank. I've got a pulverized limestone substrate, 16 lbs of live rock and an Eclipse 2 hood (probably not ideal, but that's what I had to work with).

No fish yet. Hoping I can add something on Sunday as my tank has cycled.

So far, I've found 2 brittle stars, one small snail, one pod and numerous feather dusters that hitchhiked their way into my aquarium. Oh, and a couple Aiptasia. :(

The lighting is 2 GE Aqua Ray 9325K fluorescent (tube) bulbs.

Stocking:
The kids want a clownfish and my daughter wants an orchid dottyback. I want to add a jawfish (I've got about 3 inches of sand). Plus a shrimp or two, snails and a couple small hermits.

Hope this sounds good so far.

My biggest question is what types of corals should I be able to support in here? Tank is 13" tall. I'm not looking for anything fancy, but I'd like to get started building a reef.

I figure mushrooms shouldn't be a problem. I'd love to add zoas, but I'm guessing it isn't enough light to really support them.

Thanks in advance!
 
Well the light temperature sounds like its around the ideal PAR range, though I'm not sure of your wattage. Do you know how many watts these bulbs put out? That, in combination with the spectral output of the bulb will determine what you can keep.
 
Ok well, 13"... you should be able to keep nearly all soft corals. The easiest will probably be zoanthids, mushrooms (I think anyways..). You can probably keep a lot of types of LPS, like frogspawn.

I had a 5 Gallon that was about 13" tall with 32watts total of power compact lighting. My mushrooms, zoas, bubble coral, gorgonians, frogspawns all did well. Corraline algae grew like crazy too.
 
the clown should be ok in that tank as for the dottyback well they like to pick at shrimp sometimes also they usualy require a minimum of 20 gallons as for the jawfish you should be able to get away with it.(people correct me if im wrong)
 
Those dottybacks can get kind of mean. Would your daughter be interested in one of these , a hi fin red banded goby? very mellow and a perfect size for that tank . Obviously it gets along with clowns!
buddies.jpg
 
Thanks for all the ideas and suggestions!

Can a goby & jawfish go together in a 15g? I figured I had to pick one or the other.

Kingfisher - I like those pictures! Very nice.

I told my daughter that when I get a big tank (next year) we'll be sure to get a dottyback. She kind of likes the firefish. There's some pink in it. :)

I'll post a picture this weekend. We're currently having a garage sale and it is taking up most of my time. I just wish the proceeds were going toward my reef rather than bedroom furniture for the kids.
 
Thanks, but now i feel like broke your daughters heart but I just wanted to give you a heads up. I have a strawberry dottyback in my 55g and she can be just plain awnry.
Here you can give this pic to your kid ,since she likes pink so much.
aak_sized.jpg
 
What about a royal gramma? They're pretty little fish, though I can't attest to their temperament. Are they as uppity as dottybacks?
 
Don't worry Kingfisher, she's fine. I have to say that you take very nice, closeup, pictures of your fish. And, she's already told me that she's worried about her betta being picked on by a blue ram & serpa tetras in our freshwater tank.

I think our first fish will be a pair of clowns. They're nice, fun to watch and should fit nicely in the tank.

I'll take a picture on Sunday after we get our first inhabitants! We don't really have any algae to speak of yet so I will probably go light on snails until we do.
 
I would have to say that until you upgrade that tank do not plan on adding more fish. Having two clowns (which kind are you getting?) in that 15 gallon is pushing it. I would say you might want to get a halide pendent for that tank if you wish to keep some SPS in it. Do not put an Anemone in that tank either, because it will get too big and then die.

But you will be able to keep most LPS and Softies as that has been already stated. But SPS will die under those lights. You sound like you have a pretty good idea of what you want to do so. Good Luck;)

Could we see a pic of the tank?:D
 
Set up a photobucket account yesterday. But, still sitting at the garage sale today so won't be until tomorrow before I get a picture out there.

As far as the clowns go, I'll probably go for a perc or false perc. Is there really much of a difference b/w them?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9780795#post9780795 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kcbonsai_matt
Set up a photobucket account yesterday. But, still sitting at the garage sale today so won't be until tomorrow before I get a picture out there.

As far as the clowns go, I'll probably go for a perc or false perc. Is there really much of a difference b/w them?
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure the difference is only in looks, temperment etc. is nearly identical.

False
Amphiprion-ocellaris11.jpg


True
TruePerculaWMC1P581.jpg
 
Okay. We opted for one false perc (tank raised), 5 scarlet hermits and 5 astrea snails. We took the smallest perc in the tank and I have to say he's very cute.

We'll probably just add one more fish in a couple weeks after the tank has adjusted to this bio load.

I'm anxious to start adding mushrooms and zoas as soon as my pocketbook will let me!

Thanks to everyone that's provided advice!
 
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