Simple 5g invert tank

StephLionfish

StephLionfish

New member
I decided to make a little build ( pun not intended ). I think it may get lost in the middle of all these super awesome builds in the nanos, but oh well.
A while back ago I wanted to set up a 40gBreeder or Cube for just inverts and corals. No fish. It would have been anemone invert based, but I didn't have the time/ money then, and I don't now because I'm working on a 200g, then after that will come an upgrade to a 75g for my corals before they eat each other.
I have a 5g FW tank that held guppies and some sad looking plants. Or, I had anyways. I tore it down last night, I'm taking the guppies and plants to the LFS today, and I cleared out a spot on my desk for the 5g. I figure since I have everything but livestock and lights, I might as well go ahead and make it my tiny invert tank!

I've pondered hard over what my inverts will be. I've loved Sexy Shrimp for years, but they like to be kept in small groups. I could just get three... But where's the fun in that? I want a group of 5, but I think that will be too much for the 5g, so I'm going to put my future sexies in the future 75g where they will have a Maxi Mini Carpet Anemone island.
I've decided I want a pair of Pederson Cleaners and a Porcelain Crab. Maybe a small Nassarius for the 1" sand bed, and perhaps a snail- because I like snails.
The tank will have a bit more rock than minimalists will like, but I want a good filtration in the tank and I personally just like all the tiny life on LR. I will have C. prolifera in there and Ricordeas/Yumas.
I don't think I will have any nems in this tank. If I was going to, I'd put some Maxi Mini Carpets, but... IDK. I know they like to move around to places that are hard to see, and since the inverts would stay on them...
I think the inverts will be just fine with some Rics.

The filter is just a clear HOB with a filter pad. I'm not going with a Fuge in it, because I'll have macro in the DT.

I'm not sure what to do on lighting. The tank is rimless, and I don't want a gaudy fixture sitting on the tank. I was thinking maybe LEDs... But I know nothing about lights, so any thoughts are appreciated!


Thanks for looking :beer: Pics are coming.
 
Crappy cell phone pic-
51740D43-orig-1.jpg


I'm going to use some left-over Seaflor sand by Carib Sea.
The cell phone's flash makes everything all nasty, but they really aren't. Until I can get an eternal hard drive or something to move my stuff on my puter to, I can't download pix from my camera.
BTW, I'm going to remove the towel. It's just there because the tank was wet.
 
Got some rocks. They are actually very pretty. Covered in tunicates, sponges, macro algaes etc. I hope some of them survive the cycle.
9A23AEBA-orig-1.jpg


A3341E9D-orig-1.jpg


Ended up with the exact scape I was shooting for, which felt awesome. :)
I added sand, a heater, and a HOB filter, so now I just get to wait... I'll upload another pic whenever the tank clears up.
 
Thank you. This thread will definitely have better pictures whenever I get the thing for my computer. I can't upload pics to the puter from a card, but I can upload them from my phone to photobucket.

Thanks, again. He was my first Volitan Lionfish.

The tank's already clear. Maybe I'm just not used to nano tanks, but I wasn't expecting the tank to be clear for a few days... :bounce3:
 
Yes :) Unfortunately, I think a lot of the stuff will die off during the cycle, so I'm going to do water changes to help keep the spikes down. Like, a cup every day or every other day.
I'm going to do my best to keep all of the sponges and tunicates alive. I'll probably end up cultivating rotifers and feed them some other filter feeder foods, and add a powerhead to give some flow on them. I always complain I never get any cool hitchhikers, so now that I do I need to try to keep them alive!
 
Also, I think I've found the light I want: TrueLumen Pro LED Strip with 50/50 12,000k white and actinics. Also, I may get a LED Lunar light by the same company.
 
Thanks, and will do!
The filter looks pretty redneck, lol. I ran out of the smaller filter pads so I had to use a big one. It has a plastic back on it, so I couldn't just cut it.
I'm going to start cultivating rotifers for the sponges and tunicates on the rocks. Also, for my future porcelain crab. Going to the LFS today to get a price on a pair of Pederson Cleaners.
 
IMG_2520.jpg


Nothing has changed much. Tunicates died off for some reason, but I found a mini brittle star. Limpet is still going strong.
I added some prolifera.

Found three aiptaisias :angryfire:
 
Probably not enough nutrients in the tank for the tunicates. I always had a bunch when I had a high nutrient tank.
 
I got some cheap Yumas. I traded some Java Ferns and guppies in for this one-
IMG_2405-1-1.jpg


And paid $5 for this one-
IMG_2530-1.jpg


They are in my reef tank, but whenever I get some good lights over the 5g they will go in there.
 
Just a tip for the future (this is positive criticism) sponges and tunicates must always be submerged at all times. Exposure to air can be fatal. When you were lining the rockwork up it looked as though they were exposed. That can cause die off and a spike in ammonia.

Best of luck though, it looks great so far!
 
wlyon said:
nice start Steph!
Click to expand...
Thanks :wave:

gmate said:
Just a tip for the future (this is positive criticism) sponges and tunicates must always be submerged at all times. Exposure to air can be fatal. When you were lining the rockwork up it looked as though they were exposed. That can cause die off and a spike in ammonia.

Best of luck though, it looks great so far!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip, but I have heard that before. Unfortunately, the LFS had already let them sit out of water for about ten minutes while bagging them up, then all they were in was wet newspaper on the ride home. I submerged them in water as soon as I got home, and continuously poured water over the rocks while I scaped them (you can see the water puddling in the pic).
Really stinks they died. I think that some of the sponges are gonna live, though. Some black and orange ones are growing.

Thanks again. :beer: It's very plain now, but I swear it will be awesome once I get something going in there!

I'm going to a frag swap next weekend, and hopefully will come home with some Ricordea floridas for the tank. I have the LFS looking out for a Pederson pair and a Porcelain Crab. :celeb3:

Time to try lemon juice on the Aiptasias. Nothing else but Peppermints work for me, that I've tried.
 
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