Recent content by BangaiiJim

Tobies aren't generally safe with hermits, either, so... Glad you've been okay so far. Some of the blennies will be your next best bet. Lawnmower by name, but for me, uh... Sorry. I can't remember the one I like better atm. Many fish won't do well there either, but with the blennies at the...

The Saphire's are great! You chose well. Sorry I wasn't here in the interim, but you handled it, for sure. The cheaper BioCube skimmer is generally adequate, but once you build up your bioload, the Saphire will be the way to go. As to the refugium question, I've not found them necessary on...

With just fish and softies, you are getting into this the easy way. Don't get me wrong - fish is what gets most of us interested, and down the road is still a favorite for me; my tastes have just become more expensive :) 2 circulation pumps of what size? Even with just soft corals, good flow...

I love the JBJ HQIs, but that tank is very deliberately designed to handle the extra heat. I wouldn't put one in as a retro kit, even though I've sold them, unless you're willing to put on a chiller as well. The duncans will really appreciate better light, too, but other than for those 2, I'd...

Stay away from anything that will be claiming the same space. In this case, I'd focus on midwater fish, as the yellow watchman will claim all of the bottom and rock space in that size tank. That's another vote against a pseudochromis. I really like cardinals for these settings. (I really...

Schism - SeaChem does make great products. And the Vitro line is their latest and greatest, but... It is mostly a marketing ploy. By making it available only in the brick and mortar stores, they are using it as a product that the LFS can use to hook the customer and keep them shopping with the...

I agree with DJ and will go a bit further - More nassarius snails (the burrowers) will help reduce algae's ability to settle on a sand bed that they are stirring up. And more hermits to clean the rocks, as DJ suggested. And more flow, as he suggested, seems to always help, but I'll go as far...

The HQI is the way to go, IMO. The RSM's biggest advantage to me is the flat faces, so less distortion when viewed from the front. But the HQI is an amazing system through and through. The one thing I would still change is the skimmer. It sticks up over the back of the tank, unlike the RSM...

LFS - the place you need to be supporting and using as a reference - Local Fish Store. They aren't infallible, but always a good place to start. (What are you doing here on the web still? Get to your LFS and build a relationship!) Note that this is not a "big box" pet store; there are occasional...

Not only will they become aggressive, but turn into ugly brown adults, too. If you have to do something resembling a damsel, try chromises instead. Still not ideal for the nano tank, but will certainly be better than damsels. Even better will be the cardinals. Their drawback is that the...