just started

[brandon]

ok guys

i started my tank right now

i ditched the stock filter for the ecplise 5 and added in a HOB filter and added some live rock to it for filtration

i have in the tank 6 pounds of LR, 8 pounds of LS and the regular light

how long does it take for the sand to settle on the bottem?

The fish store told me i could do just shrooms in the tank since it doesnt have a good lighting system,

I wanted to do 1 percula clown and a neon goby for the fish part but i am afraid i would overstock the tank....

Also, i wanted to get 3 narrsica snails <----not sure how to spell
4 astrea snails, and 2 red leg hermit crabs with a cleaner shrimp

is this too much?

Please make suggestions and thanks a bunch =]

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

It'll take a day or so for the sand to settle. Put a poly/carbon pad in the HOB to catch any floating debris.

Did you get yourself some test kits to track your cycle. You need ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH along with a hydrometer (or refractometer) to check salinity. Test your water every couple of days. You'll see a rise in ammonia first, then nitrite and finally, nitrate will rise while the ammonia starts to go down. pH will swing around during the cycle, but you'll need that test kit to monitor it after the cycle. Your cycle will take anywhere from 2-8 weeks depending upon how cured/uncured the LR is that you purchased.

Now, that advice the LFS gave you about being able to keep mushrooms under that stock light... :roll: . Yeah you can, but the light isn't sufficient for any corals and they will eventually die. Shrooms are photosynthetic and that stock light just doesn't cut it. Look into finding a fixture that will sit on top of the tank. 2x9, 2x13 or 2x 18 watt fixtures. The Current Dual Satellite will probably work. http://www.marineandreef.com/shoppro/po ... llite.html

 

[brandon]

thanks, do i also need a powerhead for extra flow in the tank?

i did get some test kits already and a hydrometer =]

i was also wonder when it comes time, will my tank beable to have a shimpgoby and a pistol shrimp in it?

Thanks for you help

 

[skipm]

The most I would put in your tank is 2 very small fish, 1 is probably a safer answer though. If you have the percula you mentioned that is pushing the limit by itself due to its potential for growth. If you want a shrimp gobie get one of the smaller ones like a yellow rose gobie or a yasha hase gobie paired up with a randalls pistol shrimp. I was also thinking about the cleaner shrimp in that tank, I am not sure he would be happy because of the length of his feelers (antennae) and the fact they would always be brushing on a tankwall or something. Stick with the smallest fish you can if you want 2 lke neon gobies, clown gobies, etc. I would only get 2 of the nassarious snails and 2 of the astreas to see if they can get the job done before adding any more, too many snails will only cause some to starve. A small powerhead can be good to help prevent areas of little or no flow but as far as necessary that depends on the corals needs. Here is a good nano sized powerhead if you want to get one: http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem. ... uct=MZ3151 .

 

[brandon]

well the coral i wanted to put in are probably mushrooms and other low light corals, if you know any, please suggest some and will i need hermit crabs if i get the snails and the goby/shrimp combo?

thanks

 

[skipm]

Mushrooms and most of the non bright colored polyps will probably do okay in your tank, unfortunately I don't think the brighly colored polyps will retain their color without more light. I would try the tank without hermits and if you see that you need a couple you can add them later.