Getting back into reefing..need suggestions/advice

[jkeithh1969]

Almost 10 months after losing my 75 gallon reef to Hurricane Katrina, I have decided to take the plunge once again. This time I am going to start back small and see how things go before jumping back in with a large tank. I have been given an AquaPod 12 gallon for my birthday (model with 2 - 27 watt power compacts) and a Fission nano skimmer to fit in one of the chambers on the back of the system. What do you think I could put into one of these since it is small and only has a total of 54 watts of PC lighting? I miss having montiporas, but realize this would not be an ideal setup for them or if it would even be possible to ever put any of them in something this small without halide lighting. Would some of the LPS corals work in this tank? Also, since it small what type of fish could I get away with in there? I plan on doing water changes twice a week. I plan on using live sand and live rock as well.

Any input would be appreciated,
Keith

[scubadude]

Dewd Im so sorry bout your probs from katrina! I would only do softies on a 12g w/ PC lighting....and as far as fish go maybe a goby/shrimp pair....or maybe a small clown fish pair?

[jkeithh1969]

Dewd Im so sorry bout your probs from katrina! I would only do softies on a 12g w/ PC lighting....and as far as fish go maybe a goby/shrimp pair....or maybe a small clown fish pair?

Thanks for the reply. I can live with softies and the fish you suggested. Actually sounds pretty cool.

[jkeithh1969]

Received 20 pounds of uncured Haitian (Caribbean) live rock. Do you think I have too much in the tank?

[dougc]

It doesn't look like too much. Good luck with your new tank.

[jkeithh1969]

Better pictures since the tank has cleared up some.

[jkeithh1969]

Does anybody know whether or not the Halimeda will survive the tank cycling? Some of the pieces had turned white when I got the rock out of the box, but there are some that are still green and was wondering if they would survive.

[mandarin_watcher]

I would do a peacock mantis shrimp. They are so beautiful and fun to watch.

[sihaya]

Sorry to hear about what happened with your tank and Katrina. That does really suck.

Normally I'd say you have too much rock... because it's hard to get good circulation with so much (and the more rock you have the less water you have). But your rock does look pretty cool the way you arranged it. So it's really a personal thing. If it works and you like it, that's what matters.

I don't know if the Halimeda will survive. It might. If it survived till now, who knows what else it could survive? However, if it does, in time you might regret that it did. That stuff takes up calcium like you wouldn't believe. And if it's happy it can grow really fast. I put some in my tank a few months ago and I watched my calcium levels drop like 50ppm. I was so confused because I don't have too many fast growing corals. Then I figured out it was this stuff hogging it all!

[lobophyllia]

really sorry about your tank and probably the rest of your stuff too . for corals you could do softies as scubadude said and for fish, i would go with a royal gramma or black cap basslet. i hate clownfish because they knock over every coral in my tank thats not glued down.

[gregb]

Dont put up with a nano, get out there & spend up big on a 6 footer then sell the story back to the forum.

[jkeithh1969]

Believe me, if I could afford and had the room for a 6 footer, I would definitely have one.

[Ninong]

Keith,

Check out this other thread. It's a similar setup to yours.

One option, as far as corals are concerned, would be Ricordea. Either R. florida or R. yuma. They can get by with the sort of lighting you have.

As far as fish are concerned, consider some of the smaller gobies. A 12-gal would work for a single pair of Amphiprion percula or A. ocellaris as long as they were the only fish in the tank. It's really too small for any of the other clownfish species and definitely too small for any of the basslets.

P.S. -- A 20-gal tank is a better minimum size for A. percula and A. ocellaris but a 12-gal could work provided you don't put anything in with them that could annoy them.

[jkeithh1969]

Keith,

Check out this other thread. It's a similar setup to yours.

One option, as far as corals are concerned, would be Ricordea. Either R. florida or R. yuma. They can get by with the sort of lighting you have.

As far as fish are concerned, consider some of the smaller gobies. A 12-gal would work for a single pair of Amphiprion percula or A. ocellaris as long as they were the only fish in the tank. It's really too small for any of the other clownfish species and definitely too small for any of the basslets.

P.S. -- A 20-gal tank is a better minimum size for A. percula and A. ocellaris but a 12-gal could work provided you don't put anything in with them that could annoy them.

I just posted a question (in lighting forum) about a 27 gallon long (36" x 12-5/8" x 13") that I have had in the garage for over a year that I have decided I want to turn into a reef tank. I think it would probably be better for what I want than the aquapod. I will just give the aquapod to my nephew for his first aquarium (freshwater). I am trying to figure out what can be kept in it with 110 watts of PC lighting.

[DaviesPats]

as for fish go...the goby/shrimp/clown pair would be a great idea with softies...one suggestion...prolly wont do it because the set-up is great..but ifu ever do change it cut some PVC about 2" and place it on the bottom so the rock isnt right on the gravel/sand...makes for better circulation and whatnot..cleaner tank in the long run

[jkeithh1969]

Well, if I do set up the 27, I will move the stuff from the aquapod into it so that would give me a change to do that.

[jkeithh1969]

Decided to move everything from the Aquapod into the 27 long. Figured that I could do a lot more with the 27.


Here's my attempt at reefscaping it. I have never worked with a tank this shallow. Any comments and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[jkeithh1969]

Right now between the main tank and the HOB CPR refugium, it has 20 pounds of Caribbean live rock and 60 pounds of CaribSea AragAlive (1 bag of Fiji Pink and 2 bags of Bimini Pink). There are 2 maxijet 1200's in there providing circulation. Do you think that is too much water movement?

[charlie]

Right now between the main tank and the HOB CPR refugium, it has 20 pounds of Caribbean live rock and 60 pounds of CaribSea AragAlive (1 bag of Fiji Pink and 2 bags of Bimini Pink). There are 2 maxijet 1200's in there providing circulation. Do you think that is too much water movement?

I like the look!!!

Is your sand blowing around? If it's not, you should be ok.

[jkeithh1969]

I get little eddys where the sand lightly moves, but it doesn't blow sand all over the tank.