First tank, 5.5 gallon

[Noitsacardigan]

Well, it was inherited. From my brother, to roommate, to me over the span of a few years. Got it over christmas break and am starting to get everything figured out. Came with the clown and frogspawn, have added a peppermint shrimp and will probably buy some coral frags locally here after I switch to ro water and things are still stable. Has two 28w 50/50 pc's - what would you recommend for lighting?

[Parrothead]

Welcome to Reefland's

Tank looks good, way, way smaller than any tank I would attempt to keep, please keep in mind the lower the water volume(tank size) the way faster stuff can go wrong, looking at the tank with the rock and sand you might be lucky enough to have 3 gallons of actually water in that tank. Watch it very, very closely anything goes wrong, it's gonna happen fast.

[gregony]

That's a sweet little tank. Looks like the lighting is fine. Not a lot will fit on it. Great side view shot with the "disgruntled clown."

[gregony]

I wouldn't add anything though, its too small for anything else.

[Noitsacardigan]

I've heard 5 is damn small especially for a beginner... my brother had a bigger tank for 3 or 4 years before starting this little one to have at his apartment. So far so good, the clown is like 4 years old as is the frogspawn, even in the crappy conditions before. The pics are with a second, 28w all 10,000k bulb (not 50/50) disconnected (you can see it sitting on the hood). May just switch over to one bulb.

What parameters are most likely to give me trouble? test kits are expensive! I can only watch salinity and nitrates as of now. If I'm changing a gallon or two every two weeks I can't see pH as going too crazy but who knows what it is for the ro water I bought tonight. Guy at the aquarium store said I shouldn't worry about adding calcium or anything at this stage since it'd be supplied even by the ro water at sufficient levels for the meantime. Here's how the tank used to look, with xenia all over the place

[Steve McKay]

Nice little tank,looks good.If you do water changes frequently you may not have to add anything.You should test everything necessary after each water change and see how things are,if your water parameters start to fall increase the amount of water changed or start weekly changes or both if necessary.Good luck.

[twisted]

when i saw the first pic, my mouth dropped as i said holy sh*&! what a nasty tank! lol then i scrolled down and did some reading...very cool little setup! definitly stay on top of your water changes, there really isnt much room for error but it looks like you have a great head start. good luck!

[Noitsacardigan]

Thanks guys.. Bought some ro water (like 19 cents/gal at Meijer) and plan on doing a gallon (20%) every two weeks. Will probably buy a pH test kit and leave it at that for now. Looking forwad to buying a few small frags locally in the next couple of weeks and will stick to the one clown. I'm at 5 watts/gallon just with the one pc hooked up, what should I do with that second?

[twisted]

i think the important part over watts per gallon is the par value. i really cant answer more than that on lighting, im learning about that part too. i believe it depends on the spectrum. im sure someone here will finish what im not able to explain.

[Steve McKay]

Try it with the one light fixture and keep the other one as a spare,if you need more light then you have it.

[Noitsacardigan]

Yeah will probably be playing around with it. Frogspawn has been fluctuating since I got the tank, some days it'll come out (not very far really, not much further than my original pics), others itll be just the stony base. Will be experimenting a little bit in the meantime with the lights, maybe will adjust the placement but for now I'm just letting it do its thing

[Parrothead]

Yeah will probably be playing around with it. Frogspawn has been fluctuating since I got the tank, some days it'll come out (not very far really, not much further than my original pics), others itll be just the stony base. Will be experimenting a little bit in the meantime with the lights, maybe will adjust the placement but for now I'm just letting it do its thing

Here's something else that would be of a major benefit to your little system, look at the AquaC Nano Protein Skimmer, I don't see one on your tank, and a skimmer is a requirement, not a maybe, for a success reef.

[Steve McKay]

Another skimmer you might consider is the RedSea Prizm skimmer,a lot of people under rate it.I had one on my 30g and it worked fine,the water level adjustment is very easy compared to the AquaC Nano skimmer if it adjusts like its bigger brother the Remora.

[Parrothead]

Another skimmer you might consider is the RedSea Prizm skimmer,a lot of people under rate it.I had one on my 30g and it worked fine,the water level adjustment is very easy compared to the AquaC Nano skimmer if it adjusts like its bigger brother the Remora.

Steve,

I'm abit confused, there is no water adjustment on the remora skimmers, nor is there on their nano product, all you have to do is raise or lower the cup with the supplied rubber o ring. lower for wet skimming, higher for a dry foam

[Zach]

Very nice little tank! I love little uber-small nanos like this.

Keep us updated please!

[Steve McKay]

That's what I'm talking about,you have to raise the collection cup.It's not adjusting the water level but the outcome is the same.On the Prizm you have a knob you turn that adjusts the water level,easy as can be.I don't know if it is a better skimmer,just giving him an option.

[Noitsacardigan]

Anyone have a link where I can do some reading on skimmers in general? Based on my limited understanding it seems the skimmer is just removing organic crud from the water. If you're doing water changes and keeping the nitrates low anyway, what's the benefit? Looked at the prizm and nano remora, the remora looks like it might stick out over the top of my hood, prizm looks a little better but haven't checked exact dimensions. There was a guy on youtube using the prizm on a pretty massive tank (55 gallon) so I'm wondering if there's a smaller version or he was stretching it. Could you overpower a small tank with one of these?

[Doodaa]

Anyone have a link where I can do some reading on skimmers in general? Based on my limited understanding it seems the skimmer is just removing organic crud from the water. If you're doing water changes and keeping the nitrates low anyway, what's the benefit? Looked at the prizm and nano remora, the remora looks like it might stick out over the top of my hood, prizm looks a little better but haven't checked exact dimensions. There was a guy on youtube using the prizm on a pretty massive tank (55 gallon) so I'm wondering if there's a smaller version or he was stretching it. Could you overpower a small tank with one of these?

If your system ain't broke, don't fix it. ;)

BTW...a 55 gallon tank is massive compared to your 5.5, but it's pretty small in this hobby

[Noitsacardigan]

They're nice but I couldn't pay to fill them with cool stuff anyway lol.

[Steve McKay]

Using it on a 55g is stretching it.I had a Prizm,it will not overpower your 5.5.I would estimate the flow at about 60gph it's not that much and the water is not forced out,it flows out.That's why it works so well,the water is in the skimmer longer and takes more organics out.A skimmer takes out organic material that would end up being nitrate keeping it low and reducing the need for more frequent water changes.