IM 10gal Reef Stocking advice.

[anizato]

Hey all

Looking for advice, input, steer in the right direction, inspiration and schooling! So let 'er rip

My tank currently has about 6 or 7 Sexy Shrimp and a Cleaner Skunk Shrimp. You can see my Aquarium Journal. In addition to these shrimp, I want to keep some peaceful fish. Below are some stocking possibilities I came up with.

I am thinking of going one of several routes.

• 1st Possibility:

Yasha Goby
Tailspot Blenny
Tanaka Wrasse
Red Firefish
more Sexy Shrimp

• 2nd Possibility:

Sand Sifting Goby
Pistol Shrimp
Starry Blenny
Six Line Wrasse

• 3rd Possibility:

Tanaka Wrasse Super Male
3 Tanaka Wrasse Female
Sand Sifting Goby
Tailspot Blenny

 

[Darkxerox]

Welcome!

For such a small tank (10g but actually less display due to the back chamber) I wouldn't recommend anything more than one very small fish like a clown, very small shrimp goby, damsel, clean goby, Midas blenny, or no fish at all, just invertebrates.

Also stop all the coral foods, testing(other than alk/salinity), and additives, just stick to a simple water change schedule. No need to complicate things so much when really all you need to maintain on a tank this size is evaporation. Usually you can keep up with mineral needs with a slightly boosted parameter salt.

Focus on getting the tank established because often issues will rear their head at the 6-12 month mark.

Also highly recommend joining the club as a supporting member to attend some of the events as well as get more access to the club's knowledge and resources.

 

[MichaelB]

Wrasses are very active swimmers, with a im10 aio if you factor rear chambers rocks and substrate you probably only have 6-7 gallons of water in the display.

I would not recommend a Wrasse in something with limited space. My 6 line wrasse seems cramped in my 32 gallon tank fyi.

 

[anizato]

Welcome!

For such a small tank (10g but actually less display due to the back chamber) I wouldn't recommend anything more than one very small fish like a clown, very small shrimp goby, damsel, clean goby, Midas blenny, or no fish at all, just invertebrates.

Also stop all the coral foods, testing(other than alk/salinity), and additives, just stick to a simple water change schedule. No need to complicate things so much when really all you need to maintain on a tank this size is evaporation. Usually you can keep up with mineral needs with a slightly boosted parameter salt.

Focus on getting the tank established because often issues will rear their head at the 6-12 month mark.

Also highly recommend joining the club as a supporting member to attend some of the events as well as get more access to the club's knowledge and resources.

Thank you for the warm welcome!

So with all the current livestock my Phosphorus is at 0.3ppb which is ridiculously low. That is without feeding and just the invertebrates doing their thing for a week, the second week without feeding Phosphorus went down to 0.0ppb. So I started feeding the coral. Needless to say my Nitrates are around 1-3ppm.

I dose 7ml of ALK daily to maintain 8.5dKH.

I just need help choosing fish.

Wrasses are very active swimmers, with a im10 aio if you factor rear chambers rocks and substrate you probably only have 6-7 gallons of in display of water.

I would not recommend a Wrasse in something with limited space. My 6 line wrasse seems cramped in my 32 gallon tank fyi.

cool no 6lines!

 

[MichaelB]

No wrasses in general, the gobies that like to perch might not be bad, or a single small clownfish definitely not clarkis or maroons

 

[SupraSaltyReefer]

I'd go with a combo of:
Yasha Goby
Candy Stripe Pistol Shrimp, this symbiotic relationship is cool.
Tailspot Blenny
Red Firefish or check out the Purple Firefish or Helfrichi Firefish, better colors IMO.

Also, consider starting a Tank Journal here on BAR as well for more local help.

And before you get any of those fishes, replace your netting on your lid with window screen. You already had a jumper.




Like Reply

 

[anizato]

I'd go with a combo of:
Yasha Goby
Candy Stripe Pistol Shrimp, this symbiotic relationship is cool.
Tailspot Blenny
Red Firefish or check out the Purple Firefish or Helfrichi Firefish, better colors IMO.

Also, consider starting a Tank Journal here on BAR as well for more local help.

And before you get any of those fishes, replace your netting on your lid with window screen. You already had a jumper.




Like Reply

thank you my friend! yes I have a Kraken Reef Lid on. so no more problems regarding that will be had. Also have a fish guard for the overflow.

Cool I'll start my journal on this forum

 

[derek_SR]

Welcome!

For such a small tank (10g but actually less display due to the back chamber) I wouldn't recommend anything more than one very small fish like a clown, very small shrimp goby, damsel, clean goby, Midas blenny, or no fish at all, just invertebrates.

Also stop all the coral foods, testing(other than alk/salinity), and additives, just stick to a simple water change schedule. No need to complicate things so much when really all you need to maintain on a tank this size is evaporation. Usually you can keep up with mineral needs with a slightly boosted parameter salt.

Focus on getting the tank established because often issues will rear their head at the 6-12 month mark.

Also highly recommend joining the club as a supporting member to attend some of the events as well as get more access to the club's knowledge and resources.

^^^^^ this right here

 

[tribbitt]

Welcome!

For such a small tank (10g but actually less display due to the back chamber) I wouldn't recommend anything more than one very small fish like a clown, very small shrimp goby, damsel, clean goby, Midas blenny, or no fish at all, just invertebrates.

Also stop all the coral foods, testing(other than alk/salinity), and additives, just stick to a simple water change schedule. No need to complicate things so much when really all you need to maintain on a tank this size is evaporation. Usually you can keep up with mineral needs with a slightly boosted parameter salt.

Focus on getting the tank established because often issues will rear their head at the 6-12 month mark.

Also highly recommend joining the club as a supporting member to attend some of the events as well as get more access to the club's knowledge and resources.

Didn’t know about 6-12 month issues. What kind of issues do you mean? Wondering if that’s why my tank has been smooth sailing (especially coral health) so early on - maybe I have not hit the rough patch yet?

 

[Darkxerox]

Didn’t know about 6-12 month issues. What kind of issues do you mean? Wondering if that’s why my tank has been smooth sailing (especially coral health) so early on - maybe I have not hit the rough patch yet?

If you're using new rock (especially any man made or concrete containing) it can slowly leach chemicals that buffer alkalinity levels in your tank or absorb/release phosphate until it reaches equilibrium. This happened at the Steinhart and anecdotally in a lot of other tanks in the hobby.

Another thing is that your microbiome takes months to stabilize, especially if you didn't start with any real live rock. A little benthic succession takes place throughout this time too as organisms battle it out.

Deficiencies in minerals or accumulation of waste will change until equilibrium too.

Also you usually start to reach full stocking at this point and start to get "comfortable" and might start getting lazy with maintenance.

 

[tribbitt]

If you're using new rock (especially any man made or concrete containing) it can slowly leach chemicals that buffer alkalinity levels in your tank or absorb/release phosphate until it reaches equilibrium. This happened at the Steinhart and anecdotally in a lot of other tanks in the hobby.

Another thing is that your microbiome takes months to stabilize, especially if you didn't start with any real live rock. A little benthic succession takes place throughout this time too as organisms battle it out.

Deficiencies in minerals or accumulation of waste will change until equilibrium too.

Also you usually start to reach full stocking at this point and start to get "comfortable" and might start getting lazy with maintenance.

I used marco rock….. RHF said phosphate leaching shouldn’t happen until painfully low pH happens (like 6’s), but also that not every reef tank phenomenon matches what happens in theory. I’ll keep an eye out for fluctuating parameters.

I can see myself getting lazy. Won’t let that happen though, proper upkeep is just as important as proper setup.

thanks for taking time to explain