30 gallon reef..stock questions..tips welcome

deltaforcehall · #1 12/31/2007, 11:41 PM

Ok so i have finally finished setting up my 30 gallon bb nano reef...almost.

I have about 20-25lbs of tonga branch rock and fiji premium rock... all cured

There is a 402 powerhead and another weaker one on both sides for flow

I am running a big power hob power filter for now that was free from my dad til i get the hob aquac remora skimmer for the tank

My levels are all good right now and have been stable for about a week and a half now, tanks been setup for about a 4 weeks, and cycled

I just purchased two ocellaris clowns for it , tank raised, and i bought two small zebra hermits for it

The fish are eating well, on Omega One w/ garlic flakes, and occassional freeze dried mysis shrimp

My questions are:

1.The diet of the clowns, am i in the right direction? I read a lot before deciding on what to feed them, I am going to go w/ spectrum garlic foods in a bit when i go up to my LFS

2. What other fish would you reccomend for tank mates for the clowns? I'm not goin to put 15 fish in this small aquarium i know, but if i were to purchase 1-2 more what would be a good pick?

3. Its a barebottom and the two small zebra hermits seem to sift through the remainder of detritus that is left after i vacum, and eat off the rocks all day, seem to be fine and have plenty to eat.. should i purchase any other cleanup crew?

4. In a month or so I am purchasing a light, its an 150 metal halide w/ 2 39 watt super actinics t5's.... will this be enough for the shrooms, zoo's, and tentacle anemone i will be purchasing afterwards.

Thanks, any advice is welcome or tips, i will post a pic up in a bit of what ive got soon as i figure out my new macro lens

Bernie21 · #2 01/01/2008, 04:04 AM

You dont need Halides for what your keeping except the nem. The crabs will be fine, you do not need an additional clean up crew for now at least. Gobies, blenies and cardinals are definitely great tankmates. Dwarf angels and certain dwarf wrasses are little more risky but will also be fine in a tank that size. I personally do not like flakes, IMO I feel they raise nitrates to quickly, I would feed them pellets every other day. People say they need to be fed 5 times a week to daily but mines are doing great being fed every other day.

deltaforcehall · #3 01/01/2008, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bernie21
You dont need Halides for what your keeping except the nem. The crabs will be fine, you do not need an additional clean up crew for now at least. Gobies, blenies and cardinals are definitely great tankmates. Dwarf angels and certain dwarf wrasses are little more risky but will also be fine in a tank that size. I personally do not like flakes, IMO I feel they raise nitrates to quickly, I would feed them pellets every other day. People say they need to be fed 5 times a week to daily but mines are doing great being fed every other day.

pellets huh!? interesting.... i wonder if they'd actually eat these the one loves flakes, the other one is like blah

KCZoanthid · #4 01/01/2008, 08:52 PM

In my 30g nano I feed Marine Cuisine for carnivores. Simple, nutritious, easy. IMO--flakes are going to cause nitrate problems. You really don't have enough rocks in there to handle a whole lot of nitrates. If you had 45-55lbs of rock, I might think differently. You also haven't mentioned any cheato or other macroalgae. Those will absorb and help control nitrates too.

I have a 6-line wrasse, one small occelarris clown and a diamond watchman goby.

I would not put more than 3 or 4 fish in there. 4 is pushing it.

I wouldn't use the HOB power filter, but thats just my opinion. I think you'll be better off with a refugium and a good skimmer. A good refugium with a DSB and cheato will handle any nitrates you have.

150w of T5 or MH is good. I'm running 4.8w per gallon (T5) on mine and things are doing very well. You don't need to get over 6w per gallon unless you plan to have an SPS dominated tank.

deltaforcehall · #5 01/01/2008, 09:55 PM

Yes.. 6 line wrasses i was actually looking into getting one of those guys or a possum wrasse.... and a goby... im looking into getting about 25 more lbs of rock for the tank... also , the setup im looking at is two 96 watt bulb power compacts... 192 watt system, i was hoping this would be enough for a mostly mushroom and zooanthid reef, perhaps an anemone for the clowns.... anyways, you have PM kc.

deltaforcehall · #6 01/01/2008, 10:42 PM

ok, so i been feeding flakes for a week and half now, aquariums levels are as follows

Amonnia 0ppm
PH 8.2
nitrite 0ppm
nitrate 10ppm

i will be switching to quality frozen foods i think, when the lfs opens up. holidays have been majorly screwing me on getting supplies lately

deltaforcehall · #7 01/01/2008, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by KCZoanthid
I wouldn't use the HOB power filter, but thats just my opinion. I think you'll be better off with a refugium and a good skimmer. A good refugium with a DSB and cheato will handle any nitrates you have.

im going w/ a hob skimmer, the aquac remora skimmer, the hob power filter is just a temporary thing for now

Bernie21 · #8 01/02/2008, 12:12 AM

I have the HOB Remora Skimmer and its great!! my Clowns eat anything and everything, I even hand feed them. I think switching to frozen foods is also a good idea!!

SPARTAN VI · #9 01/02/2008, 11:18 AM

1. I personally haven't had much success with anything other than frozen brine. I've tried feeding them freeze dried mysis soaked in garlic, and formula 1 and 2 pellets. They mostly gobble it up, spit it out, gobble it up, and spit it out again.

2. For tankmates in a 30g, I'd look at a goby, wrasse, dartfish, or dwarf angel.

deltaforcehall · #10 01/02/2008, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by SPARTAN VI
1. I personally haven't had much success with anything other than frozen brine. I've tried feeding them freeze dried mysis soaked in garlic, and formula 1 and 2 pellets. They mostly gobble it up, spit it out, gobble it up, and spit it out again.

2. For tankmates in a 30g, I'd look at a goby, wrasse, dartfish, or dwarf angel.

for sure. my one clown loves flakes, the other i can tell doesnt want to eat them. so im picking up some quality frozen food for them today.

deltaforcehall · #11 01/02/2008, 11:50 AM

also i think ichanged my mind about the skimmer after reading reviews of hob skimmers on here, i think im going w/ the octopus bh100F

Curve50880 · #12 01/02/2008, 12:10 PM

the octopus is an amazing skimmer...i am sure you will be happy

deltaforcehall · #13 01/11/2008, 09:35 PM

tank is up and running over a month now. stocked. about 30 lbs of fiji premium and tonga branch. stock consists of 2 ocellaris clowns, a rock blennie, dwarf angel?, couple big snails, emerald crab, and two small zebra hermits. levels have been steady for the past 2 weeks.

Next upgrade is going to be,
1. octopus bh 100f hob skimmer
2. t5 or powercompact lighting
3. zooanthids and mushrooms
4. rbta once tank is a lil more established