Dragonet or pipefish only tank question?

[anaya]

I am setting up a standard 29g

T-5 lighting

2-3" sand bed

closed loop with overflow for circulation

skimmer rated to 65g/ only used to clean up water when params spike oddly

45lbs live rock

right and left rear corners of tank will be rubble piles at 6" x 7" x 3" held in place with egg crate, for safe haven for pods/mysis... aka place to bread.

plan to seed tank with live pods and live mysis after cycle is complete then let tank sit empty so populations have time to grow and stabilize. Guessing that will take 6 months or so after cycle?

Has anyone tried this? Is this a good idea in theory at least? Any and all info/input will be greatly appreciated.

[mscarpena]

In theory it is a well thought out plan, but the 29 gallon tank is likely too small to do what you are planning. At a 29 gallon tank your pod population will take a hit very very quickly. I would think you would at least need to double your tank size and adding a refugium is a great idea. Also mysid shrimp are horribly cannibalistic and can reduce their population on their own. They also eat other pods.

[hk855]

Sounds like a good idea but it could be tough with a mandarin. A pipefish would be a better bet and I would also skip the mysis, because they are predators they will eat up to 10x as many calories in pods as they are a food source. Also the adults are probably too large to be eaten as well, unless it's a large, and therefore hungry, fish. If you can add a hob refugium that would make it possible easily. I just set up a 60 and have a hob fugue that I'm going to load with rubble and get a mandarin down the line sometime.

Dragonface pipes take frozen relatively easily and would be your best bet.

[anaya]

Okay, so I read up on the Mysis and sounds like they are a bad idea for the reasons you both spoke of, Thank you.

To be more specific fish wise: 1 or 2 Red scooters or 1 or 2 Dragonface pipes. The Mandarin was never an option due to friends having and losing them in larger tanks I know a 29g could not support one. The scooters and dragons I have read are not as heavy eaters and most will become accustomed to small frozen foods (Please correct me if I am wrong).

The option to double tank size is not an option for this application because this tank will be in my bedroom and space does not allow for it.

If I were to put a 5 - 10g refugium on the back via a shelf addition to the current stand is the idea more feasible?

Thank you both for the heads up on the mysis.

[hk855]

I think it is possible with the draggon face pipes. I had one that had a wound when purchased and it came back into good health quite quickly in a 40 without a fuge. With a fuge 2 shouldn't be a problem in a 30. Also mine ate frozen diced mysis pieces without much persuasion. Just a FYI on the fuge, you don't need a lot of light, I had a household compact fluorescent 17w on a 30g fuge and it was enough. just give a lot of room for cheato to grow so not too much rock and keep it below capacity by placing what your going to "trim" in the display for a few days before tossing it and let the pods get eaten. Also very low flow is better for pod growth.

[anaya]

Thanks hk855 for your input.

Speaking of flow... the only pump I have extra is a mag9...

How much flow should I be aiming for? Every thing I read just says low flow; no exact numbers or pump suggestions.

I was hoping to use a ball valve on output to slow the flow, with the lock line pointed to surface for more surface agitation than direct in-tank flow. Would it help if i put a SCWD on it?

Will or can I burn up the pump by cutting the output to much?