14 Gallon Biocube Wennerae Mantis Build

[finkjor123]

Hi everyone,
I am new to this forum, and to the hobby. I am currently planning to buy a 14 gallon biocube, and stock it with a Wennerae mantis shrimp and one yellow tail damselfish. I have calculated initial expenses and it comes to about 430 dollars. I am planning on buying 25 pounds of live rock from tbsaltwater, which is near where I live, and buy the mantis there as well. I was also advised to include some snails or hermit crabs, but I have researched the mantis shrimp extensively and realize it might eat the snails so I was planning on including around 7-8 blue legged hermits. For substrate I was planning on buying "CaribSea Aragonite Aragamax Oolite," and Instant Ocean Synthetic Sea Salt. I was told I would need a saltwater chemical kit (15$), a PH tester (15$), and a "Specific gravity tester" (10$). How does this setup sound? How should I go about building this tank, should I introduce the mantis first, then the damsel? I have also read enough to know that I need to "cycle" the tank before introducing anything, but am not sure how or what that means exactly. Any information you guys can give me would be great as you all seem very knowledgeable. I like to throughly plan things, so if I am missing anything please let me know. Also, would I need to include PVC for burrowing? I have heard Wennerae does not need it, as it burrows in the live rock.
Thank You,
Jordan

[jrbills12]

The cycle occurs while the bacterial base builds in your tank. This bacteria will break down ammonia in your tank. When you test the water you will see a Ammonia and nitrite spike. After these both return to 0 nitrates may go up. If the nitrates do spike you can fix that with water changes. Once your ammonia nitrite and nitrates are 0ppm your cycle is complete. You sound pretty set. The only other thing I would recommend is for the specific gravity tester go ahead and get a refractometer (40-50 dollars) which is far more reliable and accurate then a 10 dollar hyrdometer

[john miller]

Also that Oolite sand is very fine so their Fiji pink or Reef grade sand would be a better choice. It will handle more flow without being blown around.

+1 on the refractometer. You'll be surprised how many times you'll use it and that hydrometer is a PITA and not very accurate. An API reef master test kit would be a good start also, about $35 and all the test you'll need to get you through the cycle.

If you pick up your rock from TBS Richard can tell you all you need to know about the cycle in a few minutes when you get your rock. He posts on her quite a bit.

[finkjor123]

Alright, thank you to both of you. Im assuming the cycling starts after both the sand and liverock have been added? And with the tbsaltwater liverock, would I be better off buying the package he offers? It comes with LR, live sand, hermits, snails, cucumbers, pepermint shrimp, a starfish, and a few other creatures, possibly corals, etc. Im just wondering if that would overcrowd a 14 gallon, and if the mantis would just end up killing all of it anyway. So should I get the package or not? and im debating getting a 29 gallon instead of a 14.

[jrbills12]

Alright, thank you to both of you. Im assuming the cycling starts after both the sand and liverock have been added? And with the tbsaltwater liverock, would I be better off buying the package he offers? It comes with LR, live sand, hermits, snails, cucumbers, pepermint shrimp, a starfish, and a few other creatures, possibly corals, etc. Im just wondering if that would overcrowd a 14 gallon, and if the mantis would just end up killing all of it anyway. So should I get the package or not? and im debating getting a 29 gallon instead of a 14.

the hermits would be ok but the starfish and cucumber would starve to death very quickly. If it were me I would just buy the sand and live rock. After the cycle you can go get acouple crabs and snails but I would avoid the starfish and cucumber in a tank that small they will starve. As far as size its mainly a money issue. You will have more options as far as livestock in a 29 (a lot more options) but it will also cost you more in sand and rock and the tank itself