Planning invert/coral only tank...what to expect for A/N/N levels

[MR.FEESH]

I'm getting ready to set up a 6 gallon nano cube. The inhabitants will not include fish-- just filter feeding inverts, macro algae, and soft/hard coral.

The only food I will be putting into the system will be zooplankton and phytoplankton, hopefully in small spot feeding doses for: 1 porcelain crab, 1-3 fan worms, and 1 gorgonian. Everything else if photosynthetic or eats algae off the liverock/sandbed, like the clean up crew.


I'm wondering the extent to which feeding microscopic plankton will have an effect on my ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels if any at all. What should I expect? I'm not sure how much waste filter feeders make eating such tiny food.

I suppose I'm also sort of lost on what my clean-up-crew needs will be since all of the 'display' inverts I plan to keep are cleaning-type animals, and nothing else in the tank will be making waste.

Can someone chime in here please? Thanks!

[bertoni]

The crab would like a bit of fish food or the like from time to time. The gorgonian might be hard to feed, depending on the type. I'd need to know the approximate species to say much.

For cleanup crew, I might add an herbivorous snail if the glass starts turning green.

[MR.FEESH]

The crab would like a bit of fish food or the like from time to time. The gorgonian might be hard to feed, depending on the type. I'd need to know the approximate species to say much.

For cleanup crew, I might add an herbivorous snail if the glass starts turning green.

ROUGH stocking list, and also obviously not all at once in the beginning.

Display Invertebrates:
-(1) lettuce sea slug
-(1-3) feather duster
-(1) porcelain crab
-(1) sponge

Fish:
No fish

Soft Coral:
-(1-5) button polyps (assorted)
-(1) ricordea mushroom

SPS Coral:
-(1-2) montipora
-(1-2) bird's nest

Photosynthetic Sea Fans:
-(1) purple whip or green lace

[bertoni]

The purple whip seems to benefit from some phytoplankton, in my experience. I am not saying that it consumes the phytoplankton directly, but various creatures will, and they might end up as food.

The sea slug might starve to death fairly quickly unless you have some food source to add.

I might an algae-eating snail or two at some point.

[MR.FEESH]

The purple whip seems to benefit from some phytoplankton, in my experience. I am not saying that it consumes the phytoplankton directly, but various creatures will, and they might end up as food.

The sea slug might starve to death fairly quickly unless you have some food source to add.

I might an algae-eating snail or two at some point.

Yeah I have a feeling the non-display CUC is just going to have to be played by ear depending on if algae is present or not. I could have none and have no real need, or I could have a little in which case hermits/snails could be added as needed.

Everything else benefits from phytoplankton and zooplankton which is inexpensive and easy to feed (imo).

The lettuce sea slug is photosynthetic oddly enough, but I'm sure without algae or anything else to munch on it might starve as you suggested. Similar to the CUC, we'll have to see if there is any algae present to be eaten before adding this critter to the set-up.

[Adamw327]

Yeah I have a feeling the non-display CUC is just going to have to be played by ear depending on if algae is present or not. I could have none and have no real need, or I could have a little in which case hermits/snails could be added as needed.

Everything else benefits from phytoplankton and zooplankton which is inexpensive and easy to feed (imo).

The lettuce sea slug is photosynthetic oddly enough, but I'm sure without algae or anything else to munch on it might starve as you suggested. Similar to the CUC, we'll have to see if there is any algae present to be eaten before adding this critter to the set-up.

The "sea slug" is actually a nudibranch and they are amazing creatures.

They are photosynthetic only because they are what they eat. They eat plants, they then transfer the photo-receiving cells (i am no scientist :) ) to their back, and use them for a short period of time to make food from sunlight. Similarly, if they eat something poisonous or toxic, they can transfer that substance to their back to use both offensively and defensively. Each species has its own specific diet however (the lettuce slug, only eats the macro algae commonly namned "Sea lettuce" i have some in my tank but cannot remember the correct name) so there is no toxic spined photosynthetic variations

[MR.FEESH]

The "sea slug" is actually a nudibranch and they are amazing creatures.

They are photosynthetic only because they are what they eat. They eat plants, they then transfer the photo-receiving cells (i am no scientist :) ) to their back, and use them for a short period of time to make food from sunlight. Similarly, if they eat something poisonous or toxic, they can transfer that substance to their back to use both offensively and defensively. Each species has its own specific diet however (the lettuce slug, only eats the macro algae commonly namned "Sea lettuce" i have some in my tank but cannot remember the correct name) so there is no toxic spined photosynthetic variations

That is too cool. Anyway, duly noted. The LSS goes in if it has something to eat, if not, I'll manage.

[Adamw327]

Looked it up quick, Ulva aka Sea Lettuce is what you want. Fairly easy to keep Macro

[bertoni]

Ulva might be easy enough to grow. I'd try that and see how it goes. I always liked algae for their own sake, actually.