First Post - New Tank

[mamagoose45]

While this is my first post, I'm not a stranger to the MTRC or Reef Central. I've been to a few meetings and met a few of you already. If it helps anyone, I'm Brian's (DMBillies) girlfriend. I've finally broken down and decided to post on here rather than just checking up on posts through his name. I am finally admitting it, I think I'm becoming a reef junkie...

Anyhow, the point of my post... I'm going to be setting up a little 2.5 gallon aquarium (much like the one on the desk at Emerald Bay) and would appreciate any suggestions that anyone is willing to give.

-Lights: I don't have anything yet but I'm thinking about using a little PC fixture. Do I have any other good options? I'm going to be looking for a fixture that will sit on a 12"x6" tank.
-Livestock: I know for sure that I want to get a few sexy shrimp, not sure how many I can have in a tank that size. I was thinking maybe other inverts, possibly a fish. I'm not sure what, if anything, I can put into a tank that size that will coexist with the sexy shrimp.
-Corals: If I have to go with PC's, high light corals are probably out of the question. Any suggestions on corals that would look cool in a little aquarium like this?

Nothing is set up yet, let alone ready for any additions - I'm just brain storming ahead of time so I have an idea of a finished product down the road... Like I said, any suggestions are more than welcome. Brian has informed me that this is "my own" tank so I'm responsible for doing all the research on it...

[gflat65]

If you follow what EBay has done, you will be covering most of the bases. The PC lighting like they have over the 2.5 will grow most LPS and softies/zoas, so you should be in good shape there. I'm not sure if you'd be able to support the bioload of a fish in something that small, unless maybe you went with some sort of tiny goby. Not sure what kind of filter they are running, but model after that one and you'll be on the right path. There are a few options on the tiny filters, but only a few (unless you want to pimp out your 2.5 nano;).

[foggy54]

[welcome]

[reefer5060]

back when i had a 2.5 i had a clown goby in the for a little while and he did fine..ID go with the panda clown goby he is freakin awesome. Coral anythnig that will fit but sps , inverts i had sexies ,clams ect

[pitbullpooch]

i have a 2.5g with the 2 x 13watt Bright Kit from
http://www.ahsupply.com/twox.htm in a diy canopy that cost less then $10 to build and with that you can keep anything that is safe to keep in a tank so small. like reefer said no sps its just way to hard to keep them happy or alive in a system so small. for flow all i have is a aqua clear 20 hob filter which i just use for carbon and it provides enough flow with out the need of a power head in the tank. other then that all i have is 5 pounds of small live rock and about 1/2 inch sand bed. mines still going thru a cycle right now but when i had one set up before i had a sexy shrimp,emerald crab, 1 astrea snail and 2 nass snails. for corals i had zoas,a fogspawn,a torch, rics ,blastos, open brain and a few others but i cant recall right now what all i had. brains dead since i should be in bed by now lol. anyways good luck to you and im sure you will have fun. i had more fun with my old 2.5 then i do with my bigger setups that i have had. the only thing that i dont like is you cant really stock it with much as far as fish go but i like my corals more anyways.