New 13 Gal nano reef.

Matusallem · 07/29/2014, 06:13 PM

Hi everyone. Some years back I had a 55 gal reef tank with a 40 gal sump. all top notch... i had to sell it cause my parents didn't want it. I had it for two years more or less.

Now I decided I miss reefing too much and accepted a deal at a store. So I bought a13 gallon tank with 2 lbs of "live" sand and 2 lbs of live rock. I live in Panama, here the live rock is really alive. I set it up yesterday, my plan is to keep 2 ocelaris/ percs (whichever is available at my store) and lots of corals. So far I think i want to cycle my tank with the die off from the live rock. Since I want 3 fish MAX(tempted to stay @ 2clowns... maybe one blenny a lot later.), and 1 or 2 cleaner shrimps.

Salinity @ .1024, My lighting will be perfect and all LED. Please Assume 10,000K lighting with perfect suiting for my tank. My tank is 2ft wide and 8.5 in long. One Koralia 240 gph powerhead. No skimmer for now. Just regular water changes. I may buy a small one. No SUMP. I know that a 13 gal nano is hard work but this provides me with fun, glory and satisfaction. I love Science. Also, thanks for the answers and welcoming messages in advance.

Is waiting a month to cycle out of die off a good idea (I added "live" sand)?

If i want a clownfish pair, should I add one first then the other? (adding two fish at the same time won't be too much?)

Should I add inverts firsts? Corals? (I don't want hermits as I know they eat snails.

Which inverts and easy corals should I add, what order?

fishhuman · 07/29/2014, 07:24 PM

The tank you have now is to small for clownfish they need at least 20 gallons, in this size tank a clown goby or similar would be good. Add the inverts first, and if you are getting a coral make your lights are suitable for it that means no PC or fluorescent. Add the inverts first and stay away from starfish and crabs, if you want hermit crabs get scarlet reef hermits, they will not eat snails

ed102475 · 07/29/2014, 08:04 PM

IMO... One clown will be fine. I also would only keep one shrimp. Test your water before putting live stock in . 4 weeks might be enough time just test first. JMO HAPPY REEFING.

MickeyDime53 · 07/29/2014, 09:37 PM

Hermits will only eat snailsnif you dont have any extra shells for them

dustinkimpel · 07/30/2014, 07:04 AM

2 Clownfish will be perfectly fine in that size tank. Even more so if they are small ones that most pet stores sell. If you wait for a month for your tank to cycle you should be just fine adding both at the same time. I would order a pair from one of the online retailers if it were me. Just do a 10% water change 1-3 days (depending on your nitrate/amonia levels) after you add your new clown pair. There is always going to be someone saying that your tank is too small for certain type of fish. 2 small clowns in a 13 gallon is fine, just don't plan on adding anything other than a blenny or some other type of small ground dweller. You should only get 1 cleaner shrimp though because they get quite large if fed properly.

MythicalReef · 07/31/2014, 02:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dustinkimpel

2 Clownfish will be perfectly fine in that size tank. Even more so if they are small ones that most pet stores sell. If you wait for a month for your tank to cycle you should be just fine adding both at the same time. I would order a pair from one of the online retailers if it were me. Just do a 10% water change 1-3 days (depending on your nitrate/amonia levels) after you add your new clown pair. There is always going to be someone saying that your tank is too small for certain type of fish. 2 small clowns in a 13 gallon is fine, just don't plan on adding anything other than a blenny or some other type of small ground dweller. You should only get 1 cleaner shrimp though because they get quite large if fed properly.

^^^ What he said.

Matusallem · 07/31/2014, 07:56 AM

Thanks a lot for the feedback. Yesturday I added one more piece of live rock. Today I found a small brittle star... maybe my Brittle Star can cycle the tank better in this month (If it makes it). I am not planing on adding anything for a month or so. When I add the clowns, should I add corals at the same time or should I wait for 0 nitrites and nitrates? Also, in which part does the shrimp gets in the tank?

GT350pwns · 07/31/2014, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MickeyDime53

Hermits will only eat snailsnif you dont have any extra shells for them

wrong. Had a ton of extra shells scattered throughout my tank and the hermits still went to town on the snails.

dustinkimpel · 08/20/2014, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GT350pwns

wrong. Had a ton of extra shells scattered throughout my tank and the hermits still went to town on the snails.

pretty late on this but ^^ is very very right. Hermits have always ended up eating something I didn't want them to and ended up pulling them out. Going to stick with snails from now on.

Bielaz · 11/13/2014, 08:56 PM

For lighting you can get a cheap 70$ T5 quad from oddysea or do 2 36 watt par38s or 3 12watt par38s. What kind of corals do you plan on keeping though???

07/29/2014, 06:13 PM	#1
Matusallem Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 4	New 13 Gal nano reef. Hi everyone. Some years back I had a 55 gal reef tank with a 40 gal sump. all top notch... i had to sell it cause my parents didn't want it. I had it for two years more or less. Now I decided I miss reefing too much and accepted a deal at a store. So I bought a13 gallon tank with 2 lbs of "live" sand and 2 lbs of live rock. I live in Panama, here the live rock is really alive. I set it up yesterday, my plan is to keep 2 ocelaris/ percs (whichever is available at my store) and lots of corals. So far I think i want to cycle my tank with the die off from the live rock. Since I want 3 fish MAX(tempted to stay @ 2clowns... maybe one blenny a lot later.), and 1 or 2 cleaner shrimps. Salinity @ .1024, My lighting will be perfect and all LED. Please Assume 10,000K lighting with perfect suiting for my tank. My tank is 2ft wide and 8.5 in long. One Koralia 240 gph powerhead. No skimmer for now. Just regular water changes. I may buy a small one. No SUMP. I know that a 13 gal nano is hard work but this provides me with fun, glory and satisfaction. I love Science. Also, thanks for the answers and welcoming messages in advance. Is waiting a month to cycle out of die off a good idea (I added "live" sand)? If i want a clownfish pair, should I add one first then the other? (adding two fish at the same time won't be too much?) Should I add inverts firsts? Corals? (I don't want hermits as I know they eat snails. Which inverts and easy corals should I add, what order?

07/29/2014, 08:04 PM	#3
ed102475 Reef Custodian Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: FL. Posts: 954	IMO... One clown will be fine. I also would only keep one shrimp. Test your water before putting live stock in . 4 weeks might be enough time just test first. JMO HAPPY REEFING. __________________ Stromalitic cyanobacteria!... Gather. An entire ecosystem contained in one infinitesimal speck.

07/29/2014, 07:24 PM	#2
fishhuman Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: LA california Posts: 647	The tank you have now is to small for clownfish they need at least 20 gallons, in this size tank a clown goby or similar would be good. Add the inverts first, and if you are getting a coral make your lights are suitable for it that means no PC or fluorescent. Add the inverts first and stay away from starfish and crabs, if you want hermit crabs get scarlet reef hermits, they will not eat snails

07/29/2014, 09:37 PM	#4
MickeyDime53 Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 108	Hermits will only eat snailsnif you dont have any extra shells for them

07/30/2014, 07:04 AM	#5
dustinkimpel Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 342	2 Clownfish will be perfectly fine in that size tank. Even more so if they are small ones that most pet stores sell. If you wait for a month for your tank to cycle you should be just fine adding both at the same time. I would order a pair from one of the online retailers if it were me. Just do a 10% water change 1-3 days (depending on your nitrate/amonia levels) after you add your new clown pair. There is always going to be someone saying that your tank is too small for certain type of fish. 2 small clowns in a 13 gallon is fine, just don't plan on adding anything other than a blenny or some other type of small ground dweller. You should only get 1 cleaner shrimp though because they get quite large if fed properly.

07/31/2014, 07:56 AM	#7
Matusallem Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 4	Thanks a lot for the feedback. Yesturday I added one more piece of live rock. Today I found a small brittle star... maybe my Brittle Star can cycle the tank better in this month (If it makes it). I am not planing on adding anything for a month or so. When I add the clowns, should I add corals at the same time or should I wait for 0 nitrites and nitrates? Also, in which part does the shrimp gets in the tank?

11/13/2014, 08:56 PM	#10
Bielaz Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: NE Pacific Posts: 29	For lighting you can get a cheap 70$ T5 quad from oddysea or do 2 36 watt par38s or 3 12watt par38s. What kind of corals do you plan on keeping though???