FOWLR Tank

[Boesemani]

Hi guys. I posted this a little while back, but I realized it was in a completely unrelated forum and I only got 1 response. So my question is, I want to do a small 10 gallon tank with just live rock, inverts, and 1 or 2 small fish (no coral, anemones, or anything like that) but I don't know how this stock would work out:

4 blue leg hermits
3 scarlet reef hermits
2 (or 1) peppermint shrimp
1 Randall's pistol shrimp (maybe)
1 emerald crab
2 trochus snails
1 nassarius snail (maybe)
1 brittle star
1 blue damsel
1 yellow clown goby (maybe)

I don't mind specifically feeding the inverts, as the tank would be directed more towards them and I'm sure that with such a large clean up crew for such a small tank I'd need to. The fish would just be for some more colour and extra movement. Would the clown goby and damsel get along? And how would a pistol shrimp fare without a watchman goby of some sort?

 

[RMS18]

I am not sure about the shrimps, you could always get a pistol shrimp goby pair. Diversden sells them in pairs time to time. Just make sure your sand bed can accommodate them. Personally I I don't like crabs other than blue legs. You can also check out sexy shrimp, I have 6 of them really cool looking and they don't bother anything. Damsels are 50/50. I never owned one. If you do get one add it last and worst case with a 10 gallon it will be easy to catch him if you need to take him out.

What about your equipment setup?

 

[Boesemani]

I don't really know for the equipment yet. I have a used 10 gallon tank that used to be freshwater. It has a filter, heater, thermometer, fluorescent lighting (I wouldn't need any special lighting would I? It's just fish and inverts), and I also have a power head, so I'd need to get quite a few things probably such as a refractometer plus all the sand and live rock.

 

[RMS18]

I don't really know for the equipment yet. I have a used 10 gallon tank that used to be freshwater. It has a filter, heater, thermometer, fluorescent lighting (I wouldn't need any special lighting would I? It's just fish and inverts), and I also have a power head, so I'd need to get quite a few things probably such as a refractometer plus all the sand and live rock.

No you wouldn't need a high end light system but a led strip would make the colors of the fish pop more. You should look into a cpr hob fuge. You can then store your equipment and a slimmer like a tunze in there, carbon or chaeto. I had a cpr fuge it was great. Stay away from a filter let your system create a biological filter along with weekly w/c

 

[RMS18]

*skimmer is what I meant.
I have a medium size cpr fuge that I will be selling soon if you decided to go that route.

 

[Boesemani]

Ok thanks. I wasn't sure about using a filter because different people have told me that in such a small tank I would need one, but others have told me what you said about letting the tank become a biological filter. However, I haven't been told by anyone else that I would need a skimmer or refugium on a tank like this, because it wouldn't have coral or many fish. I'm certainly not saying you're wrong, I'm just wondering.

 

[RMS18]

Ok thanks. I wasn't sure about using a filter because different people have told me that in such a small tank I would need one, but others have told me what you said about letting the tank become a biological filter. However, I haven't been told by anyone else that I would need a skimmer or refugium on a tank like this, because it wouldn't have coral or many fish. I'm certainly not saying you're wrong, I'm just wondering.

You don't "need" a skimmer but it will make maintenance much easier. A fuge will just add the benifits of keeping pods, keeping equipment of out sight etc. I had a 10 gallon when I first started with 2 clowns and a few corals. Things went ok, few bumps.

 

[Boesemani]

Are pods beneficial to an aquarium? If possible, I'd like to keep this tank as low cost and simple as possible.

 

[RMS18]

Are pods beneficial to an aquarium? If possible, I'd like to keep this tank as low cost and simple as possible.

Yes pods are beneficial. Some fish require them as food. They help add to the biological system. Sometimes simple isn't simple in the long run.

 

[Boesemani]

Yes pods are beneficial. Some fish require them as food. They help add to the biological system. Sometimes simple isn't simple in the long run.

I want to do what's best for the creatures, so I don't mind getting extra equipment if it will benefit the system and their survival.

Could I also possibly add a blue tuxedo urchin to the stock list or would it not do well?

 

[RMS18]

I want to do what's best for the creatures, so I don't mind getting extra equipment if it will benefit the system and their survival.

Could I also possibly add a blue tuxedo urchin to the stock list or would it not do well?

Urchins are a pain imo. Others love them but things get stuck to them. I would do research on everything before you buy them and see what others have to say and come to your own decision, as you have to do with most of this hobby.

 

[Boesemani]

What kinds of things get stuck to the urchins? Just little rocks and shells and stuff? If it just picks up shells and rocks I'm fine with that as there wouldn't be any sessile inverts for it to bother.

 

[Boesemani]

Anyone?

 

[RMS18]

Anyone?

Google it you'll find plenty. They pick up snails, crabs things stick to them.