nano tank stocking help

[bandit1994]

I have a ten gallon nano tank it is 20x10x12 and I am going to be having a occ clownfish a yellow watchman goby and a tiger pistol shrimp is the tank full or could I get a bicolor dotty back and still be safe

 

[Bunnee911]

Probably not.

 

[bandit1994]

to the dotty back or the tank being full

 

[MontiFanatic402]

2 small fish in a 10gal would probably be safe, but 3 would be pushing it. If you do more water changes that might work, but I wouldn't recommend it due to the possibility of getting lazy. I know I'm guilty of it. It all depends on your method of nutrient export. Good luck

 

[mrsaltwaterguy]

I would always recommend to slightly under stock then go up to the max. As the poster above noted, it's really easy to get lazy on water changes. You can get away with it more on larger tanks but smaller tanks are much less forgiving.

 

[bandit1994]

I have a hob filter with a biowheel its rated for a 30 gallon tank and a 4 pound peace of Fiji live rock and live sand

 

[tankstudy]

With a HOB filter, I personally would not add anymore at this time. Your filtration turnover rate is only 3 times your water volume. Even if you have a total combined higher turnover rate in the system because of additional powerheads in your tank, your filtration turnover rate is low.

I'm not sure how big your current fish are but they can grow pretty big from my experience.

 

[mrsaltwaterguy]

Another thing to consider is that the clownfish will get highly territorial.

 

[bandit1994]

is it safe to have a goby in the tank with it

 

[mrsaltwaterguy]

You should be fine with the goby. The pistol will end up building a home under the rock and the goby will sit outside of it. The pair is great to watch together.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Each tank is different, so if your levels are fine you can add another small fish, though adding a second rock will help break up territory. A dottyback can take care of itself.

 

[bandit1994]

I am look for a protein skimmer is this a need for lps or is just the lfs trying to make a sale I have my hob running with two filter pads and already have zoas

 

[eatbreakfast]

I am look for a protein skimmer is this a need for lps or is just the lfs trying to make a sale I have my hob running with two filter pads and already have zoas

Protein skimmers will pull out dissolved organic compounds and does help with water quality, but it also pulls out some of the things that corals, especially LPS, like to eat.

 

[bandit1994]

so I really don't need one then I was told that I needed one for lps

 

[eatbreakfast]

so I really don't need one then I was told that I needed one for lps

Correct, it helps, but is not necessary.

 

[bandit1994]

could I use macro algae instead of a skimmer

 

[JadeM]

yeah you could but you would not have it in the display as it can and will spread like a weed in the right conditions and I have heard of them reaching display tanks through pumps and through the water but I don't know if that is true or just a big fib, that would do well but won't grow fast enough for the amount of pressure of ammonia and poop the fish and coral create, I have a 75gal reef with a 40gal refugium, the larger the refugium the better. Still I wouldn't trust the plant to remove a lot, remember what you put in needs to be removed, like if I put two cubes of brine in I expected the amount of two cubes of waste, look into a mangrove cool plants

 

[bandit1994]

I need to be able to have nutrient removal but leave the stuff that lps like and is mangroves good for newbies

 

[JadeM]

well you have to get them to grow roots and that stuff but it depends where you are, as i'm in Australia I can go down to beach and find the seedling all over the beach where as in other countries you have to buy them, them are quite easy they can be kept as a bonsai pruned often, they can grow off natural light or from hanging lights they are very slow growers and are very easy to keep though you just have to spray the leaves everyday as they sweat the salt out when they drink from their leaves I would recommend them but look into the different types as some are not for everyone also some you can't get in other countries, some are black red and lots of others that you can keep just keep pruning them

 

[bandit1994]

out of the black or red what is ezer