Dixiegirl's 10gal contest tank

So I started my tank a few days ago and I had some hitchikers on my LR so I guess I can enter by default.

Tank start date, May 31, 2012

My params today:
Salinity-1.023
temp- 78
ph-8.2
ammonia- .25ppm
nitrite- 0
nitrate-5ppm

Equipment:
thermometer
penguin bio wheel 100
regular florescent white light(temporary)

Things I plan to add:
a few corals
firefish
shrimp goby or yellow watchman
barnacle blenny
CUC
pom pom crab(s)
sexy shrimp
Power head
heater
new light

What's in there now: (came on my LR)
serpent sea star
snail
teeny tiny shrimp of some kind
a few misc polyps

FTS:


Please let me know if I forgot anything

 

A few pictures

 

I wouldnt do either of those gobies, but a clown goby would be great.

Looks good, though.

 

Why neither of those gobies? I know the watchman may jump, but so will the firefish so I'm going to see about buying or making a screen lid.

 

That tank is pretty small for them. They need large, mature sand beds.

 

The firefish would be fine.

 

According to Live Aquaria, the yellow watchman and a few of the shrimp gobies (like the Wheeler's shrimp) are rated for a 10g tank. Kyle, has your experience been different with these guys? That said, because they are sand sifters, they do need mature sand beds to search for food or will starve to death (though my Wheeler's ate frozen, but perhaps that is not enough, I don't really know - this is when I'm very aware of my own noob status )

Steph, I think a firefish will look great! But of course I am a bit partial to those guys I'd also recommend adding just a little more dry rock to your tank when you can, otherwise it looks great and I really hope all of your critters make it through the cycle!

 

Looks good! I hope your hitch hikers live also! That bottom pic looks a little like my encrusting hydnophora. Very pretty but very aggressive coral. Can't wait to watch your progress!

 

I bought a little more live and dry rock.

Chichi, that's what it is. I when I was at the lfs I looked at the one they had there for sale. I don't know how I feel about it yet.

I got a cute mushroom that is attached to on of my new live rocks and also a few more zoa polyps.

 

Ive always heard at least 30 due to their adult size, but I could be mistaken, I guess. Mine died shortly after I got him so I dont know about long term, personally.

 

Looking good!

 

Tank update!

Looks like my cycle is coming along.

Specific gravity-1.025
temp-78
ph-8.1
ammonia-.25
NO2-1.0
NO3-10


Stock:
serpent or brittle star
snail
hynophora
zoa polyps
watermelon mushroom
bio wheel 100
thermometer
light

I added two more pieces of LR which had the mushroom and the zoas on them.

Full tank shot:

 

My ammonia went down since the last time I checked from .50ppm to .25ppm and that was on Wednesday.

 

Ok so I got a little confused about when to post our test results so I'm going to post another one just to be safe.

specific gravity-1.025
temp-78
ph-8.2
ammonia-0
no2-0
no3-10

Stock:
brittle star
one unknown snail
2 margarita snails
1 blue leg hermit
3 astraea snails
misc polyps
watermelon mushroom
hynophora
FTS









I'm just going to start posting on thursdays or fridays instead of saturdays so I don't confuse myself anymore.....

 

Woah, looking awesome!!! And it looks like your cycle is done - yay!

 

Looks great!

 

TANK UPDATE

I have been able to keep my levels stable but lost one astrea snail to an unknown cause.

specific gravity-1.026
temp-78
ph-8.2
ammonia-0
no2-0
no3-10

stock list:
brittle star
1 unknown snail
2 astrea snail
2 margarita snail
hynophora
2 mushrooms
misc polyps

 

Looks great. Black sand and black background make the tank look very clean.

 

This week's update:

Nothing new put in tank. Hopefully filling it with corals and a couple fish when I get back in town.

SG- 1.025
temp-78
ph-8.2
ammonia-0
no2-0
no3-20

How can I keep my nitrates down? I do water changes every week and still can't get it down to 0. I'm not putting any kind of food in there.

FTS:

 

Try adding a powerhead for a little more water movement. I am having to do an average of two 15% WC a week on my ten gallon, but I have the clowns in there.
Looking good though!