Stocking 10 Gallon Tank

D

Dubby Tee

Reefing newb
So I have my live sand and part of my live rock in the tank. (Another shipment of live rock will arrive on Tuesday with my clean up crew. The clean up crew will be 6 Blue Leg Hermit Crabs, 3 Astrea Snails, 1 Tiger Tail Cucumber, 1 Serpent or Brittle Star, and 1 Peppermint Shrimp).

I was planning on having corals and fish too (obviously with the fish).

I have been doing some research and I know two fish is the max I can go, and that is pushing it. I am a beginner here and am looking for some advice.

I for sure want an Ocellaris Clownfish. The other fish I am still deciding between a firefish, a royal gramma, or I am open to other opinions for this type of tank.

I have done some research on corals, but I am on a budget and am not sure which corals will do well in a small tank and don't cost that much. Need some help there.

Thanks!
 
Make sure you cure your live rock in a separate container, and not in your display tank if you are going to be adding your CUC at that time. The shipping will cause a die off which will cause a cycle if you add it directly to your tank, and that cycle will kill off your entire CUC. Trust me, I got shipped rock and my cycle spiked the ammonia higher than my test kit even read! (I did not have any livestock in the tank at that time, so no critters were harmed.....)

As to fishie suggestions, I would go with the firefish. Royal Grammas are neat fish, and I really like them, but they require a bit larger tank (30+ gallons), whereas the firefish will be just fine in a 10.
 
It'll probably be best to just get two clowns and let them pair up...and there are literally dozens of corals you get for that size tank. Softies will be the easiest.
 
I just warn ya to be careful! Get Mostly Hardy livestock because its pretty tough in a 10g parameters can change quick >_<

What kind of lights are you gonna have for it?

I would reccomend some LPS that you can feed if you please Like a single Stalk of Frogspawn/Torch or Acans if your lights are decent :)

But first start out with some more hardy corals such as zoas!
 
I would go with a pair of clowns. Firefish are known for carpet surfing. I've had a 10 gallon for over 3 years and they are a lot of work but after it matures (like after the first year) it gets easier. It wasn't easy keeping the params in check at first but once you get a good water change/feeding/cleaning schedule in place, you'll be fine.
Whats the lights and filtration for this tank?
 
You can probably ditch the biowheel filter. They just build nitrates. Your LR and water changes will take care of your filtration in a 10. As for the LEDs, do you have singles, doubles, or reef-ready? The doubles might support soft corals, and the reef-ready will support pretty much anything you want to keep, but the singles won't support anything but fish......
 
Definately going to have to upgrade the LEDs. Don't think they are strong enough even for fish. Just started looking at different lighting options. Like I said before I am on a budget, but looking to do it right. I have about $75 to spend on lighting, with the max being $100. Any suggestions there?
 
There are some pretty cheap T5's out there. I got a 2X24 T5 HO at petco for around $60. While it wasnt top of the line stuff, I was able to keep a wide variety of corals from softies to LPS under them.
 
Idk, I might keep the biowheel filter... as long as you keep it cleaned up and I believe it has carbon media in it? if so that needs replaced monthly.

idk if there would be "enough" biological filtration with just your LR in a 10g.

idk, Salty B, do you use a filter on your 10g?
 
Also, I'm not sure if I would trust the LED's from aquatraders.... I'm sure they would keep your corals alive but I can almost garuntee that they do not cover the whole spectrum of lighting required for corals to flourish.
 
they run really close to the marineland reef capable lights.... on a 10 gallon I would think they would be fine..
 
I have read a few things. Apparently LEDs are best? But T5s work just as well. For the cost I'm assuming I'll go with the T5s, but I really like the LEDs. Also, the biowheel does have carbon.
 
I used a HOB filter just for carbon. I had some pretty wild param swings the first year also. After that it became a lot more stable.
 

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