Live Rock in 10g Setup

[TooCurious]

I have set up my first salt water tank. I know a 10 gal is small and difficult to maintain water quality, however I am aware of the need for testing and water changes to help this. I have 25 pounds of live rock and about 2 lbs of rubble on the bottom. I had a filter media in a brackish tank to help with the cycling. I have tested my wp's and they are:
ammonia 0
nitrites 0
nitrates 0-5
ph 8.7 steady daytime
kh 15
temp 80 f

I have many hitchhikers: 2 blue hermit crabs, many starfish including brittle starfish, many snails of all kinds, 2 small bristleworms, coraline, aiptasia (slowly disappearing), shrimp, feather dusters (and baby ones are popping up now), sponges, stomatella snails, glass algae, and some things I don't know what it is.

I have had no cycling problems. I haven't noticed any extreme changes. I do have green and orangish? algae that I don't know what it is.

I have it in a window right now and it gets daylight 10 hours a day. I know I need lighting. I would like to know what size lighting would be needed for a 10 gallon standard tank? I would like to eventually buy some corals and such.

I would also like to know how hard would it be to transfer this system into a 50 gallon tall tank and what sort of lighting would be needed for that? That way I could use my 10 gallon as a refugium.

I also built my own protein skimmer with a counter current and air stone setup with a powerhead. It is getting foamy bubbles at the top but no bad colored/smelling stuff.

My setup has been up for 3 weeks now. Any ideas on any booboos or need tos or must haves for this?

All input appreciated very much.

Thanks in advance.

[FeatherDuster]

Welcome to nano tanks :)

Many people say they are hard, but I have had no major troubles with mine so far. Water changes are so easy. Only top offs can be a pain. But that happens in all my tanks.

Since you might transfer in the future I wouldn't spend a huge amount of cash on lighting. It sounds like you won't need it until you update to your 50G. It might be a waste to buy a very expensive system for your 10G and then end up just using it as a refugium.

It shouldn't be extremely hard to upgrade if you prepare. I would place some extra sponges and filter media in the 10G before you do. That way you might experience just a small and quick minicycle in your larger tank.

Sadly I am not an expert in lighting so I can't really offer specific system advice. I am sure some of the extremely experienced reefers can help. Although you might want to specify what type of corals you want.

[Grins]

The green and orange algae if hard are probably coraline, it comes in many different colors.

I'd not keep the tank in a window unless you are wanting to grow algae in there. Direct sunlight added especially to tap water could be the start of a 10g algae farm.

To recommend lighting we'll need to know more about the corals you want in the nano tank. Transferring things to a 50g from a 10g won't be all that hard but why a 50g tall? A 55g long would be far more versatile and allow you to spend less on lights to reach the bottom.

As far as other ideas you might want to take a look in the DIY forum here under the Down and Dirty Shopping List for new tanks.

[TooCurious]

Hey thanks for responding feather duster and grins!

Well I have to say I definetly don't want to spend a bunch on lighting for the ten gallon but if it is used for a refugium wouldn't it still need lighting for macroalgae etc?

So I know LR doesn't have to have lighting yet but don't the feather duster worms and coraline need some light right now?

I already have the 50 gallon tall and I also have a 47 gallon wide or long whichever lingo is preferred. I guess I wasn't thinking properly regarding lighting getting to the bottom...just thought it would look beautiful to have the sw setup in it...but now I think I will go with the 47 long. Hmmmm. So I have 2 Xenia Frags coming for free from the Marine Biologist I bought my LR from. So I definetly want decent lighting for them. I was thinking about one actenate? (sorry trying to remember the spelling) blue light and a couple other marine lights. I don't know if I want to go with PC but am leaning to MH. I don't know yet. I have heard of them all but I want to buy something I know people have used and had success with and yet doesn't cost an arm, a leg, and maybe a couple ribs. :)

Can a refugium have critters as well?

Thanks for your input.

[clown-lover]

Hey thanks for responding feather duster and grins!

Well I have to say I definetly don't want to spend a bunch on lighting for the ten gallon but if it is used for a refugium wouldn't it still need lighting for macroalgae etc?

So I know LR doesn't have to have lighting yet but don't the feather duster worms and coraline need some light right now?

I already have the 50 gallon tall and I also have a 47 gallon wide or long whichever lingo is preferred. I guess I wasn't thinking properly regarding lighting getting to the bottom...just thought it would look beautiful to have the sw setup in it...but now I think I will go with the 47 long. Hmmmm. So I have 2 Xenia Frags coming for free from the Marine Biologist I bought my LR from. So I definetly want decent lighting for them. I was thinking about one actenate? (sorry trying to remember the spelling) blue light and a couple other marine lights. I don't know if I want to go with PC but am leaning to MH. I don't know yet. I have heard of them all but I want to buy something I know people have used and had success with and yet doesn't cost an arm, a leg, and maybe a couple ribs. :)

Can a refugium have critters as well?

Thanks for your input.

Yes the refugium will need lighting for macro algaes.. But you can get by with a 6500k Compact Florecent for that. My Cheato grows like weeds in my sump.. I pull it out by the bunches every couple of weeks.

Actinics are for your viewing pleasure only they add nothing to the spectrum for any tank inhabitant. Your going to want to look for something in the 10,000k spectrum or higher. I personally prefer Metal Halids because pretty much the only thing you can do is the stuff that requires shade, but you still can if you have overhangs in your LR..

The downfall to MH is they do raise tank temperature, so on days when the weather is going to only be 82 degress I'm running my Air Conditioner so the tank doesn't over heat.

Refugiums can have critters, I personally use it as a banishment area for Crabs and such that get to upity in the main tank. Have a turbo in there to keep the walls clean. But you could put an overly agressive fish in there until you can find a new home etc.

hth

[TooCurious]

Hey thanks for replying. I have been having a hard time getting online lately. I bought a marine-glo for the 10 gallon. The coraline is transferring all over the LR and rubble on the bottom. It's beautiful! I have so many different colors of it I didn't realize it came in all these different ones! Pinks purples, maroon, red, green, light blue, orangish, etc. Love it. I am enjoying the little tank alot. Nano tanks are pretty cool. I am going to have to do another one when I get ready to do the big tank. I know I still need to research (constantly :) ) about everything but especially setting up a refugium. I understand the basics of the water flow into and out of it and the need for a refugium. I just need to figure out what to put in it. I am also thinking of creating my own live rock from an article I read.

I think the MH's may be what I go with for the big tank. I was under the impression the blue was a required part of the system. Read that one wrong. Well that's ok.

If I wanted to have one fish, a clown, would my LR percentage versus water percentage accept it in the ten gallon? Then leave the rest to a couple shrimp for cleanup and the current inhabs? TIA.