first tank ever. 12g mini-reef.

I second keeping the BIG @$. Rock in the middle and just picking up some rubble (nothing more than tiny fragments on a bigger piece of Live rock) and have them around the big piece. Put in some aragonite sand, plus I would get your clean up crew half way through your cycle. A combination of hermit crabs, shrimp I like the anemone shrimp the best, and snails like turbos or nassarious snails.

As far as fish I would stay away from the Mandarin Goby, Far to complicated for any begginer (including myself) and need a mature tank (as well as a bigger one) I would add a Royal Gramma for color, a Clown Percula for all the nemo fans, maybe a Lawnmower Blennie for its intresting nature personality You could away add more fish buy those would be a good foundation In my opinion of course. Also you could always add better lighting and do corals, you can keep just about anything when it comes to corals. Anyways keep the pics comming.
 
ryuku32 said:
wow. never saw that guy. interesting looking! but too big to keep in 12gal i'd think. not much floor space in there. :( i really like that shrimp too. it's definitely on the tank list! this the guy...?

lg_78348.jpg

Scarlet Skunk Cleaner Shrimp

(Lysmata amboinensis)
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Yup, that's the one. :-) I'd love to have a reef tank with a few of them, some coral, and possibly some perculas. For now I have freshwater. I'm still searching for somewhere to buy cherry shrimp around here.
 
I have aragonite but was waiting until my cycle was done b/c of fall off. i haven't really gotten any... but most said to wait, some said the order doesn't matter *shrug*. i'll add a few more peices of rock. but still, removing this sponge? i dunno... it cleans the water up. doesn't the LR do its job well enough without rubble being in the filter.

i did read about adding the cleaning crew a bit early. when nitrates are down to at least 10ppm? and the false percula seems best fit even though originally i wanted the true clown. really haven't given a 2nd fish a thought! but thats def my personal limit. two fish and the crew.
 
I would add the sand now so that your tank isnt all cloady after your cycle is done, As far as the rubble the LR is suppost to keep the water paramaters in check but it also helps to have LR in a place where there is constant water flow. IE a hang on the back filter or sump, I have LR rubble in my sump where my overflow water comes in.. You could keep the sponge to trap any big debris. Also why not just stick with two perculas? But for sure many tankmates can accomidate a percula. Just keep us posted and we can tell you whether its a go or NO go.
 
Yeah okay I'll probably add the substrate tonight when I get home then. I need to get some PVC (or something) to help support that big rock. It has 3 'legs' holding it up and a 4th which is a bit short of touching the tank bottom so it's not very stable. give it a half inch of help and it'll be solid as ... a rock. :)
i'd like to clowns. they'd hang around and be happy... but wouldn't they end up laying eggs? i can't deal with that. :)
 
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ryuku32 said:
Yeah okay I'll probably add the substrate tonight when I get home then. I need to get some PVC (or something) to help support that big rock. It has 3 'legs' holding it up and a 4th which is a bit short of touching the tank bottom so it's not very stable. give it a half inch of help and it'll be solid as ... a rock. :)
i'd like to clowns. they'd hang around and be happy... but wouldn't they end up laying eggs? i can't deal with that. :)
Click to expand...
they can but...not always...and survival is slim without a rearing tank.
 
ryuku32 said:
sponge is mechanical filter. i'd have nothing but bio-filtration. guess reef 'purists' would say thats best, huh? what if i used live sand in a mesh filter media bag? that's like bio and mechanical eh? silly idea? yeah i'm new at this.
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nope sponges no good...live rock rubble should only be used. and i use plenty of chemical filtration..and look at my reef
 
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