5 Gallon FOWLR?

[mrgreen]

I have a 5.5 that I wanted to do a second DP. Unfortunately, my 2nd DP, Squeak, died, as I couldn't cycle the thong. (He was living in my 5 hex with Squirt.).

I went into the LFS abd talked about what I could do with a tank like this. We had a long talk amd believe me I asked about everything I could re improper stocking, cycling, skimmers, RO/DI water... (I love TPF!) First, is it even a good idea to do such a small tank in marine as a beginner. The second is that they said I should do 10 lbs of LR AND 10 lbs of LS. I thought LS is not live in the bag. Plus, she said LR is already cured and taking it home in water in a bag means you don't have to recure. As for cycling, she sand LR should work even w/o a skimmer and throw in BioSpira for good measure.

As for stocking, she said 3 max of any of the following:

Green Chromis
Damsels
Perc clowns (she said they don't need to host)
sixline wrasse
Yellow OR Green Chromis
Firefish

Bottpm line is, is any of this trie or possible?

[Mek0ng]

I would highly recommend going with at least a 20g for your first fish only marine tank. First off you are going to need to top of every day if not more to keep the salinity constant. Also the water conditions can swing drastically in such a small tank, over all its going to be a challenge to keep the thing from crashing.

If you do deiced to go ahead, defiantly dont go with a chromis, or six line!!! They are VERY active fish and will be horribly confined in a 5g.

Great choices would be:

Firefish
Clown Goby and other small gobys under 3-4" (neon gobies are not ideal because they tend to be finky and short lived)
Flame Hawk
Percula/Ocellaris Clown (yes no host needed, and an anenome wouldnt do well in a 5g anyways.

2-3 of those sound good.

Get just dry aragonite sand, the live rock will provide all the life you need. Only put down enough sand to cover the bottom, you do not have enough room for a DSB. For rock, I would just get 2-3 pieces that will fit in the tank, look around of some interesting rocks. Skip the bio spira, just add the rock and freshly made NSW or RO/DI saltwater, and wait. With cured rock you might not even have a cycle, but give it 3 weeks.

On a tank that size you can get away with no skimmer, just change the water often enough. I would get a rather small HOB filter just to run carbon in, it will help keep the tank stable.

Hope this helps!

[mrgreen]

Thanks. This gives me lots to think about. I agree that it would be hard to keep stable. I only have a 30 long that's bigger and its currently housing my F8s. Going marine would be aewsome. I'd need a skimmer if I went with 20 or 30. That ups the price quite a bit- LR etc. Would be so awesome to have a marine w/o puffs, though I love them so. As for the 5.5, maybe I can just get some cheaper fresh fish for my kids to run, but honestly they'd want a puff and then we're back to square one.

[Mek0ng]

Any size tank can run with out a skimmer if enough water changes are done. On a 20-30g thats only 4-6 gallons a week.

Either way good luck

[Pufferpunk]

I run a Bacpac skimmer on my 15g frag tank. I agree--don't go smaller than 20g. Larger is even better.

[mrgreen]

I just found a 75 with top, light, filter, stand n heater on craigslist for $100. That would be mucho monies in LR!

[Pufferpunk]

Great!!! I don't know about around you, but we have folks around here who sell LR for around $2-4/lb. How far are you from Chgo? Also, you could buy a bunch of dry rock & seed it with a few pieces of LR 9best way to save $$$). i can hook you up with a guy.

[mrgreen]

LR at LFS is $4/lb. I'm about 5hrs East of you. Is this guy single and cute?

[Mek0ng]

Just a suggestion, I would have gone with:

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/pro ... i-dry-rock

if it was around when I started my 90g.

Just add a few pieces of LR and in a short while its all the same. Its cheap and eco friendly.

Watch out for used LR, it could be phosphate and pest (algae and aptasia) ridden, its easy to brush off a rock to make it look nice. That being said many people including my self have 'used' live rock and have had no problems... Just buyer be ware!

[Pufferpunk]

Not single & not cute. He is a reputable seller of cured, LR though. Some of the nicest I've ever seen.

[Mek0ng]

Not single & not cute.

[mrgreen]

Got an email back about the 90. Crossing fingers.

[Mek0ng]

I know price is going to be a big issue, but in all honesty I would not recommend anything bigger than 40g without a sump. Its defiantly doable, but having a reef ready (drilled with overflow) tank makes a world of difference. At least look into a HOB overflow (U tube style, not CPR). The two biggest reasons being that a HOB skimmer is not going to skim properly with fluctuating water level, and that surface film cuts gas exchange.

[kilofey]

I just found a 75 with top, light, filter, stand n heater on craigslist for $100. That would be mucho monies in LR!

do i hear income tax refund??? Just a thought i knomy tanks are gonna be lookin all flashy when i get mine

[Pufferpunk]

I know price is going to be a big issue, but in all honesty I would not recommend anything bigger than 40g without a sump. Its defiantly doable, but having a reef ready (drilled with overflow) tank makes a world of difference.

I couldn't agree more!