# Travellers Nano Reef



## Guest

So today I checked my water params, they are on 0 ammo, 0 nitrite, around 20 nitrates, 8.3 pH, salinity 1.025 (checked with a refractometer)
I used live rock and live sand, and I threw in a shrimp for the first day or two to help kick start the cycle. I've also been using seachem stability to help with the cycle for the first week. I can't see any diatoms on the sand bed, but there is quite a lot on the live rock. I have no algae problems other then the diatoms, haven't had to clean anything off the glass yet (thankfully







). The water looks crystal clear now (was cloudy for first few days) and my coraline algae is pretty much covered with diatoms.

I'm ready to start slowly stocking this 16gal, and on advice of members on the forum, cleanup crew is going in first.

I really like cleaner shrimp so 1 is definitely going in. I've read they aren't the best at clean up, but I really like the look of them. 
What else should I stock for clean up?

I plan on eventually having some lps coral, a zoa, and maybe a mushroom. Is there anything in particular I should avoid?

As for fish I've read in a tank this size I would be able to keep the clown fish I want (hopefully a pair). I don't want to overstock the tank, but am I able to keep anything else as well with hopefully 2 clowns and the clean up crew without having it overstocked?

Cheers


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## CLUSTER ONE

I would start by stocking what you want for crabs and snails and wait abit before getting a shrimp.

You should be fine with 2 clowns, a shrimp and a CUC though i wouldn't do any more.


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## Guest

Sweet thanks cluster.
How many snails and crabs would be sufficient?
I saw some hermit crabs in a lfs, but after reading up on them online I learned some are aggressive and can eat corals. Are there any particular crabs I should try to get?


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## CLUSTER ONE

Something like blue leg dwarf hermits are good. Larger crabs may eat snails.

A dozen blue leg hermits and a few snails would be a good cuc. I would probably stay away from turbo snails as they will knock over coral and rock if not secure.


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## sick fish man

Blue legs get huge and knock stuff over. Red legs stay small. I wouldn't get any hermits though they just fight and do retarded things. Emerald crabs are the best for eating algae especially green hair algae. You only need one or 2 of them. Turbo snails get huge too i wouldn't get one of those.


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## Guest

Sweet, thanks for the replies.

I'm going to do some research on what you guys suggested so I can properly ID them when I go to buy my first few inhabitants. Should I gradually stock my CUC or can I just put them all in at once? Or will this vary on what I stock (ammount of waste different species produce)?


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## CLUSTER ONE

sick fish man said:


> Blue legs get huge and knock stuff over. Red legs stay small. I wouldn't get any hermits though they just fight and do retarded things. Emerald crabs are the best for eating algae especially green hair algae. You only need one or 2 of them. Turbo snails get huge too i wouldn't get one of those.


Sorry, I ment dwarf blue legs.

I would probably get half the cuc now then add abit more later when there is actual detritus to be consumed.


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## sick fish man

Also a florida fighting is highly recomended for cleaning the sand bed. http://reefcleaners.org/ great place to get your CUC, they are notorious for sending more than you ask for. just be sure to tell them you don't want extra if you don't want it.


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## hyphen

a dozen of any species of hermit is too many for a 16g. unless your water is dirty and you have a nasty dino or brown algae bloom, the hermits will starve to death or cannibalize. you can try feeding them manually, but that defeats the purpose of having a clean up crew. i would put no more than 5 or 6 in a 16g, assuming that you're going to have snails and shrimp to assist.


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## CLUSTER ONE

hyphen said:


> a dozen of any species of hermit is too many for a 16g. unless your water is dirty and you have a nasty dino or brown algae bloom, the hermits will starve to death or cannibalize. you can try feeding them manually, but that defeats the purpose of having a clean up crew. i would put no more than 5 or 6 in a 16g, assuming that you're going to have snails and shrimp to assist.


Dwarf blue legs are dime size so are very small. I also still say get 12 as you may few a couple to fighting for shells (have extra shells though they still may fight for eachothers shells)


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## Guest

Will do, I was going to go today to start looking for the CUC but my dog got sick so had to go the vet instead. Either tomorrow or the day after I'll be heading to all the lfs's to see what's available, I'll make a list before I purchase anything so I can research all the species on offer and double check with you guys to see what you all think.


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## Ægir

Another thing to keep in mind, when your tank is new and cycling there will be more algae and waste for snails and hermits to feed on... once that fades out they will start to starve and die. Dead snails and hermits can quickly fuel another algae bloom in a smaller tank

I usually avoid hermit crabs because they kill snails and generally just mess with things... In a tank your size I would maybe thing about getting more snails than you need, and returning some of them for store credit once things slow down.


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## Guest

Ok everyone here's an update.

I went to a few places and couldn't hardly find anything as far as CUC. Though I did manage to get the only 2 dwarf red tip hermit crabs. I read up about them whilst researching the dwarf blue hermits. I acclimated them to the water, and now they are both in the tank. I got a bit worried when I had them in the bucket dripping because only one came out so I suspected the other one died but thankfully it didn't.

Tomorrow I'm going to go to a few more places to find snails and maybe 3-4 more hermits (they are extremely cool in the tank, full of personality) though if I only find red tip ones I'll just get another 2.


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## shiver905

If I were you id pick between snails and hermits.

I remember when my snails and hermits were at war.
Decaying snails dont help a tank.

Go easy on the CUC most guides online call for Facked up amount of CUCs.
Like 50 hermits and 50 snails for a 55g..

Iv had NO CUCs in my tank untill a few days ago.
Now I only have 10xNassarious To eat up the extra food.

Im not planing on adding any more CuCs.

Best way to battle algae is clean water.


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## pirana666

hey traveller ... i just started a nano marine to for 2 month ago...

im just out of the algeafase.. and there is just a little bit standing to die off...,

but i have a question ,it seems when i add ro/di water to refill the vaporized tank water.. the ph and kh are to low... 
can i use succes buff from redsea to stabelize the ph and kh....? i read on the back of bottle and it says sodiumbicarbonate...?

hope everything is still going good at youre marine tank... maybe a update....P;


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