5G nano questions

[Llarian]

So like I mentioned in another post, I just inherited a 5G nano from a friend of mine who's moving out of state.

Its currently extremely lightly stocked.
The stock list is something like this:

2 small shrooms
some ailing sun polyps
a couple interesting featherdusters
a rather obnoxious colony of green star polyps that looks like its going to try to take over the tank. (I'll knock this one back)
some snails and a couple scarlet hermits.

I'm still reviving it, as its been lightless for a week or so. Its currently running on a single 13W 6500K PC bulb, but I'll be getting it back on 2 13W 50/50 bulbs in a couple days.

Any pitfalls I should be aware of? I know next to nothing about nanos, as I've mostly been researching larger SPS tanks.

One thing I'd like to do if its feasible for a nano. The previous owner was feeding the corals directly via a mush. I'd like to bring that up another link on the chain and get a single small fish that can do flake food and primarily feed that and let it provide nutrients for the corals. (Does that concept even work with softies?)

Any suggestions for a fish that would work in a tank that small?

-Dylan

 

[plumber_bob]

When introducing the more intense lighting only introduce it a couple hours per day and increase the lighting exposure about an hour a day. Basically you want to slowly introduce those corals to brighter light. Also don't feed flake food as flake food will bring phosphates to the small nano. Try to feed a frozen food, I like mysis shrimp. Also if you post some pictures of the tank and the equipment (i.e., lights, filtration, pumps, etc...) you are using then I gave give you some better information.

Bobby

 

[Llarian]

When introducing the more intense lighting only introduce it a couple hours per day and increase the lighting exposure about an hour a day. Basically you want to slowly introduce those corals to brighter light.

Up until a few days ago, the tank was running under the 2x 13W PC setup I described. The only reason its running at reduced lighting now is that's all I have until the new bulbs I ordered arrive. Should I still run at that low of a photoperiod even though the corals are used to a 10 hour photoperiod at the higher lighting level? I assume they won't fully adjust to lower lighting in a week.

I'll get some pictures when I get a chance. The equipment is minimal. A small penguin filter w/ no media, a small powerhead and a heater. Filtration is entirely water change based.

(FWIW, it has about 7Lbs of Tonga Branch as the rock)

And yeah, I agree about the flake, I wrote that post too early in the morning. I meant put a small fish in there and feed it some kind of per-packaged food (probably a frozen rinsed in DI water), and let it feed the corals from there.

-Dylan

 

[achu]

frozen rinsed in DI?

Does frozen food need to be rinsed in DI? I've been feeding frozen brine shrimp and I haven't been rinsing it.

achu

 

[bpm2000]

Are these "sun polyps" some kind of zoo/palythoa or the Tubastrea? Sun coral has to be target fed every day I hear.

 

[Llarian]

Are these "sun polyps" some kind of zoo/palythoa or the Tubastrea? Sun coral has to be target fed every day I hear.

Good question, I didn't think about that. I just IDed them, they're Tubastrea. Looks like I'll need to target feed those regardless. Thanks for the heads up.

The question about adding a fish for the shrooms still stands though. =)

-Dylan

 

[plumber_bob]

Llarian

You could always get some marine phytoplanton, this would work perfect for your size aquarium. I'm not sure if you have a skimmer on it; however, if you don't you will only need to squirt a little bit every couple weeks. Since nothing will really eat it up. I would hold off for a bit on adding a fish. Just make sure that the system is working 100% and when you do make sure the fish is extremely small.

 

[Shoreliner11]

I agree with waiting at least a week for for the system to settle back down again. When looking for a fish I would recommend any of these: neon goby, clown goby, or a small shrimp goby such as a highfin goby or a similar species. The neon goby would be my choice because they are farely hardy fish which you can also find aquacultured, and at no more than a couple inches long...you can't go wrong. Good luck.

 

[keener1830]

A clown goby would be great for a tank that small I had mine in a 2.5 gal to start they only get 1.5" long and have a fun attitude.