What is my maximum biological load?

[scuba-al]

I've had a 28 gallon NanoCube since late August. I currently have one false percula, probably 3/4 done growing and one toadstool which is open 10% of the time (why, I don't know) but otherwise seems to be fairing well.
Other Tank Stats:
105 Watt Compact Fluorescent quad lamp (10 k daylight, 7100 actinics)
17 Pounds Tongan Live Rock
No skimmer (stop complaining about it)
Weekly (if not more often) 10-15% water changes
0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite, 0 Nitrate
1.5-2" sand bed
Bimonthly iodine dosing
Feeding homemade food (blended nori, shrimp, clams, oysters, a few carrots, few washed dandelions, flounder, .... you get the point) twice a week

I have a chemistry teacher who says that for my 29 gallon tank, I can safely house a coral beauty and a watchman goby IN ADDITION to my false percula, even without a skimmer. This sounds like waaaaaaay too much, any thoughts?

Also, are my tank stats okay enough for some plain old mushrooms? I've only had the toadstool which isn't opening often but truly appears to be healthy. I'm only concerned because I read that mushrooms prefer having nitrates between 5-12... Just wondering.

[FishNFun]

What do you have for a clean up crew?

[davocean]

There are alot of variables to consider in what a "max" is for bioload.
Not having a skimmer automatically reduces that number IMO.
Mushrooms should be no problem at all.
A CB and watchman added should be ok, and close to max w/ what you have IMO.
May want to add a little more rock.
You should be getting enough iodine in WC's, and I wouldn't dose unless you test for it.

[scuba-al]

My Clean up crew is 10 cerith snails and one nassarius, I know it seems scant but they're doing the job quite nicely (with my magnet scraper). Astreas/turbos never fair well in my tank, as Tongan live rock is very branch like, their bulky shells get stuck, and they get knocked over, die, and rot. I'm going to try some margaritas and maybe a few more ceriths tomorrow, definitely a scarlet hermit crab. I'm long overdue for a hermit crab...
And yes, there are many advantages to having a skimmer, but I personally don't see them necessary for tanks < 30 gallons. On the side, I'm somewhat worried that 28 gallons is too small for a coral beauty so I may try a Centropyge argi instead (if I can find one....).
Thanks guys/girls

[Angel*Fish]

No one is ever over due for a crab. Magaritas are not appropriate for the temps most of us keep in our tanks - they will die. In my 100g I had 5 nassarius snails and a several snails that came as hitchhikers on live rock. You shouldn't need more than you have now - you have too many nassarius and could maybe use 1-2 more ceriths. Your amphipods and worms are a big part of your cuc. Personally I don't keep crabs because I don't want them to eat those animals. There is no such thing as an 100% herbivorous crab.

I think you're wise to avoid the CB! An argi is all you should be considering and only if you have lots of well established LR with lots of swim throughs, hiding places and caves. Personally, I prefer to see an argi in 55g and up. If you get one. you might try to get the smallest one you possibly can.

You only feed twice a week - why? I would feed my fish twice a day.

[kingfisher62]

When it comes to bioloads I don't even count Inverts because they seem to process food so much more efficiantly then fish. I would definitely not put a CB for the same reasons Angel*fish mentioned. There are plenty more appropiate fish for that size tank.
The Yellow watch man is a great choice.I had two large clowns and a large YWM in my 14g biocube for 4 years but I think I was pushing the limits of that tank. I upgraded to a 28g cube recently but sadly my watchman did not make the transition .
RIP Sh*t head . My wife use to call him that because he would try to chase the clowns away from his little territory.

[pkirby]

beautiful pictures kingfisher! I really like my YWM. Your live rock looks amazing! Tons of color!

[kingfisher62]

Thank you!

[duncantse]

If your really into angelfish, you can try a pygmy cherub angelfish.

[kingfisher62]

Originally Posted by duncantse

If your really into angelfish, you can try a pygmy cherub angelfish.

That may be possible but it would do better in a well established tank at least 8 months old ,IMO.

[scuba-al]

True, hermit crabs are always slightly carnivorous (even though they aren't techniqually 'true crabs') and so will end up killing at least a snail or two. I don't like seeing cramped fish, you're all right, so I'll opt out of angelfish altogether. I only feed twice/week because of a (now) diminishing cyano/hair algae problem, I was planning on bumping it back up to daily as long as the cyano/hair algae doesn't return.

[Angel*Fish]

Fish you might consider;
royal gramma or firefish
red banded high fin gobies with shrimp (smaller than yellow which means less bioload for another fish)
tailspot blenny or other small blenny
chalk bass (I believe ok in a 30)
assessors (I believe ok in a 30)
skunk cleaner shrimp

[scuba-al]

[QUOTE=Angel*Fish;18510685]Fish you might consider;
royal gramma or firefish


Will the firefish and the clownfish compete for food? I had a zebra barred goby and a firefish (accidentaly) and the zebra barred goby ended up bullying the firefish and eventually killed it. I suspected that it was because they inhabited the same column of water (in this case, the mid-water column) wheras if, for example, I had a yellow watchman goby, it would inhabit the bottom water column and wouldn't compete with the clown? I love firefish but I don't want to end up killing one by introducing it with a fish that would kill it.

[kingfisher62]

My clownfish did hassle my firefish constantly. It finally subsided on the third week.
Red banded high fin gobies are nice.

[Angel*Fish]

You're thinking on the right track! That's why I put firefish OR royal gramma - they might not get along. But either should be just fine with an ocellaris and as you said should be fine with a bottom dwelling goby. The tailspot blennie likes to perch on rocks and should work out ok with the others.

I had a bicolor blenny that didn't get along with a royal gramma, but I think that was a coloration issue (both dark on top have with yellow on second half)compounded by the fact that they both like hidey holes.

If you still have the dartfish, I'd pass on the gramma or firefish. And I assume your cube is the covered type?

[scuba-al]

I don't have the dartfish anymore.
I love royal grammas, and now that the dartfish is gone, the clown and gramma should be fine together... correct?
And yes, my cube is the covered type, dartfish have a proclivity to jump. I don't know about Royal grammas and jumping, but I'm not worried as I have a cover.
As kingfisher said, his clown killed his firefish, which are similar to royal grammas (inhabit same water column) so I'm still unsure about grammas and firefish.
4 wheel drive blennies (Signigobius biocellatus, to 4"), pearly jawfish (Opistognathus aurifrons, size ???), and clown gobies (Gobiodon okinawae, perch on rocks like tailspot blennies) all seem very valid in terms of small bottom dwelling fish, any suggestions?

[Angel*Fish]

Kingfisher has 2 large clowns - he didn't specify species. A spawning pair can get aggressive. I guess anything is possible, but I would be surprised if your perc will do this. She didn't kill the dartfish, I assume?

Pearly jawfish can be very nervous and sensitive and need a deeper sand bed. Clown gobies are good, but only one or an established pair. Or one will be murdered. Sometimes they get eaten by your other fish.

Here's a warning from a sticky in the RC reef fishes forum.http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1157901 Twinspot Goby : Terrible survival rates in captivity, rarely accept prepared foods or survive long even when they do

I assume that's the same fish as the 4 wheel drive blennies - they are actually gobies, not blennies.

[scuba-al]

No, the firefish wasn't killed by the clown. I just read that twinspots require a refugium, and considering they have terrible survival rates, they are now out of the question. No, I don't have a deep sand bed for the jawfish. I don't know how I managed to miss these big details whilst reading about these fish, I should read more carefully.
Thank you so much for the help!

So, it boils down to a clown goby, royal gramma, firefish, or yellow watchman.

[Angel*Fish]

Have you seen this fish? http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...29&pcatid=2229

Much more personality than the clown gobies - they only reach like 2 in. People really like them -- I've had others from the genus, but not that particular one. For my taste, I wouldn't do a tank without a blenny -very endearing little buggers. I would add this fish before the gramma if getting both. And in general try to add smallest to largest.

[scuba-al]

I see them all the time at my lfs, they seem pretty personable. I like their colors too. Do you have any experience with them, and if so, do they really eat hair algae?

[kingfisher62]

Originally Posted by scuba-al

So, it boils down to a clown goby, royal gramma, firefish, or yellow watchman.

I think that is definitely do-able , But if all your fish make it to their maximum size it could become bit tight.

[kingfisher62]

I would start in this order:
Clown goby
Firefish
Watchman
Gramma

[kingfisher62]

Originally Posted by Angel*Fish

Have you seen this fish? http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...29&pcatid=2229

Much more personality than the clown gobies - they only reach like 2 in. People really like them -- I've had others from the genus, but not that particular one. For my taste, I wouldn't do a tank without a blenny -very endearing little buggers. I would add this fish before the gramma if getting both. And in general try to add smallest to largest.

I have recently been seeing and hearing good things about this very pretty fish.
All blennies have a lot of personality! I had a lawnmower blennie, not much color but it's wild antics and behavior made up for it.

[scuba-al]

Originally Posted by kingfisher62

I think that is definitely do-able , But if all your fish make it to their maximum size it could become bit tight.

no no no, I wouldn't do all three of them! That would definitely be too tight.

[scuba-al]

I like that tail spot blenny a lot, they have great color and are otherwise awesome all around!!! However, does anybody know a) if they eat any significant amount of algae in the tank, and, if so b) what types of algae? What else can I feed them, all it says is "vegetable matter!" I have nori sheets, by the way.
I feed my false percula my homemade food, approximately: 1/2 raw squid; 1 raw ctopus (eyes removed); 3 oz. raw flounder; 4 medium headless shrimp (I added the legs to stimulate a diet of shrimp); meat from 2 littleneck clams; meat from 1 oyster; 1/2 sheet nori; 1/4 cup brocolli; 4 baby carrots. All ingredients soaked in bowl of ro/di water overnight in fridge, then all blended until a fine, green, goopy mess. The other reason why I don't feed all that often is because this food is VERY rich in vitamins, nutrients, and the all famous various organic compounds (which turn into nitrates). It sounds like this doesn't contain enough vegetative matter for tail spot blennies, any thoughts?

Also, from what I read, they're quite endearing, does anyone have personal experience? Thanks guys!!!