committing to 29g, lots of questions

[acabgd]

So, how did you cycle the 29g tank? Did you add an ammonia source, ghostfeed or...?

[SeeCrabRun]

Originally Posted by acabgd

So, how did you cycle the 29g tank? Did you add an ammonia source, ghostfeed or...?

I didn't. I just got the 29g. I added the substrate and half the water from my 10g and then about 15 gallons of saltwater.

I can wait as long as needed for a fish, but I'd need to know how much to feed 2 crabs during that time

[ReefRehab]

Originally Posted by SeeCrabRun

Thank you I will look into these options



How deep should it be? I think I may have put too much.

A lot of the sand components depend on the grain size (crushed coral vs oolite vs oyster shell) that you are using and the purpose of your sand bed.

Are you trying to have an anaerobic component to the sand bed or just coverage? Things like sharks and rays need a softer substrate, but that shouldn't be something you think about for a 29 gallon.

If you are dealing with small particulate size like oolite, it should be kept pretty shallow (under 2in) or you have issues with compacting and dead space. Variables like sand sifting gobies and nassarius snails can mess with the depth ratios.

It basically boils down to larger the particle size, the deeper you can go without adverse affects/compacting issues. The deeper it is, the more difficult it will be for your clean up crew to find snacks in the sand.

As for feeding the hermits, they are very low maintenance. When my tank is fallow, I feed mine a tiny bit of sinking food every couple of days. Most hermits won't have problem for a few days, but if you have other things in the tank and they are aggressive, the food can somewhat be used as a pacification method. Feed them a bit and use the "whatever they can eat in 2-5 minutes" rule to scale your feeding every couple days.