Looking to add plants/live rock to existing tank

sweetsis234 · 09/10/2012, 02:30 PM

I'm fairly new to the saltwater aquarium hobby. Currently, I have a 10 gallon saltwater tank with 8lbs of live rock, a few red leg hermit crabs, a clown fish, and a yellow-tailed damsel.

I'm looking to add some more live rock, a plant or two, and maybe a crab of some sort? My mom likes pom pom crabs, so I am trying to figure out if that would be an ok addition to my tank. Also, what types of plants are fairly low maintenance/easy to care for? I hope you guys can help me out a bit! Thanks.

nepenthes99 · 09/10/2012, 02:50 PM

Are you talking about corals or macroalgaes? A macro algaes are somewhat easy to care for and will clean the water. A good macro to start with is Caulerpa prolifera. Just be careful in any macro tank because the macros will "Go Sexual" and die off, releasin all the toxins they absorbed back into the tank all at once. Some good corals to start with are Palythoas, Discosoma mushrooms, and Xenias. Crabs are not really a good addition because they will attack and eat pretty much anything. No matter what you add remember to never add too many things. In a large tank there is more water so things happen more slowly and are easier to regulate., In a ten gallon toxins build up quickly and water changes must be preformed weekly at least. Animals release waste which decays into toxins, and too many can lead to a tank crash. I am a nano reefer myself and have learned this the hard way.

sweetsis234 · 09/10/2012, 03:09 PM

Thanks for the advice! I was considering either a macro algae or leafy vegetation of some sort. I don't think I'm quite ready for corals yet. I'll definitely look into the marco algae you've suggested.

nepenthes99 · 09/10/2012, 03:18 PM

How deep is your sandbed? Seagrasses are by no means easier than corals. If you are looking to do a seagrass habitat tank you would have to make a pretty deep sandbed, which could absorb ammonia and crash.you would also have to get rid of lots of live rock. It is definitely possible, the problem is that 10 gallons is so small. Do you have a good skimmer and everything? If not, then I would recommend getting one soon.

sweetsis234 · 09/10/2012, 03:32 PM

Thanks! I think maybe I'll just stick with live rock for now until I can afford a larger tank.

Sk8r · 09/10/2012, 04:54 PM

Skip plants. They'll ruin a tank, rooting in the rock and getting out of control. Instead of plants, get a few inexpensive mushroom corals: they improve water quality and if they fold up, you know you need to check your water asap. Great as an alarm system. And they do reproduce when happy, real lush, real fast.

cloak · 09/10/2012, 05:25 PM

Here's a good article.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-01/sl/index.php

09/10/2012, 02:30 PM	#1
sweetsis234 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 3	Looking to add plants/live rock to existing tank I'm fairly new to the saltwater aquarium hobby. Currently, I have a 10 gallon saltwater tank with 8lbs of live rock, a few red leg hermit crabs, a clown fish, and a yellow-tailed damsel. I'm looking to add some more live rock, a plant or two, and maybe a crab of some sort? My mom likes pom pom crabs, so I am trying to figure out if that would be an ok addition to my tank. Also, what types of plants are fairly low maintenance/easy to care for? I hope you guys can help me out a bit! Thanks.

09/10/2012, 02:50 PM	#2
nepenthes99 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Cental NJ Posts: 139	Are you talking about corals or macroalgaes? A macro algaes are somewhat easy to care for and will clean the water. A good macro to start with is Caulerpa prolifera. Just be careful in any macro tank because the macros will "Go Sexual" and die off, releasin all the toxins they absorbed back into the tank all at once. Some good corals to start with are Palythoas, Discosoma mushrooms, and Xenias. Crabs are not really a good addition because they will attack and eat pretty much anything. No matter what you add remember to never add too many things. In a large tank there is more water so things happen more slowly and are easier to regulate., In a ten gallon toxins build up quickly and water changes must be preformed weekly at least. Animals release waste which decays into toxins, and too many can lead to a tank crash. I am a nano reefer myself and have learned this the hard way. __________________ Carnivorous plants, chickens, and reefing! I don't always grow frags... but when I do, I prefer Dos Acros- Organism May be the youngest reefer on RC Current Tank Info: 14 gallon BioCube, 40 breeder lagoon Reef Octopus BH1000 Hydor Koralia 750 gph 10 gallon Caulerpa Fuge

09/10/2012, 03:18 PM	#4
nepenthes99 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Cental NJ Posts: 139	How deep is your sandbed? Seagrasses are by no means easier than corals. If you are looking to do a seagrass habitat tank you would have to make a pretty deep sandbed, which could absorb ammonia and crash.you would also have to get rid of lots of live rock. It is definitely possible, the problem is that 10 gallons is so small. Do you have a good skimmer and everything? If not, then I would recommend getting one soon. __________________ Carnivorous plants, chickens, and reefing! I don't always grow frags... but when I do, I prefer Dos Acros- Organism May be the youngest reefer on RC Current Tank Info: 14 gallon BioCube, 40 breeder lagoon Reef Octopus BH1000 Hydor Koralia 750 gph 10 gallon Caulerpa Fuge

09/10/2012, 04:54 PM	#6
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Skip plants. They'll ruin a tank, rooting in the rock and getting out of control. Instead of plants, get a few inexpensive mushroom corals: they improve water quality and if they fold up, you know you need to check your water asap. Great as an alarm system. And they do reproduce when happy, real lush, real fast. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

09/10/2012, 03:09 PM	#3
sweetsis234 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 3	Thanks for the advice! I was considering either a macro algae or leafy vegetation of some sort. I don't think I'm quite ready for corals yet. I'll definitely look into the marco algae you've suggested.

09/10/2012, 03:32 PM	#5
sweetsis234 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 3	Thanks! I think maybe I'll just stick with live rock for now until I can afford a larger tank.

09/10/2012, 05:25 PM	#7
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	Here's a good article. http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-01/sl/index.php