starting a nano, what do I need to know?

[Flusher]

First off, DON'T get an anemone. That tank is too small, and they're not suited for beginners. Clowns will host in quite a variety of substitutes, like anthelia, xenia, mushrooms, and frogspawn.

Your coral selection should do okay under those lights. The mushrooms will definitely be fine, and I *think* sun corals rely more on spot feeding of krill than lighting (unless I'm thinking of some other type of coral). The star polyps might do okay. I've had bad luck with those myself, but I've seen them thriving in other tanks.

HTH

Edit: Ha ha, JSTR beat me to it.

BTW, I don't think a 29 gallon is a nano per se. It's definitely much bigger than the 13 gallon tank I started with (and still run). I lost a fish in there at one point, but there were so many critters in the tank from the live rock, it was consumed without affecting anything - fortunately. Pretty cool...
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Walmart gift cards

[windeindoiel]

Ok I've since done some specific research, and decided one fire shrimp will be fine, as they're territorial, and I'll just keep a little group of skunks in the 100 gallon.

This isn't my first salt tank, though I don't have a huge experience with those yet either, it's the first salt tank I'm setting up. We have a 100 gallon but that is someone else's tank, they can't keep it for a year or 2 so they moved it into our house, we've had it for 2 months or something like that now.

The anemone in question lives there now, but it isn't doing well and I thought if it was in a smaller tank it would be easier for me to keep an eye on it. And it wouldn't be able to run to the back of the tank under a rock where there's no light and I can't feed it, like it has now.

And my main reason for the nano is for horseshoe crabs, I really want to try taking care of them, and the tank will be set up with their special requirements in mind.

The tank is going in the kitchen I think, so it'll be easy to watch it.

Oh and I'm sure the sun polyps will be fine, they're low light.

Anyways, in my research of fish and inverts I discovered a clingfish, does anyone know about these? Could it live in a 29 gal too?

[christyf5]

Some good reading before you go any further

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/horseshoecrabfaqs.htm

[windeindoiel]

See the difference between me and that first guy is that I have done research (and found out some interesting things about horseshoe crab blood) including reading that site. I'm going to try the horseshoe crabs.

[Skimmer Juice]

I had a horse shoe crab for about a year. He stayed burried almost 24/7. My cowfish thought it would be a good idea to sample his eyes for lunch. Before I could get to the crab it was to late. My point is in that year he got huge, you will have to move him to a way bigger tank fairly quick. So unless you have a plan for a 120g tank in the next year, do the crab a favor and dont buy him.

[i have crabs]

i have a 29g biocube i have a bunch of different corals in it and 1 very small bubbletip anemone wich are all doing great under the stock lighting i also am looking at getting a few different shrinp for it and i expect no problems, i would stay far away from the horseshoe crab though, its a bad idea.i have a seio 820 in mine but its a tad strong so i think a 620 would be perfect. its a very easy tank to care for you just have to watch the water level so it dosent start sucking air in the return pump i replaced the filter cartridge with a sponge, after a few days it was restricting the water flow.other than that everything is ok by me

[windeindoiel]

I was going to put a sponge on all the intakes (I'm thinking lettuce nudibranches) so should I go with a powerhead then?