I need some advice

[Jmcdaniel0]

I have a newly set up desk mate Florida 9 gallon aquarium in my office.

It is designed to house a skimmer and media shelf in the rear compartments. I don’t feel like a skimmer will be necessary due to the bio load, and I don’t think the media shelf with pyrogen or chemi pure is really needed either. It seems to me that I can take care all of those issues with regular water changes.

Here is a pic of the back of my tank:


I’m thinking I can move the heater around a bit, and use the large center chamber as a Refugium.

Here is the reason why: my favorite fish are the mandarin dragonet and the ruby red dragonet. Both are voracious pod eaters, I have successfully kept them in my larger tanks for years.

If I run the back as a Refugium, and maintain a healthy pod population, would I be able to keep one?

I have successfully gotten mandarins to eat pellets and frozen food, and I’ll try that as well, but it is hit and miss.

 

[Naekuh]

are those marinepure cermaric blocks?

If they are, they will melt, and seeing how its sitting on top of your return, magic 8 ball says your going to be posting a emergency thread in the future.

 

[Jekyl]

Neither of those fish will be suitable for a tank that size. Feeding them without a proper pod supply needs to be done many times per day. They hunt non stop.

 

[JonnyBreefin]

It would definitely be possible to turn the center chamber into a refugium, however, with that small of a system, I would consider harvesting pods separately. This would be a safer route if you're looking to add dragonettes. They eat A LOT of pods!

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Lavey29]

I agree with the above. Small fuge in the back will not supply nearly enough pods. I have a mandarin in my heavily stocked 65g and still add a jar of pods weekly and he nibbles frozen and roa eggs to but needs 1000s of pods to hunt daily.

 

[VintageReefer]

A tank that size lacks the volume needed to provide proper diet and space for a mandarin. In a day a mandarin can deplete all the pods that chamber can hold.

Not sure where you would move the heater, the return section is a bad idea also as that water level can fluctuate rather quickly

 

[Jmcdaniel0]

are those marinepure cermaric blocks?

If they are, they will melt, and seeing how its sitting on top of your return, magic 8 ball says your going to be posting a emergency thread in the future.

They are mad by Brightwell Aquatics, they are called Xport High Porosity cubes.

Xport-BIO - 1/2" Cubes; Biological Filtration Media (500 ML) - Brightwell

Shop The Best Saltwater Aquarium Equipment & Supplies at Saltwater Aquarium. We Carry Everything you will Need for your Fish Tank.

www.saltwateraquarium.com

 

[Jmcdaniel0]

I appreciate the help folks! That’s why I always try to ask before I do anything stupid.


Do yall think I am correct in thinking I won’t need a skimmer and the chemicals? I like the Idea of a Refugium, instead of using chemicals in a media tray.


It’s roughly 6 gallons of water, so a small water change every so often should handle most of my needs.


The tank is going to be mainly lps and Zoas with the occasional sps.

 

[Uncle99]

Depends a bit on the mandarin source.
Wild caught for sure will not work.

But a captive bred eating pellet and frozen if it was the only fish is possible IMM.

It’s just the food source that’s the issue.

 

[Lavey29]

I appreciate the help folks! That’s why I always try to ask before I do anything stupid.


Do yall think I am correct in thinking I won’t need a skimmer and the chemicals? I like the Idea of a Refugium, instead of using chemicals in a media tray.


It’s roughly 6 gallons of water, so a small water change every so often should handle most of my needs.


The tank is going to be mainly lps and Zoas with the occasional sps.

Weekly water changes should handle everything but generally you still want a small bag of carbon or chemipure in there to filter any contaminants that get in the water such as airborne particles. Also keeps your water from yellowish color.

 

[Solo McReefer]

are those marinepure cermaric blocks?

If they are, they will melt, and seeing how its sitting on top of your return, magic 8 ball says your going to be posting a emergency thread in the future.

Agree

Except disintegrate is the word I would use, not melt

The particles get into the pump, either return or protein skimmer

And destroy the impeller

 

[Solo McReefer]

Do yall think I am correct in thinking I won’t need a skimmer

I would never run a reef tank without an over rated skimmer

Do what you want tho

Tell us how it went