Marineland 5g Portrait Build

[T-MIKE]

Hello! Just got into the hobby and this is my first tank. I know it’s not recommended to do such a small tank in the beginning but I wanted to spend as little as possible.

Cost:
Marineland 5 Gallon Portrait Glass LED Aquarium Kit $38.70
CaribSea Arag-Alive Bahamas Oolite Aquarium Sand, 10 lbs. $10.03
Instant Ocean Aquarium Salt $14.21
Fluval Biomax Filter Media $8.17
Imagitarium Aquarium Strip Thermometer $1.59
North American Pet Red Lava Rock, 6" L X 5" W X 4" H $4.25 x2
Imagitarium Activated Carbon, 45 oz. $13.87
Microbe-Lift Nite Out II $5.41
Hydor Koralia Nano 240 Water Circulation Pump, 240 gph $21.35
Aqueon Preset Aquarium Heater, 50W $11.27
Imagitarium Filter Fiber, 4 fl. oz. $3.78
Seachem Purigen, 2.1 oz. $8.66
Aqueon Ammonia Neutralizer, 16 oz. $7.48
Coralife Energy Savers ACLAF877 Deep Six Hydrometer $8.49
Boyd Enterprises ABE16720 2-Pack Chemi-Bags with Ties $4.95
Seachem Reef Dip 250ml $12.06
NICREW ClassicLED Aquarium Light, 6W $17.99
Penn Plax WZ20 Wizard Algae Scrapper and Scrubber, 27" $8.49
Penn Plax Aquarium Fish Net, 4 Inches $3.53
API SALTWATER MASTER TEST KIT $22.54
Salifert Alkalinity Calcium Magnesium Combo Test Kit $45.95
Seachem Ammonia Alert $6.99
Python Pro-Clean Aquarium Siphon Kit, Small $6.41
Python Squeeze Siphon Starter Aquarium Adapter $6.77
Automatic Fish Feeder Battery Operated $15.99
Reef Phytoplankton, 250 mL / 8.5 fl. oz. $7.77
AUOKER Long Coral Feeder SPS HPS Feeder, Arcylic $9.89
AmazonBasics Standby UPS 400VA 255W, 6 Outlets $39.99
Total: $370.83

Livestock:
ORA - Pink Skunk Clownfish, Captive-Bred ORA ® $19.99 x2
LiveAquaria® Green Goniopora Coral $19.99
CF - Heteroxenia Polyp, Aquacultured CCGC 30 Day $14.99
SW - Super Tongan Nassarius Snail - Large $2.99
SW - Strawberry Crab $20.99
Mexican Turbo Snail $1.99
Astrea Snail $2.99
Colored Bubbletip Anemone $37.49
Total: $141.41

Auto Water Change System Cost:
HOSL DC 12V 1/4 Inch Electric Solenoid Valve $10.99
NEARPOW Dual Independent Digital Light Timer $15.99
Sealproof 1/4-Inch-ID x 3/8-Inch OD Vinyl Tubing, 10 FT $5.75
Anndason 6 Pieces Plastic PP Float Switch,Model: DP3500 $10.99
LEDGLE Submersible Water Pump $7.99 x2
12V 2A LED Light Strip Power Supply $4.98 x2
The Home Depot 5 Gal. Homer Bucket $3.25 x2
Leaktite 5 Gal. Reusable Bucket Lid $1.45 x2
Total: $79.06

First Week:

In one of the pictures you can see the snail trying to eating the hermit crab.

 

[ccombs]

Welcome to R2R! Can't wait to see how this progresses!

 

[T-MIKE]

I just got the colored bubble tip yesterday and tried to feed it a piece of frozen(thawed) shrimp but this morning it looks like it didn’t eat it and is now hiding under the rock.

 

[flchamp89]

That's a lot of fish in probably 4 gallons of water. Looks like a new set up? BTA move but I'd check params? Feeding the clown pair in such a small tank will be challenging as it will be hard to do that and keep numbers stable.

 

[T-MIKE]

That's a lot of fish in probably 4 gallons of water. Looks like a new set up? BTA move but I'd check params? Feeding the clown pair in such a small tank will be challenging as it will be hard to do that and keep numbers stable.

Yeah, I think I underestimated their ammonia output. All my parameters are high but I’m going to change 10% of the water everyday. I also got a bottle of ammonia neutralizer that I will use every other day. Hopefully the bacteria population will pick up soon. It’s a new tank, I was trying the bacteria in a bottle method. I also tested my water source and it had 1ppm of ammonia so I probably need to fix that also. It’s just tap water going through a carbon filter for drinking.

 

[flchamp89]

Yeah, I think I underestimated their ammonia output. All my parameters are high but I’m going to change 10% of the water everyday. I also got a bottle of ammonia neutralizer that I will use every other day. Hopefully the bacteria population will pick up soon. It’s a new tank, I was trying the bacteria in a bottle method. I also tested my water source and it had 1ppm of ammonia so I probably need to fix that also. It’s just tap water going through a carbon filter for drinking.

Being it's such a small tank RO/DI even if purchased would cost you nothing for top offs. Good luck if I can help let me know.

 

[Hemmdog]

Buy RODI from your LFS at the least, the coral and nem need it. You need to be doing at least 20% daily changes until ammonia is gone. Any level is harmful.

 

[T-MIKE]

Just a quick update, I got a Seachem Ammonia Alert tag which only detects free ammonia and the levels are safe. The normal test kit is still saying 1 ppm of total ammonia.

Took a video of the snail eating:

 

[T-MIKE]

So I got home today and found half of the anemone in the intake. I knew it was a problem for anemones but I didn’t think the small pump and wide intake would be an issue. Do you think if I stuff the back of the intake with filter floss it would solve the issue? I have fishnet like material in front of it now but I’m not sure it’s going to stay there.

The anemone seems to be alive even though it felt like I was squeezing a sponge dry when I was pulling it out. Thank God!

 

[T-MIKE]

What’s this stuff growing on my rocks? I hope it’s not Cyanobacteria.

 

[flchamp89]

Looks like diatoms

 

[T-MIKE]

Looks like diatoms

My tank has only been operating for a week by the way. It looks reddish with some short hair so far. There is also some at the bottom of the tank all round above the sand, no hair there, just color.

 

[flchamp89]

My tank has only been operating for a week by the way. It looks reddish with some short hair so far. There is also some at the bottom of the tank all round above the sand, no hair there, just color.

Post some better pics.

 

[T-MIKE]

Decided to reorganize the rocks to mainly make a spot for the anemone. I found out yesterday that they like to wedge themselves between rocks so now hopefully it will stay there instead of hiding under the rock.

Took the opportunity to clean the tank also as there was what appears to be a diatom bloom. Also 3D printed a small drag rack and got some neodymium magnets to hold it in place.

 

[KorD]

What’s this stuff growing on my rocks? I hope it’s not Cyanobacteria.

Could be cyano.. just remember your tank is constantly going to go through cycles. What types of lights do you have and how much power are they putting out?
Are you able to dial them back just a tad? What are your water parameters?
Sorry.. lots of questions to see if any of that can be the root to the evil.

 

[T-MIKE]

Could be cyano.. just remember your tank is constantly going to go through cycles. What types of lights do you have and how much power are they putting out?
Are you able to dial them back just a tad? What are your water parameters?
Sorry.. lots of questions to see if any of that can be the root to the evil.

I’ll do a full test tomorrow morning, I’ve only been doing ammonia and that’s around 0.5 ~ 1 ppm total. Free ammonia is close to zero as you can from the sensor attached in the fish tank.

The LED is only 5 watts and I have been tuning the time down to 10 hours a day but I’m going to decrease it even more. Although it’s only 5 watts, it looks really bright.

Thanks for checking in!

 

[T-MIKE]

Could be cyano.. just remember your tank is constantly going to go through cycles. What types of lights do you have and how much power are they putting out?
Are you able to dial them back just a tad? What are your water parameters?
Sorry.. lots of questions to see if any of that can be the root to the evil.

Latest basic water parameters.

PH: 8
Total Ammonia: 0.75 ppm
Nitrite: 2.0 ppm
Nitrate: 10 ppm

Any tips on catching the clownfish to introduce them to the anemone?

 

[lolmatt]

A 5 watt led probably won't keep an anemone alive long term. Consider a stronger light once things settle in, hipargero led on Amazon is a great light for $60. Clowns should be easy to net at night, can put both plus the nem in an acclimation box for a couple days and they may decide to use it. Haven't gotten my ocellaris pair to use one after 2 years ...they spawn on the other side of the rock that it's on and never touch it.

 

[KorD]

Latest basic water parameters.

PH: 8
Total Ammonia: 0.75 ppm
Nitrite: 2.0 ppm
Nitrate: 10 ppm

Any tips on catching the clownfish to introduce them to the anemone?

That typically ends badly.. let the clown find it's home over time. I tried to force it on my last tank.. the clown said F you and never hosted.
I heard people have had success by keeping a picture of a clown in an nem on the tank.. sooner of later they will figure it out..
I had a friend that had a video playing over and over on an iPad by his tank with a clown playing in a nem. It worked within a week..lol

I would worry about working on the nitrates before anything else. Are you running a mini skimmer or just killing it with constant water changes?

 

[T-MIKE]

That typically ends badly.. let the clown find it's home over time. I tried to force it on my last tank.. the clown said F you and never hosted.
I heard people have had success by keeping a picture of a clown in an nem on the tank.. sooner of later they will figure it out..
I had a friend that had a video playing over and over on an iPad by his tank with a clown playing in a nem. It worked within a week..lol

I would worry about working on the nitrates before anything else. Are you running a mini skimmer or just killing it with constant water changes?

I’ve been doing a water change every 3 days or so, about 25% each time. I just got all the hardware setup today for my auto water change system and I plan on changing 0.5 gallons each day on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I’m considering getting some macro algae and sticking them in the back of the tank. I do have biomax and purigen in the back right now.

I’ve heard of people having clowns for years and them not hosting so I thought I might as well try as soon as possible then. I have heard about the picture method but I’m very skeptical about it. My plan is to put a tube over the anemone and put the clownfish in the tube and guide it down the tube until it touches it. It was super hard to catch them with a net, the tank is so small I didn’t have much room to maneuver the net, not to mention they were super fast and had plenty of rocks to hide behind.