Matt's New Nano - From South Africa ;) - Beginner

[matt165]

Hello everyone, I am from South Africa and just bought a 24G JBJ Nano Cube that i'm setting up with some softies.

Recently changed some things around in the tank:

1.) Removed some of the LR (about a 1kg - have about 12kg in there now) and redid the aquascaping as to allow for more water flow between the LR etc.

2.) Moved the SEIO M620 to the side and pointed it right at the pile of LR to help create more random flow.

3.) Added some aquiPHOS (phosphate remover) to my rear chamber to help remove phosphates - so all I have in my rear chambers is 1 x sponge (by the intake), some LR rubble, 2 x bags charcoal, and 1 x bag aquiPHOS.

Here's how i'd like to stock it (any advice would be great here)
5 x hermit crabs (suggestions on type?)
5 x snails
1 x cleaner shrimp (or some other type of shrimp? suggestions?)
1 x starfish (steve from exotics advised maybe a serpent star to help clean the tank, is this a good choice?)

then a week later i'll add:
2 x true perc clowns Would false perc be better?
Some type of goby?

 

[pprwngs]

everything looks good so far i would just slow down on the stocking. make sure you wait till the cycle is over to add the CUC. then give it another couple of weeks to add your first fish and if you want a pair add them both.

CUC
10 Margarita Snails
2 Nassarius Snails
5 Blue Leg Hermits
1 Juvenile Green Emerald Crab
1 Sand Siffting Star

 

[BigC]

Yeah Matt slow down and wait until fully cycled also take it slow on the stocking and only add a few critters at a time, let the bacteria catch up with the increased bio-load then add a few more. so on and so forth. All the while keep up with your testing.
Regards
BigC

 

[nanocubeking]

Hey everything looks great!

 

[steelhealr]

If you need help, I have a thread on starting up this tank. I agree. Too soon to be thinking about stocking. Can you do a little bit of a change in the aquascaping (don't take that personally). Has a bit of a 'clump of rocks' appearance. Caves? Flow thrus? SH