My 8gal Reef

[BigBeginner]

I've decided to start a journal of my new Pico (8 usgals)
I am on a budget, so i am taking this very slow...
I had this topic on nano reefs section but i decided i would probably get more replies here

Tank:
Oceanic 8

Filter:
1st chamber - Stock media filter, heater
2nd chamber - Replaced bioballs with LR rubble
3rd chamber - 105 gph stock pump
6 lbs of LR
Chaetomorpha algae

Lights:
2 Bluemoon LEDs
18 watt True Actinic 03 Blue
18 watt 10,000k Daylight

Other Equipment:
50watt tetra heater

Stats:
Ammon = 0
Nitrate = 5-10
Nitrite = 0
pH = 8.2
Sg = 1.022
Temp = 81
KH = NYT
Phos = NYT
Calcium = NYT
(*NYT = Not Yet Tested)

Notes:
No skimmer
NEW CAMERA! canon powershot sd790 is

Plans:
Get a skimmer
I've decided that i want a Flaming Prawsn Goby to bad i doubt i will ever see on in my LFS, but at first glance IT WILL BE MINE! ill probably have to move my Wheeler Goby to my 55 gal tank if that happens?

Current Fish/Corals/Inverts:
1 green fluorecent mushroom
1 green-striped mushroom frag
wheeler's watchman goby (Amblyeleotris wheeleri)
cabbage leather
colony polyps (supercolored, assorted, multicolored, idunno)
2 red mushrooms
2 bullseye mushrooms
3 nassarius snails
2 astraea snails
big clump of chaetomorpha algae
some sponges on LR

Questions:
Do I need rowaphos?
Can i put a shrimp? If so, what type?
What is carbon for, will i need it?

Pictures:
1st rock arrangement

2nd arrangement

current arrangement with 2 mushrooms (dont mind the nets) and i still need to find a spot for that chaeto

Any and all comment are welcome =] and PLEASE tell me if im doing something wrong, and be brutal, i want to do this right

 

[SkiFletch]

Looks decent. Deifnitely need to get that Chaeto out of the display. It will haunt you if you leave it

 

[BigBeginner]

ok, what will it do?

having a little trouble feeding my goby, cause itll only eat the food if it falls right in front of it... and (i know this isnt good) i am killing my water with the constant attempts to feed it, im going to try turning off the filter to feed tomor, im also gunna try some live ghost shrimp to get it started on eating, but the ghost shrimp my LFS sells are pretty big...

 

[SkiFletch]

It'll get everywhere and grow constantly and take over your tank. Trust me, I let some get in my display tank and I'm still trying to get rid of it nearly 2 years later

 

[BigBeginner]

what should i do with it? other then put it in the 2nd chamber and make a fuge because its to small to do that, and i still plan to pack some rowaphos and maybe some other media in there, it doesnt seem to be growning very much

 

[Duck and Dive]

Rock formation is good. It will look a lot better when it has a few coral in it. Looking great

 

[Straydum]

what should i do with it? other then put it in the 2nd chamber and make a fuge because its to small to do that, and i still plan to pack some rowaphos and maybe some other media in there, it doesnt seem to be growning very much

this is what i'm doing for now cause i don't run a sump. hope it helps

 

[BigBeginner]

K, i was wondering if i could put some sort of shrimp in here, or would it be to crowded? and what type would be best?

I HAVE MY NEW CAMERA, i will post pictures when i take them (right now =])

and good news, i think my goby ate a live guppie o.o, i put 2 ghost shrimp and a guppie in there, and the uppie is gone but the shrimps are their =\

ill try that witht he chaeto =] but i dont think itll work since my tank is so small and the chaeto is so big (ill have to cut it) and it might block a lot of light =\ light now i just stuck it in the corner till i figure what to do

 

[SkiFletch]

Nice idea with the filter bag. I'm curious to see if it works

 

[BigBeginner]

i tested water

ph: 8.2
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 10-20 ish (i figured because ive been feeing a lot and havn't done a water change in a while, still need to go buy water)
ammonia: 0
phos: to be tested soon
calc: to be tested soon
kH: also to be tested soon =]

Cant put pictures, because my memory card is being stupid, i have to buy a new one and get new pictures =[

 

[BigBeginner]

phos: 0
calc: 380-400 (low?)
kH: 10-11 dkh
sg: 1.022
temp:

i got the memory card!

 

[SkiFletch]

calc is on the lower side, but not that low yet. Nothing to freak out about

 

[BigBeginner]

k =]

any input on the shrimp and why my goby itnt eating or how i can get my goby feeding?

 

[BigBeginner]

some type of mushroom and cabbage

half FTS

Zoos

FTS

side

 

[Truck]

thats a nice rock arrangement