Unless ya'll tell me no , I have told you I want to get a Blennie and a Pistol shrimp for my tank, (can I have more than one pair) I have decided on putting my base live rock on an egg create to raise it up off the bottom so the shrimp can tunnel under the rock, I got some PVC tubing to make some legs for the egg create. How much of a sand base in this tank do I need accommodate the shrimp, need to know this so that I can make the PVC legs for the egg create high enough to put in the amount of sand needed under the live rock. I really do appreciate all this help ya'll are giving me, I can't say that enough. *celebrate I have had friends that have tried to have SW Tanks and they look nice at the start, then all of their stock dies, they buy more, and that stock dies, then they either make a FW tank out of it or sell the tank altogether. I always wanted a SW tank but after watching them I never got one, figured I would be just throwing my money away. Anyway, after I got into this, I found out that its no wonder all of their stock died, they didnt even come close to having the right set up to give their stock a fighting chance to survive, so again, THANK YOU very much for all your help.
This is what I have decided to do
- Thread starter strout
- Start date
I'm not sure that a platform of eggcrate is the way to go. Perhaps someone else can give a better idea. I believe the way most people do it is put the eggcrate flat on the tank bottom, put the rock on top, then add 4 to 6 inches of sand. It will cover some of the rock, but it will be stable. The eggcrate is there to create a section of sand that isn't moved by the fish, which creates an area for anaerobic denitrifying bacteria to colonize. A platform wouldn't perform that function.
As for sealing off sections to force the goby to be out front, I guess it's possible. I usually just let the fish do what they want to do.
As for sealing off sections to force the goby to be out front, I guess it's possible. I usually just let the fish do what they want to do.
The eggcrate, as I understand it, is in place to disperse the weight of the rock evenly across the tank bottom. If you had, for example, a heavy piece of rock touching the glass in only a few places all the weight of the rock is centered on those spots which can lead to the glass cracking. With the eggcrate under the rock the weight is spread across the plastic lattice and diffused across a wider area of the glass.
The problem with sandbeds is that they should be either less than an inch or more than 4 inches. In between, and you'll have issues with detritus/nitrates. A deep sandbed (more than 4") will give you some denitrification.
So, as an inch won't be enough for your goby, you'll need to go for around 4" deep.
So, as an inch won't be enough for your goby, you'll need to go for around 4" deep.
I have had a shrimp/gobie pair for over 3 years......I placed my live rock on small pvc elbows and t's on the glass....then about 4 inches of sand......I also added about 1lb of rubble rock for the shrimp to access to line his tunnels. If you do not add the rubble he will take shells or frags or what ever he can get......I have also placed the live rock directly on the bottom and the sand around the rock.....the shrimp moves the sand where he wants it constantly changing his hidey holes....You can't keep him from making it where he wants......mine sometimes comes out front, side or back every couple of days in a new spot.......where ever it is the gobie is watching guard. I hardly ever see the shrimp, just his antennae .....and him pushing the sand up and out of the hole or snagging some pellets....I sure do hear him though at night snapping his claws.....the tank he is in is in my bedroom......
