Hi, sorry that its long but I figured the more you know the better.
I just got into the hobby by starting a 5 gallon tank. I know things can go south very quicky but so far I'm doing fine ( i think ) either way it has been a roller costar of a ride I started this tank at 3/26/23 and when I was doing the cycle i noticed that my ammonia was high like 8.0pmm high or sum. When I noticed that I figured I messed up somehow but a few weeks pass by ( aka 2 ) I saw that the 8 turned into a 0.25 and I was very very happy. I for sure thought it crashed or sum. A week later and still 0.25 and I got suspicious and saw that the API test kit for ammonia was bad or it always showed 0.25 no matter what so I bought a salifert test kit and it was actually 0. I was very happy. Soo 1 month passes and did my testing and ammonia and nitrite was 0, again super happy that I did the cycle and I could get fish. For fish I really really wanted a goby/shrimp pair. Saw the ones I know had to get but load and behold they cost so much and almost nobody had them. After I went to a LFS I saw a clown fish and I know I can't have many fish at all since its a 5 gallon. But since they are hardy they are a perfect way to see if any fish I put into it can survive or not and. So far the fish is still alive. As for corals I didn't know if I could put anything into it since it been a month and the cycle is done but I asked a person who worked at the LFS and they said yes. For corals I know I wanted a mushroom, zoa, leather, and hammer. Every coral is hardy and can take swings in water parameters. So that is what I have today. From what I seen, heard, and watched is that they all grow big and fast but I don't think its going to grow so huge in a matter of days either way so for so and a few years later it should be fine. Same thing every coral is doing fine. Anyhow to this day the dry rock has turned light brown and I do see very very very little signs of algae on the glass of the tank not on the rocks but on the glass of the tank.
Here are my questions, what other fish can I still put. Clown fish wise they grow but again its small and I don't expect it to grow huge in a matter of days nor weeks. So would I still be able to put a goby/shrimp pair. From my understanding all the goby does is sit and watch hence the name watchman goby. So before I make any dumb and stupid mistakes can I still do that or is that going to mess up something in the long run for me? For the diatoms do I have to worry at all? They are light brown and not dark dark brown. I do see the light brown on the sand but its nothing at all tbh. Last but not least how many clean up crew can I have. So far I have 2 hermits, and 1 astraea snail. Can I still add more?
Thank you for reading this and once again sorry that its long. If I made a mistake I am sorry I am still very very new to this.
I just got into the hobby by starting a 5 gallon tank. I know things can go south very quicky but so far I'm doing fine ( i think ) either way it has been a roller costar of a ride I started this tank at 3/26/23 and when I was doing the cycle i noticed that my ammonia was high like 8.0pmm high or sum. When I noticed that I figured I messed up somehow but a few weeks pass by ( aka 2 ) I saw that the 8 turned into a 0.25 and I was very very happy. I for sure thought it crashed or sum. A week later and still 0.25 and I got suspicious and saw that the API test kit for ammonia was bad or it always showed 0.25 no matter what so I bought a salifert test kit and it was actually 0. I was very happy. Soo 1 month passes and did my testing and ammonia and nitrite was 0, again super happy that I did the cycle and I could get fish. For fish I really really wanted a goby/shrimp pair. Saw the ones I know had to get but load and behold they cost so much and almost nobody had them. After I went to a LFS I saw a clown fish and I know I can't have many fish at all since its a 5 gallon. But since they are hardy they are a perfect way to see if any fish I put into it can survive or not and. So far the fish is still alive. As for corals I didn't know if I could put anything into it since it been a month and the cycle is done but I asked a person who worked at the LFS and they said yes. For corals I know I wanted a mushroom, zoa, leather, and hammer. Every coral is hardy and can take swings in water parameters. So that is what I have today. From what I seen, heard, and watched is that they all grow big and fast but I don't think its going to grow so huge in a matter of days either way so for so and a few years later it should be fine. Same thing every coral is doing fine. Anyhow to this day the dry rock has turned light brown and I do see very very very little signs of algae on the glass of the tank not on the rocks but on the glass of the tank.
Here are my questions, what other fish can I still put. Clown fish wise they grow but again its small and I don't expect it to grow huge in a matter of days nor weeks. So would I still be able to put a goby/shrimp pair. From my understanding all the goby does is sit and watch hence the name watchman goby. So before I make any dumb and stupid mistakes can I still do that or is that going to mess up something in the long run for me? For the diatoms do I have to worry at all? They are light brown and not dark dark brown. I do see the light brown on the sand but its nothing at all tbh. Last but not least how many clean up crew can I have. So far I have 2 hermits, and 1 astraea snail. Can I still add more?
Thank you for reading this and once again sorry that its long. If I made a mistake I am sorry I am still very very new to this.
