Another "Help Me Decide" thread

I have a little 10g nano (with a 10g sump) on the desk in our "shop" area. It currently is set up as an SPS tank, but I'm getting a little board with it and it is also battling dino's. I'm thinking about tearing it down temporarily (which should take care of the dino's) and setting it back up as something else.

In 20+ years there's not a whole lot I haven't tried, but on the list of things I have yet to keep (and would like to) are seahorses, a dedicated non-photosynthetic tank and jellyfish.

OK, so right off the bat jellyfish are out as this tank would never work for them.

Seahorses I'm very intrigued by, but a 10g is not really ideal for them either, and the temp in this tank is often 80+ in the summer which is a bit hot for even the warmer species of ponies.

NPS I would probably want to go with a lower output light, but otherwise seems like a cool idea and a fairly easy transition...and I have easy access to a fair number of NPS species through some of my suppliers.

I though about a nem/clown tank, but I already have an H. crispa hosting a pair of clowns in my 125 so that's not really all that exciting to me and 10g's is not ideal for most of the nems I would want.

What would you do...any other suggestions I haven't though of?

 

Setup a 20L perhaps?

 

Not really an option...the desk already has a hole cut in it for plumbing and wiring and a custom hood so it's a kind of peninsula tank that fits the end of the desk...so I'm really wanting/needing to use the existing 10g tank and sump setup. Lighting and flow are easily enough changed depending on what's in the tank, but the footprint is pretty much set.

 

Wish I could help, but that's the whole reason I'm setting up the 20L. I really don't like the 10g too much anymore. Not enough room to do much of anything.

 

I hear you...I would love to do something bigger, but this one fits my desk perfectly. I have other larger display tanks and tons of growout/holding tanks so I really don't need any more tanks, LOL!

 

How about getting a single polyp of GSP and see how long it takes to cover the entire tank.

 

What about a mantis shrimp?

 

I'm amazed by Mantis, but I don't know, just never really had a hankerin' to keep one on purpose.

Someone else suggested Octopus...not sure if a 10g is big enough for a dwarf octopus...and I'd have to beef up the hood to make it escape proof...but it is actually something I'd like to keep.

 

I'd say a small species of mantis. They way they watch you as you watch them would be hilarious in a shop setting.

 

I heard that octopus have a VERY short lifespan. I think its like a year in captivity and chances are, once you get it the octopus will be at least 3 or 4 monts old. Also that one year is if the octopus does not escape, but you already mentioned reinforcing the top 8)