MrsDragon
Active Member
Hi to all and Happy Easter.
I have had fresh water aquariums for the last 16 years and currently I'm breeding angelfish. I have a 5ft community angel tank, a 5ft breeder tank, a 4ft community angel tank, and various fry and grow out tanks. I love the look of planted tanks and the colour and movement of the plants in the water so I have always stayed away from saltwater because I thought they looked a bit barren unless they were massive and a full biotope.
I got a "bargain" which I ended up only keeping the rock an equipment from and have had to get extras - a bargain is not always a bargain. LOL I had read a lot already, but just the same as giving birth, reading is not nearly the same as the actual thing. I got a lovely 2ft cube tank (216 ltr, 57 gal) and have now set it up with the sand and rocks and also purchased some more live rock to boost the system. This has been running for about a week and a half now. Still monitoring water and the skimmer is still turned off. I have a lovely LFS owner who won't let me buy anything living other than the rock until I can prove to her by water sample that my parameters are all good.
I trust her and I am also trying to further educate myself as she obviously can't know everything and can't be at my place to monitor the tank.
I have a canister filter on the tank as well (yes I have read a sump is better, but at this time can't do it). Powerhead is 3000ltrs/hr. I did have a 5000ltrs/hr but it kept blowing my sand out of the way. I only have a shallow sand bed of about an inch and a half. I have a basic SW test kit - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite & Nitrate. Parameters currently - pH 8.0, Amm 0-0.25, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 5-10, SG 1.023, Temp 26deg Celsius. Have bee very excited to see some of the living things coming from the live rock, 2 small starfish and a small mussel type thing.
I have also been trying to find out what sort of fish I can put in there but this is really hard. I can read the information but there is no picture, or I can see the pictures but need to search the information. Also difficult to find out who is compatible with who. I did find a great site that helped a lot.
The Marine Compatibility Guide
The kids obviously want Clownfish (thank you very much Disney) and I would love some colour. I also am trying to find out if these fish prefer to live alone, or if they are happier with 3-5 of their own kind. FW fish sites tell you all this but I am still reading about SW species to try to find out. The following is what I am thinking about. Can I please get advice/comments/suggestions as to whether this will work in my tank and if this is a good initial "dip in the water" for my first SW tank. I have tried to pick peaceful easy care species.
1 pair Ocellaris Clowns
Bicolour Blenny
Damselfish, Chrysiptera springeri
Basslet, Gramma Loreto
Crab, either of the following
Calcinus elegans
Calcinus laevimanus
Paguristes cadenati
Shrimp, either of the following
Lysmata amboinensis
Lysmata debelius
Snail, Neobernaya spadicea
Corals & bits, unsure of, this was some of the list that came up
Fanworm, Sabellastarte spetabilis
Polyps, Briareum sp.
HC, Acanthastrea echinata
HC, Caulastraea curvata
HC, Cynarina lacrymalis
HC, Lithophyllon repanda
HC, Nemenzophyllia turbida
I also really love the look of Palm Tree Polyps.
Whew, have to practice up more on my Latin I think. Also, am I better off putting in corals and getting them established before adding the fish so I don't spook the fish?
Thanks in advance for any comments.
I have had fresh water aquariums for the last 16 years and currently I'm breeding angelfish. I have a 5ft community angel tank, a 5ft breeder tank, a 4ft community angel tank, and various fry and grow out tanks. I love the look of planted tanks and the colour and movement of the plants in the water so I have always stayed away from saltwater because I thought they looked a bit barren unless they were massive and a full biotope.
I got a "bargain" which I ended up only keeping the rock an equipment from and have had to get extras - a bargain is not always a bargain. LOL I had read a lot already, but just the same as giving birth, reading is not nearly the same as the actual thing. I got a lovely 2ft cube tank (216 ltr, 57 gal) and have now set it up with the sand and rocks and also purchased some more live rock to boost the system. This has been running for about a week and a half now. Still monitoring water and the skimmer is still turned off. I have a lovely LFS owner who won't let me buy anything living other than the rock until I can prove to her by water sample that my parameters are all good.
I trust her and I am also trying to further educate myself as she obviously can't know everything and can't be at my place to monitor the tank.I have a canister filter on the tank as well (yes I have read a sump is better, but at this time can't do it). Powerhead is 3000ltrs/hr. I did have a 5000ltrs/hr but it kept blowing my sand out of the way. I only have a shallow sand bed of about an inch and a half. I have a basic SW test kit - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite & Nitrate. Parameters currently - pH 8.0, Amm 0-0.25, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 5-10, SG 1.023, Temp 26deg Celsius. Have bee very excited to see some of the living things coming from the live rock, 2 small starfish and a small mussel type thing.
I have also been trying to find out what sort of fish I can put in there but this is really hard. I can read the information but there is no picture, or I can see the pictures but need to search the information. Also difficult to find out who is compatible with who. I did find a great site that helped a lot.
The Marine Compatibility Guide
The kids obviously want Clownfish (thank you very much Disney) and I would love some colour. I also am trying to find out if these fish prefer to live alone, or if they are happier with 3-5 of their own kind. FW fish sites tell you all this but I am still reading about SW species to try to find out. The following is what I am thinking about. Can I please get advice/comments/suggestions as to whether this will work in my tank and if this is a good initial "dip in the water" for my first SW tank. I have tried to pick peaceful easy care species.
1 pair Ocellaris Clowns
Bicolour Blenny
Damselfish, Chrysiptera springeri
Basslet, Gramma Loreto
Crab, either of the following
Calcinus elegans
Calcinus laevimanus
Paguristes cadenati
Shrimp, either of the following
Lysmata amboinensis
Lysmata debelius
Snail, Neobernaya spadicea
Corals & bits, unsure of, this was some of the list that came up
Fanworm, Sabellastarte spetabilis
Polyps, Briareum sp.
HC, Acanthastrea echinata
HC, Caulastraea curvata
HC, Cynarina lacrymalis
HC, Lithophyllon repanda
HC, Nemenzophyllia turbida
I also really love the look of Palm Tree Polyps.
Whew, have to practice up more on my Latin I think.
Also, am I better off putting in corals and getting them established before adding the fish so I don't spook the fish?Thanks in advance for any comments.
