New tank setup: guidance, advice needed

dseib · Feb 19, 2024

Hello all! I've been lurking for awhile and ready to start setting up a tank. I'm a bit overwhelmed right now with the equipment needed. I've had a 65 gallon freshwater for 5 years but had an unfortunate accident that killed everything (involving a remodel at my home and lack of planning on my part). Saltwater has always been my goal and now seems to be the perfect time to make the swap.

Current tank is a 65 gallon (36"x18"x24"tall). I plan to convert this tank to a saltwater tank. I'm comfortable with drilling glass and all the prep work with hard plumbing.

My list is as follows and this is where I need confirmation or guidance. I want to make sure that the equipment on the list is sized properly and will play well together.

Goal is a reef tank primarily with crustaceans, starfish, moray eel, soft corals and a few fish (5-10, small variety clownfish and such). Cost is not a big concern; I'd rather get adequate equipment to start so I'm not replacing down the road.

Sump: Trigger systems platinum 26 with fleece roller
Protein skimmer: Reef Octopus Classic 110 INT
Pump: Sicce Syncra SDC 6.0
Overflow: Synergy 16" Shadow V3
Auto top off: XP Aqua Duetto
Heater: Hygger pinpoint (150W x 2) submerged in sump
Powerhead: nero 5 (do I need 1 or 2 of these for the type of tank that I want to setup?)
Light: Current Orbit 24/7 (I will be using existing glass tank cover for now: young child likes to throw stuff in the tank so mesh is out of the question for a few years. Once I can do mesh, I plan to change lighting at the same time)
Controller: Coralvue Hydros

I think that is everything I need to convert, besides the small things such as return line and plumbing parts.

I look forward to the assistance!!

coralboi56 · Feb 19, 2024

You’ve definitely done some research. All good things from what I’ve seen. 2 things though.

1. You only need one Nero 5 for that kind of tank, especially for a beginner.

2. I would do a little more research on tank members. Eels will eat any peaceful fish that cross them and starfish are recommended for intermediate-advanced level hobbyists because of their diet. If you want a beginner starfish, I would go with a brittle star or serpent star.

ISpeakForTheSeas · Feb 19, 2024

dseib said:
Goal is a reef tank primarily with crustaceans, starfish, moray eel, soft corals and a few fish (5-10, small variety clownfish and such).

65 gallons is probably too small for an eel, but you could fit an Engineer Goby which look remarkably eel-like as adults. Also, to expound on what was mentioned above, there are (for aquarium purposes) two types of moray eels - fang tooth and pebble tooth.

Fang tooth eels eat fish - you need to be careful with the eel species and with any fish tankmates to avoid having other fish be very expensive snacks for these eels.

Pebble tooth eels eat inverts - crustaceans and snails are likely to be expensive snacks for them.

To plan a tank with eels, you should pick what eel you want, then plan tankmates around the eel to avoid problems.

Like was also mentioned above, I wouldn't recommend any true starfish (Asteroidea) for a reef tank at this point - the reef-safe ones tend to starve/die (the longest I have heard of was with a tank that was very well designed to house a reef-safe star, and the star lasted 4 years; in the average tank they typically die after ~8-13 months). If you really want a true starfish and a brittle/serpent starfish (Ophiuroidea) won't do, then I'd suggest Aquilonastra stars (known in the hobby as Asterina stars) and caution that they may eat any zoas in the tank.

That said, aside from the eel, 5-10 appropriately selected fish is probably a good number for a 65 gallon.

dseib · Feb 19, 2024

coralboi56 said:
You’ve definitely done some research. All good things from what I’ve seen. 2 things though.

1. You only need one Nero 5 for that kind of tank, especially for a beginner.

2. I would do a little more research on tank members. Eels will eat any peaceful fish that cross them and starfish are recommended for intermediate-advanced level hobbyists because of their diet. If you want a beginner starfish, I would go with a brittle star or serpent star.

Thank you for the input.

I haven't gotten very far into the types of fish that will be in the tank. I'm more interested in creating a coral reef and will build around that.

dseib · Feb 19, 2024

ISpeakForTheSeas said:
65 gallons is probably too small for an eel, but you could fit an Engineer Goby which look remarkably eel-like as adults. Also, to expound on what was mentioned above, there are (for aquarium purposes) two types of moray eels - fang tooth and pebble tooth.

Fang tooth eels eat fish - you need to be careful with the eel species and with any fish tankmates to avoid having other fish be very expensive snacks for these eels.

Pebble tooth eels eat inverts - crustaceans and snails are likely to be expensive snacks for them.

To plan a tank with eels, you should pick what eel you want, then plan tankmates around the eel to avoid problems.

Like was also mentioned above, I wouldn't recommend any true starfish (Asteroidea) for a reef tank at this point - the reef-safe ones tend to starve/die (the longest I have heard of was with a tank that was very well designed to house a reef-safe star, and the star lasted 4 years; in the average tank they typically die after ~8-13 months). If you really want a true starfish and a brittle/serpent starfish (Ophiuroidea) won't do, then I'd suggest Aquilonastra stars (known in the hobby as Asterina stars) and caution that they may eat any zoas in the tank.

That said, aside from the eel, 5-10 appropriately selected fish is probably a good number for a 65 gallon.

Thank you for the input.

An eel is not a must have in this tank. I like the look and behavior of eels but if they won't work with some of the other tankmates, its not a must-have. More focused on getting the tank assembled, cycled, start a few corals and then find appropriate fish and inverts. Thanks for the suggestion of the goby. That is actually more along the lines of what I am looking for vs a full grown moray.

I will look into the asterina stars. Starfish add a nice touch to a saltwater tank.