Clownfish and anemone tank build

[diabolical_clownfish]

I’m starting a saltwater aquarium build and would like to get everyone’s opinion/advice.

Goal

Since my family really likes Finding Nemo, our ultimate goal is to have a pair of m/f clown fish and at least one anemone. I’m open to suggestions on the exact breed, but I believe for beginners, Ocellaris Clownfish are recommended, as are Bubble Tip Anemones (BTA). I don’t plan on expanding the fish and coral list significantly, so I’m looking for a reasonable list of tank and equipments.

I have zero experience with aquariums and fish keeping, other than putting some time into researching the build. I have been told to start with freshwater, but the clownfish is of high interest to my family (the anemone is perhaps optional).

Below is the list of equipment and supplies I plan to purchase:

Tank

• Waterbox Marine 35. Link. Technical Spec

This is my biggest decision right now. I really like the Waterbox brand, as they seem very high in build quality and I like the rimless look. However, they are expensive, especially the models with a cabinet and/or sump (I don't otherwise have a good cabinet to place a heavy tank on top of).
Marine 35 is a 22 gallery display tank with a 11.2 gal sump. I also looked at the Waterbox AIO, Cube, Peninsula Mini models, but ultimately thought that the sump gives me more flexibility.

Is this 35 gal model overkill for my needs? I thought about going with a 15 gal Peninsula Mini or 20 gal Cube model to be placed on the kitchen counter or another lightweight cabinet, but any bigger/heavier, I'd need a dedicated stand. I worry that I'm going to screw up with a smaller tank, and be cramped for future needs (which isn't high, but still). If I house only clown fish (no anemone), could I get away with a 15 gal Peninsula Mini without protein skimmer and ATO?
On the other hand, I'd like to have as little maintenance as possible (to minimize effort and/or screw ups), so how much effort could I save with a protein skimmer/ATO vs without?

Equipements

• Return Pump - Nyos Viper 2 Link. This is recommended by Waterbox but I'm open to suggestions
• Auto Top Off (ATO) - XP Aqua Duetto Link. I think I need this to deal with evaporation. The sump has a dedicated 2g ATO reservoir, one of the reasons I'm leaning towards the Marine with a sump. If I end up going with an AIO, how hard is it to setup ATO without a sump?
• Protein Skimmer - Bubble Magus Elite Link. This seems to be highly recommended, but is it overkill for my 35 gal tank?
• Heater - Cobalt Aquatics Flat Neo-Therm Heater Link. Seems to get great reviews. My alternative choice is the Eheim Jager.
• Lights - Aqua Illumination Prime 16 HD LED Reef Light Link. I generally like the Aqua Illumination line of products as they are wifi controllable. However, I'm heavy into home automation (Using Siri/HomeKit) and I can't find any lights that are HomeKit compatible. I'm wondering if there are reef lights that are very basic, with just an off/off toggle switch. I can then hook it up to a smart outlet and control the schedule from the iOS Home app.
• VOCOlinc HomeKit Smart Power Strip Link. For the non-smart devices, this allows me to turn them on and off via the iOS Home app.
• Wave Maker - Aqua Illumination NERO 5 Link. Same, the Aqua Illumination wifi controllable, but it's expensive.
• Media Reactor - TORQ Dock & 1.0 Media Reactor Combo Link. Do I really need a media reactor? The tank comes with two filter socks. Given that I probably will have a protein skimmer, do I need additional carbon, bacteria bioballs, and sponges? the TORQ is likely too big for the sump anyway.

Decor

• Sand - Live Aragonite sand Link
• MarcoRocks Reef Saver Live Rock Link
• Real Reef Rock Link.

Water

• AquaFX Barracuda RO/DI Aquarium Filter Link. I'm planning to use a garden hose adapter for my kitchen faucet as the inlet, but I'm wondering if there is a better way to go (under the sink, etc) where it's not as much of a hassle. I'm in a condo, so no outside garden hose access.
• Instant Ocean BIO-Spira Water Treatment Link. Use for initial cycling.
• StartSmart Complete Saltwater, 12-Ounce Link. Use for water change.
• Instant Ocean Sea Salt for Marine Aquariums Link.
• API Aquarium Test Kit - Reef Link
• Salinity Refractometer Link
• TERAPUMP Water Changer Link
• 5 Gal. 1.75-Peak HP Wet/Dry Shop Vacuum Powerhead Link. I found some references to water change via the sump and using this vacuum to suck up the water. Seems preferable.
• Penn-Plax QN2 Quick Net for Fish Link
• Neptonion Magnetic Aquarium Fish Tank Glass Algae scrapers Link
• Fish food: whatever my local fish store (LFS) recommends

Everything combined, this is about $2700 USD, plus tax, which is a big purchase and makes me a little bit nervous.

My alternative plan: I can possibly go down to <$2000 by switching to a sumpless model (such as the Waterbox AIO or Cube), housing clownfish only (no anemone). The savings come from the cheaper tank, no protein skimmer, and no ATO. I'm somewhat curious about this, as online sources seem mixed on whether one really needs a protein skimmer/ATO for a smaller tank, with fish only.

In any case, thank you to everyone in advance. Please sanity check my list and suggest alternatives or other equipments/supplies that I'm missing. Please ELI5 as I'm not well versed in aquarium jargons.

 

[abecker]

You sound like you are looking to do exactly what I want to do. I'm looking at the Waterbox 35 as well, but waiting to see on Wednesday as to what changes they are bringing to the Marine line of tanks. As far as the ATO, it is a convenience thing, but it would be nice to have on either an AIO or tank with a sump in my opinion. I'm interested to see what others have to say on this build as well!

 

[diabolical_clownfish]

You sound like you are looking to do exactly what I want to do. I'm looking at the Waterbox 35 as well, but waiting to see on Wednesday as to what changes they are bringing to the Marine line of tanks. As far as the ATO, it is a convenience thing, but it would be nice to have on either an AIO or tank with a sump in my opinion. I'm interested to see what others have to say on this build as well!

Yep! I emailed Waterbox's support and they said they are at least releasing the Marine 60.5 and a few more models. For others interested, they have a live event next Wednesday Step 16 at 6pm EST.

 

[SamiTANKS]

Congrats on getting into the hobby! If it were me, I would check local facebook marketplace/reefing groups to see what used reef-ready systems/equipment is for sale (reef-ready means tank, sump, plumbing all included and preferably a skimmer, pump, and lights). If you want an anemone tank, this will save you a ton of money b/c they usually need the nicer lights that can grow coral and a good filtration system.

Reefbuilders Youtube channel has a super helpful video that will help you accomplish your goal:

The tank in that is the red sea version of the Waterbox 35, he has kept 2 clownfish and some hardy corals with no water changes, skimmer, ATO

 

[diabolical_clownfish]

Congrats on getting into the hobby! If it were me, I would check local facebook marketplace/reefing groups to see what used reef-ready systems/equipment is for sale (reef-ready means tank, sump, plumbing all included and preferably a skimmer, pump, and lights). If you want an anemone tank, this will save you a ton of money b/c they usually need the nicer lights that can grow coral and a good filtration system.

Reefbuilders Youtube channel has a super helpful video that will help you accomplish your goal:

The tank in that is the red sea version of the Waterbox 35, he has kept 2 clownfish and some hardy corals with no water changes, skimmer, ATO

Thank you. I really enjoyed this video and learned a lot. I think this is exactly the setup I have in mind (perhaps even more than what I wanted in terms of corals). I'm really surprised how low maintenance this is (which is exactly what I want). The main take away here seems to be a combination of only taking on hardy/easy fish and corals, live sand for bacteria, under feeding, using a lid to prevent evaporation (vs ATO), etc.

Obviously the guy is really experienced and even he had issues like algae. So from my newbie's point of view, I'm wondering how difficult this is to replicate (is his success highly unusual, like 6 standard deviations from the norm?). My expectation is much lower - I'm more than willing to wait a few weeks to cycle instead of doing everything in one day. I'm okay with changing water every two weeks instead of 6 months. But I just want to make sure I can still obtain reasonable results (fish dying would be devastating to my little one) without gadgets like protein skimmers and ATO.

Thanks again SamiTANKS.

 

[SamiTANKS]

No problem, I'm glad you found the video helpful! Having clownfish and an anemone was the reason I first got into the hobby. I made so many mistakes and wasted a lot of $. Bulk Reef Supply also has a video series on youtube that's super helpful. Especially the videos on how to avoid ugly tank syndrome.

If you are just keeping 2 clownfish and no corals, you have really good chances at replicating that. It is a lot more difficult keeping coral and getting those results without precycled rock/sand, no water changes, or extra gear. You definitely got all the huge points from the video.

To up the odds of your clownfish surviving make sure you buy a pair that is already bonded, seen them eat food in the store, no torn fins or tiny white dots. Clownfish are pretty hardy and a great starter fish

 

[diabolical_clownfish]

If you are just keeping 2 clownfish and no corals, you have really good chances at replicating that. It is a lot more difficult keeping coral and getting those results without precycled rock/sand, no water changes, or extra gear. You definitely got all the huge points from the video.

How about an anemone in addition to the coral? If I get one, does that up the requirements of the tank by a lot, or does the same tricks apply? I'm reading this post here:

Feeding your Nem? Stop and read this first.

Anemone’s have a symbiotic relationship with something they host and it’s not Clownfish. Just like many of our tank inhabitants, Anemone’s play host to an algae called Zooxanthellae (Zoos from here forward). The Anemone provides a safe place for the algae to grow and survive, in exchange the...

www.reef2reef.com

...which says that you can feed once a month (which is fine by me), and it seems to me that is consistent with Jake's tip about under feeding in general.

Jake doesn't explicitly provide a list of corals in that nano tank and I can't really tell at a glance. Is the pink tentacled one in the bottom left corner an anemone?

 

[PicassoClown04]

Hi and welcome to R2R! If you want a low cost setup, mine (not including ATO and skimmer) would be $600 new. Tank, stand, pumps everything you 100% need. It’s a 20 gallon IM peninsula. I would definitely check out criagslist, always somebody getting out of the hobby and selling full set ups for cheap. Mine came with a skimmer, sicce pump, jebao powerhead, bioballs, tank, and stand for $300 then $200 for 2 AI Prime HDs with the 12” arms and another $50 for an ATO. So all my equipment comes out to about $550 which is a lot more affordable. I have an RBTA in there and it’s doing amazing, it’s also the perfect size for just a pair of clowns and a bunch of anemones I would definitely look at something like this. Good luck with your setup!! Make a build thread

 

[diabolical_clownfish]

Hi and welcome to R2R! If you want a low cost setup, mine (not including ATO and skimmer) would be $600 new. Tank, stand, pumps everything you 100% need. It’s a 20 gallon IM peninsula. I would definitely check out criagslist, always somebody getting out of the hobby and selling full set ups for cheap. Mine came with a skimmer, sicce pump, jebao powerhead, bioballs, tank, and stand for $300 then $200 for 2 AI Prime HDs with the 12” arms and another $50 for an ATO. So all my equipment comes out to about $550 which is a lot more affordable. I have an RBTA in there and it’s doing amazing, it’s also the perfect size for just a pair of clowns and a bunch of anemones I would definitely look at something like this. Good luck with your setup!! Make a build thread

Thank you! Yeah, $550 is definitely a lot more reasonable and I will keep an eye on the local craigslist/facebook.

 

[TriggersAmuck]

Looks like you have a local reef club there in Detroit: https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/michigan-reef-society.157/

 

[diabolical_clownfish]

Looks like you have a local reef club there in Detroit: https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/michigan-reef-society.157/

Not super active unfortunately, and I also can't find a lot of resources on craigslist locally.

 

[TriggersAmuck]

PS: since you are talking about using dry rock (not live rock), be aware that your expectation of having a stable cycle in a few weeks could end up being a few months. (See my build thread for an example.) The simple fact is you won't want to try putting 'nems in for a good many months. I put several in around 5 or 6 months, and only two of them survived the long term.

 

[diabolical_clownfish]

PS: since you are talking about using dry rock (not live rock), be aware that your expectation of having a stable cycle in a few weeks could end up being a few months. (See my build thread for an example.) The simple fact is you won't want to try putting 'nems in for a good many months. I put several in around 5 or 6 months, and only two of them survived the long term.

Yes, so after further research (especially the reef builder videos above), I thinking I'm going to go with CaribSea Life Rock and CaribSea Arag-Alive Fiji Pink Sand. Reef Builder uses Brightwell Aquatics Microbacter Start XLM, but according to the instructions, they don't recommend it in combination with live rocks (says they are seeded with the wrong kind of bacteria). Although online sources seem to support XLM + CaribSea, so perhaps CaribSea is seeded with the compatible bacteria after all?

 

[AC1211]

I’m starting a saltwater aquarium build and would like to get everyone’s opinion/advice.

Goal

Since my family really likes Finding Nemo, our ultimate goal is to have a pair of m/f clown fish and at least one anemone. I’m open to suggestions on the exact breed, but I believe for beginners, Ocellaris Clownfish are recommended, as are Bubble Tip Anemones (BTA). I don’t plan on expanding the fish and coral list significantly, so I’m looking for a reasonable list of tank and equipments.

I have zero experience with aquariums and fish keeping, other than putting some time into researching the build. I have been told to start with freshwater, but the clownfish is of high interest to my family (the anemone is perhaps optional).

Below is the list of equipment and supplies I plan to purchase:

Tank

• Waterbox Marine 35. Link. Technical Spec

This is my biggest decision right now. I really like the Waterbox brand, as they seem very high in build quality and I like the rimless look. However, they are expensive, especially the models with a cabinet and/or sump (I don't otherwise have a good cabinet to place a heavy tank on top of).
Marine 35 is a 22 gallery display tank with a 11.2 gal sump. I also looked at the Waterbox AIO, Cube, Peninsula Mini models, but ultimately thought that the sump gives me more flexibility.

Is this 35 gal model overkill for my needs? I thought about going with a 15 gal Peninsula Mini or 20 gal Cube model to be placed on the kitchen counter or another lightweight cabinet, but any bigger/heavier, I'd need a dedicated stand. I worry that I'm going to screw up with a smaller tank, and be cramped for future needs (which isn't high, but still). If I house only clown fish (no anemone), could I get away with a 15 gal Peninsula Mini without protein skimmer and ATO?
On the other hand, I'd like to have as little maintenance as possible (to minimize effort and/or screw ups), so how much effort could I save with a protein skimmer/ATO vs without?

Equipements

• Return Pump - Nyos Viper 2 Link. This is recommended by Waterbox but I'm open to suggestions
• Auto Top Off (ATO) - XP Aqua Duetto Link. I think I need this to deal with evaporation. The sump has a dedicated 2g ATO reservoir, one of the reasons I'm leaning towards the Marine with a sump. If I end up going with an AIO, how hard is it to setup ATO without a sump?
• Protein Skimmer - Bubble Magus Elite Link. This seems to be highly recommended, but is it overkill for my 35 gal tank?
• Heater - Cobalt Aquatics Flat Neo-Therm Heater Link. Seems to get great reviews. My alternative choice is the Eheim Jager.
• Lights - Aqua Illumination Prime 16 HD LED Reef Light Link. I generally like the Aqua Illumination line of products as they are wifi controllable. However, I'm heavy into home automation (Using Siri/HomeKit) and I can't find any lights that are HomeKit compatible. I'm wondering if there are reef lights that are very basic, with just an off/off toggle switch. I can then hook it up to a smart outlet and control the schedule from the iOS Home app.
• VOCOlinc HomeKit Smart Power Strip Link. For the non-smart devices, this allows me to turn them on and off via the iOS Home app.
• Wave Maker - Aqua Illumination NERO 5 Link. Same, the Aqua Illumination wifi controllable, but it's expensive.
• Media Reactor - TORQ Dock & 1.0 Media Reactor Combo Link. Do I really need a media reactor? The tank comes with two filter socks. Given that I probably will have a protein skimmer, do I need additional carbon, bacteria bioballs, and sponges? the TORQ is likely too big for the sump anyway.

Decor

• Sand - Live Aragonite sand Link
• MarcoRocks Reef Saver Live Rock Link
• Real Reef Rock Link.

Water

• AquaFX Barracuda RO/DI Aquarium Filter Link. I'm planning to use a garden hose adapter for my kitchen faucet as the inlet, but I'm wondering if there is a better way to go (under the sink, etc) where it's not as much of a hassle. I'm in a condo, so no outside garden hose access.
• Instant Ocean BIO-Spira Water Treatment Link. Use for initial cycling.
• StartSmart Complete Saltwater, 12-Ounce Link. Use for water change.
• Instant Ocean Sea Salt for Marine Aquariums Link.
• API Aquarium Test Kit - Reef Link
• Salinity Refractometer Link
• TERAPUMP Water Changer Link
• 5 Gal. 1.75-Peak HP Wet/Dry Shop Vacuum Powerhead Link. I found some references to water change via the sump and using this vacuum to suck up the water. Seems preferable.
• Penn-Plax QN2 Quick Net for Fish Link
• Neptonion Magnetic Aquarium Fish Tank Glass Algae scrapers Link
• Fish food: whatever my local fish store (LFS) recommends

Everything combined, this is about $2700 USD, plus tax, which is a big purchase and makes me a little bit nervous.

My alternative plan: I can possibly go down to <$2000 by switching to a sumpless model (such as the Waterbox AIO or Cube), housing clownfish only (no anemone). The savings come from the cheaper tank, no protein skimmer, and no ATO. I'm somewhat curious about this, as online sources seem mixed on whether one really needs a protein skimmer/ATO for a smaller tank, with fish only.

In any case, thank you to everyone in advance. Please sanity check my list and suggest alternatives or other equipments/supplies that I'm missing. Please ELI5 as I'm not well versed in aquarium jargons.

I have had almost no success with corals or nems in tanks without a refugium probably just me however.

 

[diabolical_clownfish]

I have had almost no success with corals or nems in tanks without a refugium probably just me however.

That's scary. Yeah, I think I'm probably going to start with the clowns and add the nem(s) a few months down the line, if things remain stable. Are there other "easy" corals that I can include from the get go?

 

[AC1211]

That's scary. Yeah, I think I'm probably going to start with the clowns and add the nem(s) a few months down the line, if things remain stable. Are there other "easy" corals that I can include from the get go?

Avoid softies mostly they tend to do well no matter what but they are mostly weeds meaybe toadstool leathers. If you have a good sump I would suggest hammers and frogspawn.