Finally getting my feet wet! Have a few doubts

[The Fry]

Alrighty! last time i posted here was maybe 3 months ago. Since then, Ive been researching a lot about saltwater tanks. Too much actually, to the point where i spend more time learning about SW tanks than studying xd
Now, im still set on FOWLR*, but Ive upgraded from a 11.5 gal to a 15 gal.
Fishwise, Im gonna be getting a powder brown tang, a regal tang, a scopas tang, a pair of maroon clowns and a pair of tomato clowns
just kidding lol!
Im going with a black and white ocellaris and a mocha clown. If i cant find these, its gonna be a simple percula pair or an occy pair. Then a shrimp goby (PLEASE SUGGEST A GOOD GOBY, I want something unique thats not too expensive, if there are no gobies that fit these standards, YWG it is) pair. At first i wanted to do a banggai, clown and goby tank but then learnt from my dad that banggais need atleast 30 gallons (he used to have a reef). The 15 gal is most prolly (98% sure) not a permanent home. I will be upgrading once they become big. For the CUC, Im going with 4 trochus snails and 1 blue legged hermit (extra shells will be provided for him, and more about this specific animal later).
Im going with standard lights from a FW planted nano. Theyre LED but i dont know the brand or name of said lights.
Getting a refractometer, API's master test kit, live sand, rocks* and a HOB filter. (dad said a 15 gal doesnt need a protein skimmer, but i wanted to confirm here. Is this true?)
so after all this are there any extra tips you guys can give me? What to do for the early ugly stages etc? any general tips i might not have come across?

HUGE QUESTIONS I HAVE
Now, about the crab and the rock. Where i live, live rock is banned/prohibited for environmental reasons.... Now how can i get standard rock to become live rock in my tank? This is a huge question i have. If i cant have live rock, does that mean i cant have a SW tank?
Next thing, i want tips to keep ze blue crab alive for as long as possible, since im only getting one, chances are I'll end up naming and getting attached to him/her lol. (help with this too)
My last question for now is, can i have 1xSpringeri damsel, 1xClown (occy or perc) and 1xGoby? If i cant have this setup, itll be 1xGoby, 2xClowns

Thats it for now and thank you all in advance!

 

[Uncle_Matthew]

Welcome To R2R You've got alot of questions! ill try to awnser them 1 by 1

Goby's Im not to sure about ive always done watchmens
If your Doing FOWLR dont worry about your lights fish dont need the high quailty ones
STAY AWAY From the API test kits they are near useless
proiten skimmer is optional if you end up having nutrient problems protien skimmers are a good export

as for liviing rock dont freet to much buy a bottle of bacteria (dr tims,microbacter,theres also a purple bottle i forget the name of) and that will grow into live rock most of us cant get real live rock for various reasons

you will likely have a "ugly phase" its just part of the process some people have methods to prevent them I USED to over dose bottled bacteria HOWEVER this just recently caused one of my tanks to crash and kill my fish SO follow the instructions

and RODI water is your best friend for long term health for the tank

 

[The Fry]

thank you so so much! If the api kits are useless, which one should i get? and im more and more starting to like watchmen but im keen to others too! ty again!

 

[Uncle_Matthew]

I use hanna when I can just cause I like screens and saltifer kits ive got some red sea for misc tests(which arnt supper accruate but better than API) its kinda you pay for what you get and understand anything other than a ICP test isnt 100% but FOWLR only worry about the basics

Ammonia
Nitrate
Nitrite
Salinty
Temp
Phosphate

 

[The Fry]

alright! thanks alot!

 

[Uncle_Matthew]

No Problem Welcome to the R2R Family

 

[trevorhiller]

+1 on the YWG.
I had a watchman goby in my first 10 gallon tank and he was pretty cool. I personally like them the most, especially if you can find a really yellow one with vivid blue spots.
I’m planning on getting another one for my new tank I’m cycling.

 

[Rmckoy]

Test kits . I’d go with salifert
Just the basics seeing as you’re not doing corals .

alk , mag are not really needed but in the future you could pick them up and test .
possibly change your mind on upgrading lights and adding corals

 

[Sebastiancrab]

Why not get at least a 29 gallon? You will be glad you went larger.
Tidal Filter for overflow.
Salifert test kits.
Seachem Stability (inexpensive) with pinch of flake food for 2 weeks to cycle.

 

[The Fry]

Why not get at least a 29 gallon? You will be glad you went larger.
Tidal Filter for overflow.
Salifert test kits.
Seachem Stability (inexpensive) with pinch of flake food for 2 weeks to cycle.

i would love a bigger tank, but unfortunately, i still have a couple years left till i move out

 

[The Fry]

alrighty.... I unfortunately cant get corals as of right now... Where i live i need a certificate proving that the coral i own is captive bred and not wild harvested. Only live aquaria provides this and they dont ship internationally right now

Test kits . I’d go with salifert
Just the basics seeing as you’re not doing corals .

alk , mag are not really needed but in the future you could pick them up and test .
possibly change your mind on upgrading lights and adding corals

 

[The Fry]

thank you!

No Problem Welcome to the R2R Family

 

[The Fry]

+1 on the YWG.
I had a watchman goby in my first 10 gallon tank and he was pretty cool. I personally like them the most, especially if you can find a really yellow one with vivid blue spots.
I’m planning on getting another one for my new tank I’m cycling.

ok 2 for ywg, 0 for anything else as of now

 

[Uncle_Matthew]

alrighty.... I unfortunately cant get corals as of right now... Where i live i need a certificate proving that the coral i own is captive bred and not wild harvested. Only live aquaria provides this and they dont ship internationally right now

I cant imagine that dang fish police come knocking you may find a gracious american that would forward a package international idk how the corals would do shipping that far though

 

[The Fry]

I cant imagine that dang fish police come knocking you may find a gracious american that would forward a package international idk how the corals would do shipping that far though

sadly yes.... even if you have dead coral, thats it, 10 years behind bars........ and hopefully i can find someone who will ship internationally

 

[Uncle_Matthew]

sadly yes.... even if you have dead coral, thats it, 10 years behind bars........ and hopefully i can find someone who will ship internationally

10 Years! that a weapon related felony from where im from crazy how different our worlds are!

 

[Chrisv.]

It's amazing to me that India has better laws to protect the coral reefs than the US. I didn't realize there was such a push to protect the environment there. We have a lot to learn over here.

 

[The Fry]

10 Years! that a weapon related felony from where im from crazy how different our worlds are!

ikr crazy

 

[The Fry]

It's amazing to me that India has better laws to protect the coral reefs than the US. I didn't realize there was such a push to protect the environment there. We have a lot to learn over here.

Theres a HUGE push to save our reefs here, active officers patrolling our beaches. If you're caught polluting, you get a fine of around 200$ (usd i.e)

 

[Chrisv.]

alrighty.... I unfortunately cant get corals as of right now... Where i live i need a certificate proving that the coral i own is captive bred and not wild harvested. Only live aquaria provides this and they dont ship internationally right now

There must be other reefers in India. Can you buy aquacultured frags locally?