help with tank size/equipment

[Cormia]

Hello R2R! I am in a tricky situation right now and I was hoping for some advice.

Im familiar with the basics of saltwater fish keeping, but Ive never had anything larger than a 30 gallon with 3 fish. My problem is that I recently acquired 5 fish and a skunk cleaner shrimp after a girl I know told me she was moving away and leaving her saltwater tank at her moms house, who said she "wasn't going to take care of the tank". Unfortunately for me, I have a soft heart and I volunteered to take everything in the tank so they wouldn't be left to die slowly.

And now I have 6 fish and a shrimp split between a 30 gallon and a 10 gallon, each with live rock and power heads. As you can imagine, the tanks are overstocked and I'm trying to figure out what to do. I have a few empty tanks including a 40 long and a 125g, but as I learn more about sumps and everything you need for larger tanks, I feel like I'm in over my head and I'm starting to panic :(

I guess my question is, do I try and set up these other tanks or would it maybe be better to get an AIO tank? Can I get away with maybe using an HOB refugium and HOB filter instead of a sump? Im not too worried about aesthetic, I just want the fish to be healthy.

The fish are: ocellaris clownfish, algae blenny, blue damsel, three spot damsel, three strip damsel, a neon dotty back and a skunk cleaner shrimp, along with some hermits and snails. The dotty back and three spot are in the 10 gallon with live rock and everything else is in the 30g.

Id like to stay under $1000, not sure if that's possible. Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Damsels can be territorial and be aggressive, you could re-home them, maybe your LFS. That would ease your load.

 

[Max!]

I'm super new as well so take everything with a grain of salt but in those tiny tanks it's absolutely a good idea to stick to HOB everything IMO. However, you get what you pay for so be careful! The live stock and equipment you have sounds like it'd do great in that 40 long. Just make sure you use as much of the pre cycled water as possible if you just want to jump into it. Throwing those guys in a fresh setup all together is a death trap! Research is everything. Your budget is extraordinary so I think you're in good shape.
Look on youtube, you'll see kids doing the jankiest #$%@ but it works. Just gotta find your sweat spot. Good luck!

 

[geddavis]

A HOB Fowler tank is totally possible. I’d spend most of that money on a nice large hob skimmer and then Just gut a large hob refugium. Then also get a canister fillter to polish the water and run media. Be sure to change the fillter floss every week to make sure you don’t pollute the water

 

[Max!]

A HOB Fowler tank is totally possible. I’d spend most of that money on a nice large hob skimmer and then Just gut a large hob refugium. Then also get a canister fillter to polish the water and run media. Be sure to change the fillter floss every week to make sure you don’t pollute the water

Couldn't have said it better c:

 

[geddavis]

If you are really worried you can buy some bacteria and live rock to aid in filtration but make sure the live rock has no pests so buy from a trusted LFS. Also this is not a long term fix but will help keep the water clean until you get the other tank up and running.

 

[Mjrenz]

Damsels can be territorial and be aggressive, you could re-home them, maybe your LFS. That would ease your load.

My blue damsel, that I got from petco when I set up my tank and didn't know a lot about them, is now living out his days in a sump at my lfs after he started tearing up the fins on my maroon clown (over twice his size) and ripping flesh off of my corals. The owner of my lfs referred to them as "blue devils"

 

[Cormia]

Thanks everyone!

So you think the 40 long would be good for all the fish? I’ve had them in my 30/10g for about 5 months, and I’ve been able to keep the water parameters in the safe zone, so I think they’d be okay until I can get the new tank up and cycled.

So for the equipment I could do all HOB?Skimmer, Refugium, and then canister filter?

 

[ShaunRobinson]

Hello R2R! I am in a tricky situation right now and I was hoping for some advice.

Im familiar with the basics of saltwater fish keeping, but Ive never had anything larger than a 30 gallon with 3 fish. My problem is that I recently acquired 5 fish and a skunk cleaner shrimp after a girl I know told me she was moving away and leaving her saltwater tank at her moms house, who said she "wasn't going to take care of the tank". Unfortunately for me, I have a soft heart and I volunteered to take everything in the tank so they wouldn't be left to die slowly.

And now I have 6 fish and a shrimp split between a 30 gallon and a 10 gallon, each with live rock and power heads. As you can imagine, the tanks are overstocked and I'm trying to figure out what to do. I have a few empty tanks including a 40 long and a 125g, but as I learn more about sumps and everything you need for larger tanks, I feel like I'm in over my head and I'm starting to panic :(

I guess my question is, do I try and set up these other tanks or would it maybe be better to get an AIO tank? Can I get away with maybe using an HOB refugium and HOB filter instead of a sump? Im not too worried about aesthetic, I just want the fish to be healthy.

The fish are: ocellaris clownfish, algae blenny, blue damsel, three spot damsel, three strip damsel, a neon dotty back and a skunk cleaner shrimp, along with some hermits and snails. The dotty back and three spot are in the 10 gallon with live rock and everything else is in the 30g.

Id like to stay under $1000, not sure if that's possible. Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.

Well done on coming and asking for advice rather than just throwing them in a small tank together but there is no need to panic here. It may feel like you are over your head but you are thinking about your fishes wellbeing and by that you are a heck of a lot more prepared than many!:)

I assume your current tank is mature? My first tank was a 97l nano and I kept 6 fish in there without any problems and at no time was it over crowded. However that said your main problems here are the damsels. As nice as they look it has been mentioned above they are very territorial and in my opinion just aren’t worth the hassle keeping them as 9 times out of 10 you will be left with one... My advice would be to return the damsels to your lfs for a little credit and buy a couple of less aggressive tank mates, maybe a small clown to go with the one you have and a Wrasse or goby. You have done well on rescuing the fish in the first place, it would be a shame if they were to start killing each other due to them being in a small tank.

Good luck.

Shaun.

 

[Cormia]

Thanks guys!

So you think I can put all the fish into the 40 long? Ive has them in my 30/10g for about 5 months while I’ve been saving up money, and I’ve been able to keep the water parameters in the safe zone, so I think they’ll be okay until I get the new tank set up. The only one I’ve had issues with is the Three spot damsel, which is why he’s in the 10 gal “tank of shame” now ha. Would the larger tank size help with the aggression?

For the equipment, I can do all HOB? So skimmer, refugium and then canister filter?

 

[Cormia]

Oops sorry, didn’t mean to post that first one!

 

[Mjrenz]

Thanks everyone!

So you think the 40 long would be good for all the fish? I’ve had them in my 30/10g for about 5 months, and I’ve been able to keep the water parameters in the safe zone, so I think they’d be okay until I can get the new tank up and cycled.

So for the equipment I could do all HOB?Skimmer, Refugium, and then canister filter?

I've had tanks with hob, canister filters, and sumps. The tanks with sumps are more difficult to set up initially but, imo, are much easier to maintain. A canister filter is a pain to take apart and clean and I always ended up with water running down the back of the tank with hob equipment when I tried to change the filters. With a sump I can just grab out dirty filter media and drop some new media in

 

[Cormia]

I've had tanks with hob, canister filters, and sumps. The tanks with sumps are more difficult to set up initially but, imo, are much easier to maintain. A canister filter is a pain to take apart and clean and I always ended up with water running down the back of the tank with hob equipment when I tried to change the filters. With a sump I can just grab out dirty filter media and drop some new media in

I was looking at maybe getting the SCA 50 gallon Starfire aquarium, I guess it’s an AIO? Would that work better than trying to do the 40 long with the HOB stuff?

 

[Mjrenz]

I was looking at maybe getting the SCA 50 gallon Starfire aquarium, I guess it’s an AIO? Would that work better than trying to do the 40 long with the HOB stuff?

I have a 32 gallon biocube that's an aio, I think it's the next best thing to having a sump. It's still much easier and less messy to maintain than anything hob. Plus it looks nicer not having all that equipment hanging on the back and down into the water.

 

[Mike1995]

Hello R2R! I am in a tricky situation right now and I was hoping for some advice.

Im familiar with the basics of saltwater fish keeping, but Ive never had anything larger than a 30 gallon with 3 fish. My problem is that I recently acquired 5 fish and a skunk cleaner shrimp after a girl I know told me she was moving away and leaving her saltwater tank at her moms house, who said she "wasn't going to take care of the tank". Unfortunately for me, I have a soft heart and I volunteered to take everything in the tank so they wouldn't be left to die slowly.

And now I have 6 fish and a shrimp split between a 30 gallon and a 10 gallon, each with live rock and power heads. As you can imagine, the tanks are overstocked and I'm trying to figure out what to do. I have a few empty tanks including a 40 long and a 125g, but as I learn more about sumps and everything you need for larger tanks, I feel like I'm in over my head and I'm starting to panic :(

I guess my question is, do I try and set up these other tanks or would it maybe be better to get an AIO tank? Can I get away with maybe using an HOB refugium and HOB filter instead of a sump? Im not too worried about aesthetic, I just want the fish to be healthy.

The fish are: ocellaris clownfish, algae blenny, blue damsel, three spot damsel, three strip damsel, a neon dotty back and a skunk cleaner shrimp, along with some hermits and snails. The dotty back and three spot are in the 10 gallon with live rock and everything else is in the 30g.

Id like to stay under $1000, not sure if that's possible. Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.

You said you have a 125g and a 40g? Maybe you could do a little diy and use the 125 as your main tank and the 40 as the sump. If you don't wanna get into drilling and stuff you could get an overflow box and have that lead to your sump. You can get some glass panels and make whatever design and baffles you want in the 40g . basically a few trips to the hardware store should solve most of that. As for lighting if you don't want anything crazy expensive, look on eBay you can get a set of 3 mars aqua black box leds for like $200 ~. perfect for a basic 125 setup. Look for used skimmers for your sump. Plenty of well priced ones on here in the buy sell trade section. Then maybe look for some more live rock online on like Craigslist. Sometimes people have huge stashes for good prices. Or just go buy a bunch online. Personally I'd at least try to do this. I'm still only 9 months into tbis saltwater thing but I found my 75g tank is much easier to maintain and stabilize than a little tank.

 

[Mjrenz]

I just looked up the sca 50 you referenced on Amazon, that looks like it actually comes with a sump that would go under the tank

 

[Cormia]

Thanks for all the help guys, I really appreciate it. My biggest problem with the 125 and 40 is that I’m not sure if they hold water anymore, both were used for different animals over the years, so I’m pretty sure I would have to reseal both of them... which is doable I guess. I’d really love something that has a straight forward set up which was why I was looking into AIO tanks, I feel like I’m too dumb for anything else lol.

Do you have any recommendations for stands? That’s my other issue, I’ll have to buy a stand to hold the 125 and have room for the 40 long underneath, which is another reason I was looking at the SCA 50, it comes with a stand, sump and skimmer, though apparently the skimmer isn’t great and the amazon reviews recommend getting a different one.

I’ve also seen a lot of people recommend Red Sea AIOs, which are more expensive but also considered to be plug and play? I guess DIY would be cheaper but I’m afraid I’ll mess it up somehow.

 

[Marco S]

Thanks for all the help guys, I really appreciate it. My biggest problem with the 125 and 40 is that I’m not sure if they hold water anymore, both were used for different animals over the years, so I’m pretty sure I would have to reseal both of them... which is doable I guess. I’d really love something that has a straight forward set up which was why I was looking into AIO tanks, I feel like I’m too dumb for anything else lol.

Do you have any recommendations for stands? That’s my other issue, I’ll have to buy a stand to hold the 125 and have room for the 40 long underneath, which is another reason I was looking at the SCA 50, it comes with a stand, sump and skimmer, though apparently the skimmer isn’t great and the amazon reviews recommend getting a different one.

I’ve also seen a lot of people recommend Red Sea AIOs, which are more expensive but also considered to be plug and play? I guess DIY would be cheaper but I’m afraid I’ll mess it up somehow.

Nothing is easier than an AIO tank. Innovative Marine, (IM) has some really good AIO tanks as well as Waterbox. Waterbox would be up there with the Red Sea though, (both in quality and price) but IM has some reasonably priced tanks and I have had two and would highly recommend them.

 

[Marco S]

Also...Welcome to R2R!

 

[Stigigemla]

We appreciate that You care for the animals but it is in fact a bad start.
A good start would have been if You have visited a few fellow reef aquarists and a few reef shops and then decided what You want to have and care for.
Single damsels seldom becomes terrors but pairs almost always do. I think your fishes is a good choice if there is 1 of each species because they all dont eat the other animals.

There is so much in the sea You can have in Your tanks. Corals, hermit crabs, shrimps, feather dusters and others. There are so much more than fishes.
And then the animals demand equipment. Corals need a lot of light and good circulation but other animals is often not so demanding.

My recommendation is:
1. Continue with the tanks as You have begun.
2. Decide what kind of animals You want.
3. Decide the tank size for them.
4. Start to investigate equipment and buying it.