Need advice for my first 60gal setup

Edgar Newbie · Dec 11, 2016

Hello fellow aquarist, I'm starting to setup my first 60gal tank. I was planning on doing only live sand with pukani dry rock. I plan on getting some clowns, damsels, and what ever fish I can get that are hardy. Does the live sand with pukani dry rock sound ok??
How about fish recommendations, I want a to have a rainbow of fish colors , maybe shrimp, crab, snails?? I've got a Fluval c4 hang on filter and plan on getting a second Fluval filter does that sound ok for filtration? THANK YOU any advice would be welcomed

scoopsthedog · Dec 12, 2016

Edgar Newbie said:
Hello fellow aquarist, I'm starting to setup my first 60gal tank. I was planning on doing only live sand with pukani dry rock. I plan on getting some clowns, damsels, and what ever fish I can get that are hardy. Does the live sand with pukani dry rock sound ok??
How about fish recommendations, I want a to have a rainbow of fish colors , maybe shrimp, crab, snails?? I've got a Fluval c4 hang on filter and plan on getting a second Fluval filter does that sound ok for filtration? THANK YOU any advice would be welcomed

Is this a RLWFO? What livestock are you looking to have? Just live sand and dry rock (which will need to be seeded) and no other filtration will leave little margin for error.

audikers · Dec 12, 2016

Following

NickNiz · Dec 12, 2016

For now, the filter you have should be sufficient. Once you start increasing the bio load of the aquarium (number of fish/corals/inverts), you might want to look into a better solution such as a sump/refugium. If you plan on having corals, I would recommend getting some pumps to suction to the sides, especially if you go the SPS route.

As for livestock recommendations, clowns, gobies, blennies, Cardinal fish, dwarf angelfish (could eat coral), and some wrasses could be good options.

If you want to look at invertebrates, serpent starfish, cleaner shrimp, blood shrimp, and coral banded shrimp, and Nassarius snails are my personal favorites, all reef safe.

If you want a great and affordable cleanup crew, I would point you in the direction of ReefCleaners.org .
I hope this helped!

Edgar Newbie · Dec 12, 2016

scoopsthedog said:
Is this a RLWFO? What livestock are you looking to have? Just live sand and dry rock (which will need to be seeded) and no other filtration will leave little margin for error.

What is RLWFO? I'm looking for beginners fish, Are you suggesting running two hang on filters ( which have a 70gal capacity each) wouldn't be enough? Thx

scoopsthedog · Dec 12, 2016

Edgar Newbie said:
What is RLWFO? I'm looking for beginners fish, Are you suggesting running two hang on filters ( which have a 70gal capacity each) wouldn't be enough? Thx

Live Rock With Fish Only, no coral. If this is your first SW tank I definitely support going LRWFO as it will be easier vs jumping straight into a reef tank. As far as filtration goes: live rock and live sand will help provide a base of good bacteria that will eat bad bacteria etc. however once you start to feed a tank full of fish that can get overwhelmed and you will wind up with problems - algae, phosphates, etc. A sump is the best way to go but you can also do that later. I would start with running Carbon and possibly invest in a skimmer. Also try and keep your lights on a timer so they aren't on all day and building up algae. Finally your tank has to cycle. You can buy a bottle of beneficial bacteria to help start the cycle and keep a base.

One: GO SLOW. Don't try and get all the fish you want in three months. You can have this tank for years. Add a fish. Wait a month or two. Add another.

Two: read! Read more! Have a question search this forum and read online. I wish all this info was available when I started.

Three: get a small quarantine tank- even though you are fish only you are running live rock and if your fish gets sick and you treated the display tank (DT) you may kill all the good stuff in the rock.

Edgar Newbie · Dec 13, 2016

T

scoopsthedog said:
Live Rock With Fish Only, no coral. If this is your first SW tank I definitely support going LRWFO as it will be easier vs jumping straight into a reef tank. As far as filtration goes: live rock and live sand will help provide a base of good bacteria that will eat bad bacteria etc. however once you start to feed a tank full of fish that can get overwhelmed and you will wind up with problems - algae, phosphates, etc. A sump is the best way to go but you can also do that later. I would start with running Carbon and possibly invest in a skimmer. Also try and keep your lights on a timer so they aren't on all day and building up algae. Finally your tank has to cycle. You can buy a bottle of beneficial bacteria to help start the cycle and keep a base.

One: GO SLOW. Don't try and get all the fish you want in three months. You can have this tank for years. Add a fish. Wait a month or two. Add another.

Two: read! Read more! Have a question search this forum and read online. I wish all this info was available when I started.

Three: get a small quarantine tank- even though you are fish only you are running live rock and if your fish gets sick and you treated the display tank (DT) you may kill all the good stuff in the rock.

Thanks