What do you think of the tank and fish I’m going to buy

[Peach02]

I so I’m new to this whole thing and have saved up money and by the end of next week I will be able to afford a tank, filtration live rock and sand and some fish
So before I go out and spend my money and take fish lives into my responsibility I’ll ask what you guys think
Tank: Aqua One Aqua reef 120 aquarium

The alternative was

What do you guys think of the tank choice?
I’m thinking of putting 10-15Kg live rock in and a inch and a half deep sand bed
Fish I want to get
2 clownfish
Diamond watchman goby + pistol shrimp
1 starry blenny
2 flame gobys
2 mandarin fish (once tank is established and stable)
Maybe a coral beauty or flame angel

Coral
Not sure of specifics but I’ll put some photos of coral I liked from my local fish shop and the internet for what I might purchase

As far as clean up crew I’m not sure yet but I’d like them to be Descreet

Any advice or problems noticed would be greatly appreciated

 

[SPR1968]

Hi there and welcome to R2R!

The bigger the water volume, the easier it is to maintain stable water parameters which is the key to a reef tank as the inhabitants don’t like changes to their environment

There is of course a difference in price of the tanks you’ve shown so it depends on budget etc.

You may also find this useful and anything else just ask

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-supreme-guide-to-setting-up-a-saltwater-reef-aquarium.138750/

 

[Crabs McJones]

Looks good, but why such a price jump for only 10ish extra gallons (40 liters)?

 

[Peach02]

Hi there and welcome to R2R!

The bigger the water volume, the easier it is to maintain stable water parameters which is the key to a reef tank as the inhabitants don’t like changes to their environment

There is of course a difference in price of the tanks you’ve shown so it depends on budget etc.

You may also find this useful and anything else just ask

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-supreme-guide-to-setting-up-a-saltwater-reef-aquarium.138750/

Thanks so much mate depending on how much I have after my work ends next week I’ll try to get the bigger tank if I can afford to adjust live rock amounts etc but thanks for the advice it means a lot

 

[Peach02]

Looks good, but why such a price jump for only 10ish extra gallons (40 liters)?

Not sure maybe it’s the cabinet and or the filtration needed

 

[eatbreakfast]

The flame gobies will "disappear" in that size tank, and I wouldn't put 2 mandarins in that size tank.

 

[Reeferguy365]

Welcome! Both would be a great start.

 

[BestMomEver]

Welcome to the reef!

I couldn’t tell if the tank has a sump... it says filtration so I assume so. If not, you’ll need one for a tank that size. Also, I’m not sure what LED lighting it includes, but experience tells me that it won’t be sufficient to keep the corals you want... especially the clam. Do some research on the included light, you may want to upgrade. And of course, I wouldn’t put any livestock in the tank until it is completely cycled which may take two months or better depending on your rock, sand, etc.

Keep reading and asking questions. That tank will be gorgeous if you take your time. There are lots of very knowledgeable people here who are always willing to share experience and information. Feel free to ask anything!

 

[lapin]

I think either tank sounds good. I would save a little money on the side. Even with everything included you will need things. Test kits will be needed so you can measure ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels before you even start on adding fish. Some of the equipment may not be the best and you might want to upgrade or add things like lighting and a power head before adding coral.
The fish list looks good. I would stick with your small fish on your list. Later if you do want one of the mini angels, one should be safe to add.

 

[DSC reef]

A lot good advice. I would hold off on buying a clam for a while though. Tank stability, quality lighting play a large role in keeping one successfully

 

[Crazeh]

Agree with above comment - There are so many hidden costs you might not yet be aware of, and that extra cost doesn't really justify the small volume you gain (unless you end up upgrading in the future!). So my vote is save the money for all the unknown costs. Think about what plans you have for your source water, refractometer, test kits, fish food, treatments, filter media, skimmer, extra power heads, etc... Continue to flesh out your plan and people here will offer recommendations.

On the topic of corals, these will be something you add down the line when your tank is mature and stable. Research soft corals (mushrooms, Zoas etc.) and LPS corals (Acans, Hammers etc.). Also take a look at SPS...generally these prefer cleaner and more stable water so may be something you leave till you have more experience - it's all in the research, so just invest some time over the next few weeks and take it slow as you figure out what direction you want to go.

Make sure you start a build thread