55 gal

[marsupialvomit]

I have a 55 gal and i was wondering what I could put in it to make it look nice but not expensive, remmeber im new at this.

[liquafaction]

Verts?

Inverts?

Liverock?

Coral?

What does your setup consist of now?

[marsupialvomit]

live rock and coral...nothing more.

[marsupialvomit]

does that help?

[OrionGirl]

For most corals, you will need either PC or MH lighting. 55's are very deep and very difficult to light, because of that depth. So, if you want corals, you'll need to spend money on lights. For filtration, lots of live rock, a protien skimmer and water movement will be all the filtration you'll need.

[mogurnda]

I agree with everything OrionGirl said. If you want to go with corals, you will presumably want to start with soft corals (octocorals), which are less demanding. You can probably get away with about 200 watts of PC (power compact/compact fluorescent) lighting.

However, if this is your first stab at corals, I would read Eric Borneman's Aquarium Corals book before buying anything. It's not expensive, and the benefits are:
1) You won't waste money on needless stuff, like useless additives
2) You will have a better idea of coral biology, so you will know what to monitor
3) You will have a better overall perspective, which will improve prospects for long-term success.

I might also suggest Bob Fenner's Conscientious Marine Aquarist, if you haven't done a marine tank before. It's an excellent book when you're starting out.

No, I don't get kickbacks, I just have found these books to be invaluable for understanding how my system works.

I love your name, by the way.