New Tank- 60 Gallon, any suggestions?

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Krassus

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Feb 12, 2012
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Hi, earlier in 2011 I picked up a 60 Gallon fish tank + stand and hoods, and started a freshwater tank. It was an awesome tank, but in the process of trying to move it, I had so many problems and lost most of my fish population. What was left of my fish, were fish that were small enough, and in small enough numbers to put them into my 10 Gallon tank that I had upgraded from.


So, after having gotten my feet 'wet' and gotten a little bit of experience in taking care of tanks, I've decided I want to move up to something a bit more challenging, and rewarding. I'm looking for some tips on what to start with.

What I want:
Is a reef tank with atleast 3-4 different types of fish, non-poisionous and easier to take care of.

Why: Most of the time I see alot of tanks that have just 1-2 types of fish that are so big you can only have one or two of them, I want a few fish in the tank, not just one huge one.

What I need to know:

1. What types of fish would be best, and how many?
2. What equipment should I go for?
3. What types of rock, coral, plants, etc should I go for?
4. How long should I let my tank stand before adding the actual fish?


I know setting up a reef can be difficult and time consuming, but I really want to give it a go. So if anyone can make some suggestions, I'd be grateful.
 

greech

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May 13, 2009
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Graham
1. Clowns, gobies, blennies, dartfish, basslets, cardinals, and some wrasse are good options for a 60 gallon. Some hawkfish are an option too but they can eat ornamental shrimps and crabs.
2. Going to depend on how you setup the tank (will there be a sump/refugium?) and what your goals and budget are but RO/DI water filter or source and good circulation pumps/powerheads are essential. Lighting, skimmers, filters, reactors are other things you may need/want. Minimum lighting would be T5HO, Halide or LED for corals but there are levels within these setups so research before you buy.
3. Live rock, dry rock (which will eventually become live) or a mixture of both. Good porous, aragonite rock like this... http://www.marcorocks.com/liverock.aspx
4. Going to depend on the status of the rock you get but I would plan on at least a month. If you manage to get fully cured rock it could be sooner but even then, you shouldn't throw a group of fish in all at once and expect them to survive and/or not have major issues with the system as a result.
 
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