Where do I start?

N

NewAquarist

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Sep 30, 2004
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Just set up a 30 gal tank w/ 30lbs live rock, crushed coral/sand bed.

I have been monitoring the water for a week now, and I'm ready to introduce fish. But what kind?

Here are my questions :confused: :

o I'd like to start w/ two clowns. What are good companions in this tank? (Blue Tang?)

o What is the maximum number of fish that should be in my tank?

o I'm starting with fish only, do the clowns need an anenome?

o If so, what type of lighting is the best?

o Clownfish are omnivores, but what is their preferred food?

o Is a protein skimmer necessary, and if so what is the preferred type that will not cost an arm and a leg?

o I was told that a powerhead pump will be good for providing circulation around the live rock, especially after introducing anenomes. Is this true?

o I plan to eventually introduce Invertebrates into my aquarium such as a snail, shrimp or crab, fan worm, starfish etc. What is the ideal environment for these invertebrates?

o What would be good plants to introduce to my aquarium to liven it up that don't require special lighting?

Any assistance you can offer would be great. Thanks! :bowing:
 
2 clowns will be okay, but I'd go with a smaller species, like the percula or oscellaries. Others will get very big and start fighting in a small tank.

Tangs are out--all will get way too big for a 30 gallon tank. Look at some of the bicolor angels, the basslet family, and the gobies.

I would keep it down to maybe 4, none bigger than 4 inches. Of course, it will depend on the species--you could add 4-5 clown gobies and be fine, while adding one larger fish woud be too much.

Clowns do not need an anenome. If you get cpative raised/bred fish, they won't even know what to do with one. Avoiding an anenome will be a good thing--especially in a small tank.

A variety of foods, mixing meaty foods with algaes, is best for most fish. I like Emerald Entree for my fish--it's a frozen food, easy to offer, and has a wide mix. All my fish readily eat it.

Skimmers are good. Not required, but highly recommended. Bakpaks seem to a be a good model for some of the smaller tanks.

Powerheads are good for increasing circulation in general. Not specific to an anenome, but most critters like a bit of movement.

Most of the cleaners can actually go in before the fish, as long as you acclimate properly. How is the tank cycling?

Very few SW plants--and all of them need some lighting. There are a variety of algaes you can introduce, but they too will need lighting of some intensity. What light do you currently have?
 
I purchased an Eclipse 3 with the built in Filtration System w/ bio wheel and standard lighting.

I plan to purchase a protein skimmer and a powerhead to set up in my tank today.

I then plan to start acclimate fish slowly, starting this weekend.

Any other tips?
 
How long has your tank been set up? You say you've been monitoring for a week-did you just set it up a week ago? :confused:
Sorry if that sounds rude, but I felt the need for a little more info. I'd hate to see you put fish in a week-old tank!! ;)
 
If you can manage a spot for it, also purchase and set up a 10 gallon tank with no water or substrate in it. Just buy one of those older fashioned foam air filters. Tuck the actual foam in a hidden spot in your tank and keep it there. Whenever a fish gets sick, move the foam to the filter in the 10 gallon, fill it up with appropriate saltwater and move the sick fish to the 10 gallon. This can keep it from getting the other fish sick and give it a spot to be by itself and recuperate. The foam air filter is just to host bacteria that will break down the fish's droppings in the quarantine tank and keep the oxygen level high. You will always want to administer medication in a quarantine tank or at least a bucket set aside for the purpose, not the tank. Almost all medications either kill invertebrates or they don't work as a rule of thumb.

Stay away from starfish besides smaller brittle stars and serpent stars in the 30 gallon. Sea stars die very easily in less than perfect conditions. Anenomes should stay off the list for the same reason. A fake anenome looks almost as good, is as likely to host a clown, and doesn't take out the whole tank with the ammonia spike when it dies.

Has your tank cycled? IE, has the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate dropped to 0 yet? If not, I'd recommend waiting to add fish until it does. If you don't know whether you've cycled or not, add a small piece of cocktail shrimp to the tank. If it dissolves and is eaten by bacteria and algae without a huge spike in ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate, you are ready for fish. A lot of fish sellers will try to tell you to cycle with fish, but I really strongly recommend against it unless you particularly like torturing fish. (And most people don't ;) )
 
Reply to question

That's okay. It doesn't sound rude.

Saturday will actually be two weeks since I first set up my tank.

I don't want to start just dumping fish into the aquarium, but I did want to add one or two clowns this weekend, and then another 2 or 3 fish or invertebrates (depending on size) as time passes (a month or two).

My 30 gal tank is equiped w/ an Eclipse 3 hood filtration/lighting system, a submersable heater. I was told that it would be sufficient for a 30 gal fish only tank. I am purchasing the protein skimmer and powerhead today.

Immediately after setting up my tank, I purchased cured live rock and have had it in the filtering tank.

I am not looking to build an extravagent tank, but I am looking for ideas on what I could or shouldn't add, and how quickly/slowly is best.

I'm not trying to rush either, because I do want healthy fish.
 
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Do you have tests for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? I'm certain your tank hasn't cycled yet. You'll need to do the tests to find out where in the cycle your tank is. Check out the sticky at the top of this newbie section for starting a new tank. It took 4 months for me to get any fish in my tank, at 3 months I added my cleaning crew. I did a slower method of cycling, but 2 weeks with cured LR probably won't do it.
 
My 55 gallon cycled with cheap live sand(IOW not sure how 'live' it was but perhaps 'dead' was better)and one chromis in less than 2 weeks

I was shocked as my 29 gallon cichlid tank took over a month!!!!!

I think it's somewhat unpredictable

Certainly get the kits and check before you buy any fish but....hey, its possible
 
In terms of starfish, it really depends on what type you want to get. Alot of the preditory starfish (chocolate chip and crown of thorns for example) are really hardy once acclimated, drawback is they will eat EVERYTHING they walk over, including corals, slow moving inverts, slow moving small bottomdwelling fish, and desirable/undesirable types of algae. While some types like brittle stars (except green) are also hardy once acclimated, and tend to do more scavanging, same with serpent stars.
 
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