Help me Start Right, what fish and corals?

[wildbunch]

I have a 175 Gallon Tank. 20 lbs. of Fiji Live Rock (spreading to 40 lbs of base rock), UV Filter, Wet Dry Filter, Skimmer, 280 Watts VHO light.
I don't want to purchase any more lights or filters. What begginner corals should I start with and what fish? I was told that I could do some Polyps, Leathers, Mushrooms, and some specific hosting anemone. I have the following livestock in the tank: 7 inch Naso Tang, 3" Kole Tang, 4 blue damsels, clark clown, spotted puffer (Trying to catch and get out of tank), and a 8" blue starfish. I am going to get a crab / snail package from this site.
What new fish can I get and what corals?
I would like to get a large angel and a pigmy angel. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated so I don't sacrifice livestock and money.
Thanks,
mike

 

[just_got_tanked]

You need to be careful with the angels. They are not all reef safe. You may also want more live rock. 20 pounds is not anough idealy. You should have around one pond of live rock for every gallon. Then If you were wondering about fish you can get a lawnmower blennie, or a flame angel. I have a newer tank with some corals. I have a cluster of mushrooms and a large green brain. You applied that you want to add a cleaning crew to your tank. I suggest buying one from this site. I did and I love it.

 

[cruzan277]

I have a coral beauty and sometimes I have to keep and eye on him to make sure he is not pestering any corals. Stay away from the large angels they will pick at your corals. Since your lighting is not to powerfull there is a company called tropicorium that can put together a low light package for ya. And the best thing about their coral is there tank raised. Hardier and less prone to diseases.

 

[texasreefrat]

U need Corals that only require moderate light, personally I dont think you have enough. I have a 135g with 440 Watts of VHO Light and I dont think it is enough. Candy Corals might do Ok, mushrooms, or go for one that doesnt need much at all like Sun Polyps, but remember, they need to be fed, each polyp needs to be fed in fact.

 

[lucas alderson]

I think that if I were you I would try to reduce the number of fish in the tank. This raises ammonia and could be deadly to your precious corals and invertibrates. I want to keep a few mushroom and some button and star polyps and they only need a moderate lighting source and will reproduce quite rapidly in the right conditions!

 

[wildbunch]

I plan on only getting very hardy corals, ie.. mushrooms, polyps, and maybe a Brain or another anenome.
My lighting is only 280 VHO Watts for a 175 Gallon tank.

 

[schroder_reef]

I really like star polyps, any colour, they spread nicely and are hardy.. I seem to kill mushrooms.. I don't know how. Good luck and enjoy, but just know that it is addictive.
Ambie

 

[predator]

Be careful with those anemonies.They to need light.Most poylps would be fine and matbe even a colt coral.My girlfriend had one in a eclipse 12 that did fine for awhile,then she up-graded.Coral beauties are reef safe(at least the one I have is).A flame angel or maybe some clown fish.Just be careful with corals,your lighting,for that size tank is fairly small.Maybe if you get more rock you could set the corals higher to the top so the light is more intense.

 

[fish fool]

I am not at all an expert, but if you are planning on having a reef tank you need to get rid of your UV. Just mu .02

 

[wamp]

UV is bad and good at the same time.. Dont ya just hate that. I run mine once a week for 12 hours. Dont know why.. Just do..

 

[jtoliver]

Stick with mushrooms, star and button polyps, try xenia. but you do not have enough light for anemones and you better stay away from the angels. The guy at my lfs had a little to much to drink one night and put a bi color angel in his 125 tank that is set up with live rock to display corals that are for sale. it has been reeking havoc for 9 months now and he can't catch it for anything. will most likely have to tear down the tank to get rid of it.

 

[bogie man]

I have had 300 gallon reef tank for over five years now. I have done extensive research to the very question you posted. I also am the present chairman of the local reef society. It has been my experience that you need more live rock. About a pound a gallon is a good rule of thumb. I personally have had success with any and all trigger fish. My personal favorite and the one I recommend for beginners is the undulated trigger fish. The bigger the better because these creatures eat all of the unwanted alges in reef tanks, and will not harm any of the polyps or anenomes you stated in your post. I have personally seen my undulated trigger fish (which is about seven inches long) pair off with a purple tip condi just like a clown fish would. It is really quite a beautiful sight. Another benifit of the undulated is their ability to get along with all crabs and shrimp that you have in your tank. The large angle fish and any snapper fish are in the same family as the triggers. As some may say the pigmy angle are not reef safe.

 

[fshhub]

get more rock first, this will help to keep corals, through increasing your bio filter, also, you haave to be very careful mixing angels, almost all(if not all) angels don't like others, also how old is your set up?
corals, although some are hearty, require long term stability, I would not add corals until I a was comfortable that my nitrates are 0 and have been for several months, in addition to your other water parsmeters being stable for just as long
AND anemones are very difficult to keep, many may think they are successful in keeping them for several months, but anemones can live for eons, they have a natural life span greater than ours, yet in tanks they rarely make it to or past one year, even in the hands of 5+ year veterans, it can be done but..... is difficult and rare

 

[josh]

Hi, yes I would get more LR. As for the anomenes - don't get any. First off they need lot of light and even then they are on the morbid survival list. Which is sad b/c these guys live a LONG time in the wild. I would be leary of the angels, maybe a flame or possiably a coral beauty, but watch them. At any rate good luck!

 

[tanger]

i would say more lr and no uv
what substrate do you have?

 

[karlas]

i agree to add more live rock if its fiji 1-1 1/2lbs per gal florida rock i think is 2 lbs/gal. some of your dwarf angels are ok with corals still w/caution maby a coral beauty, or flame. mushrooms are a good beginner coral also another good beginner invertebrae is feather dusters they can handle imperfect water condition and would be good practice for your corals

 

[mlm]

Hey Adam Bogart are you crazy?

 

[josh]

I agree, stay far away from triggers, very very aggressive and pick the heck out of corals. I wouldn't know why anyone would put one in a reef tank. Although I am sure someone will agrue that point.

 

[josh]

Adam,
Look up Balistapus undulatus and see what you find. If infact you do have one in a reef tank, I would get it out. But you should already know that. just jabbing you a bit

 

[lilmojo79]

I have a flame angel in my 29 gallon reef and he/she is doing fine. I have had no problems with it nipping at corals/polyps. It is a spectacular looking fish.
I also don't agree that a trigger in any way would be reef safe!
If you are a beginner stay with this board. I have learned more from this board than I have from any book or single individual. THIS IS THE BEST RESOURCE AVAILABLE!