How about a Mandarin Dragonet?

[spanko]

The fish you have - 6-line wrasse and scooter - coupled with a small pair of clowns would still allow another small fish or two in your tank. Whoops I said that kind of quickly a couple of questions first...do you run a skimmer...what is your water change schedule and size...do you have a sump or refugium?

 

[kjohansen]

Karen, take some time and read a little. You will have a lot more success with your tank. The stock lights are ok for a fish only system. With the live rock you need something a little more that what you have. Even with T5 lighting you would be miles ahead of where you are now.
I have had SW tanks for the better part of 20 years. I just have not had one for a while. I will soon enough though.
I have the Concientious Marine Aquarist, it is an excellent book. My husband has never been around SW at all. So he is reading the book, I have glanced through it and it is really good.
I also agree that a couple of clowns would be wonderful and very fun to watch.
Before you go much further take some time and read some more. You will have a lot more success and fun if you do.

 

[karenm]

K- thanks, I think I will check into getting that book. I don't have the money to keep upgrading, which is why I was looking for a decent used MH light instead of going with a T5 and then an MH. There are a couple of local people here sort of "in the business" of buying and selling equip and I've asked them to keep their eye out for me. Hopefully within the next few months I'll get some new lights and I can start on corals and anemones.
Right now I'm kind of stuck looking at rocks, though. I can't make up my mind which 2 fish to add, and can't add anything else. The wrasse is a fun little guy, but he's all you can see unless it's feeding time.

 

[scotty37]

Ive had my mandarin for many months in a fish only tank with no sump or fuge. I created an area within the rock that the fish dont go into and has created a refuge area for the pods. I even moved the tank to a new house with no problems. In a month though, I will have a new bigger tank with twice the rock, and a fuge full of pods. I added a supplemental seeding of pods from swf.com, I would highly recommend them. If you dont mind putting a thing of pods in there once in a while, which can be expensive... then maybe, but for the most part my readings do not coincide with my experiences.

 

[karenm]

Spanko - I have an Emperor hang on filter and just added a hang-on skimmer. I've been doing water changes about 10% every 10 days or so (my levels are great, but I set it up with tap water and now I'm changing with RO).

 

[karenm]

Oh, and I have neither a sump or refugium.

 

[spanko]

When you say an hang on the back skimmer you mean a protein skimmer right? If so you are good to add another 4 small fish, two clowns and two others.
JMO let's see what others say.
Good idea to get and read the Concientious Aquarist by Robert Fenner.

 

[karenm]

Yeah, a Red Sea prism protein skimmer. I may be able to get some small gobies along with the clowns. I just don't want to end up with a big problem.

 

[spanko]

Gobies and Clowns are good.

 

[larryndana]

Originally Posted by KJohansen
The stock lights are ok for a fish only system. With the live rock you need something a little more that what you have. Even with T5 lighting you would be miles ahead of where you are now.
live rock does not need light.
Originally Posted by KarenM
I don't have the money to keep upgrading, which is why I was looking for a decent used MH light instead of going with a T5 and then an MH.
T5's can be enough light for anything you want, no need for MH....unless you just want MH.
Originally Posted by KarenM
Yeah, a Red Sea prism protein skimmer. I may be able to get some small gobies along with the clowns. I just don't want to end up with a big problem.
If you don't want a problem, don't add to many fish at once. this will cause a mini cycle. i want to scream at people at lfs's when they by 4+ fish at once.

 

[karenm]

LnD - live rock doesn't need any kind of upgraded lighting? I've read (I think it was on this site somewhere) that T5's aren't nearly as good as MH. What's your opinion? I'd like to venture into just about all kinds of corals, eventually. Of course, on my budget it may awhile. What's the basic differnce between T5 and MH as far as reefs are c oncerned? Would T5's limit me to what I could keep? What about PC lights? I'm not looking to win any contests or anything, I would just like to have a successful environment with lots of colors and textures.

 

[michaeltx]

the thoughts of t-5;s have changed alot recently they are actually very very good lights depending on what corals you are wanting there are very few that I would say can not be kept under t-5 lighting. I still would not keep most clams under them. SPS corals are becoming very commonly kept under t-5 lighitng with GREAT success. I have to post this picture of a 125 gallon tank of the creator of our local club Tim Greene that is all t-5 lights so you can see there is a lot of corals some recently was said will only grow good under MH lighting.
I would stay away from PC lights though it can really limit any future selections.
Mike

 

[kjohansen]

Originally Posted by larryndana
live rock does not need light.
T5's can be enough light for anything you want, no need for MH....unless you just want MH.
If you don't want a problem, don't add to many fish at once. this will cause a mini cycle. i want to scream at people at lfs's when they by 4+ fish at once.
Live rock by itself does not need light, but some animals or plants on or in the rock need to light.

 

[karenm]

OK, I got some rough specs for MH lights from another site - he said my 40 gal would need at least 175W or 14,000k.
What about T5s?

 

[larryndana]

Originally Posted by KJohansen
Live rock by itself does not need light, but some animals or plants on or in the rock need to light.
plants do need light, not sure the life on lr's need light to live. i don't think pods care to much, or any crustaceans for that matter. i'll pull out a filter where no light is and pods will be all over it.

 

[michaeltx]

yeah all of the animals are nocturnal so it doesnt effect them. but the algaes and plants do need light.
Mike

 

[larryndana]

Originally Posted by KarenM
OK, I got some rough specs for MH lights from another site - he said my 40 gal would need at least 175W or 14,000k.
What about T5s?

MH's are going to be more expensive than t5's.
175W is the power of the bulb, amount of electricity used. a 200w light will be stronger than 175w.
14k is the color of the light bulb. the higher the number the more blue. so if i have a 6500k bulb(which is what your regular light you bought is....probably) it will be more yellow light compared to 14k.

 

[larryndana]

for lighting....search the 'Archives & Faq' forum(really great info here on anything). But i'd dive into that later, it will make your head dizzy.

 

[jacrmill]

i have a 30 gallon tank and love it. dont get too discouraged yet. if he was to do a sump with a fuge with chaeto and rock that was seeded with pods wouldnt he be able to keep a mandarin? i know it would be tough with a scooter in there also, but just trying to help with suggestions. also someday I might like to have a mandarin, i was thinking that having a fuge and 50 lbs of rock would allow me to do this.

 

[larryndana]

well the fact is that mandarins eat all day long. a small tank with a fuge may not be enough. i know how it is....just what you want and then find out its not possible....Which is why reading a good beginner book will boost anyone in the right direction.

oh by the way many fish eat pods, i had a swarm of pods in my qt....i bought some chromis and they wiped them out. well not completely, before adding them i could see them everywhere in the day or night....so....the point is that mandarins are not the only ones that will eat your pods. which means you need even more pods for everyone.