Need Help for tomorrow's pickup

[mmorey23]

Hello all...
Ive been running freshwater tanks for a few years now and decided to take the next step and start my first saltwater tank. Tomorrow I will be picking up an established tank from someone about 30 miles away.
The tank is a 35 gallon Hex. The tank has been running over 6 years with little issues. The current fish are two damsels and a standard clown.
I am told it has live rock and coral sand already in place. We will be transporting the current water along with the tank and maybe doing a 25% water change on setup as it time for a waterchange.
What recommendations do you have for setting the tank back up, and when to add rock and fish. I would like to add a second clown and an an anemone. Would adding a porcipine puffer crowd the other three fish? Also, can I add cleaner ship to this type of setup?
All help is greatly appreciated. Links to more info also helps. Thanks!

 

[bobbyzat]

First off, I would get the tank set up and re-established before you do anything else. The move could cause a small mini-cycle to start, and you dont want to compound that with new fish or rock. Once it is up and running for a few weeks, do some research, and make sure you buy a compatible clownfish, or else they might fight to the death. Someone else might need to shed more light on the subject, but I think that a puffer would over stock a tank that size.

 

[whiner2]

puffer + clownfish = dead clownfish :nope:
i had a 55gal freshwater tank with 2 puffers in it. not too big only about 2-3 inches. but they would team up and attack anything new that was introduced to the tank and suffice to say i had to bury many a dead fish (whatever was left after they were through). the only thing else that i could keep were two huge angels. they never went near them.
stupid puffers

 

[mmorey23]

Well i got the new tank home and everything is setup now. I was told by the LFS that I shouldnt add any live corals to my taqnk since its a 35 gallon hexagon and is very deep.
Does this sound like good advice? Also, with coral sand that has been in there for the past 5 years, do I ever need to vaccuum it like I do the gravel in my freshwater tank?
So far im VERY excited about getting this going, and the clown and two damsels are swimming around like they should.
THanks!

 

[dreeves]

You probably shouldnt add anything to the tank for awhile...it will cycle now that all has been disturbed..the cycle should be relatively short though...as for corals...if you have the proper lighting...you can keep corals...corals in the wild are not limited to a mere 2-3 feet in depth...and if need be..you can always stack the rocks in such a manner as to elevate the corals closer to the surface.
If it is crushed coral you are talking about for the substrate...then yes you will have to vacume it...it will no doubt collect debris and other wastes which will create excessive nitrate problems.