Need help plannin new tank.

[sal329]

I have had a freshwater community tank for over a year now. I want to get a saltwater tank now, well in a few months, I want to prepare first. Well I am thinking of a reef tank, I would like colorful fish as the tank is in the living room. My tank is approx 50 gallons. It not a regular rectangle type tank. It is pentagon shaped, corner tank. I would like corals and live rock. As far as fish I was looking at Clown fish (have to have nemo for the kids) black/white and percula (1 of each?), Basslet (blackcap, lantern, orangeback, or a royal gramma), Blennies (midas, cardinal, flame), gobies (clown, purple firefish, yellow shrimpgoby and a mandarin), then some inverts for cleaning (I really like the blue starfish).
Well with my size tank could one of each of the species listed be ok in the tank?
What inverts should I look at getting?
What kind of filter? I have an Aquaclear filter (I think it is the 150, the biggest one you can get). Will this be ok for saltwater?
What type of lighting should I look into?
Thanks everyone.

 

[nick76]

U don't want to overstock is probably one of the biggest issues, most people here will tell u that a 50 gallon is a small tank lol. Id say probably no more than 6 fish. Mandarins & Starfish need established tanks that have been running for like 6+ months. U want around 50lbs of LR, and use Live Sand too. For Cleaning Inverts id suggest, Hermit crabs, Emerald Crabs, Cleaner Shrimp, possibly some snails. I don't know to much about the best equipment so somebody else will need to help ya with that. Good Job thinking ahead.

 

[acrylic51]

I would look at upgrading the filter from the AquaClear to something alittle more efficient.....The Blue Linka Starfish, I would really suggest and say it's not really for a beginner....It's very delicate, sensitive and has to be acclimated if not it's doomed and are known to starve as well.....The mandarin would be a ways off as well for the tank....They need a good food source and that comes from and established tank......

 

[sal329]

Thanks for the fast reply. I am looking to house about 5 fish. I would choose one specific species from the list. What kind of filter would you suggest? I know the 50g is small but it looks good because the shape. I think it can look very attractive a saltwater tank.

 

[acrylic51]

I would either drill it or use an external overflow and run a small sump setup........

 

[cagrn]

You won't be able to put a mandarin in until your tank is established for like a year. They need a very established system, full of pods, and lots of live rock with lots of canyon like areas to swim in and feel safe.
I want one too, but my tanks are very new and too small. I also think you might be okay in a 50 to start , but I think those who have been here longer and are wiser will tell you you would need a bigger tank.
I have a royal gramma basslet, love it. I do like the orange that they have on this site though.
If you get clowns for the kids, I have been told to stick with one kind, and put them in at the same time. I'm sure you can get more clarification here on that also.
Good luck, and take it from someone who just about had a disaster this last weekend, go slow - and when you think you are going slow enought, add a little time to that too just to be safe. DO NOT OVERSTOCK, that was my downfall. So far, no losses, but it could have been close if I didn't recover over the weekend.

 

[sal329]

I can wait. I am in no rush. I thought I would cycle the tank with just sand and live rock. Then add coral, then the inverts and then the fish, start with clown and add one other fish and then a month or so later add 2 more until I have 5-6 fish.
I read on the buying fish sectionof this site the black/white clown and the percula clown can be mixed with other clowns. If not then I would get 2 percula thats fine for me.
Yea my first freshwater was a mess. My tank now is "overstocked" but I have a filter made for a tank double the size and in a year I lost only one fish.
Once again thanks all for the advise.