new to saltwater!

ivy2dw7

ivy2dw7

Member
Hi, I'm wanting to put together a saltwater tank to have in my dorm and I'd like some help on deciding what fish, corals, inverts go best with each other. I am a huge fan of Finding Nemo and really want to have an aquarium with those fish and inverts in it but I'm not sure if they could all live in the same environment. If you aren't sure which fish I'm thinking of here's a list:
royal gramma, percula clownfish, 3 stripe damsel, moorish idol, porcupine puffer, blue hippo tang, yellow tang, pacific cleaner shrimp and a pink starfish
I hope you can all help me out! Thanks
 
ivy2dw7

ivy2dw7

Member
Oh and for size, I'm thinking maybe a nano tank, 20g at MOST. Dorm rooms just aren't big enough to have a real aquarium. Obviously, if you have any other suggestions for tanks and size, I am more than happy to hear them.
 
effloresce

effloresce

Member
NOOOOOOOO!!!
Finding nemo is evil, you CAN NOT have those fish togather.
Tangs need 100+ gallon tank,s Moorish idols, need huge systems (300G for best survival)
Puffers eat inverts so no shrimp, snails crabs, stars with the puffer, the Per clowns and the gramma are the only ones that woyuld be able to live inh the small tank (im saying this because your in the dorms, and dorms are small so you would only be able to have a 10-30g tank.
also this hobby is very expensive, i have roughly 3k in my tank, and its only a 55! so know what your getting into, DO LOTS of research, a good book is the "Conscientious Marine Aquarist" BUY THIS!!!!!!! this will HELP get you started, and ask question here!!!
what ever you do, do NOT listen to Lionfish12, that is the best advice i can give :D
 
ams153

ams153

Active Member
to keep those fish you will need a huge tank over 6 feet long i dont think thatll be possible but if ya just want to do a nano reef with some clowns and anemones then that is possible but with a 20g you cant do much the nemo thing requires a lotta space
Andrew
 
ivy2dw7

ivy2dw7

Member
Blue tangs are really small though, only 1". Would I be able to put the blue tang, clownfish, gramma and 3 stripe damsel together? And how would the cleaner shrimp do with that?
 
bigarn

bigarn

Active Member

Originally posted by bigarn
Hope you have a BIG room in your dorm. :D
You got back on before me..lol...Now it sounds workable. I wouldn't go any bigger than 20, did you consider a 12 gallon nano? Nice set up. With some PC lights, a good HOB filter and a PH or 2 you'd be able to keep many soft coral species. A couple of clowns would do good. Is it going to be a reef or FOWLR? :D
 
effloresce

effloresce

Member
NO TANG! they need alot of swimming room, and they DONT stunt in growth, they grow FAST!
clowns, gramma, and a damsel would work (damsels are aggressive though and might kill your other fish)
there is a thing called "bioload " in SW tanks, with to big of a bioload the fish wills ufficate, and you do NOT want that, every fish adds a bioload.
 
ivy2dw7

ivy2dw7

Member
What's the difference between reef and FOWLR tanks? This is why I need you guys! To help me learn everything I need to know before I start.
 
ams153

ams153

Active Member
id skip the damsel and if ya get a 30g you could add a lawn mower blenny very animated fun fish you could do this with a 20g with a couple a clowns and some anemones and stuff to if ya want but definatly NNO TANGS AT ALL they require a lotta swimming space i want one to but in a 20 g that would just be mean you would need at least a 75 i think it is cant quit remember not thinkin right now to properly house a tang of any sort they get pretty big and require lotsa swimmin space sorry i know it sux ive only got a 30 but in a year or so when i get it fully finished i plan on upgrading to a much much bigger tank as big as i can possibly get
Andrew
 
ams153

ams153

Active Member
reef is with anemones and corals and all that and fowlr is fish only with live rock
Andrew
 
ivy2dw7

ivy2dw7

Member
I know clownfish live in anemones and coral. What kind of lifestyle would be best for the gramma, clownfish and possibly the damsel to be in? Also don't forget the cleaner shrimp.
 
bigarn

bigarn

Active Member

Originally posted by ivy2dw7
What's the difference between reef and FOWLR tanks? This is why I need you guys! To help me learn everything I need to know before I start.
Reef tanks have corals, LR, LS and inverts. :D
 
effloresce

effloresce

Member

Originally posted by ivy2dw7
I know clownfish live in anemones and coral. What kind of lifestyle would be best for the gramma, clownfish and possibly the damsel to be in? Also don't forget the cleaner shrimp.
a reef, but they would do good in a FOWLR, but in a small tank (yours) you want a reef, you realyy wont be entertained with a FOWLR in a small tank, you can buy a Power compact fixture (PC lights for short) and you will be able to keep lower light corals like Mushrooms, zoanthids, Xenia, Green star polyps, leather, colt coral, capnellas, kenya trees, gogonias ETC.
NO ANEMONES EITHER
Anemones need very mature tanks (6 months at least) with very stable water paraments and temps, they also need very bright lights (many need metal halides) = lotta money and heat probs, but i love my MH's!)
 
ams153

ams153

Active Member
there are a few anemonies that will do ok under pcs or vhos one bein a condylactus i have one thats doin extremly good ive had it now fer probably 2 months and fer a while b4 i new they needed stronger lights it was under 2 18 wattpcs and didnt even get bleached but at that time it was bein fed daily to and the sun was hittin it so i dont know there are some you could try though
Andrew
 
effloresce

effloresce

Member
yeah condys and curly q anemones, including Tube anemones that are really anemones(filter food out of water colum) but clowns will hardly ever host these, your lucky if youw ould, Bubble tip anemones can live under VHO and PC but still need a very mature tank.
 
effloresce

effloresce

Member
with PC bulbs, i would say, 6-7 watts per gallon.
altough water par gallon isnt a good esamit, because it depends on how old the bulb it, what kinds your using, what kind of fixtur/ballast and reflector.
 
effloresce

effloresce

Member
nope not enough, your talking about a Normal Output bulb that comes with the tank, those cuk, you can keep anything uner those, they do NOT benifit corals AT ALL
 
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