newbie help w/picking livestock

cjeffrey77

cjeffrey77

Member
Hi everybody, i'm very new to the saltwater world, I stumbled across this site while researching fish & I think it is great, you are all so helpful i've learned a lot off this site. Thanks!
I have a 55 gal. tank, penguin bio-wheel 330 filter, 3 powerheads, 35 lbs. live rock & about 20 lbs. base rock. Right now i'm using a single strip light w/2 corallife 50/50 bulbs that was given to me. I'm planning on buying a corallife lunar aqualight in about a week or two. I have 20 lbs. of live sand, I think it's argonite or something like that it's black & white.
I'm thinking about adding my first fish soon, my water parameters are
ph= 8.2
ammonia=0
nitrate=0
nitrite=10
Here's a list of the fish that I would really like to keep:
1- coral beauty or flame angel
1- purple firefish
1- yellow watchman goby
2- percula clownfish
1- six line wrasse
1- clown goby
4-5 vanderbilt chromis
the total adult size for these fish is supposed to be right at 29 1/2 inches. I know that i'm supposed to keep it around 27 in., would the extra 2 1/2 in be possible? I'm not thinking of adding all of these at once of course, so I can change something later if needed.
From the research that I have done all of these fish should be compatable, please advise if they aren't. Also I would like to know about the hardiness & life expectancy of these fish, I have'nt found much about that.
What would be a good anemone for the perc's?
I also need to come up with a good cleaner crew, right now I have 1- scarlet hermit, 4-blue legs, & 3-zebra leg hermits. They are the only things that i've put in so far.
Thanks for any advice that you can give me!
 
bseth90

bseth90

Member
That's a pretty heavy bio load, but I really don't see much of a problem with your livestock. I would increase your cleaner crew, add more blue and red hermits...maybe a snail or two. I'm over my supposed fish count as well....just watch your levels.
 
bseth90

bseth90

Member
The anemone is a different story. Usually they are very hard to keep...you will have to change your lights etc. I've never had much luck, but every tank is different...Hope all goes well.
 
cjeffrey77

cjeffrey77

Member
ok do you think that the corallife lunar aqualight will be enough for the anemone? i'm thinking of a bulb or sabae. I don't really know much about the sabae except that I saw somewhere on this site that it is a good on for perculas.
Also any input on which order I should put these fish in the tank?
 
ty_05_f

ty_05_f

Active Member
Here is an article I found on the sebae.
Heteractis crispa or H. malu, Sebae anemone, Singapore anemone,
> pink-tipped (but not condylactis) anemone
> Tentacles range from long and thin to short and fat depending on the
> condition of the anemone (short and fat usually means it is starting to
> waste away). Tentacles usually have magenta colored tips although
> yellowish-green tips are not uncommon. Colors can be dyed yellow, dyed
> pink, natural pink/purple, natural yellow, tan, but by far the most
> common is pure white. The oral disk may also have a green sheen under
> actinic light.
> GOOD POINTS-They are very common in stores and are usually the
> least expensive of the host anemones. They are accepted by virtually all
> clownfish whether they occur together in nature or not. Some not so white
> specimens can regenerate their symbiotic algae thus becoming a brown
> color. If you can obtain a tan specimen with long thin tentacles they
> should do well under conditions similar to that required for bulb anemones.
> BAD POINTS- No one I have spoken with, not even the public
> aquariums, can keep the white or yellow ones alive for more than 6-8
> months. Out of the over 20 responses I received regarding sebaes only 2
> anemones had stayed alive for over one year. Both of the anemones were
> tan in color either when purchased or had turned tan shortly there after.
> One thought is that sebae anemones may expel their symbiotic
> algae shortly after capture and when it is completely gone it is not
> easily replaced. Frank Greco of the New York Aquarium says that he has
> been successful in getting otherwise healthy sebaes to "color up" by
> feeding once a week with fresh fish, clam, shrimp or gelatin. They also
> get live brine shrimp, adult and baby, and a yeast based diet of his own
> design. In addition to the frequent feedings the anemones are exposed to
> very bright light, three 400 watt metal halide bulbs over the six foot by
> six foot, four foot tall anemone tank. If the anemone is not able to
> replace its zooxanthellae it is doomed to a very slow starvation once in
> the tank. There are cream colored sebae anemones found in shallow water
> in the wild, but they are not the transparent white color found in the
> dealers tanks. These don't seem to be a good beginner's anemone despite
> articles I have read that say they are.
 
jacknjill

jacknjill

Active Member

Originally posted by CJEFFREY77
I'm thinking about adding my first fish soon, my water parameters are
ph= 8.2
ammonia=0
nitrate=0
nitrite=10
the total adult size for these fish is supposed to be right at 29 1/2 inches. I know that i'm supposed to keep it around 27 in., would the extra 2 1/2 in be possible? I'm not thinking of adding all of these at once of course, so I can change something later if needed.

your water levels arent yet suitable for a fish. how long has it been set up? sounds like its cycling?
where in the world did you get that you cound have 27 inches of fish? for 27 inches you would have to have a much bigger tank. for a 55 you can have 11-13 inches of fish depending on your water quality
 
dmc888

dmc888

Member
Way too much bioload.
Biggest bioload would be the cb or maybe the wrasse.
You will be battling constantly with high nitrates.
Maybe if you take out the cb and the wrasse it might be possible.
A refugium will help with the nitrates.
A wetdry or sump would help filtration.
I would start with the 2 clowns or the cromis.
The hardiest ones.
Add the fish slowly over time and decide if your system can handle it.
Keep testing the water as it goes along.
You will know when your bioload is too much by high levels.
I would wait atleast 3 months for the anemone.
Scarlets seem to be the favorite for most, i have about 15 red scarlets, i didn't get the blue because i heard the will kill the reds.
Kinda sounds like crips and bloods:D
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
I believe you may have mixed nitrite and nitrate readings. I am certainly assuming your nitrate readings are 10ppm.
I agree you are pushing the bioload...even if we go with the "generous" 1" per 5 gal rule, you are at 11"max. If you want a reef tank, probably less. Aggression, territoriality, feeding, water quality and the foot print of the tank are all issues in whether or not this rule is conservative or not but it is a good place to start.
I would nix the chromis or make changes elsewhere.
I see no issue with the dwarf angel, clown goby, sixline wrasse, pair of clowns and mayby the watchman OR the firefish. I think that is it though. The clowns would be my first fish in the tank, then wait a couple of weeks.
Your PC lights will not be suitable for keeping an anemone long term. If you really want an anemone, I would save the money, and do research into a metal halide fixture.
 
cjeffrey77

cjeffrey77

Member
OK I do plan on getting a protein skimmer, I knew there was something I was forgetting to list earlier, i'm looking at the back pack skimmers. Any input on those?
I was told at the lfs store that I could have about 1-2 in. of adult fish per gallon of my tank. She said that the standard used to be 1inch of adult fish per gal. but that now with the aid of live rock more people were keeping 1-2in. per gallon. I also have a book at home I think it's called The new marine aquarium that also talks about this.
I will definately take your advice though, let my tank cycle some more & start slowly putting in the fish & like you said i'll keep watching my numbers to see what kind of bioload it can handle.
By the way is there a good rule of thumb that you guys use as to adult inches of fish per gallon?
 
jacknjill

jacknjill

Active Member
i think she is talking about freshwater. for saltwater, its about 1 inch of fish for every 5 gallons of water.
i have the bak pak 2 skimmer on my 55 and it works great
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
Roughly 1" adult size per 5 gallons is the going rule.
The standard of 1" per gallon applied to freshwater fish.
The LFS is wrong...you can not cram more fish into a tank because you have taken up more space with rock. This is illogical. Well, if you want healthy fish that is. Of course if you want to SELL fish then by all means 1-2" per gallon is reasonable :rolleyes: One must examine the motivation of people. :yes:
Fish still have certain behaviors, and have needs that must be taken into account. Cramming a bunch in there is totally unnatural to say the least...also stressful and leads to poor water quality.
So is the nitrite at 10??
 
dmc888

dmc888

Member
Well i don't follow that rule because IMO it depends on what kind of fish it is.
You cannot compare the bioload of one fish to another by the length of it.
Some fish eat more and make more waste than others.
 
cjeffrey77

cjeffrey77

Member
I think that I very well may have mixed the nitrate & nitrite readings, i'm at work right now & don't have them right in front of me, so it's very possible.
as far as the fish, how much they eat & waste is there any way that I can find out which ones these are? & sorry i'm still new what does IMO stand for? I guess i'll have to rethink my stock list yet again lol! You should have seen my original wish list!!!
I am also looking at the bak pak 2 skimmer, i'm really glad to hear that you like yours.
 
dmc888

dmc888

Member
IMO in my opinion.
I would redo your list and see what other people say.
Ofcourse it would help with more filtration and macroalgea.
I am very happy with my wet dry 125g filter and 10g refugium on my 55g.
You will have alot of time to think about your list.
My 2 clowns are my favorites and are the hardiest fish i ever had.
If you mixed it then your done cycling.
 
dmc888

dmc888

Member
If your ammonia and nitrite are 0 then you are done cycling.
The only level that should go up after cycling is the nitrate.
Which is why we do constant water changes.
If you are done with cycling do a 20-25 percent water change.
 
cjeffrey77

cjeffrey77

Member
oh goodie goodie! I've allready done a 20% water change. So can I put in a fish now? OK if so I guess my next step is to pick which one or two first? I know if I still get the coral beauty & the six line that they need to be towards to last ones to get, so they definately get put off for now anyway. So out of the rest-
1-purple firefish
1-yellow watchman goby
2-percula clownfish
1-clown goby
5-vanderbilt chromis
out of these the chromis will prob. either be cut back or taken off the list. For now however I would like to keep them on the list just in case. Anyway can you help me decide which order to put these in the tank?
 
dmc888

dmc888

Member
I would start with the 2 clowns.
Either false or true perculas.
I heard the true are not as hardy as the false/oscellaris clowns though.
The false look just like nemo.
I am happy with both.
Try to get them small and if you see 2 swimming together that would be better.
They prefer meaty foods like plankton,brineshrimp,mysis shrimp,krill, and prime reef flakes.
Also becareful and examine the fish carefully.
Look for marks, scratching,swimming ok, not skinny, and salt looking parasites.
 
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