starting up a 26 gallon reef (again ! )

sharkbait15

sharkbait15

New Member
Hello,
I am planning on starting up my 26 gallon tank a again but having a hard time on what goes together and where to begin, I am also trying to keep it somewhat simple . I would also like to have as many fish as possible so if you have any other suggestions/additions please let me know ! How does this sound ?
2 false perkula clown fish
1 sixline wrasse
closed brain coral
toadstool
frogspawn
25-50 hermitt crabs
1 snail
1 cleaner shrimp
I am trying to decide wether to go with rocks or live sand is one easier than the other ?
 
sharkbait15

sharkbait15

New Member
Also I like bigger fish but understand they need a bigger tank but does anyone know what the biggest fish I could keep in this tank would be without causing any problems to the fish ?
thankyou
 
teresaq

teresaq

Active Member
I would say the sixline would be a problem in a tank that size. They can be butts
What about a fariy wrasse instead. There are some very beautiful ones
I would do
pair of clowns
fairy wrasse
fire fish
and maybe pushing it with a bi-color or tail spot blenny
I dont really understsand the thing about rock or sand. you really need both, but they both dont have to be live.
I would do regular agragate sand and base rock like marco rock. Then you can seed it with a few lbs of live. Base rock can be drilled and stacked with rods (ive seen threads where they use plastic hangers cut) to make an interesting rock formations.
what lights are you going to run??/
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Too many hermits IMO, and NOT enough snails. You need a variety of snails ,and probably only a couple of hermits....and I agree about the 6-line
a pair of clowns is good, look at chalk basslets....they are neat fish
also a zebra goby, and a striped cardinal
ALSO agree you need both sand and rock
 
teresaq

teresaq

Active Member
oh I didn't even see that-yum way to many hermits. I would cut that down to 3 or 4 scarlets and go with 20 nassarius - 10 nerites and maybe a couple of turbos snails to start. I know it sounds like a lot of snails, but once they are in the tank you reall dont see them.
 
sharkbait15

sharkbait15

New Member
Thankyou for the suggestions :) Im not sure if you know what I mean when I say rock or sand. I mean for what to put on the bottom of the tank because if i go with the small pebbel like rocks or the sand i will still put in liverock i just wasnt sure if sand or rock on the bottom was easier?
I was looking around more on the site at the different fishes and I was wondering if a black cap basselt would go goow with two clown fish in my tank ? Also I wil get less hermitts and more snails
Hopefully I can get it started up this week !
 
gemmy

gemmy

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by sharkbait15 http:///forum/thread/386072/starting-up-a-26-gallon#post_3389020
Thankyou for the suggestions :) Im not sure if you know what I mean when I say rock or sand. I mean for what to put on the bottom of the tank because if i go with the small pebbel like rocks or the sand i will still put in liverock i just wasnt sure if sand or rock on the bottom was easier?
I was looking around more on the site at the different fishes and I was wondering if a black cap basselt would go goow with two clown fish in my tank ? Also I wil get less hermitts and more snails
Hopefully I can get it started up this week !
Go with sand.
 
teresaq

teresaq

Active Member
a black cap should be fine. That along with a pair of clowns and blenny would be nice. Blennys have a lot of personallity.
Also-go with sand Check out seaflor special grade reef sand if you want something a little bigger in grain. This would be good if you wanted a jaw fish instead of a blenny.
also look at Aragamax Sand Its a finer sand
 
sharkbait15

sharkbait15

New Member
Ok thankyou for all the suggestions ! I am going to start filling the tank tomorrow but i wont be able to get live rock for a week or so this wont mess up the tanks cycle will it ?
thankyou !
 
sharkbait15

sharkbait15

New Member
I figured its beeen a few weeks so i would add an update and of course some pics !!! Clowns are doing very well and look healthy . I also added corals yesterday and they are doing great ! Water is perfect and the brown algea is finally starting to go away .
full tank shot with clowns, star polyps and xenia

full tank shot with just clowns

star polyps

Xenia

sorry its pretty bad quality butThere is also some type of polyp or somethig on the xeenia frag does anyone know what this could be ? And could it be harmful to the xenia since it is so close ?
I was going to go with sand but just couldnt afford it at the time :( hopefully I can change it sometime in the future .
thankyou in advance
 
1guydude

1guydude

Well-Known Member
looks good man! Those zoos are just reg brown zoos....with orange centers! They wont harm the xenia i wouldnt think!
Should have saved up man and got the live sand...its a pain to change substrate later i would think...
 
sharkbait15

sharkbait15

New Member
Thankyou
Im thinking for my next coral it will be either a frogspawn or a hammer coral . any opinions/suggestions ? Is one easier then the other ?
 
1guydude

1guydude

Well-Known Member
I just go a frogspawn a lil bit ago. I really enjoy it and its easy to take care of!!!! Hammers i think would be a lil more touchy...
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Looks good....what type of rock is that? take it slow...a frogspawn would be okay
is that your mom in your avatar? she is very pretty, and you are sooo cute :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top