Tankmates

[drka_ak]

I have been researching quite a bit and I have come up with this list of supplies (I have a 30 gallon tank):
Pair of Clowns (Percula or Black/White Percula?)
Firefish (is this a good choice? I hear both good and bad responses)
Royal Gramma OR Neon Goby (which one?)
4 or 5 Scarlet Hermit Crabs
2 or 3 Cleaner shrimp (Coral Banded or Fire??)
Live sand (how much?)
Live rock (how much?)
Powerheads (suggested type?)
Lighting (what kind of lighting?)
Heater (Is submersive your choice?)
Thermometer
Protein Skimmer (what DO these do?)
Hydrometer (what does this do?)
Test kits (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH)
Dechlorinator or Ammonia buffer (?¿)
I know this is a lot, but I need help from people who actually know what they're talking about By the way, I've heard a lot of good things about sea stars... are they good to have?
Thank you!
(And yes I am getting a book )

 

[seschaefer]

okay, this is my first time trying to answer any of these questions, but i guess the only true way to learn is test yourself so here we go.
When it comes to LR the recommended amoutn is 1-1.5 pounds for every gallon of water so you will want 30-45 lbs. I am thinking that if you want a 2 inch DSB you are going to need about 60 lbs of sand.
The hydrometer checks your salt mix and specifice gravity. It makes sure you do not have too much salt in your water. It is very important to have. I am not sure what the reading should be, but i am sure someone on here can help you.
Well, thanks for being my first test victim. Sorry i can't help wiht more but i just started looking into all of this stuff myself. If i am wrong with any of this someone please correct me.
good luck and keep researching!>
=SEan

 

[drka_ak]

Thank you!
I do have a couple more questions...
How do you make your saltwater? Can you use your regular tap water and add your sea salt mix? I am just trying to get all the things I need down and what they do... like the lighting and the whole dechlorinating and ammonia stuff.

 

[skirrby]

its not recomended that you use your tap water.. go for RO/DI water. it would be your best bet.. if you cant get that try distilled water

 

[drka_ak]

If I have to get RO/DI or distilled water, is this going to be more exspensive? When I do water changes, do I use this type of water as well? Can you distill your own water? BTW I like in AK; the reason I ask is because DW might be hard to get ahold of...
(bear with me plz, I am BRAND new, lol)

 

[karajay]

Tap water is not advisable. Too many unknowns in there that can wreak havoc. Best bet would be to get yourself a RO/DI unit or puchase it (or at least distilled water if RO/DI is not available to you). Put the appropriate amount of water in a container with a heater and a powerhead (Maxi-jets are good) for at least a few hours. Then mix in your salt mix and let it circulate for 24 hrs. Test your sg (with your hydrometer - 1.023-1.025) before adding to your tank.
I don't personally like coral banded shrimp. I hear they can be aggressive.
I would also suggest maybe adding a few good snails to your clean-up crew.
Lighting will depend largely on what you intend to keep. Fish and rocks do not care about lighting. However, if you'd like to do coral someday, you'll need more than regular NO flourescent lights.
I'm sure I forgot something

 

[karajay]

Originally posted by drka_ak
If I have to get RO/DI or distilled water, is this going to be more exspensive? When I do water changes, do I use this type of water as well?
I think after the initial tank fill-up, it won't be too bad. I buy distilled for my 20g. Only 2g a week for a 10% change = about $1.50

 

[jordyboy1989]

well, first of all, tap water wont do it,your best bet is distiled water. after that you can get salt at a pet store. your gravity level should be between 1.020 and 1.027 depending on the type of fish. I would go with the royal gamma instead of the goby, the goby's noen color will only show up under certian lights. speaking of light, a normal light will do the trick for what you want, unless you plan on getting an anenome, they need certain lights. and maybe cut down on the crabs and shrimp a little bit. hope this helps.

 

[yae4volcom]

Well you shouldn't use tap water because it can contain bad things like copper or amonia. Distilled water is cheap you can by it at Walmart or target for around 60 cents a gallon.
As for LR, it is totally up to you on how much you want and there is no right ammount. Although the more rock you have the better natural filteration you will have doesn't mean you have to fill the tank up all the way. You don't have to have a DSB iether but it will help to reduce nitrates naturally. I think if your not sure about the amount of LS/LR you want just add a little and go from there.
What kind of filteration will you have? Many people reccomend sumps and/or fuges. A sump is just another tank with nothing in it under or above your tank. It gives you a place to put mechanical filteration, heater and protien skimmers (so your display tank wont be crowded), and adds more volume to your tank which makes it more stable. A fuge, short for refugium, is a place where you can grow macro algaes and pods to supply your main tank with food. It also helps to keep the algae in the main tank down and you can put nitrate eating plants in them.
For lighting, I would go for the nicest you can afford. Being able to care for any kind of coral or clam is pretty cool. Even if you couldn't keep some of the corals right away, it would give you options later on and you wouldn't have to upgrade much.
The fish list you have sounds pretty good. I wouldn't get hermits because snails are also effective and hermits sometimes kill snails for there shells.
I hope that helped some.

 

[drka_ak]

Thanks! Are fire shrimp a better choice, or is there another breed more popular? Also, which breeds(types) of snails are a good choice. I have a 30gallon I want to convert to a SW... planning to have around 4 fish, so how many crabs, shrimp and snails should I get?

 

[yae4volcom]

Some cool safe shrimp: (search for pics if you want)
Pistol shrimps
sexy shrimps
cleaner shrimps (skunk, peppermint, fire shrimp)
In the reef section you should find a post on all different kinds of snaills by Bang Guy. Its got alot of different things on variouse snails. If you search around a bit you can find alot of answers.

 

[drka_ak]

I want to use the Biological filtration method. How do you go about using a fuge? How do you hook them together? And will I need to grow pods and such that you have mentioned? And I heard that a hermit will molt and use a transperant covering that will harden as it shell, why would it need to kill my snails? Can anyone tell me what a protein skimmer, dechlorinator and ammonia buffer are for? Also, I need help deciding what breed of clownfish would be the best choice...

 

[yae4volcom]

I can't really answer your other questions in depth, but for the breed of clownfish, it is really up to you and which one you prefer.

 

[skirrby]

Can you distill your own water?
if you know how to do it.. i dont see why not. from what i hear though RO/DI water is more pure than distilled. RO/DI is 99.9% pure.
at a lfs store near me i can get already salted RO/DI for $1.00 a gallon. But even he said i should invest in my own unit because it will pay for itself in no time.

 

[tagg]

Also, I would get tank raised clowns....many reasons
Tagg____

 

[drka_ak]

In the reef section you should find a post on all different kinds of snaills by Bang Guy. Its got alot of different things on variouse snails.
Is this a LONG time ago? I mut've went through at least ten pages throughout the reef tank section and was only able to find posts from him about his clowns...

 

[yae4volcom]

Sorry the thread is by Kipass in the reef section. It is called....
My take on various snails