GIJester Posted March 24, 2011 Report Share Posted March 24, 2011 So, I got a lovely text stating my gf bought her first fish tank. picking it up tonight, 47 gallon bow front with some LR, stand and most of the gear (need a heater and maybe some other stuff I might have) anyways, I've always been a fresh water guy. shes hoping to have a simple tank - mostly for little "Nemo's" and a few other - happy little guys with some soft coral. since I was blind sided my research so far has been half brained forum scanning (signed up to canreef.com as per post I saw), but any hints or tricks. apparently its has a HOB unit and Skimmer... I'll be grabbing a canister for crushed LR as well. can anybody provide some good advice for starting this tank up - been running wet without fish for a while, or point out a few good sites to scour through? Thanks a Tonne in advance Jessep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted March 24, 2011 Report Share Posted March 24, 2011 IMO, the important tools would be a refractometer/hydrometer, and ammonia & nitrite/nitrate test kits. Let it run w. LR until you don't get any ammonia or nitrite, then you can start adding some livestock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GIJester Posted March 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2011 thanks - I knew there was a name for the salt tester unit. my FW kit came with color reference for SW - I'll grab her a kit for testing. Planning on letting it run w/out livestock for a few weeks even up to a month or so until I get used to the salt mixing and water changes. apparently it has a HOB and Skimmer... now, she realy only wants clowns, but are they fairly hardy or when I add livestock should I start with others - like cleaner types? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingin' It Posted March 25, 2011 Report Share Posted March 25, 2011 remember: when doing top ups, add FW, not mixed saltwater...only add SW when doing water changes. Have fun! And it is so much fun!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MMAX Posted March 25, 2011 Report Share Posted March 25, 2011 Let it run for a good month before adding livestock. You usually start with a clean up crew before adding fish--snails, hermit crabs, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GIJester Posted March 25, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2011 You guys are awesome, thanks for the tips. were going to start adding Turbo Snails and Hermit Crabs after the 2 week mark - also slowly looking into Coral Frags... now when it comes to Corals (and I havent even had a chance to research them yet), I know some are better top others lower in the tank, but are there "species or varities" that do not do well together? also - what are some hardier "soft corals" (I fell like I typed a possibly oxymoron there) Thanks again guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingin' It Posted March 25, 2011 Report Share Posted March 25, 2011 What are you doing for lighting? Zoanthids do well and there are so many color varieties you can get, plus if you buy the frags it'll cost less. Green Star Polyps, Xenia...they're almost considered a nuisance...but I had them and I liked them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GIJester Posted March 25, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2011 (edited) it came with 2x double HO 36" T5 lamps that clip to the top - well - let me check the HO part - but the bulbs are about a monthish old... Edited March 25, 2011 by GIJester Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingin' It Posted March 25, 2011 Report Share Posted March 25, 2011 cool...you'll have decent lighting then. If you've never shopped at Red Coral before, I suggest you go. Kevin is awesome. Plus his prices on corals are fair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayfong Posted March 26, 2011 Report Share Posted March 26, 2011 A key thing to do when adding livestock is to use airline hosing to drip acclimate them. It will take longer but overall you will have better survival rates. With corals, also check on canreef, you can usually find frags for fractions of what you would pay at an LFS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GIJester Posted March 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2011 I noticed dripping works well with my fresh tank, looking forward to accually going to Red Coral, also the gf dropped by Gold's for some supplies - they also came recommended here in Calgary. Tank is full - we were lucky and got it full of the old cultured water and most of the LR - only lacking fish for 2 days (last guy upgraded to a bigger system). hopefully we can drop in on Red Coral tomorrow or monday - atleast that is the plan, need a bit more LR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GIJester Posted March 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2011 SO we dropped into Red Coral today, Doug is amazing, friendly and helpful (first impression counts eh). got a few more pieces of LR - very nice "stump like piece of branch coral that makes for an awesome cave back at the bottom of the LR pile... but got a few ideas for fish combinations - feel free to add a note for others who would go well with them or ones I might have listed to avoid. - 2-4x Clowns (type pending, but given the GF a "NEMO" mimic) - 1x Yellow Tang - 1x Blue Regal Tang - 1x Cardinal (I kinda fell for him after watching him swim about) - 1-2x Firefish (one red one purple) - 10-15x Turbo Snails - 2x Hermit Crabs - 1x Fire Shrimp - 1x Arrow Crab please note that the fish themselves are a few weeks away and were still 20lb short of enough LR, but its a work in progress it is a 47G bow front - going to be adding about 50ish lb LR total in tank - adding a canister later stuffed with it to add another 10-15 lbs of LR filtration. apparently she is much better than me at taking photos of things, so I might open a Member's tank section soon - show off my 2 fresh and her SW in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted March 27, 2011 Report Share Posted March 27, 2011 IMO, the tank is too small for the tangs. You can always get small ones and sell/trade them when they get over the 3" mark. Also, clowns may not get along with others. To be safe, if you're going to more than 2, I'd get all the same kind (tho, percs and ocelaris both come in several color forms). Cardinals do well in pairs or groups, and I'd get a few more hermits. Gettin excited?! :drool: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GIJester Posted March 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2011 Yeah, more exited than expected, I think her little SW project is going to be both fun and an eye opener for me to. Thanks for the heads up on those, we'll keep carving over the fish list until we get a good balance going. I know Clowns and a Blue Regal Tang are the 2 types that are "musts" so I guess we should do prep work and ensure they have a future home after 3-4". also a bit of an eye opener seeing more than one type of "nemo", learning alot so far. the tank came with just about everything expect enough LR (atleast we got most if it pre-cultured) with a few things growing on it. a few snails will be added this week. Clowns will be all the same species - I'll also look into a pair of Cardinals Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingin' It Posted March 28, 2011 Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 Love all the fish choices...but I foresee a tank upgrade in the not so far off future!!! I recommend not buying a Regal tang that is tiny, they like to hide in rocks, and when first introduced they like to die! ok, so maybe they don't like to die, but save yourself some anguish and money and buy one that is a decent size. Firefish are also a fav. of mine...so colorful and cool...but make sure you have a lid on the top...they sure can jump...to which the dead and dried up one I have can attest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.