35 gallon tall reef beginner. Please help :)

[newbjank]

Hello! This is my first post on any aquarium forum since i started this hobby so bear with me..

I currently have a 35 gallon salt water tank, it is equipped with 2 filters, one is a standard hang-on back 55g filter(carbon). The second filter is a bio-ball wet/dry filter rated for up to 110 gallons (overflow hang-on back). i don't know if that's over-kill but, I've seen the more and the bigger the better. The only thing i figure is a necessity right now is the protein skimmer.
^ correct me if im wrong please.

Currently in the tank are 2 pieces of cultured rock to start the biological filtration process. It has been running for about 3 weeks now. Their are various different small organism (filter feeder/tube like) which i dont know the name of, also ive spotted a few small snails exploring and living on/in the rock.

The Tanks salinity is currently at .024-25 for the establishment stage.
I currently only have a ammonia tester in the tank and below 0.02(safe). (I know that's essential to coral health.

ill be acquiring pH/trate/trite testers within the week.
^Could someone tell me what i want those levels at?

Im only looking to have 3-4 fish (2 oscellaris clowns for sure) i could use some suggestons for 2 other compatible reef fish) a cleaner shrimp or 2 and various coral.
(the girlfriend wants a nemo theme tank ) I dont blame her I think it would immaculate, under perfect conditions.

My other question is could I put some beginner/establishing fish in their to help establish the biological filtration?

Please respond asap! Ill post a video/photos on response.

Thanks,

- Matt

 

[dollabill420]

I'd use fishless cycling, search for eco's (almost) complete guide on fishless cycling

You need a bigger tank for a nemo tank, a salt expert will give you suggestions, in the realm of salt you have a nano tank (small) and really a fairly small tank for freshwater

Edit: a tall tank looks epic, but that's it, they reduce surface are and make cramped conditions for what's contained, a 35gal tall is more like a 20gal long in relative size, not many fish swim up and down, freshwater angels are a good example of a fish that like a tall tank though

 

[newbjank]

Ok, I see ocellaris nano fish for 10g nanos and sizes like that i cant imagine how i couldnt home them in my current size.

im not aiming for large fish. more beautiful back drop coral if you can kinda imagine what im thinking.

 

[dollabill420]

Ok, I see ocellaris nano fish for 10g nanos and sizes like that i cant imagine how i couldnt home them in my current size.

im not aiming for large fish. more beautiful back drop coral if you can kinda imagine what im thinking.

Never said you couldn't

 

[dollabill420]

Never said you couldn't

Just information lol saves sifting on the Internet


Meant to hit edit now can't delete, I think

 

[newbjank]

You need a bigger tank for a nemo tank, a salt expert will give you suggestions, in the realm of salt you have a nano tank (small) and really a fairly small tank for freshwater

then why would i need a bigger tank? As i said before im aiming for small fish 2 nano clown and a pair of another nano type.

 

[dollabill420]

then why would i need a bigger tank? As i said before im aiming for small fish 2 nano clown and a pair of another nano type.

You said about a nemo tank, maybe you meant a nano tank in which you will be fine but for a nemo, which is a movie aquarium you need more like a 150gal, I must have misread got bad eyes lol

Edit: ooooo a nemo theme not nemo tank fish, sorry for the misunderstanding, and the information I gave about tall tanks it was just a tidbit of info, not saying ur tank is too small for what you want

 

[dollabill420]

Where's the video I was promised haha

 

[newbjank]

alll goood,

let me upload it from my droid real quick. brb

 

[dollabill420]

Lysmata amboinensis, the northern cleaner shrimp, scarlet cleaner shrimp, skunk cleaner shrimp or Pacific cleaner shrimp, is an omnivorous shrimp species, which will generally scavenge and eat parasites and dead tissue. L. amboinensis is naturally part of the reef ecosystem, and is widespread in the Red Sea and tropical Indo-Pacific.[1]

That's wut jaque the shrimp in finding nemo is, nemo and his parents are actually a false oscelli(sp.) clownfish they would make a sweet tank, then you could concentrate on your corals

 

[newbjank]

can i get your email and send in to you through that? im havin trouble uploading it.

 

[Heera]

Hi Matt, welcome...
You're on track so far. Go slow one at a time atleast 2 weeks apart.

What powerheads are you running for water movement? How much live rock?
You need 1-2 lbs per gallon. What kind of lighting?

Parameters;
Ammonia, nitrite-0, nitrate >5
Salinity- 1.021-1.025 with 76-84f temp.
(myself and most people I know run it at 1.023 at 78f, works great)
Phosphates low as possibles.

Stocking; post pics here to first ID everything in your tank so you know what it's good/bad for.snails etc..

I started with 2 crownfish, 3 green chromis. Awesome.

You can do that and choose from;
- yellow watchman goby with pistol shrimp ( pistol shrimp may kill your skunk cleaner shrimp)
-purple firefish or regular firefish.(jumpers)
- bangaii cardinals
Check nano-reef for more.

Also make sure your walls and ground is protected from the Salt. It just lives to creep up everywhere. So have a lid and keep it really clean. Just use freshwater to clean Don't use glass cleaners.

Oh don't use air freshners near your tank.

Good luck... Post some pics.

 

[abdhalim2]

Hye Matt, welcome to this hobby...
u shud do fishless cycling method...get some reading for ammonia and after that juz let it down to 0...same goes to nitrite...if u plan for a corals in future, 10ppm was acceptable for hardy corals...
u can have clownfish as u wish coz they normally not swimming too much once they host something....regular water change can help u to replace the skimmer for the time being...im not saying no need at all....
All the best..

 

[newbjank]

YouTube - ‪VIDEO0007‬‏

YouTube - ‪VIDEO0006‬‏

the background is from my previous fresh water system

 

[Heera]

Nice purple rock. Need alot more live rock.

 

[Heera]

More the rock. More surface area for bacteria and other small species. More stable parameters. More filtration.

 

[slitherbomb]

Dude get some designer clownfish! Snowflake clowns are really cool looking.

 

[carey]

If adding desinger clowns I'd wait awhile, they are AWFUL expensive and I would wait til you have everything perfect before getting them. thats my plan anyways. lol

 

[slitherbomb]

Yeah that's true haha

 

[carey]

Thats why i don't have my snowflakes or my black ice ones yet. Just waiting ofr everything to be perfect for a good long while. I just lost my Black & white ORA clowns and that was a pretty hard hit in the pocketbook.