Finally! First SW Journal

[umramgirl86]

I've been trying to convince my husband forever to let me start a saltwater tank. I have a 20 gallon freshwater, a 2.5 gallon betta, and a 4 gallon red cherry shrimp tank, but I LOVE the idea of having a pico reef. For Valentine's my husband said I can finally start my SW tank! WooHoo!

I have decided to go with an Aqueon Evolve 8, and I will be picking it up tomorrow! From what I hear, and correct me if I'm wrong, but the Evolve should have everything I need to get started except a thermometer, heater, and hydrometer or refractometer.

I plan on doing this really slowly. Ill be buying the tank, saltwater mix, and test kit tomorrow and my live rock on Thursday (I live about an hour away from a place that sells live rock and saltwater fish. After I get it cycled, I'd like to add some livestock. I know with an 8 gallon, I'm limited, but what would you suggest? I'd like a clean-up crew of some sort.

After I run FOWLR for a while, I'd like to start adding softies. What softies would you suggest?

Can you think of anything else I need to do to get started? Any advice you can give is appreciated!

I'm excited about documenting this journey, and I hope you will subscribe and help me along the way! Thanks!

 

[umramgirl86]

Oh! Also, would the stock lighting on an Evolve be enough to sustain softies?

 

[jjamontan]

You should make it a shrimp tank with skunk cleaners and fire shrimp along with something like a clown goby

 

[Riverhawk]

For softies,depending on lighting; you could do mushrooms,some lower light zoas,ricordia, anything low/medium light... Like i said though depends on light situation... Livestock i would do gobies(there are some that stay small,like clown gobies,some of small blennies like two spots.. Inverts;i have sexy;yes i said sexy ,shrimp in my 5 gal pico/nano, hermits,astrea snails.. My recommendation is to get this book..i refer to it regularly: the nano reef handbook by cr brightwell..and of course this site!! Happy sw!!