Questions from a possible beginner saltwater aquarist

[crono_vivi]

Alright, here's the deal. I'm 16, and I work at a pet store so I get a discount. Ever since I got a job there, I've been thinking about getting a saltwater tank. I definetly want to get Clownfish(not sure about either True Percula or Maroon's) and anemone for the pair. Not sure what else to get though, like if Live Rock would be suitable for a 38 gallon tank(which I will probably get. Biggest tank I have room for.) So would one or two Live rocks be suitable for a 38 gallon? Also, how many fish? The fish I'm interested in are Clownfish, Tangs, Butterflyfish, Goby's and Blennies. Also, how much $ about would it cost to start up? One last question, is it possible to MOVE your whole aquarium? Because I will be going to College in 2 years, and I'd like to be able to take it with me if possible.

Sorry for the barrage of questions, try to do the best you can.

Regards,
Jason

 

[austinsdad]

I think you'd get better results with live rock. Filtration and it looks good. Might wanna cross the butterfly and tangs off your list with only 38g tank though. Your other fish sound good.

I don't think its a question of how many rocks, but how many pounds. 1 to 1 1/2 lbs. per gallon is the recommendation for fish and reef setups. You're gonna have to wait for some time to do anenomes. They require a mature tank and a more experienced keeper.

You can move a tank.

 

[austinsdad]

Doggonit! I always get caught up in the message and forget to say WELCOME!!!!


Oh yeah, use your discount on a good book too. 8)

 

[Corty]

Be expected to pay a bit. It's not a cheap hobby, but it's worth it.

The live rock is possibly the most expensive thing in the aquarium you're considering, but I wouldn't start one without it.

For tank sizes, liveaquaria.com can give you an estimate.

I'm a fan of their "Marine fish for beginners" category: http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/scateg.cfm?siteid=21&pCatId=1926&TopCatId=1926

I think the most important thing to remember is to have patience, and not to get discouraged. The sheer price of a marine aquarium is enough to make anyone starting out with one raise an eyebrow... at best.

If I remember correctly, I believe my first impression was "8O"

 

[malkore]

I don't think any tangs stay small enough for a 38 gallon tank. maroon clownfish will also outgrow that size tank eventually, and by all reports maroons are the most aggressive clowns around. I'd stick to the percula/false percula.

Anenome's are tricky inverts...yoiu need a LOT of light, and a stable tank. Most people wouldn't add an anenome for 6 months, allowing the tank to run fish only for that time period. Some tank raised percs won't host to an anenome...some will. I'm not sure they'll share one either...hopefully someone else can chime in on that.

Whatever you do, plan EVERYTHING out in advance, and don't skimp on stuff like skimmers and live rock...these are two rather important aspects of a sw tank.

 

[crono_vivi]

Thanks for help everyone. And I'm willing to put forth the money towards this. So far, no Tangs and no Anemone's, at least for a while. And no Maroon Clowns? More questions:

Is a 30G large enough for what I've stated I wanted? Some Live Rock with fish? I kind of want to save money where I can, considering how expensive this will be to start out.
Do you guys have any other suggestions for fish? So far, I'm thinking about getting a pair of True Percula Clownfish, a Bicolor Blenny, possibly a Diamond Goby(I was watching him today, he is so cool! He was putting sand in his mouth, and blowing it in certain spots to make a little shelter!) and maybe some other Damselfish.

Thanks for the help!

 

[diverdown69]

Are you planning to put all of that into the tank at once?
Maroon clowns should be easy to find, but they are kinda aggressive.

 

[crono_vivi]

I don't HAVE to put it in all at once. Unless that's recommended. I think I'll shy away from Maroon Clowns. Should I get True Percula's or the False ones?

So, back to my other questions, would a 30G be suitable for what I want? Just a small amount of live rock, 2 Clowns, A Bicolor Blenny or Diamond Goby(maybe both if compatible), and then I was thinking about maybe some Damselfish, but not sure what.


Also, can anyone give a ROUGH estimate as to how much $ it would be to start? With either a 30 or 38?

 

[nodoubt471]

estimate about $10 a gallon, so around $400 bucks (and thats a ROUGH estimate!). also, make sure you check out the livestock calculator- that will tell you how many inches total of fish you can have in your tank, because some of the fish you have mentioned get quite large.

myself, i prefer false percs- true percs tend to be quite shy, and to spend all their time in one area hidden from sight.

as for LR, i would shoot for at least 30 lbs of it, especially if you want to keep an anemone in the future. also for that anemone- you should definitly look into metal halide lighting, or at least some heavy duty PC's because they rely on symbiotic zoozanthelle (sp?) for a good deal of their nutirition.

you mention that you wanted to add another damselfish- not a good idea if you want clowns, as clowns are members of the damsel family and they tend to get picked on by other more agressive damsels.

welcome to the hobby! the best advice i could give you is DO NOT IMPULSE BUY- i know how tempting it can be working in a pet store to buy any cool fish that comes in... but plan carefully, and invest in a good book. i would reccommend the contientious marine aquarist by robert fenner.

best of luck!

 

[crono_vivi]

Alright, got back from Pet Shop, bought a book called "The Marine Aquarium Problem Solver" by Nick Dakin from Tetra Press. Very detailed, I'm happy with it. New updates on fish that I'm thinking about:

Regal Tang or Yellow Tang
2 Clownfish(not sure if I want common or Tomato)
Flame Angel, or another Dwarf Angelfish
Bicolor Blenny
Royal Gramma

I WILL get a 38long tank. The guy said that Live Rock wouldn't be worth it if I'm only going to have a fish-only tank(is that true?), which I will probably have since I'm new to the hobby.

 

[seaham358]

IMO LR is the best filtration you can get. What guy?... 25-30 lbs would be good. Can you do a FO tank w/out LR .. Yes. is it as nice IMO no. You said you had the $$ so I would spend the cash and do it right from the beginning.
And No tangs at all in a tank that small. You would need a min of 55gal tank for 1 yellow tang, they recommend a 75 for that fish.
the clowns, gramma and blenny are good choices the flames are nice also. You do not want to overload the tank with to many fish.
Keep reading and learning before you buy anything.... I know a lot of guys who have a bunch of stuff in the basements that did not work. They listened to a LFS and they sold them a bunch of useless stuff. Keep doing your home work..

 

[crono_vivi]

So absolutely no Tangs at all? I thought the Regal Tang's grew to only about 4 inches? So a 38Long wouldn't be enough room for him to swim around?

 

[Salttanker]

Tangs need a minimum of 4 feet, preferably 6 feet in length for maximum growth. I would say a 90G at minimum for proper growth. In addition, Tangs are very sensitive to change and they are a little more challenging to take care of than most fish. Defnitely do your research before purchasing any livestock. HTH

Mike

 

[austinsdad]

The regal/blue tang can get to 12 inches.

No tangs.