launch
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
well i've only been here a few days and it feels like i've made a million threads. lol. just so many questions...what have i gotten myself into?
as i said in the million other posts, I purchased a 125g with wet/dry pump, protein skimmer, chiller, heater, temp controller, deionizer, etc. it also came with 80-100lbs of live rock 100-150lbs of live sand, a clownfish, a small blue damsel, and a pretty big yellow tail damsel. When i transferred the tank i kept most of the water so i wouldnt have to cycle the tank. it's been about 2 weeks, i've done a few water changes to keep the nitrates down now the water is under control and all the fish seem fine.
now its time to purchase fish and i need some help deciding which route to go. I've been doing TONS of research but i figured i'd ask your advice as well. i'm trying to plan ahead the best i can b/c i dont want to buy a bunch of crabs and find out one of my fish eat all of them. or buy a $50 fish and have it get killed by a $6 damsel. or get two fish that are going to fight. etc.
current residents: 1 clown (i'm sure its tank raised), 1 sm blue damsel, 1 big yellow damsel (3"), 20 hermit crabs, 10 astra snails. i'm not really attached to any of the damsels (but my wife is) but if they're gonna be a real problem they can go.
Route 1) small - medium size fish. clowns, basslet, small-med yellow tang, small-med blue hippo, firefish, gobys,the usual smaller pretty fish. and hermit crabs, emerald crabs, & snails for cleanup. oh, and a cleaner shrimp. but unsure which fish to add because of the current residents. i really like the b/w clowns and i'd like to get one or two but i'm unsure how they'd get along with the current residents. i'd also like to add a small trigger but will he eat my cleanup crew?
2) a little bigger than small fish a couple good size tank raised regular and black clowns, a medium yellow tang, a medium blue tang, and a small snowflake eel. but i'm unsure of what kind of clean up crew to get. with an eel what do people do for cleanup?
3) I can get a super deal on a perfect, huge blue hippo (about 6-7"), so maybe go with the huge hippo, a large yellow tang, a snowflake and maybe a trigger. but again, unsure of what to do for a cleanup crew
4) ....the possibilities are endless
please feel free to add your own ideas b/c mine could be all wrong. lol.
what are the pros/cons of having small fish vs larger more agressive fish.
also, if i get triggers, lionfish, or eels what do you do for a cleanup crew?
thanks for all the help.
ps. i dont think i'm going to do the coral thing for a long time. so it'll be fowlr for now.
as i said in the million other posts, I purchased a 125g with wet/dry pump, protein skimmer, chiller, heater, temp controller, deionizer, etc. it also came with 80-100lbs of live rock 100-150lbs of live sand, a clownfish, a small blue damsel, and a pretty big yellow tail damsel. When i transferred the tank i kept most of the water so i wouldnt have to cycle the tank. it's been about 2 weeks, i've done a few water changes to keep the nitrates down now the water is under control and all the fish seem fine.
now its time to purchase fish and i need some help deciding which route to go. I've been doing TONS of research but i figured i'd ask your advice as well. i'm trying to plan ahead the best i can b/c i dont want to buy a bunch of crabs and find out one of my fish eat all of them. or buy a $50 fish and have it get killed by a $6 damsel. or get two fish that are going to fight. etc.
current residents: 1 clown (i'm sure its tank raised), 1 sm blue damsel, 1 big yellow damsel (3"), 20 hermit crabs, 10 astra snails. i'm not really attached to any of the damsels (but my wife is) but if they're gonna be a real problem they can go.
Route 1) small - medium size fish. clowns, basslet, small-med yellow tang, small-med blue hippo, firefish, gobys,the usual smaller pretty fish. and hermit crabs, emerald crabs, & snails for cleanup. oh, and a cleaner shrimp. but unsure which fish to add because of the current residents. i really like the b/w clowns and i'd like to get one or two but i'm unsure how they'd get along with the current residents. i'd also like to add a small trigger but will he eat my cleanup crew?
2) a little bigger than small fish a couple good size tank raised regular and black clowns, a medium yellow tang, a medium blue tang, and a small snowflake eel. but i'm unsure of what kind of clean up crew to get. with an eel what do people do for cleanup?
3) I can get a super deal on a perfect, huge blue hippo (about 6-7"), so maybe go with the huge hippo, a large yellow tang, a snowflake and maybe a trigger. but again, unsure of what to do for a cleanup crew
4) ....the possibilities are endless
please feel free to add your own ideas b/c mine could be all wrong. lol.
what are the pros/cons of having small fish vs larger more agressive fish.
also, if i get triggers, lionfish, or eels what do you do for a cleanup crew?
thanks for all the help.
ps. i dont think i'm going to do the coral thing for a long time. so it'll be fowlr for now.
