Help me plan my first saltwater aquarium

[markot]

Hi everyone

I have decided to get a saltwater aquarium. I'm not new to fish keeping, but I've never had a saltwater aquarium before.

Aquarium will be a Juwel Rio 125 litre with 2x28w T5 lighting (Juwel marine lights). Tank dimensions below.

I wanna keep it as simple and cost effective as possible. I have no space for sump/refugium or hang on back filters.

I prefer fish over corals, so it will probably be just a FOWLR. What fish can I get for this size of aquarium? I was thinking a clownfish and something else?

Also what equipment will I need? Powerhead obviously, what else? Do I need a skimmer? Juwel Rio comes with an internal filter. Will that filter be of any use in saltwater setup or should I cut it out?

I've read so many mixed opinions on various online sources that my head wants to explode, so I would like to hear yours too. Thanks.

 

[Autumnsky]

That is a smallish size tank for fish but I have a 35G yours would be approx. 33G.

I would think lots of LR. Live sand too.

Yellow Clown Goby is so cute.

Male Six line Wrasse (Pseudocheilinus hexataenia)
Royal Gramma Basslet (Gramma loreto)
Then maybe a Clownfish, watch for behavior for different kinds as some are seemingly more aggressive than others.

As for clowns I have had suggestions for fish and purchased 3 fish other than the original Saddleback /clown pair. The clowns have caused the other fish to just disappear. My point being that if you get a Clown consider getting the other fish first due to how they can get aggressive. My Clown pair don't even notice the little Clown Goby I have I guess since they grew up together.

Hope that helps some. I am not the best SW equipment person so I will leave that to someone else.

 

[Pseudomugil]

If it is a 33 gallon, you could probably do:

2 ocellaris clowns (smallest, cutest, least aggressive clown species)
1 watchman goby and pistol shrimp pair
1 royal gramma basslet

If you add the clowns last, everything should be fine. Clowns are damsels and would take the whole tank as their own if they were in there first.