Ready to order 55 gallon reef

[hardparts2]

I am about to buy the hardware to set up my 55 reef and was wondering if the parts I am going to order are going to work. Heres the list:

1 NutraFin Test Master Lab Kit (Tests for ammonia, calcium, nitrate, phosphate, nitrite, ph, iron, carbonate hardness, and general hardness)

(1) Current USA Orbit 48" 4 x 96 Watt Power Compact Strip Light W/4 Lunar (Lights 384 watts) 6.9 watts per gallon

(3) 30 lb bags of Carib Sea Aragamax Sand

(1) Coralife Super Skimmer-Needle Wheel-125 Gallon

(1) Tom Aquarium Digital Temperature Alert Thermometer

(2) Via Aqua Titanium Heater 150 Watt

(1) Instant Ocean Reef Crystals 160 Gallon Salt Mix

(1) Instant Ocean Hydrometer

(1) Pentair Aquatics Lifegard pump Quiet One- 3000

(1) Switching Current Water Director

I plan to use the pump and SCWD to make a closed loop wave maker like this http://www.melevsreef.com/closedloop.html. I will also be getting 60 lbs of Caribbean Live Rock "uncured" and distilled water. For live stock I was thinking:

Corals

Bubble Coral
Candy Cane Coral
Daisy/Flowerpot Coral
Plate/Disk Coral
Pipe Organ Coral
Zoanthus Button Polyp
Hairy Mushrooms
Fiji Polyps
Feather Duster
Yellow Toadstool Leather Coral

Fish

1 Royal Gramma
2 Ocellaris Clownfish
1 Yellow Tang

I would like to get a good color mix of fish (could) I add a couple more or not? If so what would yous suggest. Any input would be very helpful

Thanks Bob

 

[Scottm]

most people believe that a 55 gallon is too small for a yellow tang due to lack of swimming room. there are alot of wonderfull reef safe wrasses that are beautiful and hearty.

 

[flanque]

Coral Beauty fish are beautiful (no pun) though some believe they are not reef safe. I've never had problems.

 

[Guest]

1 Royal Gramma
2 Ocellaris Clownfish
1 Yellow Tang

As long as this is the only fish list you plan to keep, I would say you should be ok... I would add them within a few weeks of each other as to keep them from getting territorial and you will have a good family...In the future, make the plans to upgrade the tank to a 75 or 120 for better tang environment.

 

[Guest]

In the future, make the plans to upgrade the tank to a 75 or 120 for better tang environment.

To clarify, I meant for more than 1...

 

[boardsurfer]

As far as the corals go, I'd wait 6 months or more for the tank to mature a bit, but that's just my humble opinion.

Good luck!

 

[flanque]

I agree. Generally speaking I wait one month between adding things to give the aquarium time to adjust.

 

[Guest]

Good catch boardsurfer and flanque!

If you didn't know that already, you will want to wait at least 6 months for the tank to become stable enough to house to corals. Back to basics, I would also suggest for you to read about setting up marine tanks and cycle, etc... Some I would suggest is "The Complete Book Of The Marine Aquarium" (ISBN 1-57145-762-3) or "The Marine Aquarium Reference" (ISBN 0-939960-05-2). There are a lot more but these are 2 books I reference often...
You will want to get as much information registered before jumping into setting up the aquarium....

 

[jaiden]

IMO, get a refractometer instead of a hydrometer. Also see if you can squeeze a RODI from ebay (85-130 bux) into your budget.

 

[flanque]

The key is information and being very slow. The slower you are, especially whilst you are new to marine, the far better off you will be in the long run.

Don't confuse short-term cosmetic gains for any sort of long-term success. It wont happen.