50 gallon tank

[Oceangirl123]

Hi fish people I'm starting a 50 gallon saltwater fowlr tank(eventually upgrading to reef) and want to know the basics; equipment, livestock, clean up crew, cycling, etc.

Thanks!

 

[Lobstercrazy]

Do you have the tank already or are you planing? Are you doing a sump?

 

[Oceangirl123]

Planning tank and am unsure about sump

 

[Lobstercrazy]

Well I don't know to much about sumps but most people use them and if you do go sump I know you need an overflow box, power heads skimmers and return pumps for it but I don't know the details. CUC wise you problem need some snails crabs and a few cleaner shrimp. Stock wise if your going reef eventually don't get angelfish they like to nip coral and always research a fish to make sure they are reef safe. To cycle the tank the ammonia needs to spike and let the bacteria grow and let it drop to zero. That can take two weeks more or less just always check water levels.

 

[Oceangirl123]

Thanks this really helped

 

[Lobstercrazy]

No problem

 

[Ingy]

If your considering a sump...DO IT! A sump provides so much better water care than can be provided by any type of filtration. And you get the luxury of moving equipment out of the display tank into the sump.
Read the stickies in the getting started section.
Then before you decide what you need you have to decide what you want to keep. Certain fish cannot be housed with corals and some eat your clean up crew. Others eat other fish. A Fish only can be converted into a reef tank if set up properly and the fish are compatible.
So many decisions to make before you need to start buying equipment.