Do I have the right setup? Do I need More?

[clr_newbie]

Equipment:
29 gallon tank
fluval 304 canister filter
2- Penguin 660 Power Head
100 Watt Heater
18'' 15 Watt Coralife 50/50 - natural daylight 6000K, actinic 03 blue 7100K
Coralife Mini Aqualight 9 watt True Actinic 03 Blue and 9 watt 10,000K daylight compact fluorescent lamps

Stock:
20lbs LR
5-10 button polyps (came on my live rock)
false percula clown
electric blue damsel
5-blue legged hermits (very small)

Background:
Tank was started 2 1/2 months ago. Cycle ended 1 month ago and fish and hermits were added. PH at 8.2, Nitrite, and Ammonia at 0, Nitrate at 5.

Plans for Future:
I would eventually like to add a few soft corals and an anemone. This is my first saltwater tank so please tell me if I am being to bold.

Questions:
What kind of filter media should I put in my Fluval canister filter and how often does it need to be cleaned. I currentlly have carbon and what looks like white rings(I forgot what they are called).

Do I need more filtration? I have been thinking about a protien skimmer. If I need one any recomendation for a HOT Protien Skimmer?

Do you think my polyps will survive with my current lighting. What should I step up to? My tank is 24 in long.

Can I fit anymore fish in my tank? Any ideas?

 

[malkore]

I'll start with the filter. You can slowly remove the white ceramic rings. These are basically for biological filtration, but tend to create high nitrate levels in the tank.

Adding another 10-15lbs of live or dead base rock (which will become Live rock) will help with filtration too.

I'd add 5 more hermits (maybe scarlet instead of blue) and 5-6 snails - turbos, Nassarius, Cerith, maybe a fighting conch.

I'm not sure I follow your lighting...you have one 15watt, and two 9watt bulbs? That's not much light at all. Aim for at least 3 watts per gallon (90 watts minimum). you'll need that for corals, and more like 5watts per gallon for an anemone. You should wait at least 6-9 months before adding an anemone.

A protein skimmer is always a good idea...it'll keep the tank cleaner which gives you a better success rate. A lot of people will recommend the Aqua C. Remora, which is fine, but a CPR Bak-Pak 2R is going to work well also, and they're only about $100 online.

As for fish...the blue damsel may not be a good choice. They're notorious for bullying all other fish in the tank. A second false perc wouldn't be bad, but expect some 'aggression' at first as they sort out who's going to be the male (perc's actually change gender in their youth if they are paired early enough).

 

[IfoundNemo]

Get a UV sterilizer too. It will kill the parasites in your tank that cause disease to your fish.

 

[loganj]

I agree with Malkore. I would get a skimmer and remove the media from the Fluval. Any media you have in it will become bioactive and start to produce nitrates. The Fluval is a good place to run some carbon on occasion and will provide needed flow. The LR will handle the biological filtration. I'm a big fan of the Aqua C Remora, but I haven't ever used the CPR Bakpak. I would suggest one of the PC fixtures with two 65w bulbs. Currents USA and Coralife both make one. I would not spend the money on a UV right now...It's my personal opinion that they aren't necessary for everyday use. Nice to have around for emergencies, but they aren't cheap. I'd buy a skimmer and lights first. JMHO.