future tank

[BamBamFishKid]

So in a few months i will be starting up a SW tank. It is going to be as low tech as possible. A 30 gallon tank, aqueon 55/75 filter, Marineland adjustable heater, aqualight light.

so i was thinking about stocking it with....
-1 Green Mandarin Goby
-2 ocellaris Clowns
-5 green chromis

also will have live rock and sand, and an anenomie. Dont want any corals.
what are the requirements for keeping anenomie? I definitly want to have the goby and clowns but not dead set on the chromis.. if you would replace them what would you replace it with?

 

[Mebbid]

So in a few months i will be starting up a SW tank. It is going to be as low tech as possible. A 30 gallon tank, aqueon 55/75 filter, Marineland adjustable heater, aqualight light.

so i was thinking about stocking it with....
-1 Green Mandarin Goby
-2 ocellaris Clowns
-5 green chromis

also will have live rock and sand, and an anenomie. Dont want any corals.
what are the requirements for keeping anenomie? I definitly want to have the goby and clowns but not dead set on the chromis.. if you would replace them what would you replace it with?

The biggest problem I see is with the anemone. They need very very high levels of light, good flow, and very stable water paramters. Your choice of light alone rules out a nem. On top of that it's highly suggested that a tank ages 6 months to 1 year before attempting to add a nem.

The next problem I see is with the mandarin goby. They need a huge source of pods in the tank or they usually starve to death. On a tank that size the only way you could manage a sustainable pod population is with a well established population in a refugium. It is difficult to keep them well fed even if they are eating frozen foods.

Finally, a school of chromis will generally kill each other until only one is left. It might be a better idea to go with a single chromis and choose some other fish to put in their place. Not to mention 5 chromis would be a very heavy stock in a tank that size.

Some nice fish that would fit in a tank that size would be:
Benggai Cardinal
Firefish
Midas Blenny
Most gobys
Six line wrasse

I would shoot for 4 - 5 fish at most added over the course of 2 - 3 months.

 

[Ingy]

I have a huge concern about the dragonet as well. Contrary to their often used name, Manderine Gobies are not Gobies at all. Their Dragonets and very difficult to care for. I have 1 in my 110 gal with 30 gal sump, and I am getting concerned because he looks very thin. They are netoriously picky eaters and normally don't eat preparred or frozen foods. A 30 gal is a death sentance I believe. But I think the school of chromis are fine. I have 3 and they are a schooling fish, but I have normally heard 'odd numbers'. I think your 5 should be OK.
I was also concerned about the lights at first, as noneof the normal lighting manufacturers for aquarium hoods had gone LED yet. However, that Coralife unit looks like it should work (unlike Marineland's Reef unit which is just plain useless). the Coralife one has 300W of LEDs that are mostly white and actinic and hopefully 5W bulbs driven to 3.4W. It should work for a 4' tank. Be carefull tho, it could burn stuff.
If those lights are what they look like, the anemone should be fine in there, but I would start with corals. Anemones need stable mature tanks, and all our experts suggest you wait a year.
You can't stock a saltwater tank like a freshwater one, and I would tweak it a bit. Loose 2 chromis and add perhaps a blenny to eat algae.