New to salt water, advice?

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GreenMonster

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Sep 12, 2011
Messages
29
Hey everyone, I've had experience in the past with freshwater aquariums but now I am looking into and would love to upgrade and have a saltwater aquarium and am looking for any advice, tips, knowledge e.t.c I've spent an ample amount of time online researching marine tanks and such but I figure that personal reference and opinions and thoughts would be a great help too. I recently purchased a 40g breeder tank and plan to do a FOWLR setup for now. I plan to go with the HOB filter route and have used Aqueon filters with my freshwater tanks and have been mildly impressed I guess. I've read that it is a good idea to get a filter that is twice the size of your tank and to get one that has a bio-wheel. What are some recommendations for saltwater filters? I do plan on getting a protein skimmer as well so any recommendations on what brand/model to go with? I know that HOB filters can sometimes create really good or really poor water currents so would it be wise to invest in a powerhead? I want to give my planned fish a nice steady comfortable current, not a riptide or anything like that. I plan on doing a 2 - 2.5 inch calcium based fine grain sand bed with around 30lbs of both live and base rock. I don't really plan on keeping any coral, sponges or anemones right now so I should be ok with some standard T5 lighting if I'm not mistaken? I do plan on getting one of the 40g quick crews from reefcleaners.com once I finish the cycle. I guess my biggest question is towards how many fish will I be able to keep? I know that you have to introduce fish weeks sometimes months apart to maintain a healthy environment and not over stock too quickly, so let me run by my planned stocking list and possibly get some feedback from you guys? I want to build my list around ocellaris clownfish. I have been in love with them ever since I was a kid (before I saw Nemo) and would like to stock these fish in the following order:
4 ocellaris clownfish
3 yellowtail blue damsels
3 three striped damsels
1 flame angel OR lemon peel angel

Because I don't plan on keeping any anemones, I plan on maybe adding a couple artificial ones and building plenty of caves and swim through tunnels with the rock, but not going crazy and making giant structures that make the tank and fish feel claustrophobic. I feel that if I have enough of them though I should be fine with this eventual stock list? But again, any advice on this would be greatly appreciated! Thank you for all your help!!!
 
You really shouldn't do 4 clowns, at the most do two. Even with the two clowns the tank would still be overstocked. Also damsels can be quite aggressive. If you have any questions..... Feel free to ask! :) Very nice fish you pocked out though!! I had a lemonpeel, but he died this morning. The Falme Angel is actually hardier than the Lemonpeel, if your are interested in hardiness.
 
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Ok, so then what if I went with
2 ocellaris clowns
3 or 4 three striped damsels
1 - lemon peel angel or flame angel

I kind of want to add diversity to the tank and not have all of the fish be the same color. Thank you though!
 
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