Setting Up.

[Ready2Reef]

Hello everyone. Ive kept a freshwater tank for sometime and have been researching saltwater. I have a 20 & 30 (mayb 29) gallon laying around and was wanting to get started. I would like a very simple setup without spending too much money. After looking around alot I think that anemones and clownfish are going to be my focus. I havent decided which size aquarium to use, they are both rectangler longs. I would like to know about how many clown fish/ anems i could put in both and also what kind of flow i would need. (gph) Also, i heard that anems 'sting' corals, if somebody could define that for me and tell me how it harms them thatd be great. Also, would there be much lighting changes between the 20 and 30?

Sum it up:
q1: How many clowns/anems can go good in the tanks?
q2: Filter size/water flow
q3: Anems harm to corals
q3: What kinda lighting would be good for both the 20/30?

If anyone has one of these size tanks with the same goals please share your exact setup.

 

[dantodd]

definately go with the larger tank. Use the 20 as a sump/refugium.
q1: You will only be able to keep one pair of clowns and MAYBE one anemone in either tank.

q2: Filtration should be done by live rock/sand in the main tank and sump/refugium. Flow will depend on what anemone you end up with.

q3: Anemones have nematocysts, which are the stinging cells they use to kill fish. They can turn these onto corals too. There is also another form of chemical warfare that anemones and corals appear to participate in known as allelopathy. The exact chemicals excreted are not well documented (in the hobby arena anyway) and I don't know of anyway to test for them. As for lighting, like flow, that will depend upon the anemone you end up getting.

q4: Lighting will also depend upon the anemone you choose. Most likely you'll be looking at MH or PC. T-5s are also worth looking into but there isn't alot of experience on here with anemones under T-5s. There are a couple though and it seems like a great option.

edit: Read this thread about the need to let your tank mature before adding anemone: http://forum.marinedepot.com/Topic23945-9-1.aspx

 

[abugs1985]

dantodd is right...T5's are definitely worth looking into. They don't cost near as much as MH balasts and bulbs and so on...I keep a BTA under my 48" tek T5 hood (4bulb)...definitely works well! Have not had a prob with it yet!

 

[Ready2Reef]

Alright, thanks alot guys. I was guessing it would be about two clowns and the anemone im probally going to get is a bta but thatll be a long time from now. I still have many steps to get started, this site seems very helpful so ill probally keep asking questions as im buying things/putting it all together.

One more question for now. How do yall stack and form the live rock so well without it falling down etc?

Any and all input is appreciated

 

[dc]

[welcome]

I have a RBTA and a pair of Ocellaris in a 40. I just stacked my rock so it was firm against the ones below. I've seen some people glue it, or drill holes and put pvc to stablize. I've never had a problem with just stacking tho.