Startup help

The_King

New member
So I am new to the saltwater tank and have had this tank for 2 months now. I had African cichlids tank for 7 years. I have a clown fish, 2 damsels and a sailfin tang in a 30 gal tank. I have about 15 pounds of live rock with fine white sand.
I would love to keep some anemones. Please help with what do I need first and if I should ? Also, I have 2 HOB filters. I tried to search and I'm more lost about the lighting and what kind of corals or anemones I can have.
Thanks in advance for your time.




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I also have a wavemaker and parameters are fine. I test twice a week. Just wanted to add this as well.


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If you are absolutely confident in your water condition control, though I still won't recommend, you should be good to add something (not anything) else.

As for fish, 30 gallon is not big enough for any other addition since you have that many fish already.

AND, if you are thinking of anemone or corals, what light do you have?


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Thanks Humphrey. And yes that was part of the question. I am not sure about which light and I'd really appreciate if you could suggest something for that.
I won't add anymore fish. But you won't recommend adding anemones or any other small corals ?



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Thanks Humphrey. And yes that was part of the question. I am not sure about which light and I'd really appreciate if you could suggest something for that.
I won't add anymore fish. But you won't recommend adding anemones or any other small corals ?



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I am no expert. I just went for kessil led. It worked for me (mainly easier types of anemones. lta, bta and haddoni carpet) . My tank is shallow though. Some people think they are overpriced. I personally like led, they helps in showing the coloration and they last very long.

Easier corals, like gsp, common mushrooms or palythoas, can even live under cheap eBay grow leds (not any type but those 10-30 buck ones, you need multiple if your tank is wide and long and you can't hang the bulb too high). Just 2 cents from my shallow 3-year experience.

But you always want to give them your best option because they are your pets, right?

As for filtration, I only have clownfish and anemone. My filtration is just a hanging-back filter. It works fine cause I don't have too many animals. Water change is crucial.

Other experts might have better suggestions.


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Thanks. That did help a lot. For the lighting, my budget is $100 - $120 so I can definitely do the best possible within that range. I have 2 HOB filters and for sand sifting, I have nassarius snails and starfish. They do the job well since I can vacuum in sand or I'll lose all the sand in 2 water changes. Lol. It's very fine almost powdered sand. (Aroganite Bahamas white sand or something).


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Startup help

Thanks. That did help a lot. For the lighting, my budget is $100 - $120 so I can definitely do the best possible within that range. I have 2 HOB filters and for sand sifting, I have nassarius snails and starfish. They do the job well since I can vacuum in sand or I'll lose all the sand in 2 water changes. Lol. It's very fine almost powdered sand. (Aroganite Bahamas white sand or something).


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No problem. Keep us updated with your progress! Starting with easy corals can definitely help you merge into anemone keeping track, which can be headachy...


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Last edited:
So I am new to the saltwater tank and have had this tank for 2 months now.
•It is not recommended to try an anemone till your tank is atleast 6 months old, preferably a year. It gives your tank time to stabilize and allows you time as the hobbyist to understand your tank and become familiar with it.
I had African cichlids tank for 7 years. I have a clown fish, 2 damsels and a sailfin tang in a 30 gal tank.
•I hope you have plans to rehome the sailfin tang, maybe your aware maybe not but they can grow to over a foot and require atleast 180g tank.
I have about 15 pounds of live rock with fine white sand.
I would love to keep some anemones. Please help with what do I need first and if I should ?
•You will need proper lighting, stability, and a more mature tank but yes you absolutely could.
Also, I have 2 HOB filters. I tried to search and I’m more lost about the lighting and what kind of corals or anemones I can have.
•If your plan is to keep an anemone you will need strong lighting. With a roughly $100 budget your best bet is one of the Chinese black boxes like Mars aqua. Start with easy soft corals like zoas, gsp, etc. Once you can keep those alive and thriving move onto some lps duncans, hammers, torches, cam be good beginner choices and add movement. Once you can keep those alive and thriving and have a more mature and stable tank you can add a bta. Just remember to go slow and do as much research and reading as you can before moving forward with a purchase.
Thanks in advance for your time.




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I put bullets next to my responses to some of your questions.
 
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