New Guy, New Tank

Hi, I have very little experience and quite frankly don't know very much other than the research Ive been performing online the past few weeks. I am starting a FOWLR tank and have just set up the tank and am cycling the water. While that is going on I began to create a fish list. Any advice would be considered and appreciated. The list is as follows, with both my interest in the fish and back up options.

The Star:
-Yellow Long nose Butterfly-I know its a little large but will most likely be my only fish bigger than a few inches, and i have already considered its eating habits ect. that being said and additional first hand info on them would be great.
-had originally thought of fox face but they are similar in color and fox face has the dorsal spines and needs larger room, also thought copper band but heard they are more difficult to get eating and doesn't have fox face color pattern.

2nd String:
-I was thinking one of the smaller tangs, maybe a yellow, bristle tooth or atl blue (really like powder brown but i hear they need ample space and are aggressive) but they are also grow large.
-And/Or maybe a small puffer like a leopard toby or a saddle valentini. I hear puffers produce a large bioload and require treatment for there teeth. Also don't want to harass small fish.

Small but bold:
-I was also considering replacing the tang with dwarf angels maybe a lemon peel and a flame, also like multicolor angel and coral beauty(but heard they are aggressive and harder to take care of). How well would these get along or would it be an issue. I see some need to be single but others are okay if introduced together.
- Also possibly one or 2 pearl eye or galaxy clarkii clowns.
-And the long nose hawkfish i love the shape of this little guy and the peppermint pattern, may think of changing for a white band possum wrasse if there was issue with him.
-I also really like harlequin bass but not sure if they would do well together being similar shape and style.
-Yellow head jawfish-not sure of compatibly or if i have enough substrate

Cleaning
-Last I would like advice on the clean up crew with these selections, I like shrimp but I read it would be an problem with some of the fish I was looking towards. Another question is are the clean up crew different for FOWLR than traditional reed.

Obviously I wouldn't have all these fish, However I wanted to offer options of what I like and get y'all opinion on whats practical to try to create a balance. Also keeping in mind there won't be corals unless it is on the live rock will that be a factor for these choice fish. Any help would be fantastic, as I don't have much experience and am on my own with this...let the issues begin

 

Let's start with what size tank and filtration options your going with. Your ability to export nutrients will play a big role on what bioload you can have comfortably. You have some good choices in fish for sure, all very pretty. Welcome to the biggest addiction, saltwater tanks!!!!!

 

welcome to the forum and the saltwater hobby! You are going to love it! the first questions we need answered to help is what dsc said - what size tank and what type of filtration are you going with?

 

(Any equipment suggestions would be great as well, money isn't the biggest issue I want quality I rather pay for it now and get the proper gear than cheap out and have it hurt me in the long run) I have a 55gal at least for now, at this moment it has just a mechanical filter, a powerhead, heater, RO saltwater and live sand. I will next add rock unsure as to how much, and then when preparing for fish will purchase this skimmer
Reef Octopus Classic 100 HOB

 

With a 55 gallon your pretty limited with fish. I wouldn't buy a hob skimmer. I would buy or have a LFS build you a sump 20-40 gallons so you can upgrade your tank and not worry about upgrading your sump. Buy a in sump skimmer, plenty out there. I like my sc-302. Ditch the hob equipment and buy a few more power heads, flow is very important. One thing you do not want to do is buy livestock that doesn't fit the size with the idea of upgrading later. Chances are the fish gets to big before the upgrade and the fish and tank suffers for it. I'm speaking from experience on this one.

 

ok, I would try to follow dsc's advice in terms of getting a sump. I did do hang-on equipment when I started my reef back up but now have a sump and it really is so much nicer. In terms of your fish with a 55, I would say you could do the bristletooth as far as tangs - I'm not sure I would recommend the long nose butterfly - butterflys in general are pretty sensitive fish - I'd probably opt for the fox face. I think you can do the longnose hawkfish but I believe they may eat inverts - in terms of dwarf angels, I might suggest just one of the ones you listed. I'd stick with a flame or coral beauty (coral beauties are really pretty hardy - the issue with dwarf angels is that they sometimes cand be coral nippers) but you're going FOWLR so that probably is not applicable. With the clowns, I'd probably stop and not opt for a puffer - if you don't do the foxface, then maybe the puffer - puffers are known to eat inverts as well. With the smaller puffers, I don't think you need to worry about the teeth issue or at least I didn't experience that with them when I've kept them in the past.

A good starting point for rock is a pound per gallon - or maybe a little less (you can always add more) and then see what you think aesthetically. Many people opt for dry rock and then seed that with live rock - you end up with fewer unwanted hitchhikers that way.

HTH!

 

i think i got my list down to a decent size, i have royal gramma add first, and then not sure of order but diamond goby, longnose hawk, flame angel, and yellow longnose butterfly

 

I had a 55g reef, I ran mine with an hob filter with carbon plus I also had a remora skimmer running. I had 1lb per gallon of liverock and base rock mix. I went this route and everything was great but there are other options available- i would read the various options and choose whats best suits your needs.

Are you testing your water regularly?

You will also needs some snails and hermit crabs to help keep the tank clean