In the planning stages, many questions.

Hi there,

Many years ago, as a teenager, I helped my parents care for a tank in the 100~120 gal. range, with smaller species tanks for seahorses and other fish that wouldn't do well in a mixed tank of eels, tangs, groupers, etc. Now, as a settled adult, I want to get into the hobby myself. I've done a lot of independent research, and believe I am familiar with the basics (cycling, space issues, etc.). My problem is that I've heard a lot of conflicting things from the employees of three local stores, and am hoping to get a consensus here (and I'm trying not to fall into the trap of thinking I know everything!).

I'm looking at a 29 gallon biocube tank, partly because I'm told it includes everything I need for a small saltwater experience. I'm looking for a mini reef ecology- fish and inverts, no corals. I'm hoping to start cycling with some live rock, then add a clownfish or two. Once those are stable, I'd like to add some cleaner shrimp (I understand they are social and like groups of about 3) and eventually some anemones for the clowns. Is this too much for a 29 gallon tank? Would it be able to sustain more? Am I forgetting something that will make my fish happier or healthier to have living with them?

There is some debate among salespeople about the lighting that comes with the biocube ( 1 10,000K 36Watt Compact Fluorescent, 1 Actinic 36Watt Compact Fluorescent, 3 3/4 Watt Lunar Blue) would be suitable for anemones. Do I need more, or was the guy who said so trying to upsell me needlessly?

Do I really need ~30 pounds of live rock? From what I have been shown, I'm not even sure that much would fit in the tank.

My ultimate goal is to defy the odds and not lose a single fish in the learning process, and I appreciate any help toward this end I can get.

 

20 to 30 lbs of rock is a good amount, it does not need to be live. You can start the cycle with a piece of table shrimp.

Anemones are very difficult and messy creatures for an aquarium. You probably will want to do only one. Your stocking list is probably as far as you want to go.

Biocubes can be effective as an all in one solution.

The lighting may be a problem depending on the species of anemone you get. The bulbs will need to be change every 6 months religiously if you get PC.

Most of LFS personal are salespersons first and maybe hobbyists second.

 

FOWLR...Why? atleast get a few zoas or mushrooms in there.

 

BTW welcome to 3reef.

 

Why? To be honest, I'm not the sole decision-maker where the tank is involved, I'm just the one with more salt experience and general affinity for both fish and online research. I have to balance a joint decision making process with an end result that won't involve dead fish. I've already had to make compelling arguments against bad choices like large tangs (too large and fragile) or lionfish (too large and carnivorous). If, as 2in10 suggests, I'm nearing my ecology limit, I don't want to stress the tank further, and I've been assured all around that my lighting will not support corals. I'd also prefer to limit my harder-to-care-for species to the anemone, should that day ever arrive.

Thanks!

 

For those of you joining us that are new to the hobby - the best piece of advice you'll get around here as a saltwater newbie is 3Reef's slogan
"Go slow, let it grow."
And for those experianced hobbyists joining us - it's still good advice
good luck and post pics soon

 

the PC lighting will be fine for soft corals, which do not add much bioload if any really. I think you got a good point though. Start with fish. Corals..... maybe later. You will get into corals, even if its only zoas and mushrooms. It took me six years to go crazy all out SPS reefs.

 

Thanks everyone who's responded so far, I appreciate the help. I'd like to clarify a few things further:

Will two clownfish sustain three cleaner shrimp? I've seen the term cleanup crew, but I'm having trouble finding what exactly constitutes the crew (previous posts I've found on the subject have only dead links). Are three shrimp sufficient, or should I be looking at something more? Also, after reading up more on keeping them, I'm prepared to put the anemone in the "too vulnerable" bucket. Given this, would the bioload be overtaxed by a third small fish for variety?

Live rock: the chunk I was shown weighed a pound and was almost the size of a football. Will ~30 pounds of rock fit in a 2 foot cube with enough room left over for comfortable fish? It was mentioned that not all of the rock need be live. Do decorations (like a sunken ship figure, etc) count toward the surface area?

 

fill out this form at reefcleaners.org and john will customize a CUC based on you answers.
ReefCleaners.org | Clean Up Crews and Macro Algae

It will look something like this one he recommended for my 90.

 

Ooh, helpful! Still waiting on my other questions though...