Convert Tropical Tank For Clown Fish?

[Ifti]

Sorry if this is in the wrong section, but didn't know where else to put it.

I currently have a 50l tropical tank, which I have had for 8 months or so, with a Betta, some Guppies, some Molies, and Red Honey Gouramies.
Things have been running fine etc.
It has a Interpet PF1 Filter, and a 100watt heater.

I would like to change this to keep a clown fish or two.
I have been informed I would need to remove the gravel and have sand instead.

Would I need to have real coral etc, or would artificial plants be OK?
Will my currently filter be up to the job or would it need replacing?
What do I need to change with the water? Add salt etc?

Apologies for the silly questions, im not very experienced in all this and this tropical tank is the only experience I have had with fish keeping!

 

[-Nemo-]

Many people have different opinions on the minimum tank size for clowns. In my opinion, 1 50l is right on the lower limits for a pair of clowns, I think a pair of true perculas would be the best, as they stay the smallest. A 75l is usually better.

With that being said,
You would need to replace the gravel with an aragonite sand. The aragonite helps to balance and maintain the higher pH required, naturally.

You do not need real coral, you can use whatever fake decorations that you want. You will want, however, live rock in the tank. Ideally, you will want about 6kg of live rock. Live rock acts as a natural filter in salt tanks and carries the bacteria and other yummy things that make a happy and healthy tank.

You can use the filter you have now, but many people don't even use filters, per se, in salt tanks because of the live rock. You can use the filter to run carbon or phosphate remover, otherwise you can just take it off and get a couple powerheads instead for water flow.

If you don't want to do corals, you should be able to use your tap water, assuming it is OK, otherwise some people who don't have coral still prefer to use distilled or RO (reverse osmosis) water. Other than that and the salt, you'll want a refractometer, which is what you use to measure the salt level.

Llj has a short guide here that you may want to read as well: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/381737-so-you-want-a-sw-tank/

Hope this helps

 

[Ifti]

That's brill. Will have a read of the guide.
Thanks!