Marine Stocking And Setup Advice

[TropicDan]

After receiving a 40gal. (36"x18"x16") from my friend, after months of wanting to setup a new tank, finally ready to. After much research, I have decided 100% to go marine. My only other experience with fish keeping is my 29gal freshwater, which I am very happy with. I am new to saltwater but definitely am confident I can do it. I know I still have much to learn but from the research I have done here are my questions so far:

What filter? I was thinking Eheim Classic 2215, but have heard, altough very good, not the best for saltwater.
I'm going to have live sand and live rock, and eventually coral once the tank matures.

I plan on initially adding maybe 45lbs of live rock. How many lbs for a 40 gal for adequate filtration w/o a mechanical?
What/how many power heads for the rock and eventually corals?
Which protein skimmer would be adequate for this 40 gal? Still need to read up more on skimmers..

Here is what I'd like to stock:

Kaudern's Cardinal (Pterapogon kauderni) x 1
Bicolor Pseudochromis (Pseudochromis paccagnella) x 1
Purple Pseudochromis (Pseudochromis porphyreus) x 1
Six Line Wrasse (Pseudocheilinus hexataenia) x 1
Ocellaris Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) x 1
Yellow Damselfish (Amblyglyphidodon aureus) x 1
Four Stripe Damselfish (Dascyllus melanurus) x1
Blue Sapphire Damselfish (Chrysiptera springeri) x1

Most likely gonna order from liveaquaria.com Any concerns with that list?
Is that over or understocked? What inverts could I keep with these fish?

Any information/links very appreciated. Happy new year.

 

[seffieuk]

[
Welcome to the salty side

A shopping list:

You will need:

power head x two (for the tank) - I went for the KORALIA as recomended by the guys on here, I got the Koralia 2

Refractometer, don't bother with a hydrometer - again ebay

Bucket of marine salt - don't bother getting packets, it's a false economy

Sand, you will need approx 40 1bs - don't bother with live sand - it will seed from the Live rock

Testing kits for nitrate, nitrite, ammonia and PH - just to start with you will need more a little later - Salifert tests are generally considered the best - prepare yourself for a shock on price!

Water container - food safe, Camping and General do them for a good price (that's if you are in the Uk)

Container to mix your water - empty salt container is ideal I find - see if lfs will give you one or sell for a couple of £s

Cheap power head for mixing water

Cheap heater to heat water when mixing

Syphon

Good quality tank scrubber and algae magnet - you get what you pay for here, don't go cheap! Ebay again

Ro unit from RO man - you can get one for about £65, a sound investment in the long run

Live Rock - you will need about 26 k - look to get it from a reefer breaking down a tank - if in the Uk check out the classifeds on ultimatereef (there is a lot on there at the moment) or ebay, or aquarists classified - you will get a better deal, less die off if it is local ( I transported mine for an hour in water and had little die off) and better rock with lovely coraline growth and more hitchhikers - a win, win situation (you do not need a canister filter, as the LR is your filter)

What lighting has the tank got - if it has been used for FW then you will also need to change the lighting

Good book about invertibrates

Good book about fish

Good book about corals (have a read of my thread for 'the book')

My suggestion to you would be go slowly, plan and do your research - ask us loads of questions, we have all been in your situation and done the same You could go out and buy all this stuff from your lfs, BUT it will COST you a little time and planning can save you an awful lot of money and boy, you will need money because this is an adictive, expensive hobby

I'm sure there will be something I have forgotten but someone is bound to pop by and tell you - anyway have fun planning and share the fun with us

Seffie x

 

[FiSh123FiSh]

Hi,

I think one thing seffieUK left out was a protein skimmer. Although I don't have a marine aquarium yet, this was one of the things that I was told is needed.

Tom.

 

[SkiFletch]

If you're goin pretty simple low-tech FO dan, I'd not really bother with a skimmer. Waterchanges will suffice. If you do really want one, look into AquaC skimmers, they're probably the best hang-on's out there.

As for the fish, thats a lot for a 40g. Also you're going to have aggression problems with that many damselfish and pseudochromis in a smaller tank. If I were you, I'd consider a dwarf angle or another wrasse or two instead of all those damsels, and maybe stick to just one pseeudochromis.

 

[karaim]

If you're goin pretty simple low-tech FO dan, I'd not really bother with a skimmer. Waterchanges will suffice. If you do really want one, look into AquaC skimmers, they're probably the best hang-on's out there.

As for the fish, thats a lot for a 40g. Also you're going to have aggression problems with that many damselfish and pseudochromis in a smaller tank. If I were you, I'd consider a dwarf angle or another wrasse or two instead of all those damsels, and maybe stick to just one pseeudochromis.

I agree with Ski - you might have a problem with the 2 psuedos. These fish are surprisingly very aggressive and will fight amongst themselves.

 

[jeasko]

just noticed another concern as angels and wrasse are not always great around corals while both of teh species you mentioned are considered reef safe there is no guarantee, that said my point is more about thinking ahead for when you want to add corals and think about the fish and equipment you are getting now and weather they will be what you need/compatible when you go over to a full reef tank.

This may be a way off but if your heart set on getting a full reef it is worth thinking ahead now for example what lighting are you thinking of t5, t8 or Mh? as this could determin what you can keep in the tank.