Im a Salty again

[JIM]

After quite a few years out of the marine aquarium keeping business, ive decided, mostly out of boredom, to satrt up another saltwater aquarium. I decided to use a 40 breeder tank for the aquarium, and a Aqua-Clear 300 filter that was already hanging on it for the filtration.

Away to the local aquaculture facility for stuff. >>>> i picked up a bag of reef crystals, some aragonite substrate, a gallon jug of murk out of the bottom of one of their systems, (sand, sludge, and milky water) i guess this could be called grunge

Also some live rock, and bigger pieces of dry rock (cheaper and looks good) a couple of handfuls of reef rubble, i like to put that stuff in the hopper of the aqua=clear and let the water run through it. Back home>>>>>

well ive now had all that set up and running for about 3-4 days, the water looks good, and ive noticed i got a few hitch hikers, probably in the marine algae rocks i got, a few little white stars, a couple of hermit crabs, and a really cute little serpent star. Also a few bristle worms that im leaving in there for awhile at least, i could be wrong but it seems they do a lot of sand stirring and eating junk, so they cant be all bad.

Ive been thinking what to stock with, since this is gonna be a self sufficient, and budget watching reef, im staying away from high maintenance coral, maybe a few ricordia, or mushrooms, but thats about it, a few inverts, but the fish has me stumped. i would like something thats not a jumper, very active, low body mass, and basically just a cool marine fish.

Any suggestions, keeping in mind its just a 40 breeder. ???

[Darbex]

Im a Salty again

Didn't happen without pics

[JIM]

you gotta own a camera for that right??? and know how to use it as well i suppose, im just a fish keeper, not a photographer

[rage]

After quite a few years out of the marine aquarium keeping business, ive decided, mostly out of boredom, to satrt up another saltwater aquarium. I decided to use a 40 breeder tank for the aquarium, and a Aqua-Clear 300 filter that was already hanging on it for the filtration.

Away to the local aquaculture facility for stuff. >>>> i picked up a bag of reef crystals, some aragonite substrate, a gallon jug of murk out of the bottom of one of their systems, (sand, sludge, and milky water) i guess this could be called grunge

Also some live rock, and bigger pieces of dry rock (cheaper and looks good) a couple of handfuls of reef rubble, i like to put that stuff in the hopper of the aqua=clear and let the water run through it. Back home>>>>>

well ive now had all that set up and running for about 3-4 days, the water looks good, and ive noticed i got a few hitch hikers, probably in the marine algae rocks i got, a few little white stars, a couple of hermit crabs, and a really cute little serpent star. Also a few bristle worms that im leaving in there for awhile at least, i could be wrong but it seems they do a lot of sand stirring and eating junk, so they cant be all bad.

Ive been thinking what to stock with, since this is gonna be a self sufficient, and budget watching reef, im staying away from high maintenance coral, maybe a few ricordia, or mushrooms, but thats about it, a few inverts, but the fish has me stumped. i would like something thats not a jumper, very active, low body mass, and basically just a cool marine fish.

Any suggestions, keeping in mind its just a 40 breeder. ???

Welcome.
I guess you picked up the grunge to start your cycle? I guess that was ok but then you will have to clean it out so it does not turn into nitrates.

As far as fish, if you only keep mushrooms and maybe xenia, GSP (green star polyps), you can keep many small fish. The common ones are clownfish, anthias, dottyback, chromis. I would get some small angelfish myself.

[Darbex]

Im a Salty again

Go to live aquaria to get fish ideas. But dottybacks, clowns, and gobies are the best for that size IMO.

[JIM]

Ive been thinkin about a lemonpeel, or maybe a mated pair, that would be cool.

on a derail note; cartoon of the day

[JIM]

Go to live aquaria to get fish ideas. But dottybacks, clowns, and gobies are the best for that size IMO.

ive also considered a pair of onyx clowns, do they absolutely need an anemone??

[Darbex]

Im a Salty again

Not sure that I would get anthias for a 40 but let us know how that works.

@rage why is that any different than any other cycle? His will significantly shorten the time.

[Darbex]

Im a Salty again

No they don't. I've never had 2 angels heard they can be aggressive toward each other without enough hiding places.

[rage]

Not sure that I would get anthias for a 40 but let us know how that works.

@rage why is that any different than any other cycle? His will significantly shorten the time.

Anthias stay small and they are not distance swimmer so I think they are ok in a 40G.

He can use the "grunge" to start the cycle but too much of it probably breaks down and become ammonia, nitrite, nitrate that a small system can not get rid of by itself.

[JIM]

I have a nice large aquaculture facility near me, that has mated pairs of a lot of the fish they sell, theyre not cheap that way, but you dont have the aggression that you mentioned. Ive cycled saltwater tanks that way before, speeds it up considerably, and also adds lots of beneficial bacteria really fast, im also trying to colonate that dry rock i used quickly. I do like anthias, or fairy wrasses as well, just gotta keep my stocking low, i want this rig to have no problem maintaining itself. My routine,= lots of rock, deep sand bed, low stocking rate equals easy reef tank.

[rage]

No they don't. I've never had 2 angels heard they can be aggressive toward each other without enough hiding places.

Angels can be aggressive toward each others. I don't think there is a concept as a mated pair
I have several angel but my tank is bigger and has many hiding places so it may not be a good example.

What I've seen is that many of them fight but only for a short time at the beginning. Some do not bother the other even just a little. One (the yellow) still chase another (the bi-color) a little after weeks.

[JIM]

Hmmm if there are no mated pairs are they just into casual sex??? fish after my own heart

[rage]

Hmmm if there are no mated pairs are they just into casual sex??? fish after my own heart

In the wild they do it but 99% of the salt water fish do not breed in captivity.

[flipside]

In a 40B I would add a couple of clowns and maybe a sandsifting goby after it matures a bit. My clean up crew would consist of a couple of blood red or skunk cleaner shrimp, a bunch of small snails, no hermits (the will eat your snails, though I'm being a hypocrite right now as I have them in my current DT). Corals, well that depends on your lighting. If you are running reef capable lights, and you want to keep it easy, I would definitely stick to soft corals. I've seen some very reputable soft coral tanks locally. However, I would "totally" do a macroalgae tank if it were my 40B. Talk about easy! I have a fairly large refugium right now, and it really is set-n-forget.

You rock will seed fast, but it will color up slowly. I think that goes without saying. I would consider adding some small powerheads to both sides of the tank. Koralia 750's or something similar. Heck, you may only need one with a softy or macro tank.

The possibilities are endless with that tank. I love their footprint, but I tend to outgrow them fast. Good luck man!