hey guys!

[powderbluetang]

hi everyone,
my name is nate and im just about to start my first salt water aquarium, i have a 55 gallon that i got at PETCO for that dollar a gallon sale, so i got it for 55 bucks! great deal! i only have the tank and before i got anything else i have a few questions: what is the best type of filtration system? i heard canister, but i wanna make sure, What kinds of fish are best to start with? i was thinking a couple of clowns and maybe a tang of some sort, where is the best place to get some live rock? and lastly how long should i wait before adding live coral and anenomes?

any answers would be greatly appreciated, thanks guys

 

[chiqui bb]

Hello and welcome!

I started with a 55 gal also and within 6 months upgraded to a 90!! Get ready for a new addiction! Canister filters are not the best option as they require constant maintenance to keep nitrates down. A protein skimmer and live rock are better. Clowns would be good but a tang will get too large for a 55 gal. And remember to wait for the cycle to finish before adding any fish. Coral is a broad category, some are easy, some are difficult but generally, you need an established tank. I don't know anything about anemones but others will provide feedback.

 

[ZyberGoby]

for the filtration I would look in to a sump and refugium thats what I will be foing soon and do forget a protein skimmer for the sump. Sure I is a bit costly but for what I have seen and what these great people have said about them its the best way to go for keeping your tank going for the long hall. But if you can't do a sump then yeah you can do a canister filter for your tank just make sure you can keep up with the cleanings. But fish wise you want to wait at lest a month to 5-6 weeks before adding fish. The live rock you can add first though it will help set the biology of the tank then add the sand and you dont have to use live sand because you will have live rock in time the sand will be live sand so you can save a few buck right there. but after the cycle time is up I'd say a nice Green Clown Goby or a Citrus Goby. That's just me I loves me a goby lol. one of the key things is light when it comes to coral. you want to check watts and power that will say yes or not to what corals you can have and i would wait till cycling is over to add them as well. well I hope i helped you some if not im sure one of these folk here will filling any thing i missed or give you the link to the set up thread :D


Also Welcome to the site ;)

 

[BL1]

Welcome to the site!!

It's very exciting starting your first aquarium, just remember that a lot of headache and money can be saved by taking everything slow and asking tons of questions. Chiquita is right, live Rock and a skimmer are a much better option then canister filters. For live rock you should look at Live Rock - Tampa Bay Saltwater Aquacultured Live Rock they have awesome package deals and you get TONS of extras. Or, if you're trying to save some money you can look at Marco Rocks The finest aquarium rock available, base rock, live rock, reef rock, marco rock, reef tank saltwater fish, live corals, Marco rocks, Fiji live rock, Tonga Live rock for dry rock, it's a cheaper alternative but, after a few months you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between the live and dry rock.
After your cycle finishes you can start adding some easier corals, as long as you have the proper lighting to support them. For anemones you need to wait at least 6 months but, more like a year before your tank will be mature enough for them. And they require even stronger lighing then most corals As a newbie to the hobby they'll be much more difficult for you to keep alive and you should really wait anyway till you get comfortable with keeping corals alive first.

 

[yote]

Welcome

 

[dcantucson]

Hello and welcome.

 

[powderbluetang]

Thanks so much fir all of the help everyone! It's very helpful,I also have another question, what are the best kinds of fish to start off with?

 

[wontonflip]

Clowns are the hardiest...avoid damsels...you'll regret it if you get them..they are like cockroaches...they never die :shock:

Firefish are awesome, too. I didn't have luck w/ 2 in the same tank though. Cardinal fish are not bad, but boring..they just hover on one spot.

 

[Bifferwine]

Gobies and wrasses are good too!

 

[JBowden]

Clowns are the hardiest...avoid damsels...you'll regret it if you get them..they are like cockroaches...they never die :shock:

Firefish are awesome, too. I didn't have luck w/ 2 in the same tank though. Cardinal fish are not bad, but boring..they just hover on one spot.

Mine died... LOL Well, one did. The other I gave away.

But anyway... welcome to the site! And everything you need to know and learn is within these forums. :Cheers:

 

[troybuckle]

I have about the same size tank and you can see the equipment I used in my tank showcase form - it might help you out.

https://www.livingreefs.com/saltwater-aquarium-build-t25265.html

 

[Rushy]

For my two-penneth worth, I would agree to. I started with a 55g, and as well as LR and a skimmer I had the filter running to, and my nitrates were always a little high. Once I turned it off, all good. However I would still have it in reserve, ready to go, if you ever need to run carbon, a good bit of advice, I got from Yote! As others have said take it slow, and you'll be rewarded.

 

[AmberSunrise]

Welcome to the site. I just started my tank as well and havent bought anything for it.

My best advice as a newbie is to decide what creature you want the MOOOOST more than anything else!! Once you have that in mind ensure that any other fishes or creatures you choose will be safe with it.

I havent decided yet what I want to be my "feature creature" so I am just reading and listening to other peoples stories and advice before jumping into anything.

Good luck!!