New Saltwater tank need help

[Bauer5]

Hi fish community,

I'm new to saltwater tanks and I have experience in freshwater (75 Gallon). I just set up my old 30 gallon tank I had laying around and need some help. Its been set up for a month now. I have 6 damsels in there now, I got the damsels from my neighbor so I didn't pay for them and are only in my tank to help cycle it faster. ( I will be getting rid of them soon)

Heres my set up:
8lbs of live rock (might add 4 more pounds but I know your suppose to have 30lbs but I don't want a whole lot of rock)
thick live sand bed
Aqua- Tech hang on filter. 30-60 gallons, 330gph. (got it for free)
heater
power head


Question is: Is my filter going to handle a salt water tank. I've been reading that its best to have a sump (but that cost $200 or DIY $40). And canister filters are better but not the best and hang of carbon filter pads are the worst. Since I have a 30 gallon tank I've been told that the hang on could work but would be sorta difficult.

I plan to have a few fish:
diamond goby
peppermint shrimp
lawnmower blenny
blue hippo tang (1.5-3 inchs than upgrade tank later or give it away if it gets too big)
2 clown fish
maybe another goby (golden headed)

and thats it for fish, no coral.

 

[ErinCahir]

As long as you keep up with your water changes and have plenty of live rock, there's really no need for a filter. (Unless you decide to venture into coral.... then I would look into a skimmer.)

Also in a 30 gallon tank you're limited to 3 (MAYBE 4) small fish. And even if you get a small hippo tang, it will be miserable in such a small tank. Please rethink that fish.

 

[kbuser92]

+1.

I run a hob filter, much better than a canister due to ease of cleaning. I use it mostly for flow since mine adds very little to water volume (albeit valume is volume in my book; every bit counts) and instead of filter media, I use live rock rubble to add to that biological filter. Others leave the tops off, aquaclear is a favourite, and use a small clip on light, usually cheaper LEDs, to grow cheato, however I have some macro on my display so I stuck with rock in my filter.

Just my 2¢.

 

[Bauer5]

Erin: I was thinking def diamond goby, lawnmower blenny and one clown at least. I'm not sure yet if i want another goby, clown and the hippo tang. The hippo tang said min 40 gallons. But the purchase size was .75-1.5 (pretty small). so i wasn't sure how many fish I would add since the goby is in the sand and the blenny is going to be on a rock. I wanted a fish that swims around alot.

As far as rock, how many lbs do you think I should have?

 

[Bauer5]

Kyle: can you post the link of the filter you use.

 

[ErinCahir]

You want 1-2 pounds of rock per gallon.

I don't know where you heard 40 gallons for a hippo tang... but minimum tank size for them is 180 gallons. This site: Aquarium Fish: Tropical Freshwater Fish and Saltwater Fish for Home Aquariums is a great reference.

If it was me, I'd do a pair of clowns, one of the bottom dwellers (so either the goby or the blenny) and then pick an active swimmer like a sixline wrasse or a firefish. I wouldn't do both the goby and the blenny in such a small tank.

 

[kbuser92]

Mine is an Aqueon PF20 I think. They should be at all major stores. The other one is an Aquaclear 110 that's really popular for hob refugiums.

+1 again on a six-line. I really like those.

 

[Bauer5]

Erin: Blue Hippo Tang
thats the website I was going to buy my fish from. theres 2 blue hippo tangs one for 34 and one for 49. i saw min 40 gallons and thought maybe 1 hippo 1 clown. but I guess ill just wait and get a hippo when i upgrade later when im more experienced.

as far as live rock i def need some more if i only have about 8 lbs in 30 gallons. Ill get on that. thanks for the quick replys.

 

[kbuser92]

That's a sale tactic. 40 gallons would be a great minimum size for him...until he gets 2.5". The hippos really need a 6 foot tank, preferably 8-10' for them to do really good in. They can get 15" easily and they do a lot of swimming.

 

[emmett0122]

kyle the adult size of a blue hippo tang is 12" not 15" but a 30 gal is way to small for that fish