Tank Set-Up

[ItsNotaDollar]

hey so I'm looking to set up a tank and really just to keep a couple of Ocellaris Clownfish.
i have a good friend who does some fresh water set ups that help me get my he'd around some stuff but still don't really know EXACTLY what i need.
I'm new to all this but determined to get these fish ahaha
mainly i just want to know:
-the best size tank for 2 clown fish
-how much live rock i need
-if need to set up a refugium
-if having an anemone is required or worth it
-if i need a UV sterilizer

and if you guys have any tips for anything I'm happy to here them.
im planing to start buying all the pieces just for the setup from now until the summer, and then start filling it up and curing the live rock ect.
thanks for the help :)

 

[little_fish]

Hello and Welcome!

I would go with a 20 gal tank (1 fish for every 10 gallons) but I have a feeling you wont be able to resist getting other fish. I would get as big of tank as you can afford.

You want 1-2lb of rock for every gallon, so in a 20 gal tank you want a minimum of 20 lbs. You can buy just one piece of live rock and the rest dry rock. The live rock will turn the dry rock live in no time and its much cheaper that way.

No need for fuge, but they are handy. Nice place to hide equipment, plus you increase your water volume making your whole system more stable.

Nems are some of the more challenging animals to keep, they require pristine water, very high lighting and stable conditions. Other than the lighting, you dont find those conditions in a young tank, I recommend you wait at least a year before considering one. And they can wipe everything out in the tank if they die, so dont go buying one lightly. Also many of the common nems out there dont host clowns, and there is no guarantee that they will be hosted by any nem. Clowns are very funny fish like that, mine personally like the overflow box, others like powerheads, a bit of algae, the thermometer, a coral or even other fish!

No need for a UV, they are more detrimental than helpful IMO

 

[Kfeezy]

I would go with a 20 gallon for sure. I would get atleast 10 lbs of rock but the closer you get to 20 lbs the better and yeah you can get just a bit of live rock and then just get some dry/base rock for the rest its usually only half or even less of the price.

 

[ItsNotaDollar]

sweet thanks
i was thinking about a 45-50 gallon tank cause my friend was saying that the 20 gets real small real fast

as for the rock if i just threw in some java rock id assume something like that would work fine as long as the live rock is in there too?

good to know about the anemone, i had read that but just wasn't sure about. id rather not risk killing my fish and everything else lol

 

[Kfeezy]

Yeah I have had my tank for a year and im starting to look into getting one but its lookin like a big risk they look awesome but can be a big catastrophe

 

[ItsNotaDollar]

getting one would be awesome, but for me just getting into this, i def don't want to risk it shah

 

[little_fish]

Java rock will leach stuff back into the water, so I would skip that type of rock.

Here is a good place to get dry rocks

marcorocks.com

 

[Smitty]

Welcome to the site...everyone has you covered.