Saltwater Fish?

Ok so I want to get a saltwater fish tank i already chose my fish….2 Mushroom Polyp – Green Ricordea ,1 Goniopora – Green, 1 Bubble Tip Anemone, 2 False Percula Clownfish – Aquacultured, 1 Chocolate Chip Starfish,1 Knobby Starfish, and finally 1 Elegant Seastar – Fromia Starfish, the total for these fish is $185.89. My questions are….. How big should I get the tank? What supplies do I need? How much live rock and sand? How much will everything cost? Should i get more fish or less? What kind of food? Can someone just give me a list of food and supplies? Thanks : )

I would revise your list a little bit first. Chocolate Chip and Knobby Starfish are not reef-safe, so I wouldn’t keep them with corals or anemones. The Fromia Starfish should be fine with other inverts, but I would wait at least 3-6 months before adding one, as they need a more mature system to support their dietary needs.

I would also avoid the Goniopora for at least 6 months, until your tank has matured more, and you are more comfortable maintaining high water quality in your aquarium. Even the most experienced reef-keepers have trouble keeping them in captivity though, in part because of our limited understanding of their nutritional needs.

A Bubble Tip Anemone is a good first anemone choice, but again, I recommend waiting at least 3-6 months before adding one for the reasons listed above. They will also need suitable reef lighting (i.e. T-5 or Metal Halide). The Mushrooms and Ricordeas are pretty hardy, and not as demanding as the other invertebrates on your list, so they should do okay in a young tank.

False Percula (Ocellaris) Clownfish are a very popular and hardy choice, just note that they do not host the Bubble Tip Anemone in the wild, so they may not pair up with one. A 30 gallon would hold a pair comfortably, but if you plan on adding more fish, 55 gallons and up would be necessary.

As far as supplies go, you will need some type of filtration (I prefer a sump/refugium), a quality protein skimmer, power heads, a heater, thermometer, and test kits among other things. Prices will vary, but if you can find someone selling their setup, you can usually find good deals on used equipment. As far as rock and sand are concerned, you will want 1-2 pounds of live rock per gallon, and 1 pound of sand per gallon (give or take depending on how deep you want to make your sand bed).

There really is too much information to give in one short answer, so continue to research your questions thoroughly, check out a good book (I like The Conscientious Marine Aquarist by Robert M. Fenner), search the web for more information (www.wetwebmedia.com is a good place to start), and see if there is a local saltwater club in your area. Some people take months just planning out their marine aquarium, but patience is the key to a successful reef tank.

Regards

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