CJ's 29 gal BioCube build

[LJC6780]

Hey! I just bought my first salt setup! It's a 29 gal BioCube with upgraded pump and ATO. I've only set it up to clean it and make sure everything is working correctly since it's a used tank. I'm super excited about it but unfortunately am not going to be able to actually set it up for awhile as I save up for my initial purchase of live rock and sand to get cycling. I plant to eventually house a few fish, inverts and different corals. I'm very much in the research and planning stage. This is a list of the fish I like so far, a star by the ones I'm leaning towards. I'm really only just discovering the different types of corals and have lots of questions in that area! This will be a very slow tank build as I will most likely be selling freshwater fish (bred in my tanks) in order to fund my new tank stocking.

Anyway, here is my list:
*Watchmen goby (with shrimp)
*Pistol shrimp
*Blacker Ice ocellaris
Skunk clown pink
*Royal gramma
Pajama cardinal
*Firefish
Coral beauty angelfish
Neon goby
Coral or crown goby pair
Blue chromis 2-3
**Ocellaris clown fish pair (probably orange and the blacker ice above)
*Green banded goby
Tobacco bass
*Green clown goby
Blue spotted jawfish
Atlantic candy basslet
Fancy gumdrop coral croucher
**Banggai cardinal pair
Mandarin
*Dottyback (I've seen a bunch of different ones so not sure here)

And here are the corals I've discovered may work so far:
Giant green polyp Duncan
Big polyp blastomussa
Blastomussa
Duncan
Brain
Yellow Fiji leather
Toadstool mushroom leather

 

[helen ann]

Hey! I just bought my first salt setup! It's a 29 gal BioCube with upgraded pump and ATO. I've only set it up to clean it and make sure everything is working correctly since it's a used tank. I'm super excited about it but unfortunately am not going to be able to actually set it up for awhile as I save up for my initial purchase of live rock and sand to get cycling. I plant to eventually house a few fish, inverts and different corals. I'm very much in the research and planning stage. This is a list of the fish I like so far, a star by the ones I'm leaning towards. I'm really only just discovering the different types of corals and have lots of questions in that area! This will be a very slow tank build as I will most likely be selling freshwater fish (bred in my tanks) in order to fund my new tank stocking.

Anyway, here is my list:
Watchmen goby
Pistol shrimp
Blacker Ice ocellaris
Skunk clown pink
Royal gramma
Pajama cardinal
Firefish
Coral beauty angelfish
Neon goby
Coral or crown goby pair
Blue chromis 2-3
Ocellaris clown fish pair
Green banded goby
Tobacco bass
Green clown goby
Blue spotted jawfish
Atlantic candy basslet
Fancy gumdrop coral croucher
Banggai cardinal pair
Mandarin

And here are the corals I've discovered may work so far:
Giant green polyp Duncan
Big polyp blastomussa
Blastomussa
Duncan
Brain
Yellow Fiji leather
Toadstool mushroom leather

Hi! I don't see any stars by the fish list but looking at the list some of them shouldn't be put in the BC29, you can look up the recommended tank size on http://www.liveaquaria.com/. I am running a BC29 too and only have 4 fish as you have to be careful with the bio-load on the BC29. If you want to relist the fish list with your top choices "*" I can try to help you a little more.

 

[helen ann]

You can also take a peek here ....
https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/new-to-saltwater-reef-aquariums-post-here.130/v
Under the sticky section is a huge amount information for you to reference but feel free to post questions anytime!

 

[LJC6780]

Hi! I don't see any stars by the fish list but looking at the list some of them shouldn't be put in the BC29, you can look up the recommended tank size on http://www.liveaquaria.com/. I am running a BC29 too and only have 4 fish as you have to be careful with the bio-load on the BC29. If you want to relist the fish list with your top choices "*" I can try to help you a little more.

Oops I forgot to star my list after pasting it in! lol it's edited now. Some of the ones on liveaquaria said 30 gal so I added them in ... wasn't sure if a gallon made that much difference or not.

And thanks for the info!

 

[helen ann]

Oops I forgot to star my list after pasting it in! lol it's edited now. Some of the ones on liveaquaria said 30 gal so I added them in ... wasn't sure if a gallon made that much difference or not.

And thanks for the info!

No problem!
None of the ones I referenced as maybe being to much for the BC29 have a '*'
All the ones you do have with '*' are ok in the BC29 ... granted not all of them
I have only 4 fish in BC29

 

[LJC6780]

No problem!
None of the ones I referenced as maybe being to much for the BC29 have a '*'
All the ones you do have with '*' are ok in the BC29 ... granted not all of them
I have only 4 fish in BC29

Yeah, I know I'm going to have to narrow it down a bit. Those are just the ones that really seem cool to me. I really want a pair of the cardinals and my son would like a Nemo, I'd just get one but was told they do better as pairs. The green clown goby is pretty cool too. I've seen them at the store and they are also a cheap one! (I was thinking maybe a first fish?)

 

[LJC6780]

So, why so few fish for a 29gal? I know salt is different than fresh but this seems way under stocked to me. But again, all I know so far is fresh. Can you explain it a little for me?

 

[helen ann]

So, why so few fish for a 29gal? I know salt is different than fresh but this seems way under stocked to me. But again, all I know so far is fresh. Can you explain it a little for me?

The general rule for saltwater is ...
One inch of fish .... measured from the nose to the base of the tail ... per 5 gallons

 

[LJC6780]

The general rule for saltwater is ...
One inch of fish .... measured from the nose to the base of the tail ... per 5 gallons

Is that how the fish are measured when giving stats on how big they get? And does their bio load not play a factor in salt?

 

[LJC6780]

Question ... I've heard some people swear by RO/DI water and some say their tap is fine ... we have a whole home water filter, and I'm considering buying an RO/DI unit but was also wondering what I should test for in my water to see if maybe it would be suitable for use without an RODI.