New Member

reepher · Mar 9, 2014

Hello! Thought id register and pick your brains for some salt water tips. Just started my first SW tank. 55 gallon so far with live sand and live rock with a few coral that came on the rock. Im happy to get any offered need to knows. Ive got the basics down such as cycling (which im doing now 1 week so far) levels and salinity. Working on getting a protein skimmer and constructing a refugium. Next step is getting more coral and eventually fish. Any tips on clean up crew and reef safe fish? (looking for very colorful fish ex: dragonettes, coral beauty..)

Thanks for having me! I will post pictures when im not on the clock :wink:

FishGuyTy · Mar 9, 2014

I personally like to cycle a tank, than add some fish and the clean up crew. Let those guys live in there for awhile and get the water and bacteria really going. Corals need constant, controlled water parameters and most need a fairly established tank to thrive. I think it is easier and cheaper to start collecting fish before corals.

For a clean up crew, I have 8 nassarius snails, 2 LG astrea snails, 1 XL turbo snail, 15-20 blue leg reef hermits, 5 scarlet reef hermits, 2 halloween hermits, and 2 pom pom crabs. I'm not a huge fan of emerald crabs, but you could have a few of those too. I have around 80 pounds of live rock in my 65 gallon tank.

I hope this helps out a little.

Welcome fellow new member!

reepher · Mar 9, 2014

Deff helps. I dont have a clean up crew or fish yet. Just looking into future investments. I have a ways to go in the cycle before I buy. I only have about 40lbs in my 55g tank so far. Half live and half dry. A snail and a few tiny stars managed there way on the ride with the rock. Havent seen the stars in a bit so im sure they all died. Snail seems alive but i dont have high hopes.