New tank

[SFNewbie]

Hello,

My husband (a physician) and I are opening a medical clinic in our Victorian duplex in San Francisco. I would like a saltwater tank that has interesting fish/ non fish animals to keep in a new tank in our lobby. I am new to fish keeping but am not opposed to hiring a service to maintain the tank after it’s set up or hiring a service to do do it all but I’m looking for ideas or suggestions regarding the best specimens to select. I’m interested in sea horses and clownfish anemone but I hear they are difficult to care for

 

[Lavey29]

Why is this listed as an emergency?

 

[Cyanohater]

Why is this listed as an emergency?

what I'm thinking

 

[Cyanohater]

Hello,

My husband (a physician) and I are opening a medical clinic in our Victorian duplex in San Francisco. I would like a saltwater tank that has interesting fish/ non fish animals to keep in a new tank in our lobby. I am new to fish keeping but am not opposed to hiring a service to maintain the tank after it’s set up or hiring a service to do do it all but I’m looking for ideas or suggestions regarding the best specimens to select. I’m interested in sea horses and clownfish anemone but I hear they are difficult to care for

anywhere before people start giving fish ideas and other animals to be included in this tank we will need things like tank size and lighting.

 

[dstockwell]

There is so much information on R2R, and many videos on YouTub, you need to first start with what is you want. Size, budget, so many variables.

 

[dedragon]

welcome, I think op is just new and may have used it by mistake or just clicked the wrong button, but in the future save emergency tags for things that are real emergencies like a tank is leaking or fish are currently dying, etc. Just stuff that is more urgent

You wont be able to keep seahorses in the same tank as clownfish or anemones though, seahorses are very slow and clownfish will outcompete them for food and seahorses also require lower tank temperature than anemones would want. Also an anemone can actually eat the seahorse as they arent the strongest swimmers

 

[GatorGreg]

Hey guys at least it's not another cycling thread. Cut her some slack.

 

[SFNewbie]

what I'm thinking

How doI change it? It was the only option. My apologies for any inconvenience. I’m very new. Thanks for the advice given. I’m looking at like 34-50 gallons. Are coral and starfish or seahorse compatible? I would like something that kind of features a specific species or something visually interesting

 

[GatorGreg]

How to I change it? It was the only option. My apologies for any inconvenience

It's no inconvenience in the grand scheme of things. Hobby forums in general usually have a bunch of crabby people who sit upon self appointed thrones. They're really big on their "rules" and such. I find it cringy but I also get it as they're trying to run a tight ship here and it's a wealth of information because of that. So I abide by the rules

I'm usually a few boozy drinks in when I'm here and tend to be a little more laissez-faire. Those crazy cajuns

 

[Kmst80]

It's no inconvenience in the grand scheme of things. Hobby forums in general usually have a bunch of crabby people who sit upon self appointed thrones. They're really big on their "rules" and such. I find it cringy but I also get it as they're trying to run a tight ship here and it's a wealth of information because of that. So I abide by the rules

I'm usually a few boozy drinks in when I'm here and tend to be a little more laissez-faire. Those crazy cajuns

Best reply i have read in a long time. Funny but so true.

 

[Cyanohater]

How doI change it? It was the only option. My apologies for any inconvenience. I’m very new. Thanks for the advice given. I’m looking at like 34-50 gallons. Are coral and starfish or seahorse compatible? I would like something that kind of features a specific species or something visually interesting

No it's fine! I don't think you can change it. I personally have a 40 gallon reef. Most of all corals are compatible with each other and fish. Some coral have to be spaced out but it's mostly fine. I think most people with sea horses usually don't keep coral with them. I don't know much about sea horses though. I think it would be nifty to do an anemone tank. May or may not be possible though.

 

[Cyanohater]

It's no inconvenience in the grand scheme of things. Hobby forums in general usually have a bunch of crabby people who sit upon self appointed thrones. They're really big on their "rules" and such. I find it cringy but I also get it as they're trying to run a tight ship here and it's a wealth of information because of that. So I abide by the rules

I'm usually a few boozy drinks in when I'm here and tend to be a little more laissez-faire. Those crazy cajuns

This is hilarious. Reef2Reef is becoming the Reef Reddit.

 

[Lowell Lemon]

You could stop in Albany Aqurium and get some help locally. I am sure there are others in the area and you might check into the local saltwater aquarium club. One might be listed on this site.

 

[Shawaiz_106]

I think you should decide why the tank is going to be setup, is it for you or the customer ?.

If its for you, then it's simple. Just add the species you like. Provided they are compatible, some research would probably be needed on that part.

If its for the customer, I think a more broad tank with different species and relationships like shrimp and goby, clownfish and anenome etc Would be more entertaining than looking at a single species tank, like a seahorses only tank which is unique and cool. But imo would get boring staring at after a while. Also I'm not sure how they do with corals.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Honestly if you have no experience at all you might want to consider freshwater aquarium as a first tank. it’s very simple and so many different bio topes that you can do. And it’s much simpler than saltwater.

Saltwater hobby is very complex and requires a lot of due diligence. It requires a lot of time and effort testing water, maintaining parameter logs, and maintaining an excellent maintenance schedule on the aquarium. That’s what’s needed to take care of sensitive animals like seahorses or anemones.

Not to dissuade you, but almost seems like a whimsical idea, and it just won’t work, this hobby is to complex. Unless of course you hire someone to maintain it for you like you mentioned

 

[Tamberav]

Hello,

My husband (a physician) and I are opening a medical clinic in our Victorian duplex in San Francisco. I would like a saltwater tank that has interesting fish/ non fish animals to keep in a new tank in our lobby. I am new to fish keeping but am not opposed to hiring a service to maintain the tank after it’s set up or hiring a service to do do it all but I’m looking for ideas or suggestions regarding the best specimens to select. I’m interested in sea horses and clownfish anemone but I hear they are difficult to care for

Sea horses are not compatible with most fish. They are also difficult. I would pass on that one.

Clownfish and bubble tips are easy to care for as long as you have proper lighting and use RODI water and maintain the tank.

 

[Tamberav]

How doI change it? It was the only option. My apologies for any inconvenience. I’m very new. Thanks for the advice given. I’m looking at like 34-50 gallons. Are coral and starfish or seahorse compatible? I would like something that kind of features a specific species or something visually interesting

Most starfish do not do well in 34-50 gallons. At least not the pretty red ones we like on the glass.

Seahorses need special care and more maintenance. They do not make good first reef tank inhabitants.

One of the big challenges with them is taking a vacation... they need to eat often... you would have to hire someone to feed them twice a day while on vacation and do water changes, also you would need to come to the office to feed them on weekends as well. They have primitives digestive systems so they can't go without food long.



I would suggest doing some easier symbiotic fish/inverts like the ones below.

A pair of clowns + a bubble tip
A shrimp goby + pistol shrimp
Flower anemones + porcelain anemone crab



A shrimp and goby pair never get old and they come in so many colors... this is just a few of the many: