I have been into fish now for about the past 8 years or so. Dealing mostly with fresh water and only dreaming about salt water tanks. Well about 4 months ago I decided I was going to make my move and convert my 55 gal to salt water when we moved to California. I asked around and was told that I could use playsand for my substrate with a few pieces of dead coral for a pH buffer. I purchased a Fluval 304 filter system and decided on Red Sea aquarium salt.
My first fish were a pair of Blue Devil Damsels followed by 2 Tomato Clowns and a Coral Beauty Angel. One clown and one damsel are left now. I purchased some bowl rock to give my in habitants more placed to hide and got a pepermint shrimp. My wife bout me a Flame Angel and my dad got me an Orange Starfish for my birthday. Of which three days later the star went limp and fell of the glass and the flame I found dead the next day. Feeling semi-confident my tank was set up right my dealer said that I probably didn't feed the star enough (it was climbing the glass) and that my angel just didn't acclimate.
I wanted to get some coral or inverts for my tank, but my dealer said I'd need more lighting ( I was only running a 15W per side on my tank) and he quoted me a stiff bill to upgrade my lights. Not having the money to light my 55 or furnish it with live rock, I purchased an 18 gal for my bedroom. This time using crushed argonite for my substrate I transfered some water, bowl rock, dead coral, and my fish into it. They seem happy and I am able to offer them 30W from two 3" bulbs and an additional 15W with a actinic flourescent. My pH is steady at 8.1 and salinity is 1.026.
I added my first invert (I think) to my tank yesterday. A piece of Red Mushroom and It looks really neat when the actinic is on. My goal is to make a small reef tank. I would like to get some live rock, a few pieces of coral, and a couple more inverts (buttons, star, etc). As far as fish go, I am happy with what I have, but I like angels.
Ok, so after I told you the history of my tank and where I am now with it what would you, the more knowledgeable, do next? I just got that mushroom, so I figured wait a few weeks before adding anything. But is there any other equipment someone would suggest me getting? I plan to upgrade my lights to a compact down the road or a small magnesium pendant and keep my actinic. I want to just go to the fish store and say I want everything and dump it in all at once, but I know that wont work. For the tank or my pocket book.
Suggestions please... I will take a picture of my tank later and post it...
My first fish were a pair of Blue Devil Damsels followed by 2 Tomato Clowns and a Coral Beauty Angel. One clown and one damsel are left now. I purchased some bowl rock to give my in habitants more placed to hide and got a pepermint shrimp. My wife bout me a Flame Angel and my dad got me an Orange Starfish for my birthday. Of which three days later the star went limp and fell of the glass and the flame I found dead the next day. Feeling semi-confident my tank was set up right my dealer said that I probably didn't feed the star enough (it was climbing the glass) and that my angel just didn't acclimate.
I wanted to get some coral or inverts for my tank, but my dealer said I'd need more lighting ( I was only running a 15W per side on my tank) and he quoted me a stiff bill to upgrade my lights. Not having the money to light my 55 or furnish it with live rock, I purchased an 18 gal for my bedroom. This time using crushed argonite for my substrate I transfered some water, bowl rock, dead coral, and my fish into it. They seem happy and I am able to offer them 30W from two 3" bulbs and an additional 15W with a actinic flourescent. My pH is steady at 8.1 and salinity is 1.026.
I added my first invert (I think) to my tank yesterday. A piece of Red Mushroom and It looks really neat when the actinic is on. My goal is to make a small reef tank. I would like to get some live rock, a few pieces of coral, and a couple more inverts (buttons, star, etc). As far as fish go, I am happy with what I have, but I like angels.
Ok, so after I told you the history of my tank and where I am now with it what would you, the more knowledgeable, do next? I just got that mushroom, so I figured wait a few weeks before adding anything. But is there any other equipment someone would suggest me getting? I plan to upgrade my lights to a compact down the road or a small magnesium pendant and keep my actinic. I want to just go to the fish store and say I want everything and dump it in all at once, but I know that wont work. For the tank or my pocket book.
Suggestions please... I will take a picture of my tank later and post it...
