Help me decide how to stock my tank

Hi!

I'm just about ready to put some life in my first ever salt-water tank. I've spent a lot of time and money getting everything right from lighting to water chemistry...and I'm just about ready to go! *exciting*

My plan is to get a couple of fish to put in first to ensure that tank is cycled (live rock was bought from another person who kept it in a tank with a filter running, but I just want to be sure even though ammonia and nitrites are at 0). Then I will start adding corals.

I was thinking a couple of blue-green chromis right at first. Then I want to start adding some soft coral! I really like the things that pulse and wave...I think it's xenia? Is that right? I was thinking that I'd get one of the beginner kits from this page as well: Aquarium Coral Packs: Saltwater Aquarium Corals

Can anyone recommend some good corals for a beginner that are colorful and or have a lot of movement in the water (waving)? Those are my favorites.

 

A couple of Cromis would be a great way to start. Xenia are the ones that will wave around a lot. The pulsing xenia open and close to catch food from the water. You might also look at zoanthids. They come in endless color variations and are really easy to keep. Also if you want some stuff that moves with the water down the road a bit you should look into frogspawn, hammer coral and torch coral.

 

I agree with everything except xenia , I've heard too many people complain that it takes over too easily/fast.

 

I just picked up some pink pulsing xenia and I really wouldnt mind if it grew out of control. my piece is about the size of a softball with 6 or 7 heads, and looks really cool pulsing and waving in the current. its by far my most active coral . . . untill i get around to picking up some frogspawn and a big torch.

mushrooms are pretty cool, come in TONS of different colors, shapes and textures, and are super easy to keep as well. might be worth looking into.

~Will.

 

Chromis are a good starter, but get three. For whatever reason they do much better in odd numbers rather than even. Another good choice would be a pair of clowns. They are cool, and awesome once they pair up. My clowns were my first fish, and still one of my favorites!
Xenia is a good one. Torch also has really long tentacles and looks great in a tank, a lot like an anemone with none of the risks. Mushrooms, zoos/palys, kenya tree, star polyps are also nice beginner corals.
Here is a link to my favorite places to buy corals. They have a TON of very colorful, easy corals, and every pic is 100% WYSIWYG, with NO photoshopping:
The Reef Gardener

 

Thanks to all of you for the great suggestions and continued support! Without 3reef I'd be constantly befuddled. I'm going to look into the torch coral. I already knew that I loved the way hammer coral looked. It's kind of expensive though so I thought I'd wait a bit on that. I definitely wanted to get a pair of clowns anyways, so maybe I'll start with two clowns (either percula or occellaris) and two chromis.

 

What size tank do you have?