Making progress for a newbie

Give you guys a quick overview of the last month. 60 gal tank set up with 110 lbs live rock and 60 lbs live sand- done. Coralife 4 bulb t-5 light ordered and set up-check. Home built sump/refuge researched and built and overflow/ return pump installed-check. Can't remember at the moment the brand heater and skimmer but they are up too. Water has cycled and parameters are normal for the basics. Ordered cal, mag, and phosphate tests and will start monitoring them effective tonight. Final addition was tonight when I picked up a ro/di system with auto shut off and two more pumps cuz they were thrown in. Oh also have a Coralvue powerhead.

Pictures coming soon, but at this point I'm looking for following steps. I've got the clean up crew figured out and will add it next week. I need to know what flow rates I need in the DT as well as refugium and how do i set it up. I feel like I've spent the majority of the dough, now I'm trying to not screw up with the limited knowledge I have. I've spent weeks reading threads all over the web, and I feel like I've reached the point of being dangerous with big words ;D when it comes to the aquatic hobby, but I really have no idea where to continue going. I'm looking for help with regards to a basic reef fish combo that can be learned with with growth beyond. I need help on lighting, chemical, and flow parameters particularly. Other than that it's been exciting buying and building as I go.

 

For most of your questions, we would need to know what kind of tank you are planning to have. FOWLR, softies, LPS, SPS etc...?

 

Ricoop I guess to be more defined I'd say it would be FOWLR for as long as needed to be confident adding corals and anemones. My wife and I would ultimately like to work to the point of having a diverse tank with the understanding that growth in tank would probably be necessary to do so.

 

I know it's ambitious but Alfie has a great looking tank that we dream of

http://www.3reef.com/forums/show-off-your-fish-tanks/alfies-little-reef-picture-intensive-94461.html

 

Your light should have you covered for most corals. Most people run an 8-10hr cycle on their lights. For FOWLR lighting isn't a very big concern. When you do start to add corals, you will want to do some research on their light demands. More light demanding corals can be placed higher up in the tank, less demanding lower etc... Flow kind of falls on the same principals. For FOWLR you want circulation for gas exchange and to keep things moving in the water column so the skimmer can pull them out. On the coral side of things, you want more flow for nutrient transport to the corals. Some corals prefer higher or lower water flow so research and placement of the corals and your powerheads come into play. SPS for example like a higher flow rate. I havent really ventured into SPS but if I remember correctly, most people shoot for a 40-50x tank turnover per hour. Chemical is another one of those researching the types of corals you have and what they need as far as cal, mag, etc...

 

First let's talk fish. Since you eventually want to add corals, you'll need discipline in what fish you put in. Everyone's tastes vary, but for me it's always best to have a good combo of swimming, hiding and lesser moving fish to create a good blend. The swimming fish give your tank some good movement, the hiding give good surprises when they come out and many of the lesser moving fish (like blennies and gobies) have the best personalities and are generally very cool.

Swimming Fish:

Below is a list of swimming fish that would do ok in a 60:

Flamefin Tomini Tang

Kole Tang

Any of a number of Fairy Wrasses
Another

If you want to take a little bit of a chance (minor) you can also add one of a number of dwarf angels. My favs:

Flame Angel

Multi Color

Eibli

I also like Potter's Angels a lot, though most sites list them as "Expert Only." Frankly I have never had an issue keeping them and I don't know what about them makes them a difficult fish to keep.


Hiding (semi-hiding) Fish:

Bangai Cardinals - Love these guys - get two

Royal Gramma - another of my favs

Any of a number of Firefish


Semi-Mobile:

Midas Blenny - very cool, very colorful

Bi-Color Blenny

Randalls Goby

Yellow Watchman Goby - though, as I've mentioned here before, I'm pissed at mine because I see them MAYBE once per week - little f#$kers!

So if I were stocking your tank I'd pick (at max and over time):

- Flamefin Tomini Tang
- Flame Angel
- Royal Gramma
- Two Bangai Cardinals
- Midas Blenny


On to corals:

There is no reason you can't add some of the easier corals relatively soon. Some examples:

Green Star Polyps

Any of a number of Zoanthids

Any of a number of mushrooms

Ricordeas

Leather corals

Colt Corals

 

Awesome list thanks for the help! My wife added a few as well. I'll be adding pictures soon and will include her list for critique.

 

Well don't have time at the moment to load pictures with photobucket but here is the list we put together on fish. Still researching on the corals list you gave me, but here's the list the wife put together:

3 - Green Chromis
1 - Flamefin Tomini Tang
1 - Flame Angel
1 - Midas Bleeny
2 - Clown Goby
2 - Bangai Cardinals

Tell me what you think. Too much? What order would you go in? Another idea was sub out the Flame Angel for a pair of False percula clowns.

 

IMO, the flame angel wouldnt work, they have been known for not being reef safe, aka they nip at corals. The tomini miiiight work if you got it small enough. but they really need a lot of swimming room to be happy, as do all tangs. other than that i agree 100% on the stocking list.

 

Here's the photobucket link with the pictures. I tried to leave a full length swimming area in the front half with live rock colony on back half.

Pictures by jlbasm - Photobucket