New Reef Aquarist need help and supplies

[h_albea]

Hello,
I am new to the forum and to the hobby. I want to start a reef aquarium and mainly want some clownfish and anemones. I know the process pretty well but am wondering if anyone could give me some advice on easy anemone species and what all i will need to start a reef aquarium in a 30 gallon tank. Thanks!

 

[rdnelson]

Please take this as constructive. It is not my intent to offend. But, based on the question as asked, I would suggest you plan on waiting some time before you think about an anemone. They need to be in a well established tank with very good water parameters that are stable. From the sounds of it, you have not done this before and therefore will have a few hiccups for the first 6 months or so. Everybody does.

But, there is no reason you cant get a pair of clowns (I would not do more than two or there will be a war in you tank) once the tank has cycled. But before you get to that point there is a lot to learn. For instance, do you understand what is meant when people say a tank has cycled? If not, please ask. Lots of people will chime in and help you learn the right way up front and save you lots of money and heartache.

Oh and by the way, welcome to the club.

 

[ripped tide]

What kind of lighting and filtration do you plan on using? Anemones like ionic and bacterialy stable tanks. New tanks are often going through changes and it is best to wait 4-6 months before considering an anemone.

The shortest amount of time I've waited was 5 months and the longest was a year and a half.

Patience is key. Every now and then a noob pulls it off and tosses an anemone in a tank within the first month or so and they do ok, but chances are that the tank is large and they spent a lot of money on live rock, sand, bacteria, and chemicals.

 

[lifestudent]

I agree with Ripped Tide.

When ready to make your purchase, please consider the "for sale" forum on this site since there are some colorful aquacultured specimens that have already been acclimated to our artificial reef systems. This advice also goes for tank raised or captive bred clownfish.

When your reef tank is ready, the Entacmaea quadricolor (aka Rose bubble tipped anemone or its green varient) are the hardiest anemones that clownfish will also nestle in.

Happy reefing!

 

[h_albea]

Thank y'all for the help! I greatly appreciate it all. Would any of you recommend buying fish offline? Or should I stick to buying from a local dealer?

 

[ripped tide]

I like being able to see the item that I am buying before I commit. I have never order a fish from an online vendor. Some blemishes just aren't seen in photos.

 

[supra930]

I would definitely buy local, you are actually able to observe the fish and look at it to make sure it's healthy. Most lfs will have the same thing as online so definitely buy local.

 

[rdnelson]

I agree completely with Ripped Tide and supra. You want to see the fish and be sure it is eating well, moving well and has no outward signs that it may not be healthy. On that subject, read up on Quarentine Tanks as well. Take if from someone who ignored the great advice so many gave me only to loose all but one fish to an outbreak. It was heart wrenching for me and everyone in my household. Learn from our mistakes and avoid those problems.

 

[holley123]

Haha I looked at this to try and help you find some stuff little did i know it was you that posted this. Glad you started a account! The people here are great. Very helpful and more knowledgable than me. This is where I go when I hit a brick wall. And buy locally for sure. Corals are ok to buy online but I'd stay away from fish. And we will wait a little while on that anenome. Your params are gonna be crazy for a couple of months but you can go ahead and grab some clowns after we get the tank up. If you have any questions don't be afraid to ask. There is no such thing as a stupid question.