What fish to add?

[Fishfreak]

What fish can I add to a 20 gallon? What do you suggest?

 

[S.Reef]

Lets see...any species of clownfish(not mixed of course). Gobies, blennies, dwarf angelfish, cardinals, psuedos. All good canidates for your tank.

 

[Fishfreak]

Waht kind of clean up crew? How many? What about a blue damsel and a clownfish?

 

[S.Reef]

The damsel and clown should be fine. Clean up crew...10 blue legged hermits, a few turbo snails, a few nassaria snails, 5 astrea snails, a emerald crab and some brittle stars.

 

[Fishfreak]

ok, thanks

 

[Fishfreak]

Exactly how many days should I wait to add live rock after I set up the water and equipment??

 

[Fishfreak]

Can I add a skunk cleaner shrimp also when I get the tank cleaners?

 

[1979camaro]

you can add live rock after a couple days when you are sure the salinity is stable...the skunk will not do any cleanup work but you can add one

 

[Fishfreak]

When do I add substrate? What should I use to measure salinity? How much does it cost? Someone told me to keep my freshwater filter in the tank but take out the actual filter floss part. Can i do this or should I just take it all out?

 

[aresgod]

k, i think you should buy a book before you buy any of this aforementioned livestock, that way you wont end up wasting your money or killing fish/inverts

 

[Fishfreak]

I am going to tonight is the new saltwater handbook by barrons good?
Can you answer my questions though?

 

[aresgod]

sure, um alot of people have differin opinions on when to add substrate, before or after curing your LR? I did it before, worked out just fine, but I only have a 2-3 inch sand bed, so it might be different if you are planing a DSB.

 

[S.Reef]

I personally do not like that book. To vague and kind of outdate. Your best choices would be The New Marine Aquarist by Micheal Paletta or The Conscious Marine Aquarist by Robert Fenner. Both are very good books.

You can add the substrate about the same time you add the rock. Be warned your water will get cloudy. After a few weeks you can add the inverts.

 

[1979camaro]

books sam mentioned = good

 

[aresgod]

agreed, the cloudiness will take upto 2 weeks to totally settle down, plus you will have die off so your tank water will take on a yellow piss looking color to it, it will smell really funky too

 

[1979camaro]

maybe not if the LR is cured...

 

[Fishfreak]

I am going to buy The New Marine Aquarist by Micheal Paletta wheb I get back from the Outer Banks this Sunday. Untill then Cya

 

[TRe]

how about the simple guide to marine aquariums???

 

[aresgod]

I think paletta's book is better for beginers