Hi this is my first time on this site and first time with a salt water fish tank, I have two tanks a 30 gallon (in cycle) and a 55 gallon (setting up). My question is for my 55 gallon is what should I use for the floor of the tank, I seen some with gravel, some with sand, and crushed coral. the lady at the fish store recommended crushed coral but I wanted to get a second opinion. I just want to have a mini finding nemo tank for my nephew and nieces to look at not really any coral just fishes.
What is the best floor liner
- Thread starter pancho
- Start date
I agree, sand is best. The depth of the sand is dependant on the size of the sand grain. Coarser sand such as reef sand you would need it deeper, sugar sand you can get away with 1-2 inches. You can and should stir it up when you do your water changes if you are going with a shallow sand bed. You should think about adding sand bed cleaners such as nassarius snails which will help turn over the sand and keep it clean. Do not and I repeat this, do not get talked into a sand sifting starfish as it will starve to death in your tank and you will never even know it. Not a good idea in tanks smaller than a 4 ft footprint. Also, you state you want a finding nemo tank....please also rethink this as the anemone and the hippo tang will require a larger more stable tank to survive. The clown could easily survive with a fake anemone which wouldn't require the pristine conditions and high light required by a live anemone. Welcome and please don't feel we are condemning you just want to give you some advice...... 
No thank you for the help any advice is good i don't want a fish cemetery my first time around. but if i get a clown fish do i need to have a anemone (fake or real) for him to survive, and how large of a tank do i need to have the hippo tang and the clown fish and the one they call (Gill) in the movie. lol sorry I'm still getting familiar with the type of fishes.
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Gill is a moorish idol and their survival rates are so dismal that they are not recommended to hobbyists at least those that have a concience....... Something close that would do would be a bannerfish, they look similar to a moorish idol. Both though need a large foot print size tank with a 6 foot length so you are looking in the 125g.....
No a clownfish doesn't need an anemone and in fact most captive bred clowns don't even know what to do with one. Occelaris and perculas will host anything even a powerhead so a fake anemone would be fine and recommended.....
No a clownfish doesn't need an anemone and in fact most captive bred clowns don't even know what to do with one. Occelaris and perculas will host anything even a powerhead so a fake anemone would be fine and recommended.....