55 Gal SW Tank

[Blue300ZX]

I currently have a freshwater tank and I have decided that I want something better, so I want to go Saltwater. I have a 55 Gal tank, and i have done research and I still need some help. I want to go with something like clowns, Damsels, Pseudochromis, Cardinal, Basslets, and maybe a Moorish Idol. I dont know what all i need to complete this journey to having some of the most awesome looking fish.

Any help would be appreciated.


Thanks !!!!!!!!!!!

[Fishfirst]

*promptly crosses out the moorish idol* NO morish idol... period. Morish Idols need a larger aquarium than a 55, and they are VERY sensitive and should only be attempted to be kept by the most expert aquarist. The list you provided works... although I wouldn't put damsels into the tank, they tend to be aggressive... also I recommend live rock and a protien skimmer for filteration... a good rule of thumb is 1 inch per 5 gallons of water. The best substraite is sand.

[Blue300ZX]

--> Moorish Idol, but oh well..... Hey thank you for the help i greatly appreciste it. Also would a 55 Gal tank be good enough for a saltwater setup ???

[Blue300ZX]

--> Moorish Idol, but oh well..... Hey thank you for the help i greatly appreciste it. Also would a 55 Gal tank be good enough for a saltwater setup ???

[Blue300ZX]

--> Moorish Idol, but oh well..... Hey thank you for the help i greatly appreciste it. Also would a 55 Gal tank be good enough for a saltwater setup ???

[Fishfirst]

yes 55 gallons is enough... but bigger is ALWAYS better I have a 55 gallon saltwater right now that has a christmas wrasse, a yellow tang, a percula clownfish, and two damsels (which I HATE). Soon I will be getting a larger tank (hopefully 300 gallons +) because I soon found out when I started that not all of the fish I wanted could co-habitate in the 55 gallon (which at the time I thought was big... wow was I wrong)

[Blue300ZX]

I just want to use the 55 Gal as a starter tank...i will eventually go bigger.

[Fishfirst]

55 gallons is a good starter size then... are you doing a fishless cycle???

[clemsonfrk11202]

yea... the moorish idol... beautiful fish but i definately wouldnt attempt it. and the damsels... i have three and ive only had them in there for about 3 months, one of them is so terratorial that not ten min. ago i was adding a piece of coral and it nipped at my hand... and it actually kinda hurt

[hail_sniper]

lol, only fish that nipped me ever, was my yellow tang i had for a short period, i was moving somestuff, and i thing i hit it or something and i felt a sharp pain, then my tang came out and was threatening me

if you like moorish idols, you can go for its "uglier cousin" the heniochous butterflyfish, but of course they arent too reef safe, if you ever want any corals in there a butter fly will jsut make an expensive lunch out of most

[blargin]

you need to let your filter run with no fish in the tank for about a week and then you can get a couple damsels but thats all you can have for another 2 weeks to condition the water then you can start to getmore exspensive fish

ive only had my 55 gallon salt water tank for about 3 weeks and only about a week with damsels and cardinals in it


good luck!

[Fishfirst]

the fishless cycle is definately the way to go... and a week will not suffice... go until you have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, and about 10 for nitrates.... this will indicate that the cycle is done and then you can add fish... I wouldn't get damselfish either, they can be highly territorial... try less aggressive species such as gobies, blennys, cardinals, single dwarf angelfish, and clownfish... I have two damsels in my 55 gallon, and they will be moved to a 20 gallon when I get my larger tank because of thier aggressive nature, (2 damsels are 2 too many!)

[leftyblite]

Good luck on the tank. I'm in the process of starting to set up an 80 gallon Fowler tank. The New Marine Aquarium book by Michael Paletta was extremely helpful.