75 gallon tank questions

[Ryan2003]

I have a 75 gallon tank I got everything set up last wedensday
I bought my protien skimmer Lee's aquaclear 300,My 3-4 inch sand bed
and my heater everything is fine it looks like im looking to get the
fish this wedensday or thursday would this be ok?
12 Astrea Conehead Algae Eater Snail
1 Peppermint Shrimp
2 Maroon Clown, Gold Stripe

[Pineapple House]

If I am correct, you started up your tank on November 13th, 02. It seems like you're rushing a bit, considering all those fish you have in there. I would personally wait another month, or longer, before purchasing another fish.

To answer your questions, some good beginner fish include:

Gramma's/Basslets:

1. Black Cap Basslet (Gramma melacara)
2. Macneill's Assessor Basslet (Assessor macneilli)
3. Royal Gramma Basslet (Gramma loreto)

Blennys/Gobies:

1. Bicolor Blenny (Ecsenius bicolor)
2. Black Sailfin Blenny (Atrosalarias fuscus)
3. Midas Blenny (Ecsenius midas)
4. Lawnmower Blenny (Salarias fasciatus)
5. Bar Goby (Ptereleotris zebra)
6. Firefish Goby (Nemateleotris magnifica)
7. Firefish, Helfrichi (Nemateleotris helfrichi) <--EXPENSIVE!
8. Purple Firefish (Nemateleotris decora)


Cardinal Fish:

1. Banggai Cardinal (Pterapogon kauderni)
2. Spotted Cardinalfish (Sphaeramia nematoptera)

Just some brief Ideas :-)

PH =)

[Ryan2003]

Thanks alot some people on other forums are telling me to get some damsels to help the cycle. Do you think this will be ok?

[HoopsGuru]

Thanks alot some people on other forums are telling me to get some damsels to help the cycle. Do you think this will be ok?

Whoever told you this engages in a rather archaic form of cycling a tank. It puts fish through a lot of stress, and damsels are not known to be great tankmates anyway...they are super aggressive. The easiest way would be to just toss in a few cocktail shrimp and let the tank do its thing. No cruelty and no tearing down the tank to get them out at the end either. :wink:

[Ryan2003]

I did have a freshwater tank for about a year so would these filters help cycle the tank?

[phistio]

what filters? the ones you had previously running on your FW tank? in my opinion, no! but what kind of filters are they?

[Ryan2003]

My aquaclear 300 Im looking to get more filters What ones do you recomend

[phistio]

i'm going to let some one else chime in here...

i'm an advocate for biological filtration, and see no reason (other than a skimmer) for any mechanical filters...JMO...

[Ryan2003]

O snap I forgot sorry I added 20 LBS of live sand to my tank also I realized it would be alot harder to do a reef so I think im gonna get a niger trigger snowflake eel I just ordered them offline

[Pineapple House]

O snap I forgot sorry I added 20 LBS of live sand to my tank also I realized it would be alot harder to do a reef so I think im gonna get a niger trigger snowflake eel I just ordered them offline

In that last quote, did you mean you just bought your fish?
if so, You and your fish are going to be in for a hard time :? You only barely started up your tank, and are going into all of this pretty fast. I'm afraid you might go into falure in your tank later on. While snowflake eels are fairly hardy, they are sensitive to water quality, and adding them to such a new tank could mean a lot of stress toward the eel. Adding the trigger on top of that might affect the sudden amount of bio load in your tank, cuasing a small/large ammonia spike in your tank. Triggers are again, sensitive to water quality. Although prove to be hardy when added to an asstablished tank. This is JMO! :-)

PH =)

[HoopsGuru]

I agree that you are going way to fast. Your tank is not even a month old and you are already trying to fully stock it. This is not the way to start livestock off to thrive and lead a full life. Best of luck, I honestly read threads like this and feel bummed out for the livestock. :(

[Ryan2003]

I was about to order them offline or at my LFS but it didnt work.My credit card wasnt valid so I went to my LFS and just got 4 4striped damsels. so how long should I leave them in here?

[Pineapple House]

Your Dascyllus melanurus (4 stripe damsels) will be quite agressive in your aquarium, and you will find them more a nusinse than a colorful, and hardy fish. They can be extremely agressive throughout their life, and most likely won't get along with other fish you put in the tank. When you say 'How long should I leave them in here,' it's really 'How long will it take me to catch them?' Once you are done cycling, you will likely want to take these fish out, for the fact that they are very agressive, and are killing eachother. I cannot stress enough about how hard these fish are to get out of the aquaria. This usually involves taking out most, if not all the rocks to catch these devils. To answer your question, they should be left in their as an aquarium pet. I find it cruel to buy a fish just to help cycle the tank, then flush/or take them back to the LFS once your done with 'em.

BTW- You should also learn the care requirements for this species of fish, if you don't already. Best if you feed them a mixture of foods; brine, shrimp, blood worms, algaes, squid, as well as flake.
This is copy and pasted from liveaquaria.com:

The 4-Stripe Damselfish, also known as Blacktail Dascyllus, Blacktail Damselfish, or Blacktail Humbug, is a popular fish. Three alternating black and white vertical bands make up the body coloration with a fourth black band ending at the tail.

A 30 gallon or larger aquarium with plenty of hiding places is suitable. Due to its aggressive behavior as an adult, it will do well in a community tank with other aggressive fish. It will not harm invertebrates or disturb the tank setting.

It will need a diet variety of meaty items, herbivore preparations, and flaked foods.

PH =)

[Sea Wraith]

Ryan I wouldnt add anything else to your tank for at least 4mos just to make sure it is established and to know that the biological bed is functioning well! As far as other filtration goes you could get an emporer 400 and add to your 75! I have an emporer 400 on my 75 gallon to aid in the undergravel filtration as well as the protein skimmer I have on it! I am an old school advocate of undergravel filtration because I have had such good luck with it in the past! Most people now days reccomend deep sand bed but Ive experienced too much heartache goin that route! Just make sure NOT TO ADD ANYTHING ELSE for a few monthes and then when you do start adding fish make sure to do it very slowly!!!!!! Also you need to make sure you are testing your water regularly just to track the cycling process of your tank if for nothing else!! Once all your levels are in check then you should be fine! Also remember the one inch of fish per 5 gallon rule with saltwaater fish! Your best bet is slow and steady and to have loads of patience!!!!!!!!! Too fast = lots of $$$$ down the toilet! I speak from experience!