Mixed Reef or Reef From a Specific Region

[Larry the Lobster]

Hello I have a thirty long tank with only two percula clown fish should I make my reef a mixed reef or a indo-pasific reef. 

[OPtasia]

Neither until you make an investment in the right kinds of lighting, filtration and testing equipment. If you can describe your entire tank setup, we can help you better with suggestions on what to get and which direction to go in. 

[Larry the Lobster]

12 minutes ago, OPtasia said:

Neither until you make an investment in the right kinds of lighting, filtration and testing equipment. If you can describe your entire tank setup, we can help you better with suggestions on what to get and which direction to go in. 

Sorry for not including that first but I have an AI prime hd light I have a protein skimmer 2 filter socks 2 bags of carbon and amonia sponge bag to prevent an amonia spike when I am on vacation and I dose bacteria every 15 days as my lfs told me my amonia is at zero and my nitrite is too I started off with life rock from Carib sea. I am willing to do water changes as often as once a week I also have a small CUP I am also planing on getting a sand sifter goby 

 

ps I have an ato

[OPtasia]

I'm looking at the specs on your light. At max output you're looking at 100 PAR dead center under the light at a depth of 24". That should be enough light for hardier SPS and LPS corals and definitely would be fine for softies. Since this is a 30 long, i'd suggest keeping your corals closer to the center of the tank than on the sides and edges. PAR values drop off pretty quick the more distance they get from the center of your lights.

 

You won't need the ammonia sponge at all if your tank is cycled properly. In fact, most biological filter media creates an over-saturation of nitrates in the water column. If you find you're having a constant battle to get your nitrates below 10ppm, consider removing your bio media. Your reef substrate and rock work should provide all of the biological filtration your tank needs. I would make sure that all of your levels are stable and low for a few weeks before introducing corals. You also won't need to keep dosing bacteria to your tank once it's cycled out. Carbon is fine for removing organics. Just remember to replace it with fresh carbon every month or so. I prefer a combination of purigen and phos-guard but a lot of people use Chemi-pure elite because it contains carbon and GFO in it.  Wash out your filter socks weekly or bi-weekly if you feed those fish a lot. 

 

Considering your setup, i'd probably go with hardy soft corals (zoanthus, leathers, mushrooms, etc.) initially for a few months until you see how well they do. If they're thriving and growing, consider adding some hardy LPS corals like blastomussa and/or acan corals. You really don't have strong enough lights for most SPS corals although you might be able to get away with something very forgiving, such as seriatopora or pocillopora and/or an encrusting leptoseris or monti of some sort. Those will need to be placed way up high in the center right under the lights.

 

Go slow. Pace yourself. Do water changes with RO/DI water and a good salt mix weekly. Make sure you're completely cycled and have gone through any diatom and/or cyano outbreaks. When you start to see algae, introduce your clean up crew. I like a mix of snails such as ceriths, trochus and maybe a nice sand tiger conch if you have a sandy substrate. Test your water with the right test kits: Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, calcium, alkalinity and magnesium. Get your levels stable using 2 part, kalkwasser or your preferred dosing methods.

 

Good target levels:

Ammonia: 0

NitrITE: 0

Nitrate : <10 ppm (5 ppm is a good sweet spot)

Calcium: 420

Alk: 9 dKH

Magnesium: 1350

 

When it's all nice and stable for a few weeks consecutively, THEN add your hardy soft corals and see how they do. Patience in this hobby is key.

[Larry the Lobster]

19 minutes ago, OPtasia said:

I'm looking at the specs on your light. At max output you're looking at 100 PAR dead center under the light at a depth of 24". That should be enough light for hardier SPS and LPS corals and definitely would be fine for softies. Since this is a 30 long, i'd suggest keeping your corals closer to the center of the tank than on the sides and edges. PAR values drop off pretty quick the more distance they get from the center of your lights.

 

You won't need the ammonia sponge at all if your tank is cycled properly. In fact, most biological filter media creates an over-saturation of nitrates in the water column. If you find you're having a constant battle to get your nitrates below 10ppm, consider removing your bio media. Your reef substrate and rock work should provide all of the biological filtration your tank needs. I would make sure that all of your levels are stable and low for a few weeks before introducing corals. You also won't need to keep dosing bacteria to your tank once it's cycled out. Carbon is fine for removing organics. Just remember to replace it with fresh carbon every month or so. I prefer a combination of purigen and phos-guard but a lot of people use Chemi-pure elite because it contains carbon and GFO in it.  Wash out your filter socks weekly or bi-weekly if you feed those fish a lot. 

 

Considering your setup, i'd probably go with hardy soft corals (zoanthus, leathers, mushrooms, etc.) initially for a few months until you see how well they do. If they're thriving and growing, consider adding some hardy LPS corals like blastomussa and/or acan corals. You really don't have strong enough lights for most SPS corals although you might be able to get away with something very forgiving, such as seriatopora or pocillopora and/or an encrusting leptoseris or monti of some sort. Those will need to be placed way up high in the center right under the lights.

 

Go slow. Pace yourself. Do water changes with RO/DI water and a good salt mix weekly. Make sure you're completely cycled and have gone through any diatom and/or cyano outbreaks. When you start to see algae, introduce your clean up crew. I like a mix of snails such as ceriths, trochus and maybe a nice sand tiger conch if you have a sandy substrate. Test your water with the right test kits: Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, calcium, alkalinity and magnesium. Get your levels stable using 2 part, kalkwasser or your preferred dosing methods.

 

Good target levels:

Ammonia: 0

NitrITE: 0

Nitrate : <10 ppm (5 ppm is a good sweet spot)

Calcium: 420

Alk: 9 dKH

Magnesium: 1350

 

When it's all nice and stable for a few weeks consecutively, THEN add your hardy soft corals and see how they do. Patience in this hobby is key.

Thank you I will definitely monitor my tank before adding any corals or a nem. 

But what about fish I want something different and colorful 

[OPtasia]

Well, I wouldn't do the sand sifter goby or anything like a jawfish just yet. They need a substrate that's full of algae, detritus and pods before you can keep one successfully. Besides, they startle easily and are known jumpers. For now, you'd be better off with cerith snails and a tiger conch and a good gravel vac to get the detritus out of your substrate with your water changes.

 

As to other fish, there are so many to choose from. A 30 gallon nano has a little more room to play with in the fish department. Here's a link to some recommended fish choices based on the size of your nano: 

 

[Larry the Lobster]

Thank you for the info I will wait to get a sand sifter because they are so fun to watch. But for now I dont think I will need more snails because I have 2 nassarius  and two olive snails. 

[jambon]

As far as your original question.. it

Is a personal preference... I have fish from the carribean and Pacific.corals from who knows where. They all get along most of the time. It would be nice to put together a mixed reef from a certain area all though it would be hard to resist a nice acan from àustralia in a carribean setup....

[Larry the Lobster]

19 hours ago, jambon said:

As far as your original question.. it

Is a personal preference... I have fish from the carribean and Pacific.corals from who knows where. They all get along most of the time. It would be nice to put together a mixed reef from a certain area all though it would be hard to resist a nice acan from àustralia in a carribean setup....

I agree on my fish list I have the fish from the Indian ocean and the west pacific but as of corals I think I will get what looks nice.