Ole G but still a Newbie

[pudge_167]

Hello all and I look forward to your help and talking with all of you on here.

Just a quick background on me, I grew up with my dad always having fish only tanks with almost nothing but trigger fish, those things are still my first fish love. This was in the 90s so technology obviously has cam a long way since then. My first tank was in 2002 and was an attempt at a reef tank; it was 55 gallon and did quite well for what little I knew back then. Had several cool corals and fish but everything died in one day, I still suspect something got poured in my tank during a house party I had during college. The last tank I had I did a Red Sea Max 130 all in one tank in 2012. This did well but looking back I did not have the time to dedicate to this tank at the time and lost interest due to other hobbies.

So with all of that long nonsense out of the way it brings me to the present 2018 and what I want to do or should I say what my wife wants me to do. We own a salon and she is remodeling at the end of the year and wants me to put her in a reef tank in her sitting/processing area for clients to enjoy and keep kids entertained as well.  I asked her last night what her goal was for this tank and I got it needs to be bright colors and fun.

I have found out that technology has come SO far in the last 8 years and I think I want to go with a Coralife 32 Bio Cube with LED. I want to have 4 or 5 fish including a pair of maroon clowns as I have always found them fun for people to interact with. The other fish will just need to be fun and active according to her. I want a small cleaning crew of snails, shrimp and crabs.  I have old live rock, that is now dead,  that I will be cleaning and seasoning starting this weekend to be used.

I come here to ask for your help in planning this tank and want to use that and my knowledge base and have a cool build thread for everyone to follow and give feedback.

Am I on the right track? Can you guys help me design a tank that is easy to care for and entertaining? I know that it will take work to make this thing function well and I am going to teach my wife along the way so she can have her tank and then one day since she has hers I can have my dream tank at the house even though I am not sure what that is yet.

I am sorry for this long post and hope it doesn’t turn anyone off but I am in college mode right now as I just finished two papers so I wanted to explain everything really good. I am looking forward to any and all help. Thanks!!!!

[vlangel]

Hi pudge and welcome back to reefing!  It seems like you are on the right track.  Maroon clown can become pretty nasty as far as biting any hands that enter the tank.  Mated pairs are even worse, or at least the female is.  I would add the maroons last after other fish has settled in so they don't kill their roommates.

 

Have you checked out some of the softie coral tanks on here?  There are some beauties and in a buisness that might be the easiest to care for.  Ricordia can add the 'colorful' and blennies, jawfish or shrimp can add the 'fun'.

[Pjanssen]

first, .

I might be concerned about odor/vapors from a salon contaminating a tank. I'm not sure on this but I think it's worth a little research to see if anyone has any experience with it-just a suggestion.

Maroon clowns are some of the largest of the aquarium clowns and 2 in a 32 cube along with other fish is probably not a good idea. Ocelaris and True Percula would be a better choice.

Check out threads for bc 29's and 32's for more ideas.

[Clown79]

2 hours ago, Pjanssen said:

first, .

I might be concerned about odor/vapors from a salon contaminating a tank. I'm not sure on this but I think it's worth a little research to see if anyone has any experience with it-just a suggestion.

Maroon clowns are some of the largest of the aquarium clowns and 2 in a 32 cube along with other fish is probably not a good idea. Ocelaris and True Percula would be a better choice.

Check out threads for bc 29's and 32's for more ideas.

That was my first concern was the odours and vapors from all the chemicals used in processing colour and perms.

 

 

For a business tank, I would keep it very simple because often times there isn't the time available to put into the care.

 

I would stick with easy fish that don't have special needs and soft corals.

 

Maroon clowns are very aggressive. Ocellaris would be the better option.

 

Blennies, bangaii cardinal, royal gramma would be good options.

 

In a 32g 4-5 smallish fish is about all you can do.

 

For corals, mushrooms, leathers, xenia, gsp, are hardy and easy to care for.