What t stock tank with?

[pokerfish]

Hi guys,
I need some help with my options for stocking my 55 gallon tank. I have been adding rock for two months( about 10 pounds a week) and am up to almost 100 pounds.I am doing this on a budget so I am forced to be patient.The tank has been cycled as it ran empty for almost a year (no fish), and after i cleaned up from major algea bloom (it is stable but still has some nitrates to deal with)
I have 2 oscellaris clowns (who are doing really well) and about 1/3 of my CUC living in tank. I am waiting for my 216 watt 4 bulb t5 fixture to arrive.My question is this.
If I get my nitarates under control ( Im reading 40ppm, I know thats too high for corals and plan on doin some water changes to rectify), When I complete my CUC and get my parameters in check, my goal is to have a tank with some fish and start with some soft corals and maybe an anenome...are they compatible? Can anyone recomend some colorful yet easy to keep soft corals and (if possible and anenome)
Also how quickly can i stock corals...do I have to wait 3 weeks like fish? (i may anyway due to budget constraints) Any suggestions on some easy starter corals and entry level anenome? Also is it ok to have shaving brush algea in the display tank? I like its natural look and there are benefits to having algea right? Any green that I could add to display would be welcomed....thanks for your help....

 

[PRC]

There is no such thing as an easy anenome. You should wait for your tank to become very stable (at least a year) before adding an anenome. Anenome's are full of toxin, they like water to be perfect, if they die, you risk the chance of it releasing it's toxins into the water and it can kill everything in the tank.

As far as easy corals go.

Most people start with :
zoas.
palys
button polyps

and in general soft corals.

 

[Sir Alex]

216 watts seems kind of low (not sure). For corals I'm not exactly sure either. Here (I have the results narrowed to care level easy only) is a good place to see the different kinds of soft corals. About the anemone, seems like bubble tip anemones are fairly easy (as far as anemones go) and are clown friendly. The rose bubbly tip anemones look really cool (and cost 5 times more). When keeping corals with an anemone corals you have to make sure that they have their distance between each other or else the corals will get stung.

 

[little_fish]

No matter the nem, you need to wait at least a year to add one.

But some other good beginner corals are leathers and mushrooms. You can even add some mushrooms while you have nitrates, they dont seem to mind the nitrates as much.

They dont add to the bioload like fish do so you can corals as frequently and as much at one time as your pockets allow.

And that is plenty of light for corals, but on the lows side for nems and clams. They both require higher lighting. Like PRC said, the nems require absolutely perfect water conditions to survive, and they need stability, which very very few tanks have until they are a year old. They are one of the hardest animals to keep in this hobby and should not be stuck in any tanks with some considerations as to "is my water and light good enough to support long so that it wont nuke everything else"

 

[pokerfish]

All great advice...thanks...I am not married to the anenome idea, I don't think I am up to it...I'm sure that the soft corals will due just fine, and maybe my clowns will host to something...is the idea of a display algea, like the shaving brush, a no no...I turned my aqua clear 500 in to a mini fuge and have some cheato going in it, but i wouldnt mind seeing some natural green in my display tank...are there benefits and or drawbacks to algea in display? You guys are awesome, and I thank you for your patience with my newbie questions...:bowdown:

 

[little_fish]

Opps, sorry i forgot to answer that!

There are tons of beautiful macro algaes you can put in your DT. And shaving brush is a great one! I would personally steer away from any in the cauplara (sp?) family. They can go sexual which can be a total disaster, and they are very aggressive and can over run your corals. I would also stay away from ones like halimeda that use calcium if you have lots of stony corals. But if you are just sticking with the softies for now, then they would add some beautiful color (there are many that are various shades of red and purple) and shape to your tank. Plus they help filter the water, which is always a plus.

an excellent place to get pretty macro algaes is reefcleaners.org. Plus i think you get a discount for being a memeber on here.

Later i will try and put up some pics of a guy who lives in my tank that has all sort of beautiful algaes in his tank.

 

[BL1]

Certain macro algaes can become nuisance algae quickly in your display. If you go the ReefCleaners.org | Clean Up Crews and Macro Algae - Home they have a pretty good selection of algae there and his descriptions will tell you if it can become a nuisance in the long run.

 

[pokerfish]

I will check out Reefcleaners for sure...thanks, as always, for the great advice...it's nice to get pointed in the right direction, I have went down the wrong path many times before finding you guys (some pre internet, yes thats right...there was a world before the internet) and it's great to have a place to ask the sometimes obvious questions, and get directed on where to follow up...thanks again I salute you! :Cheers:

 

[AmberSunrise]

I order all my stuff from TampaBay Saltwater he ships right to you and he gives you lots of extras! The prices are way cheaper than corals at the local store too.

You can order "plants" from him for $6 bucks and he will send you bags of surprise goodies all kinds of trees and plants.

I also ordered lots of colorful sponges from him as well that do not require special lights but really brighten up your tank.

 

[pokerfish]

Thanks Amber, I did your hang on back conversion to minifuge with my aquaclear 500...probably too small a fuge for a 55 gallon but better than a hang on back nitrate factory...I have to admit I am anxious and feel naked with only a protien skimmer for mechanical filtration (old freshwater habits die hard)...but I am going to trust the advice of those with more experience than I...