setting up a 30-gallon aquarium

[DuskFox9]

Hey guys, just wondering about stocking a 30 US gallon aquarium. I was thinking of something like this:

- Bi-colour or flame dwarf angelfish, which one do you guys think would work better?
- A common clownfish, I'm not really sure of the correct name for it, but you know the one I mean.
- A purple firefish, I think that's how you spell it, not firtideflow like I said before.
- A flame hawkfish, I've heard they're pretty cool.
- A royal gramma, they seem like a nice addition.

Is this overstocking the tank, or does it sound okay to you guys?

[coral8]

That would be maxing it out, what's your filtration setup like - got a sump or refugium in the mix?

[DuskFox9]

That would be maxing it out, what's your filtration setup like - got a sump or refugium in the mix?

I'm still in the planning stages, so I haven't decided on filtration yet. If I can get my hands on live rock and RO water, I'll probably go for a FOWLR setup. Otherwise, I'm looking at wet/dry or external filters, though there's not much info out there, making it tough to research. No plans for a sump or refugium at this point.

[coral8]

Hey guys, just wondering about stocking a 30 US gallon aquarium. I was thinking of something like this:

- Bi-colour or flame dwarf angelfish, which one do you guys think would work better?
- A common clownfish, I'm not really sure of the correct name for it, but you know the one I mean.
- A purple firefish, I think that's how you spell it, not firtideflow like I said before.
- A flame hawkfish, I've heard they're pretty cool.
- A royal gramma, they seem like a nice addition.

Is this overstocking the tank, or does it sound okay to you guys?

I'd still be in the planning stages, but I've been thinking - if I can get my hands on live rock and RO water, I'll probably go for a FOWLR setup. If not, I'm considering a wet/dry or external filter, but there's not much info out there, so it's been tough going. No sump or refugium on the cards for now.

[DuskFox9]

I've got a spare 2x1x1 glass tank lying around, I'm pretty sure I could rig that up as a sump if needed.

If I had to, I'd consider running the tank with just a filter - it wouldn't be ideal, but it's better than nothing. If I went that route, I'd probably stick to a few hardy fish like a clown, a dartfish, a royal gramma, and maybe one other. I know it's not the best setup, but I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get some saltwater fish up and running.

[coral8]

Yeah, it's definitely doable to run a marine tank with just an external filter, but if you're planning on stocking it heavier, a sump would be a better choice for the extra water volume. Personally, I think a sump is a good idea regardless of your stocking, but I know that's not always an option for everyone. So, if you don't have a sump, you might want to consider scaling back the fish count by one or two, depending on their size.

[DuskFox9]

That would be maxing it out, what's your filtration setup like - got a sump or refugium in the mix?

Thanks for the quick responses and advice. I'm glad I can easily add a sump since I already have the tank, it'll give me an extra 10 gallons of water. Now I'm just trying to figure out the best way to get water to the sump without drilling the tank. I vaguely remember reading about a plastic thing - I think it's an overflow - that you can attach to the side of the tank, which pulls water down to the sump, and then you use a pump for the return. But what if the overflow stops working and the pump keeps going? Won't that cause the main tank to overflow?

[coral8]

I've got experience with an overflow box on my current tank, and I gotta say, I wish I'd drilled the thing from the start. My next tank's getting drilled, so don't rule that option out just yet.

If the overflow stops working, the pump'll keep going, and you'll end up with a dry sump and an overflowing tank. Not ideal, but it's not the end of the world either. When I first set mine up, I was paranoid about it, but it's never been an issue.

I've had power outages plenty of times, and the pump shuts off. The water keeps flowing into the overflow until it drops too low, then it stops. The excess water goes into the sump, and everything's fine. The overflow's retained its flow every time the pump's been turned off, so you don't need to worry about that.

The only way I can think of the overflow stopping is if the box or tube gets physically blocked. Check out this basic overflow box I found: drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=18358

[DuskFox9]

Thanks so much for all your help, I really appreciate it. You've been super helpful and I'm glad I can pick your brain. I'm definitely going to be a bit paranoid for the first month, I can already imagine myself checking the tank every few minutes to make sure everything is running smoothly.

I've been thinking about the stocking again and I was wondering if this mix would work. I've changed my mind about a few things, I think I've got a better idea now. So, I was thinking of getting a clownfish, are they okay on their own or do they need a partner? Then I'd like to get a purple or red firtideflow, not sure which one yet. I've also been looking at a 6 line wrasse, I'd add it last to the tank. And of course, I still want a royal gramma.

I've decided against the dwarf angelfish I mentioned earlier, there's already a lot of red and orange fish on my list so I thought a yellow fish would be a nice addition. I'm thinking of a citrus peel dwarf angelfish instead. And I've ruled out the hawkfish, I've read they're better suited to a reef setup. What do you think, would this mix work?

[craftyx]

A 30 gallon tank, I've been there and done that, and to be honest, I didn't have much success. My 50 gallon tank has been a completely different story, it's been much more productive and easier to manage.

I think my main issue with the 30 gallon was overstocking, I just couldn't resist adding more fish. But I've learned from my mistakes and I'd definitely recommend being more cautious when it comes to stocking a smaller tank.

The six-lined wrasse and slippery dick wrasse are definitely some of the hardiest fish I've come across, they're probably twice as hardy as some of the more common damsel species.