seeking guidance on marine fish for beginners
seeking guidance on marine fish for beginners
I've just ordered the Orca Lynxo Reef Aquarium TL450 and I'd really appreciate any tips you guys can offer. I've had experience with Tropical Fish before, but I'm new to Marine Fish and I'm excited to give it a go. For my first fish, I'm considering a Royal Gramma - I saw one today and it's stunning, but I'm not sure if it's a good choice for a beginner. Can anyone recommend some good starter fish? Also, I'd love to get some corals, so any suggestions on those would be great. Any advice for a newbie like me would be fantastic, thanks.
Re: seeking guidance on marine fish for beginners
I was wondering about the tank size, how much water does the Orca Lynxo Reef Aquarium TL450 hold?
The Royal Gramma you mentioned looks like a great choice - they're pretty hardy and can thrive in most marine tanks. I've heard they're good eaters and if you get a couple of small ones, they might even form a pair and breed. Small blennies and gobies also do well in smaller tanks, and you can even keep shrimp and some starfish.
As for corals, they need bright lighting, so it depends on the lighting setup you have. Most corals require a couple of fluoros with a Kelvin rating between 6,000K and 14,000K - 10,000K is ideal. They also prefer to be attached to or sitting on limestone rock. You can buy live rock from marine shops, which is rock taken from a coral reef. This can be used to build up a reef in the tank and attach the corals to it. Alternatively, you can use limestone or sandstone from a beach, but make sure it's clean and not from a protected area.
Corals also need good water movement, but not directly at them. You might need a couple of water pumps or powerheads to achieve this. I've heard good things about Tunze's programmable powerheads, but they are pricey and you need to buy the control box separately.
The Royal Gramma you mentioned looks like a great choice - they're pretty hardy and can thrive in most marine tanks. I've heard they're good eaters and if you get a couple of small ones, they might even form a pair and breed. Small blennies and gobies also do well in smaller tanks, and you can even keep shrimp and some starfish.
As for corals, they need bright lighting, so it depends on the lighting setup you have. Most corals require a couple of fluoros with a Kelvin rating between 6,000K and 14,000K - 10,000K is ideal. They also prefer to be attached to or sitting on limestone rock. You can buy live rock from marine shops, which is rock taken from a coral reef. This can be used to build up a reef in the tank and attach the corals to it. Alternatively, you can use limestone or sandstone from a beach, but make sure it's clean and not from a protected area.
Corals also need good water movement, but not directly at them. You might need a couple of water pumps or powerheads to achieve this. I've heard good things about Tunze's programmable powerheads, but they are pricey and you need to buy the control box separately.
Re: seeking guidance on marine fish for beginners
Hi coltin,
Thanks for the advice, I really appreciate you taking the time to help me out. Your input has been a massive help, especially with the live rock - I was thinking of collecting from the beach but I'm a bit worried about potential contamination, so I'll try to find a local shop that sells it instead. The other fish you mentioned, like the blenny and goby, sound like great options, I'll definitely look into them.
Thanks for the advice, I really appreciate you taking the time to help me out. Your input has been a massive help, especially with the live rock - I was thinking of collecting from the beach but I'm a bit worried about potential contamination, so I'll try to find a local shop that sells it instead. The other fish you mentioned, like the blenny and goby, sound like great options, I'll definitely look into them.
Re: seeking guidance on marine fish for beginners
I'm relatively new to marine tanks myself, so I can understand your concerns. One thing I've learned is that marine tanks can be overstocked more easily than freshwater, and they do require more work - especially with water changes, as you have to consider specific gravity.
Live rock is crucial, and it's recommended to have at least 1 pound of live rock per gallon of water. I've read that the ideal range is between 1 and 1.75 pounds per gallon, but I'm not sure if you can have too much.
When it comes to stocking, most people recommend 1 inch of fish per 5 gallons of water. You can get away with a bit more, but the more you push it, the more you need to monitor your water quality.
Lighting is also vital, especially for coflakes and plants. As coltin mentioned, coflakes need bright light, so you'll need to consider this when setting up your tank.
If you're planning to keep coflakes, you'll need 'reef-safe' fish that won't harm your coflakes or other inverts. I've found a great resource at www.liveaquaria.com - they label their fish as 'reef-safe' or not, and they also have a marine compatibility chart to help you choose compatible fish. Having coflakes will limit your fish options, as I've learned with my own tank.
One fish that I think is partially 'reef-safe' is the snowflake eel. I've kept them with coflakes, feather dusters, and other inverts without any issues. However, they will eat crabs and crayfish, so be careful with those. My eels also leave my fish alone, even the small ones. I feed them mainly cocktail shrimp.
Sumps and refugiums are also important to consider with saltwater tanks. I use them in my freshwater tanks too, but they're especially useful for saltwater. I've got some videos on my YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/earthling1984) that explain refugiums, sumps, and overflow boxes.
Feel free to ask me any questions you have, either here or via PM.
Live rock is crucial, and it's recommended to have at least 1 pound of live rock per gallon of water. I've read that the ideal range is between 1 and 1.75 pounds per gallon, but I'm not sure if you can have too much.
When it comes to stocking, most people recommend 1 inch of fish per 5 gallons of water. You can get away with a bit more, but the more you push it, the more you need to monitor your water quality.
Lighting is also vital, especially for coflakes and plants. As coltin mentioned, coflakes need bright light, so you'll need to consider this when setting up your tank.
If you're planning to keep coflakes, you'll need 'reef-safe' fish that won't harm your coflakes or other inverts. I've found a great resource at www.liveaquaria.com - they label their fish as 'reef-safe' or not, and they also have a marine compatibility chart to help you choose compatible fish. Having coflakes will limit your fish options, as I've learned with my own tank.
One fish that I think is partially 'reef-safe' is the snowflake eel. I've kept them with coflakes, feather dusters, and other inverts without any issues. However, they will eat crabs and crayfish, so be careful with those. My eels also leave my fish alone, even the small ones. I feed them mainly cocktail shrimp.
Sumps and refugiums are also important to consider with saltwater tanks. I use them in my freshwater tanks too, but they're especially useful for saltwater. I've got some videos on my YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/earthling1984) that explain refugiums, sumps, and overflow boxes.
Feel free to ask me any questions you have, either here or via PM.
Re: seeking guidance on marine fish for beginners
I can understand your concern about collecting from the beach, but I've heard it's generally okay. If you're still worried about contamination, you could give the rock a good clean - maybe even boil it to be extra safe. Either way, you'll need to cure the rock before adding it to your tank, but once that's done, it should be fine.
I've looked into buying live rock from a local shop, and it seems to be around $5.50 to $7.50 per pound, depending on the type. You can also find it online, but shipping costs will add up. The benefit of buying from a store is that you get fully cured, ready-to-go live rock, which can help your tank get set up and cycled faster. I've heard that using real, from-sea live rock can also give you this benefit, despite some people thinking it's a bad idea.
I've looked into buying live rock from a local shop, and it seems to be around $5.50 to $7.50 per pound, depending on the type. You can also find it online, but shipping costs will add up. The benefit of buying from a store is that you get fully cured, ready-to-go live rock, which can help your tank get set up and cycled faster. I've heard that using real, from-sea live rock can also give you this benefit, despite some people thinking it's a bad idea.
Re: seeking guidance on marine fish for beginners
Thanks heaps for all your help, I really appreciate it. My tank's arriving tomorrow morning and I'm getting super stoked, but I want to make sure I do everything right from the start. I'm guessing I'll be asking a heap of questions over the next few days.
Once the tank's all set up, I was thinking of filling it with tap water - is that the right thing to do? I've been told to add stress coat to get rid of the chlorine, which sounds like a good idea. How do I mix in the salt, though - do I do it before I put the water in the tank, or after? And how do I know how much salt to add - I know it's probably a pretty basic question, but I just want to get it right.
After that, do I just wait a few days to test the water, or is there something else I need to do?
Once the tank's all set up, I was thinking of filling it with tap water - is that the right thing to do? I've been told to add stress coat to get rid of the chlorine, which sounds like a good idea. How do I mix in the salt, though - do I do it before I put the water in the tank, or after? And how do I know how much salt to add - I know it's probably a pretty basic question, but I just want to get it right.
After that, do I just wait a few days to test the water, or is there something else I need to do?
Re: seeking guidance on marine fish for beginners
Tap water isn't ideal for keeping corals and controlling algae, I'd recommend using reverse osmosis (RO) water instead. Once you've got your water source sorted, focus on getting the salt levels and temperature right. After that, you can add live rock, which should kick-start your cycle - the speed of this process will depend on how cured the live rock is and the flow in your tank.
When setting up the tank for the first time, you can mix the salt directly in the tank. Just add the required amount, as indicated on the salt packet, and your powerheads will help dissolve it into the water more quickly. For future water changes, you'll need to pre-mix the salt in a separate container.
You can usually find pre-mixed RO salt at aquatic shops that specialize in marine aquariums.
By the way, I think a good small powerhead is the Hydor Koralia Nano - I'm not sure if the Orca comes with a built-in flow system, but this one's a good option to consider.
When setting up the tank for the first time, you can mix the salt directly in the tank. Just add the required amount, as indicated on the salt packet, and your powerheads will help dissolve it into the water more quickly. For future water changes, you'll need to pre-mix the salt in a separate container.
You can usually find pre-mixed RO salt at aquatic shops that specialize in marine aquariums.
By the way, I think a good small powerhead is the Hydor Koralia Nano - I'm not sure if the Orca comes with a built-in flow system, but this one's a good option to consider.
Re: seeking guidance on marine fish for beginners
I really appreciate all the help I've been getting, my tank is due to arrive in the morning and I'm getting super excited but I want to make sure I do everything correctly. I'll probably be asking a lot of questions, so bear with me. Once the tank is all set up, I was planning on filling it with tap water - does that sound right? I was also advised to add stress coat to remove the chlorine, is that necessary?
When it comes to mixing in the salt, I'm a bit unsure - do I add it to the water before putting it in the tank or after? And how do I know how much salt to add? I know it's probably a pretty basic question, but I just want to get it right.
I've been told that I should let the tank cycle for a few days before testing the water, is that correct? I just want to make sure I'm following the right steps to get my tank up and running smoothly.
When it comes to mixing in the salt, I'm a bit unsure - do I add it to the water before putting it in the tank or after? And how do I know how much salt to add? I know it's probably a pretty basic question, but I just want to get it right.
I've been told that I should let the tank cycle for a few days before testing the water, is that correct? I just want to make sure I'm following the right steps to get my tank up and running smoothly.
Re: seeking guidance on marine fish for beginners
Thanks for all your help, I must say it's reassuring to hear from people with experience in this area. I'm glad I can finally make a start and see how things go. I've got a better understanding now, so I'll just get on with it and not rush out to buy stress coat.
My tank is 58 litres, which I believe is roughly 13 gallons. I'm just wondering, how long would you say the tank needs to cycle before I can add any fish or other creatures to it? I've heard it's a few weeks, but I'm not sure.
I'm also a bit confused about the powerhead - why do I need one to increase the flow? Is this because of the coflakes, or is it just a general requirement for marine tanks? And, I know this is probably a really obvious question, but what does RO stand for? I've seen it mentioned a few times, but I'm not sure what it refers to.
Thanks again for all your advice, it's really appreciated.
My tank is 58 litres, which I believe is roughly 13 gallons. I'm just wondering, how long would you say the tank needs to cycle before I can add any fish or other creatures to it? I've heard it's a few weeks, but I'm not sure.
I'm also a bit confused about the powerhead - why do I need one to increase the flow? Is this because of the coflakes, or is it just a general requirement for marine tanks? And, I know this is probably a really obvious question, but what does RO stand for? I've seen it mentioned a few times, but I'm not sure what it refers to.
Thanks again for all your advice, it's really appreciated.
Re: seeking guidance on marine fish for beginners
When it comes to adding fish and other creatures to your tank, I'd say wait at least two weeks - I know, it's tough, but it's worth it. A couple of days before you plan on adding your first fish, start monitoring the water quality by testing with paper strips or liquid tests - liquid tests are better, but the strips will do the trick. As long as your levels are good - ammonia at zero, nitrite at zero, and nitrate below 40 - you're good to go. Start with a less expensive fish and leave it in there for a bit, at least a week or more. Keep an eye on the water conditions during this time, and once you get multiple days of good test results, you can add your second fish. Then, just keep adding fish, coflakes, and other creatures slowly.depths wrote: ↑Mon Feb 24, 2025 10:45 pm I've just ordered the Orca Lynxo Reef Aquarium TL450 and I'd really appreciate any tips you guys can offer. I've had experience with Tropical Fish before, but I'm new to Marine Fish and I'm excited to give it a go. For my first fish, I'm considering a Royal Gramma - I saw one today and it's stunning, but I'm not sure if it's a good choice for a beginner. Can anyone recommend some good starter fish? Also, I'd love to get some corals, so any suggestions on those would be great. Any advice for a newbie like me would be fantastic, thanks.
A powerhead is a must for water flow - most fish, especially saltwater fish, love having good water movement. And yeah, it's even more important for coflakes and other small coflake-like creatures. If you're doing a fish-only tank, you can get away with less or smaller powerheads, but if you want lots of coflakes, don't skimp on the powerheads.
As for "RO" water, it stands for Reverse Osmosis water - basically, it's super-purified water. I've never used RO water myself, but I know some people swear by it. Hopefully, someone who uses it can chime in and explain its benefits.