54 gallon perc tank

[Joe Reefer]

All I am saying is once that certain coral or anemone catches your eye you'll be hooked.
Strong light is also healthy to the fish. IMO

[dunl]

Hooked doesn't mean I'm going to go about it stupid, though.

[reeferaddict]

Intense light is the key to keeping an anemone... they also like good flow... and clean water... so I second what Ruth says... (go overkill on those three and take it from a guy with a shed full of junk),but they'll move to where they like the best.... Perc's like groups... I have 4 in my 135 and at night they all huddle into my ever expanding rittieri ... It appears that they've even split into two mated pairs, as two have grown a fair bit larger than the other two and they always seem to be paired up with one of the smaller ones... but they all get along fine... Maroons and most other clowns DO however need to be kept singly or in mated pairs... regardless of what you may see at the LFS. With NO lighting I predict your anemone will wither away and die within a month... just my two bits.

[dunl]

I'm not planning to get an anemone. If I do in the future, I would get proper lighting at the time, before I purchased the anemone.


Does anyone have any other suggestions for a 54 gallon bowfront with a pair of percs, the original lighting, and no anemones or corals.

I believe that's what we call a FOWLR setup, as previously mentioned?

[Renegade]

I would highly recommend lights, regardless ifs its a FOWLR tank. One of the things that IMO makes a reef is the bright crisp light. I started with a 44 gal corner tank with a 20" coralite fixture. Of course now i want brighter but am not sinking anymore money into this tank. I am now setting up a 120 going all out on it but thats not my point. With my corner i have two anemones, a bubble tip, and a long tentacle anemone. They are both doing very well. My tank stocks 2 paired percs. currently guarding there 3 batch of eggs, a yellow tang, a 6 line wrasse, a sunrise dottyback and a mandarin dragonet.

How ever if i were in your shoe's I would take that chance to do things "right" from the beginning. You will want a coral or an anemone at some point because you may find something your really like or simply because can’t have one. But fine You’re doing a FOWLR tank, don’t forget your LR wants light too. For me anyways the whole point of the LR (besides filtration) is looks. I want a reef in my bedroom. I want it to be covered in coralline algae and feather busters little bits of coral that grows on the rock. That’s why you pay so much for it. You don’t have to go out and buy coral to get it in your tank a lot of your LR will be covered in things.

I’d just really take the advice of some of these guys (and girls) seriously. some of them have been doing this along time and know what there talking about and don't be a smartass with comments like:

"does anyone have any other suggestions for a 54 gallon bowfront with a pair of percs, the original lighting, and no anemones or corals.

I believe that's what we call a FOWLR setup, as previously mentioned? "

I’m not trying to start a fight I just thought that was a little rude. You asked for peoples 2 cents and they gave it to you. To be honest i think your missing the point of a FOWLR tank.

But thats JMO

If you want advice on how to set up your tank well then. As mentioned above get an asortment of rock. I bought 10 ponds here and there finding the right pieces for my aquascaping. i let it cycle and started to slowly add fish. I gave my tank a fairly deep sandbed which is a debate that will go one forever. Bare bottom or sand bed. I made fiends with guys from J&L's got advice and help when needed. I almost never shop anywhere else. They have been great and will probly always have me my main fish store. The main thing i can say is go slow, read your gonna make mistakes but IMO thats how you learn. Well keep us posted with your tank.

Kyle

[Majestic_Aquariums]

Good luck with the new tank Darcy!

We have had a few discussions in regards to what his lighting needs are; now, and into the future when he decides to get into corals/anemonies, and Darcy is well aware of what will be needed down the road for MH should he go this route.

[dunl]

As Rob mentioned, we have discussed lighting for this tank for the now, and in the future. I'm well aware of what is needed for the lighting.

I’m not trying to start a fight I just thought that was a little rude.You asked for peoples 2 cents and they gave it to you.

I'm not trying to start a fight, or be rude (that's why I toss in the smilies ), but this thread is turning into a "lighting" or equipment thread. I've never asked about equipment, specifically lighting. Rather....

I'm looking for ideas on landscaping (high, low, spread out???), tankmates, cleaner crew, etc.

I'm well aware that there is a wealth of experience on here. However, being a cichlid guy, to me it's like asking for specific advice on breeding a species of cichlid, only to get 10 responses on how and why you should cycle your tank first, and not bring the fish home from the store and dump them in an unfiltered tank.

It's kind of hard not to shake my head when most of the suggestions here (although really very useful ones) focus on something completely different that I haven't asked about. I'm simply looking for ideas on how people have or would set up the interior of a 54 bowfront housed with at the least, pair of perculas, no anemone. Tankmates, landscaping, cleaner crew, etc. What would you put in it.

Maybe it's my fault for not being specific enough in the beginning, so perhaps I should just start a new thread?

I take each and every response I get for full thought, but if we could stick to the information I'm actually seeking, that would be great.

[Richer]

Looking for a bit more info on your part... do you plan on putting in a sandbed? If so, how deep? How much LR are you planning on putting into this tank?

I've always wanted to put a goby of some sort and pistol shrimp into my tank... but never was able to, seeing how I've always needed to keep BB tanks due to the amount and direction of flow that I've had in my tanks. I find watching a pistol shrimp and goby interact to be very interesting. Another fish that I've always liked were algae blennies. Just make sure you try to train it onto nori asap, or there's a chance it may not find enough food on your rocks and slowly starve to death. A sixline wrasse would be a nice choice... they're tough, colourful, and IME easy to train onto prepared foods. Just make sure to add those fish last to your tank. I've read quite a few stories of sixlines beating on newcomers.

-Rich

[muck]

Darcy,

If it were my tank I would..

As far as aquascaping goes...

• stack the rock along the outside of the tank making sure there is an abundance of nooks and crannys that fish could swim through. Then in the middle I would place a rock or two to create a small island surrounded by sand.

As for a livestock list..

• I really like my Yellow Coris Wrasse. Great splash of color and always cruising the tank in the open.

• I would also suggest a dwarf angel. They won't grow so big as to outgrow your tank but are really attractive and really add to the tank.

• I will also second Richer's suggestion of a Lawnmower Blenny. Very neat little fish and will help keep your tank clean.

Cleaning crew..

• Cleaner Shrimp! They have to be the coolest critters. Mine will jump onto my hand almost as soon as I put it in the tank and start cleaning away. Mine also seem to be quite active as well.

• I would also get an assortment of snails. Trochus, Turbo, Astrea. I would stay away from the Margarita snails though as they are really a cooler water snail and don't seem to adapt as well to our tanks.

• Hermits.. Well thats a personal choice. Many people with reefs don't like them as they can be some what of a PITA. Moving corals around, knocking stuff over, attacking their snails. I personally have had no problems with mine and quite enjoy watching them scurry around. If you decide you would like them. I would stick with the blue-leg, scarlet or the left-handed(zebra legged) hermits.

There you have it..
Hope my suggestions might help you design your little slice of ocean to your liking..

[dunl]

Richer:

Looking for a bit more info on your part... do you plan on putting in a sandbed? If so, how deep? How much LR are you planning on putting into this tank?

I wasn't planning on putting in a sand bed, but I think I might now - just for looks. For me, coming from Prince Edward Island, it just doesn't look right with a glass bottom. I have no interest in using it as a live sand bed, as I really don't see the need for one with proper filtration and live rock.

I currently have about 60-70lb of rock in the tank (live and tufa), and I also have a huge base stone of limestone (must weigh about 40lb itself, and not sure if I'm keeping it or not....)

Muck:

Thanks, that's the type of ideas I was looking for.