First timer

Question
QUESTION: Hello Mr. Francis, I just bought a 14 gallon aquarium and plan on starting a saltwater aquarium for the first time.  I alredy know that I have to allow it to settle and even out for a week or two, but what I was wondering is what kind of soft coral could I put in that size tank.  I have already checked that the light is correct for it and I am using a sand base and have some live rock.


Blue Xenia - A Great S   ANSWER: Hi Eric,

Pleasure to meet you sir. Sounds like you're doing a good job with everything so far. When you feel your aquarium water has fully matured, I would recommend starting off with one or two soft corals only. This will allow you time to monitor them before adding more. Another piece of advice: You may want to think about adding a protein skimmer, you can make it without one, but it sure will help keep the water cleaner especially in small aquariums, where the water needs to stay pristine for corals to survive.

A few good softies that would do good in a 14 Gallon Saltwater Reef Aquarium includes some of the following below. Keep in mind most corals bud and/or branch-off to reproduce asexually, so don't be afraid when it seems your aquarium is getting over-crowded to trim them back, or give some to a friend. Lastly, when purchasing corals, try to find aqua-cultured corals, this puts less demand on wild caught corals around the world, and aqua-cultured corals typically are stronger, disease and parasite free and well adjusted for life in a home aquarium.

Some good softies and a few others include the following below, in random order:

Green Star Polyps
Mushroom Species
Zoanthid Species
Metallic Blue Cespitularias
Silver Xenia
Blue Xenia
Palau Green Neptheas
Devil's Hand Leathers
Gorgonian Species

You may want to check back with me, this Wednesday I am getting my new shipment of Aqua-Cultured corals in, so I may have one you'd be interested in.

Here is my webpage below with the live aqua-cultured corals on it. The Scolys Corals are grown in the wild under a controlled and regulated area with a government permit from Australia. Take Care.

http://www.ocreef.com/live_corals


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hello again! I really appreciated the list you gave me before, but I was wondering what a protein really does and if you think it is necessary. I was also wondering what fish maybe best for this tank, because I went to the pet store the other day and was blown away by all the different kind s of fish. I am a little worried that I will buy the wrong fish and end up killing or stressing the fish out. I try to keep an inch to every 2 gallons but I don not know If I can follow that rule.

Answer

FireFish   Hi Eric,

As you know a fourteen gallon is not a very big aquarium. However with careful planning of what you want to keep along with proper aquarium maintenance you can and will be successful.

Here are some facts regarding a protein skimmer: Protein skimmers are supplemental filtration devices essential for successful marine aquariums. By effectively removing protein and other organic waste materials, protein skimmers maintain a healthy aquarium environment. Protein skimmers allow the primary filtration system to perform more efficiently and also provide numerous other benefits for superior water quality and clarity.

Protein skimmers rely on the chemical process adsorption to remove organic waste materials from the water column. Waste materials adhere to the surface of the air bubbles and are literally pulled out of the water. A vigorous mixture of air and aquarium water within the protein skimmer reaction chamber generates thousands of these protein-skimming micro-bubbles. As these micro-bubbles travel through the skimmer, waste clinging to the bubbles is condensed and transported into the protein skimmer collection cup. This active waste-removal process employed by protein skimmers allows mechanical, chemical, and biological filtration to work more efficiently.

In contrast, protein skimmers extract organic waste material out the water column. The foamy waste material, or skimmate, contained within the collection cup, is completely removed from the water column and cannot release pollutants back into the aquarium.

For your 14 gallon aquarium, you could try a protein skimmer like the Oceanic BioCube Skimmer. See this webpage from my store below:
http://www.ocreef.com/oceanic_29_and_14_gallon_biocube_protein_skimmer?category_

Regarding a few fish that would be okay in a 14 Gallon Aquarium:

If you are going to keep Corals also, then you may want to only keep one fish, because fish waste can quickly contribute to higher nutrient levels in the aquarium and as you know Corals need stable pristine water parameters to grow and thrive.

Below is a few possibilities that would be okay in a 14 Gallon Aquarium; however there are so many possibilities on what you can do with your tank, so have fun and keep learning!

You could keep a small pair of ocellaris clownfish. That really maxes out your aquarium, but you could also get away with a goby, neons, or firefish.

For a clean up crew you could get a few blue legged hermits, and a few Astrea snails.

Take Care,
Dave

All Experts - Editor

OCReef.com - Director