75 gallon salt water tank

Question
Three months ago i purchased a 29 gallon saltwater fish tank for my boyfriend. One month ago i purchased and set up a 75 gallon saltwater fish tank for myself! I am no expert at saltwater tanks. My boyfriends tank looks really nice we bought three damsels and let them live in his tank for two months then we added 2 anemones, a blue star fish, a porcupine puffer and a shrimp. The problem with his tank is when we put the shrimp in the anemone ate it. About a week later the puffer died. We did a water change and then we added a marron clown fish. The clown fish is doing good. I added three damsels to my tank also. I dont know where to go from here. What do i need to do to keep my tank healthy and why type of fish can i put together?. Im so confused and i dont know what to do from here?.. Can anyone help me?. We have invested almost 1,000 dollars in my 75 gallon tank. I need to know if there is anything i need to add to the water? or what else there is to do?  

Answer
Water quality is the main issue. If the water quality is high the chance of your creatures surviving is excellent. Blue stars are hard top keep unless water is perfect. Puffer may have been ill before you got him. how was he eating? If a fish is active and eating he is healthy, just like a person.To avoid confusion just do 1 thing at a time. people have a tendency to rush things with salt water tanks. Add one fish at a time and wait at least a month before adding others to see how he acclimates to the new environment. Also there are methods of introduction to a tank and acclimating your new fish to your tank water. You need a complete test kit to test your ph, ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, salinity [with a hydrometer]and of course temperature. A saltwater environment needs time to cure and cycle. Patience is the key. Much slower to start than freshwater but much more beautiful and rewarding in the end. Go to about.com and click on hobbies and games, next page click on saltwater aquariums, you will be at the site of stan and debbie hauter, where you will find answers to almost any question you can think of. Gerry.