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Hi! first off sorry for the noob-ness...

Anyway, Ive read through all the aquarium set up guides for salt water aquariums and id like to share my er... battle plan, just to see if I have the right idea.

My tank will either be a 20gal or a 30gal, depending on whether a certain retailer gives me a discount or not.

I intend to use crushed coral as a substrate.

The filter from what I understand is a Wet/Dry filter (I might be wrong but I doubt it, seen a lot this week heh)

Because the climate is warm where I live and my apt is usually at 75degrees, I dont think I need a heater.

Anyway, this is what I intend to do.

I will be buying the tank, substrate, salt, water testing equipment, filter, and hygrometer. Ill set up the tank without any fish and let it go for a day (if necesarry, tho i hope it isnt).

The next day I will be buying 2-3 damsels (most likely blue damsels, even though I like domino's better, I understand blue damsels are less aggressive) as well as a piece of liverock. I will add these to the tank and monitor the water conditions once a day. I would also be doing water changes once every two days for the first week or so, till conditions stabilize.

I would then proceed to wait a week after conditions stabilize and then start buying new fish, one by one.

I intend to buy an arrow crab, but Im thinking it might be best to add him after a few fish are already in the tank and it has already been cycled.

Any comments? Would I be doing things correctly??

Anyway, thanks for the feedback, Ill probably use this thread to ask other questions ^__^.

Well most people go with 55 gallons for a minimum tank size size for a marine tank. Smaller the tank harder it is to maintain. Your stock sounds good for that size tank, I wouldn't go with much more then what you have listed, just the 2-3 Damsels and the arrow crab. Maybe get 2 more damsels and thats it. It takes a marine tank at least 2 weeks to cycle so I wouldn't put in any fish the next day by no means. If you want the cycle to go faster add some black mollies. In terms of filteration you need a skimmer and just a regular filter. This can be a problem in a small tank size such as a 20 or 30 gallon. Also the rule of thumb with live rock is 1lb per gallon of tank.

MMm... interesting. Id get a 55gal, but 1st off, i cant afford it (not the ones ive seen anyway, they are obsenely expensive IMO), and secondly if Im thinking right, its either the tank or everything else in my apt (because of space XD)... though I might be thinkin 70gal... who knows.

The 2-3 damsels where meant for cycling. I probably wont return them but I might. Not sure. This being the case should I still wait 2 weeks to put them in?

Also, about the protein skimmer, Ive heard that if I do frequent water changes I dont really need one. If this is a lie please let me know cause if I really need the skimmer Ill have to wait a bit before getting the tank and I dont want to get too excited just yet if I cant realy set it up right now.

Well fist place i have to point out that even if you apartment were kept at 85 degrees F. it stil wouldnt heat the tank to the proper temperature of a salt water tank(78-80 F)
So a heater is something you deffinantly need. Anyway a good one for a 30 gal isnt that expensive (under 30$ U.S.)

About the damsels, you need to return them to the store because they will die in the tank over night.

About the skimmer, some people will use just a protein skimmer in their tank to clean the tank (i would NOT recomend you to do that) It will will remove all sorts of nasty stuff thats in the water. If i were you I would get one because the extra money will help keep the water cleaner, keep the fish healtier and it gets rid of the stuff that most other types of filters would miss.
O yeah a water change one every to weeks would not replace what a protein skimmer does to the water.

About the tank size, you should get a tank of atleast 55 gallons but sice you dont have much room to work with a smaller tank can work but will take more effort to keep it clean and water parameters the same. You should get the 30 gallon if you had to choose between 20 and 30 gallons. A 30 gallon will make life a tad easier.

A wet/dry filter will work for a 30 gal but just a power filter will work fine too (one of those filter you see on most freshwater tanks) A wet/dry filter would probably be more expensive then a power filter as well.
if you get a power filter make shure you get one thats rated for a tank thats at least 60 gallons big. An Aquaclear is what i would suggest for your tank because they work well for a smaller saltwater tank

o yeah one last thing blue damsels are usalley more agressive then domino damsels (i think you had it mixed up)

good luck


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pnh

Mm , i see. . .

People keep reccomending I get this:
http://www.aquariumguys.com/aquapod-24-gallon-tank.html

Mainly because it has built in filtration and lighting for a decent price. Its not quite 30 gallons, but its a bit over 20 as well...

I was offered that tank a protein skimmer called USA Fission Nano Skimmer (so Ive been told) should be enough as far as the tank equipment goes. Im concerned cause it cosrs only 30 dollars and Ive seen protein skimmers around 150 . . . (i havent asked what theyre for, so maybe 24 gal is small enough for a skimmer like that).

A powerhead was also suggested, but supposedly not necesarry.

Does this make any sense or am I being tricked into buying it?

(edit/note: on the filter situation, seeing how Im getting a small tank, I waant to make sure the water conditions are good so a wet/dry filter + skimmer + anything else i get my hands on is what I would do. I might add more stuff with time as well)