Niger
New Member
Hello. To begin with, I am just dipping my toes into saltwater aquariums, after many years in freshwater tanks, ( I am 17) and I will be getting my first "to-be- saltwater" tank soon, ( It's a 150-gallon 5 x 2 x 2 tank) and I am having questions regarding where to start. To begin with, I am a High school student so I run a busy schedule, I am from Sri Lanka where saltwater tanks aren't REALLY popular. So my question is, considering my busy schedule and, my obsession with fish, is it wise to work on a reef tank or a fowler?
I am enamored by both setups but there are certain challenges I face on either side. In terms of corals, to begin with, keeping corals taken from the wild is strictly prohibited by law in Sri Lanka so it only allows me to some imported ones I have seen at the LFS ( xenia and some zoas) And on my budget I can't go with high-end lighting or skimmers, and, I am aware that it does require some effort. But I was wondering if some Xenia would survive some cheap reef light with an internal sump.
In terms of Fowler, my plan was to have a few nice-looking and big enough beginner fish and just that, perhaps later with some exciting fish ( I am absolutely crazy over triggers) The downside I found was, that it is a few number of fish, and just fish if it is gonna host a trigger or so.
But all beyond itself, I know that having a reef community of small fish and inverts is quite fascinating but I also don't want to take the risk of killing corals.
So, any advice in this regard would be amazing. Especially considering my affordability, daily life, and accessibility in the country. Thank you!
I am enamored by both setups but there are certain challenges I face on either side. In terms of corals, to begin with, keeping corals taken from the wild is strictly prohibited by law in Sri Lanka so it only allows me to some imported ones I have seen at the LFS ( xenia and some zoas) And on my budget I can't go with high-end lighting or skimmers, and, I am aware that it does require some effort. But I was wondering if some Xenia would survive some cheap reef light with an internal sump.
In terms of Fowler, my plan was to have a few nice-looking and big enough beginner fish and just that, perhaps later with some exciting fish ( I am absolutely crazy over triggers) The downside I found was, that it is a few number of fish, and just fish if it is gonna host a trigger or so.
But all beyond itself, I know that having a reef community of small fish and inverts is quite fascinating but I also don't want to take the risk of killing corals.
So, any advice in this regard would be amazing. Especially considering my affordability, daily life, and accessibility in the country. Thank you!
