LuvaBetta

I'm starting up a reef tank, (my first experience with saltwater) with a 24g aqua pod nano tank and live rock. It's still cycling with a couple of damsels, so I'm trying to decide on inhabitants. (The damsels will be gone.) With freshwater aquariums we estimate apx 1 inch of fish per gallon; is there some kind of way to guess at this for salt water? I want mostly corals, but don't know how many fish/ invertebrates I can figure on.

Gozer_1

I don't really know about coral numbers, but with fish, I'd suggest going light in a nano. Just a few fish. As far as I know you can add as many corals as you have room for. Keeping in mind that they'll get bigger and bigger over time. Definitely less than 1 inch of fish per gallon. I'd say a half inch or less per gallon. I've never heard a particular formula though. You'll have a much easier time keeping your water qualtiy up for your corals if you keep fewer fish.

agsansoo

1 inch of fish per 24 gallons ... j/k .. LOL
The old formula was 1 inch per 10 gallons in a reef tank. That does not apply anymore because of new powerful protein skimmers in use today. IMO I would start with two small fish. Add each additional fish every 5 weeks. Go slow !!

LuvaBetta

LOL! That was the impression I was getting, if you have corals, why do you want fish? I know I need algae eaters at least, it's already growing!