new used FO tank-advice on fish etc

[MegsB]

i bought a 33 gallon FO tank used from a woman who had is set up for 2 years, i took all the water with it, thinking it would be better than to put the fish into totally new water, when i tested it the params were HORRIBLE, off the chart nitrates, she didnt even have a test kit for the water, i did large water changes every few days and got it down to a reasonable reading.

now she didnt have any powerheads or skimmer in there, i should probably have a few powerheads and a skimmer right? if so what skimmers are affordable and good for that size tank? and how many powerheads (2 40s?)

the fish it came with were...

blue damsel (~1.5")
picasso trigger (~2.5")
red squirrel fish (~4-5")
red hawkfish (~4-5")

i dont like the two red fish and i think i will give them to my lfs, what can i add into there with my trigger and damsel that will do well? i was thinking a lionfish and the lfs's said that would be ok, i would get a dwarf species (there is a red one i like), what else? would 4-5 fish be OK in there?

is a 33g big enough for a picasso trigger? it has been in there for 2 years i beleave, its not that big compared to ones i have seen in lfs's, but it could be stunted? i dont know how big them get or should be, or how old it is. if its not big enough i will probably give it to the lfs, as i have a larger tank but it is a reef, so it cant go in there, and i dont want to set up a larger FO tank.

thx in advance

[tropicalfishguy]

Well I think the first thing is a 33g is way to small for a picasso trigger. They grow upwards of 10 inches, I would definatly trade him in. And triggers and lions don't get along very well(not saying it can't be done) but the trigger may nip at the lion. Yes you should have some powerheads and a skimmer. For that size, I think probably the Coralife 65g model. Not the greatest skimmer, but its decent for the price. Do you have any live rock, I don't know what you could do as far as fish. Its too small for most fish that normally occupy a FO such as triggers, lions, groupers etc. Hope that helps with part of your question

[MegsB]

no live rock, i was under the impression you couldnt have LR with triggers or lions? as they eat all the living organisms and kill it? or is that only if you wanted corals on the LR?

humm :( my poor trigger, i really like it, but if its to small of a tank, as i was assuming it was, he has to go. do you think if he has been in there 2 years he is stunted? or would he grow in a bigger tank? he is only about 2.5" long.

i could always get a larger tank for my FO, but it could be tricky finding a 36" taller/wider without going custom made, the lfs in my area dont carry specialty sizes.

[tropicalfishguy]

No its ok to have LR with triggers and lions. I have a 5-6" picasso and he bits at the live rock, but doesn't damage it. Triggers (most) will eat coral, well the more destructive species like clowns, picassos, etc. Lionfish can be kept with corals even, but most reef keeps don't because they would eat there smaller fish usually kept in reefs, and they eat alot and produce too much waste for the average reef tank. I have heard of dwarfs being kept in reef tanks more than the larger species. If he is 2yrs old his growth may have been slowed, but I think placed in a proper sized tank he will get larger than he is now. Like I mentioned earlier, my picasso is maybe 6-7 mths old and around the 5-6" mark, so he is definatly very small for his age.