?? Stocking List ??

[billibud]

This is for my 100 gallon Reef Tank that contains 150 lbs live sand and 200 lbs of live rock a skimmer and a fuge. The tank was set up about 4 months ago and cycled with the live rock. The parameters have remained stable for the past 2-3 months. Temp 78.5, pH 8.4, SG 1.025, NitrAte 0-10.
I would like some opinions on stocking this tank with peaceful, hardy, reef-safe fish. I have done tons of research, here is the list so far:
FISHES (tank-bred when possible)
o 5 Green Chromis
o 2 Clownfish (ocellaris)
o Twin Spot Goby
o Royal Gramma Basslet
o Red-Head Salon Fairy Wrasse (reef-safe)
o 3 Purple Firefish
o Mandarin Dragonet (after 6 months)
o Yellow Tang or Hippo Tang
o Flame Angel or Coral Beauty


INVERTS
o 2 Scarlet Skunk Shrimps
o 1 Fire Shrimp
o 3 Peppermint Shrimps
o 1 Emerald crab
o 3 Mexican Turbo snails
o 3 Tonga Nassarius snails
o 50 Dwarf Blue Leg hermits
o Brittle Sea Star

Let me know what you think :idea: . When all of these fishies survive for a few months and the tank parameters remain stable I will add some soft corals, zoas and palys.

 

[the floor guy]

what kind of skimmer do u have? if its not a good one i would say maybe to many fish

 

[billibud]

I have an ETSS Reef Devil being pushed at the recommended 700gph. I skim wet and get maybe 1/2 cup (3-4 fl oz) skimmate every other day.
The Angel and the Tang are certainly optional fish in this set-up. My plan was trying to leave room for 1 additional fish in the case of "outbreak control" (algae, flatworms, bristleworms, etc.)

 

[DaveJ]

The only one I would caution is the mandarin and the gramma... the mandarin will need a lot of pods and you have several pod eaters in that group. The gramma is also a very territorial little fish and has been known to pick on the smaller fishes. I'd add it very last.

 

[Guest]

I would maybe skip the turbo snails and go with more hermits. Stock the clowns and chromis and clean up crew first. I would give it a few monthsbefore adding the angel. You could add the most of the soft corals after a few weeks. Ph seems a bit high for new tank.

 

[billibud]

@200mfromocean wrote:

This site is great, I really appreciate the feedback.
The Clowns and Chromis are in the tank now. Went with Tonga Nassarius snails, Blue Leg Hermits and some Peppermint shrimps.
I have a hairy mushroom coral, gsp and a button polyp colony in there now. They are not the happiest corals I have seen, so I am working on that. :?
pH tests between 8.2 and 8.4 consistently. I dose every other day (or less) with B-Ionic to maintain calc and alk. I also add Kent Iodide weekly.

 

[Guest]

Seems like you are doing a good job maintaining your tank. Can you throw up some pics for us?

 

[billibud]

Here is a pic of the clownfish. Pic is with my blackberry, so it is not so good. Surprised that they stopped moving long enough to take pic

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[billibud]

Here ia a tank shot taken a couple days ago.

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[Guest]

Your fish look pretty healthy. I think your palys are not opening because you have a powerhead aimed directly at them. They kind of like indirect flow. The two bulb nova fixure should be enough light for them even lower in the tank. There is a LFS, fish exotics on Preston in Dallas. They have the same fixture all over their tanks.

I would suggest you re-work your rock stack to let water circulate around better and eliminate dead spots. Stick your base rock or less desirable piece completely through the stand to they stick out like icebergs, then build the rest on top so you have some caves and etc. Try to not let the rocks touch the glass and leave yourself enough room to get the magnet scraper around the rocks.

 

[billibud]

This site is great, Thanks for the advice.
The Koralia 1 positioned "above" the button polyps is actually pointing toward the back wall to stir up any detritius pockets that form behind the rock pile, same for the K1 on the opposite side.
There are many caves and pathways through the rockwork, but I see your point about the distance grom the glass to fit a scraper.
The lighting is: 300 watts total. :shock: I will post some equipment pics today.
(2) 36” T5 HO 78w (2 x 39w) 10k and Actinic Nova Extreme fixtures
(1) Nova Extreme 48” T5 HO 108w fixture:
(7) Current USA PowerBrite 4 bulb LED lighting systems

After knowing the lighting, Where is the best position for the GSP, Button Polyps, and Hairy Mushroom?? They are positioned midway up and are in moderate light with low to moderate current. Should I move them lower, closer to the bottom??
THANKS

 

[BPKlein]

On your fish list. Some have had success with a school of chromis, but I am not one of them. My school of chromis is now a single chromis. And the couple of times that I have tried to add more, the original just kills them within a day. So, I quit trying to give him play mates.

I would really like to have a Royal Gramma, but they "can" be mean. Add him last.

Red Head Solon Fairy Wrasse. I have one and he/she is a great fish. But does eat a lot of pods. Could be competition for your Dragonette.

Fire fish are jumpers. You will need a tight lid.

Hippo Tangs have been reported to eat zooanthids. So, I don't have one. Just not willing to risk it.

Dwarf Angels have been reported to eat soft corals. I don't have one of those either for the same reason as above.

I like Turbo snails. They are the hardest workers on the green stuff in my tank. Except the pencil urchin. They do have a knack for knocking things over though. I would say to hold off on the Turbos until the inevitable green stuff starts showing up.

Super Tongans are great for stirring the sand but don't eat algae.

IMO 20 blue legs would be enough. I only have 10 hermits in my 135. They are bigger than dwarf blues though. I can't remember the name of them, but they are the ones that Rift to Reef sells. I don't ever see them attacking snails unless the snail was already toast.

Hope that helps and hope that others will chime in to correct my mistakes.

 

[Guest]

The hairy msuhrooms do well under just about any lighting. They can spread very quicky and sting other corals so many reefers put them toward the bottom. Gentle flow for them seems to get the best polyp extension.

GSP likes lots flow and can be placed just about anywhere as long as they get some lighting.

Your tank has plently of lighting for any of the mentioned corals could be placed on the bottom.

It would not hurt to add more flow in the tank byt adding a 1000 GPH+ powerhead like a koralia 4. You could also add the "Sureflow 1600 maxi-jet upgrade" to one of the maxijets, and the magnet that goes with it to hold it in place.

The added flow will improve the overall health of the tank to help insure that the water circulates and the detritus makes its way to the skimmer.

I am still baffled to why your polyps are not extending. They should open in less pristine conditions and even after a tank has been set up for a few weeks.

 

[billibud]

BPKlein - Thanks for the words of wisdom. I added all the chromis at the same time, so they are equal size and school very nicely. I love the fairy wrasses, I will add pods if I have to, in order to keep wrasse and mandarin. I do have a full canopy with mesh covering the rear openings so I hope that is enough to keep jumpers in the tank. A tang or angel are probably not going to be introduced into this tank, Maybe a yellow Tang, or maybe if I upgrade tanks. The hermits go a good job cleaning, the nassarius snails do their thing and as algae pops up I will add critters to control it.

200m - Thanks for the advice, it is greatly appreciated. I have 2 frags of the button polyps and I am trying one high in the tank and one low in the tank, both in low flow. The GSP is located in upper half of tank and close to 2 powerheads for erratic flow. I am planning to mod the maxi-jets and possibly upgrade my K1s to K3s for increased in-tank movement. I am also baffled about the unhappy corals too :? I will just maintain good water quality and see if they improve.

 

[billibud]

Here are a few pics from today, pardon the pics, I am working on my aquarium photography skills.

First: Question, is this cyano or coralline algae. There isn't a spot of it on the sand anywhere.

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Second: My button polyps are showing signs of life, they aren't open yet, but i think they are trying.

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