Aggressive tank and reef mix!?

[neotracer075]

OK...

The tank has currently started the cycling process 2 days ago. I am starting as FOWLR. My best friend is going to be giving me fish after my cycle finishes.

Now here is my dilema... He is going to give me about 100 bux in fish that I want to learn how to keep first. The thing is they are considered non-reef safe. I will be getting 4 fish to get my feet wet as he sets up his old tank (FOWLR) to reef.

I'll be getting a picasso trigger, a puffer, a royal gramma, and a stripped damsel. Now I know the Gramma is totally reef safe and the damsel is going back to him once his new setup has cycled as his girlfriend has an attachment to the damsel.

I am just curious if there is any possable way to keep (any) corals and inverts with a trigger and a puffer? I know they may out grow my tank and already have a plan if they get to large.

Right now they are approx. 2.5-3" in size. Just wondering if this is possable in a 72g tank?

Thanks all,
neotracer

[kau_cinta_ku]

the corals will prob. be safe but your inverts will most likely be food.

the other prob. with those fish are they are very messy eaters and keeping water parameters in good range for corals is hard to do. just something else to keep in mind.

[Stuart60611]

I am in the same situation. I am starting a 125 FOWLR with aggressive and messy eaters. If you are going to add any corals, I would suggest going with only the hardiest and low maintainence species. If I ever do decide to add any corals, I will try to mostly stock muchrooms and perhaps some leathers and/or zoanthids. Many of these are fairly tolerant of non prestine water conditions. However, there are other problems you need to consider first. One of the big problems with FOWLRS is you cannot stock inverts (they will be eaten) to assist in controlling algae. But one of the key advantages to FOWLRS is that you can control algae by limiting the photo period (lights) because you do not have to worry about corals. Once you add corals, this advantage is lost. Also, corals secrete quite a bit of bio material into the water which can lead to further algae problems. Things you should seriously consider before adding any corals with aggressive fish. Believe me you do not want to have a major algae issue in your system because it is very hard to eliminate once things get out of control.