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View Full Version : Would like some feedack on my aqua scapping


Kingsnake
06/29/2011, 05:11 PM
Several questions....

Tank footprint: 72x18x30

I would like to put in this tank the following fish.

Lion fish, Puffer fish, Blue Tang and Scorpion Fish (Frogs fish but I'm not 100% it will work in this tank???)

There will be more but for now that is my list.

My tank is cycling right now.

1: Can I add all these fish and be ok? I think I am fine but not sure about the frog fish.

2: When can I add these fish, right after cycle over 3 or 4 weeks or do they need more established tanks (I'm sure the tang does but not sure how long?)

Below is a picture of my Aqua scapping. I had a LFS guy come out and set up the tank, I really wasn't thrilled with the way he did 3/4 of the tank so I made adjustments. I'm not sure if this will work for the fish I want or... (Enter suggestions here)

I also have x2 Ecotech MP40w on each side. How strong of a current do I really need for FO and the fish I picked out? SHould I place them on the back instead?

namxas
06/29/2011, 05:45 PM
What species of lionfish are we talking here? That tank with that aquascaping leaves pretty much no room for a large-bodied lionfish to turn around. You need to remember that an adult volitans will grow to be a 12" to 15" cube of fish (counting its pectoral fins).

Blue tangs (assuming you mean Paracanthurus hepatus) get pretty large too and are "pacers", thus requiring more swimming room. Again, an 18" wide tank with all that rock is going to be tight. Also, tangs are grazers and may pick on your scorp by trying to graze on it.

Puffers (again, you didn't give us a species) and lionfish are almost always bad ju-ju, as the puffer will likely nip at the lion's finnage.

As for the scorp, there looks to be very little open bottom space, and again, give us some help regarding species as they can range from a couple of inches to over a foot.

IME, anglers are best kept in species setups.

The tank itself looks great, and if you like the scaping, you might consider going with some smaller fish. Maybe a medium-bodied lion and a Scorpaena brasiliensis (red barbfish) as your scorp, and a marine betta.

You can add your first fish after your tank has cycled completely. Have you been ghost feeding it? If not, what method of cycling did you use?

As far as flow is concerned, depending on your main flow, you may or may not need additional flow, or you can use the PH's behind the LR to keep things tidy.

HTH

Kingsnake
06/29/2011, 06:49 PM
Thanks Greg,

I am looking at the smaller Lions.

Lionfish
Spotfin, Clearfin and Zebra (all around 7 to 9")

Puffer fish: Spiny Puffer

Blue Tang: Paracanthurus hepatus (probably will just put one in my 265g reef)

Diffrent Scorpion fish but on a small size.

I now wish I got a larger (Wider tank) but I think I got a pretty good deal on the tank, stand and canopy.

Kingsnake
06/29/2011, 06:53 PM
The tank itself looks great, and if you like the scaping, you might consider going with some smaller fish.



Would taking the rocks out that are closer to the sides be better and or off the top in the middle?

Letting the live rock do the cycling btw.

Kingsnake
06/29/2011, 07:08 PM
Oh, how could I have forgot...

I would like to add Anglers???

Sonicblast12
06/29/2011, 08:57 PM
You are going to have to make a choice, if you want large predators you probably won't have room for all of the rock. Unless you make a valley in the middle or create some columns.

But that's awesome rock. Looking at the tank I can envision lots of small colorful fish darting in and out of the rocks. A few wrasses, a tang or two. Maybe an angel here or there. Some anthias. Hmm.

Either way it's going to be a fun tank to play with, enjoy it.

namxas
06/30/2011, 11:24 AM
A Diodon sp. puffer may or may not be a problem. There's a thread HERE (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2036177) where I suspect the OP's puffer is nipping at the lion's tail (compare the first pix with the last pix in the thread).

Here is the way I 'scaped our 48" x 24" x 20" 100 gal that our volitans currently occupies:

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll73/hixphotobucket/100g%20rhinopias%20and%20volitan/tank700-1.jpg

As you can see, there is lots of room for the lion to swim around.

This is one of the tanks the volitans outgrew (std. 60 gal)...

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll73/hixphotobucket/volitan%20tank/tankmay700.jpg

Same 60 gal after we removed the volitans and added smaller lions/scorps (macro had not grown back in yet):

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll73/hixphotobucket/fts.jpg

lagatbezan
06/30/2011, 12:20 PM
You are going to have to make a choice, if you want large predators you probably won't have room for all of the rock. Unless you make a valley in the middle or create some columns.

But that's awesome rock. Looking at the tank I can envision lots of small colorful fish darting in and out of the rocks. A few wrasses, a tang or two. Maybe an angel here or there. Some anthias. Hmm.

Either way it's going to be a fun tank to play with, enjoy it.

+1.
I would do a small puffer and skip the lion, couple of tangs, a butterfly, small angel and maybe a foxface. They are more active then the lion and add a lot of color to the tank as well. if you want the lion, i would skip the puffer bc they are known to nib at the lions fins like namxas said.
plus you will need a nice skimmer to take out all the waste of course.
Also make sure to qt every fish you get before you put them in the DT. do it right, do it once = enjoy it.
love the rock work. looks great.