I am new..and making a list to stock my tank..

[scott3569]

So as I said I am new just joined the forum today. so far this is a great forum. and i am sure I will learn a lot from here.

so I got some things figured out with my tank..it's a 56 gallon tank the messurements are 30x18x24. I am water testing it right now..I am hoping that maybe this weekend I will be able to at least get some water and live sand in it.

I am also trying to prepare for what I am going to have in my tank for stock. I want to share with you guys what I am looking at.

**IN NO WAY DO I THINK I CAN GET ALL THIS IN THERE

for coral I would like
frogspawn
brain coral
torch coral

Anenomes

I am looking at
flower anenomes
long tenecal anenomes

for inverts
anenome shrimp(2 or 4)
cleaner shrimp (2 or 4)
fire shrimp
sexy shrimp

some hermit crabs and maybe some snails

and a chocolate star fish

for fish

Damsel
Hawaiian blue puffer
blennie
royal gramma
firefish goby
dimond goby
maybe a dotty back
and a couple clowns

So what do you think??

[greech]

Pass on the chocolate star. Not reef safe.

Give the tank several montgs to a year with the LTA and expect it to take up a lot of room in your 56. Use the time to research hosting nems. Not the easiest animals to keep. Also some aren't tolerant of other nem species.

Corals look good but assume you will have proper lighting, flow, etc.

Puffer may eat corals and will eat inverts.

Most dottys and damsels will be very aggressive in a smaller tank.

[FTDelta]

Dottybacks are bullies. Puffers are not invert safe. Damsels can get aggressive as well.

[scott3569]

ok cool thanks guys

[OrQidz]

I don't think it's an outrageous list, just the damsel and dottyback can be aggressive as was mentioned. The firefish are real jumpers, not sure if you are going to cover the tank. I think you would do well to start with the clowns after cycling. They should do well and you can think about other fish in the meantime.

Are you thinking mostly LPS then? Frogspawn and torch are some of my favorites! Placement is important since they can sting others. Do you want any softies? They are good to start with too. Hardier than LPS which can help in the beginning!

[Crooked Reef]

Drop the damsels and dottybacks. Also even though you didnt mention them six line and 4 line wrasses. Too aggressive in thie size tank. If you are going with a substrate I would also add about 5 nassarius snails and a fighting conch to keep it free of detritus and stirred. Tuxedo urchins are pretty cool too if you secure your corals good. Not too expensive and from what I read they can live 10-15 years. My LFS has one for less than $10 I think I may pick up tommorrow.

Coral list is fine but I am sure that over time it will not be enough for you. I just started with a couple and now I have over 20. They are addicting. Just make sure, like with anything else you put in the tank to research all of them before buying them. Know which ones can kill other corals and what lighting and flow each one needs. Also there are some that are toxic to you if the situation is right but generally safe. Look up palytoxin. I have been in this hobby for about 12 years but just recently went full reef. I am fully addicted to it again.

[scott3569]

Again thank you guys Iam glad I am not to far off base..

ORqiz: yeah I would be interested in soft corals..I just don't believe I am going to get into hard corals.

I think I am going to cover the tank..so no problem there..I guess one thing I didn't really ask for any suggestions on is how many of these fish can I put in there.I know like the gobys kinda stay on the bottom..and have heard that they don't do well with each other. but I would like to have 2 dimond gobyies.

Also, I didn't mention it int he origional post. but I will have a 3-4 inches of live sand
and the is the light I am concidering
http://www.saltwateraquarium.com/current-usa-orbit-marine-led-aquarium-fixture-preorder.html?gclid=CO3o4PbTt70CFRFp7AodoxAAGg

Crooked reef: Thanks you, I know what your saying about doing the research..thats kinda why I am doing all this now..LOL don't even have salt water yet..I might though by the end of the weekend I know I don't want anything in there that is going to kill something else..and I would say that I want mostly friendly, but also some active movers also, of course they don't all have to be active.

[greech]

Don't put 2 diamond gobies in that size tank and probably don't add one at all. Not a big enough footprint.

A 3 to 4 inch sand bed + a sand sifter is a bad idea in a tank that size. You may want to consider 2" or less even without a sand sifting goby.

[scott3569]

Don't put 2 diamond gobies in that size tank and probably don't add one at all. Not a big enough footprint.

A 3 to 4 inch sand bed + a sand sifter is a bad idea in a tank that size. You may want to consider 2" or less even without a sand sifting goby.


can you explain a little more??I could understand maybe not adding 2 dimond gobies. but I don't understand why I could even add 1. they don't get very big.

[greech]

Actually, they get quite big. May main concern is the footprint of the tank, the adult size of the fish and they're eating behavior. In addition, they sift sand all day long and in a small tank that typically leads to cloudy water and sand dunes over lower corals. With a 3 to 4 inch bed you also stand the chance of getting some anaerobic zones which when disturbed by the goby, could lead to problems. The latter may not be that big of a problem as the sand may get stirred frequently enough not to matter but there is a risk.

[Red Eyed Reefer]

:wave: Hey Scott!

Finally made it over to your post to show you my intended stocking list for the 55gal (48''x13''x20'')

Pair of clowns
Orange stripe prawn goby
Blue dot jawfish (sand bed may not be deep enough)
Mimic saddle puffer file fish
Midas blenny (might nip other fish)
Flame angel (would be added last and near upgrade time for adult size - 240gal)

2 Peppermint shrimp
1 Pistol shrimp
2 Fire shrimp
3 Banded trochus
5 Nassarius snails
Brittle sea star(s)

Corals I have not thought about really but these come to mind:

Torch coral
Frogspawn
Duncan
Birdsnest
Bubble or Hammer coral
Hyacinthus Acropora **

**Might try for a SPS later on down the road before I make the upgrade to the 240. Figured this looks like a good beginner SPS..


I like your list, with the advice/comments given from other members.

I want to get a nem as well, but I am going to wait to have a long established tank before then. Have heard horror stories of them nuking a whole tank when they die :thumbdown

Feel free to stop back at my thread to see how the tank is going! I added my pair of clowns on Sunday..

Do you have a build thread going on to follow this tank? I would like to check it out!

[Red Eyed Reefer]

:wave: Hey Scott!

Finally made it over to your post to show you my intended stocking list.....

Forgot to add... RED means already in the tank..