Thoughts on Bio Load

MaxxedMan · 03/29/2012, 09:26 AM

I have the Red Sea Max 250.

This gives me a surface area of about 800 inches and about 66 gallons of water (pre rock)

At 1" per four gallons, I get 16.5 Inches of fish, with a max size of 3" per fish (I only am adding small fish), gives me only 5 small fish.

At 48" of surface area per inch, I'm looking at the same number, about 16.6

Really changes the idea of adding a small school of anything, 3 chromis would be 60% of my tank load.

Understanding that rules of thumb (love the history of that phrase) are only guidelines, I would like to hear some more experienced people's throughts and experience with greater bioloads.

greech · 03/29/2012, 09:40 AM

Can't really go by inches. Assuming you have enough territories, enough rock, sufficient filtration and a committment to necessary husbandry, you can have more than 5 small fish.

MaxxedMan · 03/29/2012, 10:44 AM

I have about 70 lbs of Live Rock and the Skimmer that comes with the RSM 250. My skimmer seems fine, i think a lot of the kinks have been worked out of it.

sponger0 · 03/29/2012, 10:56 AM

Id say 6 to 8 nano fish.

If your thinking about a school of chromis, remember most people end up with 1. I had 3 in QT before it turned to none. They killed each other off. And this was before they had been in QT for 2 weeks.

MaxxedMan · 03/29/2012, 11:26 AM

It's the Spotted Cardinalfish I'm thinking of schooling if it makes them happier. Otherwise I'd be happy with just one.

sponger0 · 03/29/2012, 12:06 PM

Cardinals dont exactly school...they kind of just sit there lol

MaxxedMan · 03/29/2012, 12:33 PM

It's LiveAquaria trying to get me to buy a school

Quote:

For the best care, the Spotted Cardinalfish should be kept in small schools in suitably sized aquariums of at least 30 gallons.

saltysailor2329 · 03/29/2012, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaxxedMan

I have the Red Sea Max 250.

This gives me a surface area of about 800 inches and about 66 gallons of water (pre rock)

At 1" per four gallons, I get 16.5 Inches of fish, with a max size of 3" per fish (I only am adding small fish), gives me only 5 small fish.

At 48" of surface area per inch, I'm looking at the same number, about 16.6

Really changes the idea of adding a small school of anything, 3 chromis would be 60% of my tank load.

Understanding that rules of thumb (love the history of that phrase) are only guidelines, I would like to hear some more experienced people's throughts and experience with greater bioloads.

I'm not sure if my wife would like it if I hit her with a stick the width of my thumb!

If you keep up with regular water changes, then I would think that you would be able to keep more than that. I run an RSM130D and have a pair of occellaris clowns and a fire goby and think that I am under stocked. I do regular water changes and my skimmer doesn't ever seem to pull anything out.

seapug · 03/29/2012, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaxxedMan

It's the Spotted Cardinalfish I'm thinking of schooling if it makes them happier. Otherwise I'd be happy with just one.

You could do a really nice shoal of 8-10 spotted cardinals in that tank. Make them the focal point of the tank and avoid any other rowdy "swimmers" and you won't have any problems. In addition to the cardinals you could probably get away with a couple of small blennies or gobies that stay on the rocks or sand.

MrTuskfish · 03/29/2012, 01:48 PM

I really don't think you'll find many fish that really "school" like FW tetras, etc. do. SW fish may be "schooling" and still 8' apart. You aren't missing much (IMO) with skipping the chromis; they have a nasty habit of reducing their numbers to "1".

dzfish17 · 03/29/2012, 01:59 PM

I would go with no more than 8 small fish for that size of tank. With LR and sand you will have much less than 66g of water. JMO.

jerseygurl · 03/29/2012, 02:15 PM

Your math is correct, you get 16.5" of fish FULLY GROWN.

Chromies suck so pass on them. Do you think eventually you'll want to add some cool coral, if so, keep that in mind when making a stocking list.

People always overstock and it turns into a fish masacre, don't be that guy. BTW, is the grounding probe installed?

MaxxedMan · 03/31/2012, 04:32 PM

Grounding probe?

meanpressure · 03/31/2012, 04:46 PM

I have 5 small fish in a 29 biocube and all are doing fine. You should be able to put at least 10 in a 65.

jerpa · 04/01/2012, 06:51 AM

Most tanks have the filtration to support far more than the size of the tank will allow. You have to worry more about how many fish you can put in before they get stressed from feeling cramped. Getting fish that fill different niches in the aquarium allows you to stock more without conflicts.

Cardinals do best in groups because they are social fish. They swim around more than I would've given them credit for before I got my trio. They are the only fish in my tank that follow me around the room religiously. They are much more active than I thought.

03/29/2012, 09:26 AM	#1
MaxxedMan Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 309	Thoughts on Bio Load I have the Red Sea Max 250. This gives me a surface area of about 800 inches and about 66 gallons of water (pre rock) At 1" per four gallons, I get 16.5 Inches of fish, with a max size of 3" per fish (I only am adding small fish), gives me only 5 small fish. At 48" of surface area per inch, I'm looking at the same number, about 16.6 Really changes the idea of adding a small school of anything, 3 chromis would be 60% of my tank load. Understanding that rules of thumb (love the history of that phrase) are only guidelines, I would like to hear some more experienced people's throughts and experience with greater bioloads. __________________ Red Sea Max 250 - LPS Dominate

03/29/2012, 09:40 AM	#2
greech Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 3,133	Can't really go by inches. Assuming you have enough territories, enough rock, sufficient filtration and a committment to necessary husbandry, you can have more than 5 small fish. __________________ ~Graham Current Tank Info: Tank: 40 breeder; 20H sump w/SWC 120; Sicce 3.0 return; Vortech MP-10; Sundial T5, DIY Actinic LED (3W Cree). Livestock: Pair of Black & Whites; Midas Blenny; Firefish; Yasha/pistol; Black Leopard Wrasse; LPS and SPS

03/29/2012, 10:44 AM	#3
MaxxedMan Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 309	I have about 70 lbs of Live Rock and the Skimmer that comes with the RSM 250. My skimmer seems fine, i think a lot of the kinks have been worked out of it. __________________ Red Sea Max 250 - LPS Dominate

03/29/2012, 11:26 AM	#5
MaxxedMan Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 309	It's the Spotted Cardinalfish I'm thinking of schooling if it makes them happier. Otherwise I'd be happy with just one. __________________ Red Sea Max 250 - LPS Dominate

03/29/2012, 01:48 PM	#10
MrTuskfish Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: The Wild Blue Yonder Posts: 8,887	I really don't think you'll find many fish that really "school" like FW tetras, etc. do. SW fish may be "schooling" and still 8' apart. You aren't missing much (IMO) with skipping the chromis; they have a nasty habit of reducing their numbers to "1". __________________ If God didn't want us to eat animals, he wouldn't have made them out of meat. Steve Current Tank Info: 180, 2-240 FOWLRs, 240 reef

03/29/2012, 10:56 AM	#4
sponger0 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 6,659	Id say 6 to 8 nano fish. If your thinking about a school of chromis, remember most people end up with 1. I had 3 in QT before it turned to none. They killed each other off. And this was before they had been in QT for 2 weeks.

03/29/2012, 12:06 PM	#6
sponger0 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 6,659	Cardinals dont exactly school...they kind of just sit there lol

03/29/2012, 01:59 PM	#11
dzfish17 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Fresno,Ca. Posts: 2,545	I would go with no more than 8 small fish for that size of tank. With LR and sand you will have much less than 66g of water. JMO. __________________ 600g (96x36x46) FOWLR

03/29/2012, 02:15 PM	#12
jerseygurl Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 329	Your math is correct, you get 16.5" of fish FULLY GROWN. Chromies suck so pass on them. Do you think eventually you'll want to add some cool coral, if so, keep that in mind when making a stocking list. People always overstock and it turns into a fish masacre, don't be that guy. BTW, is the grounding probe installed?

03/31/2012, 04:32 PM	#13
MaxxedMan Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 309	Grounding probe? __________________ Red Sea Max 250 - LPS Dominate

03/31/2012, 04:46 PM	#14
meanpressure Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Florida Posts: 137	I have 5 small fish in a 29 biocube and all are doing fine. You should be able to put at least 10 in a 65.

04/01/2012, 06:51 AM	#15
jerpa Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 2,174	Most tanks have the filtration to support far more than the size of the tank will allow. You have to worry more about how many fish you can put in before they get stressed from feeling cramped. Getting fish that fill different niches in the aquarium allows you to stock more without conflicts. Cardinals do best in groups because they are social fish. They swim around more than I would've given them credit for before I got my trio. They are the only fish in my tank that follow me around the room religiously. They are much more active than I thought.