40AIO combining tanks!

[20yearsreefing]

Hello. New member here! I've been in and out of reefing for the past 20ish years. As life's been busy, I've been going super easy with biocube 29 softie tank that runs itself but couldn't pass up a deal for an all-in-one 40 gallon breeder setup (fijicube insert). So now I'm here trying to combine two tanks and up my game with better equipment and care. I didn't realize the tank I was purchasing came with eight!! fish lol, so some tough choices need to be made. Help me out!

Fish I must keep moving from bc 29:
Pair longfin clowns
Orchid dotty back

Surprise fish from 40B:
Longfin ruby wrasse ( want to keep)
Yasha goby ( want to keep)

Fish to re-home?
3 healthy and active chromis
1pj cardinal
1 royal damsel
1 yellow head sleeper goby * was in rough shape. Starvation, He's on a targeted mysis refeeding program. He is eating well. I'm hopeful he will start to fatten up.

Adding: acclimating sailfin molly for algae. I *really* wanted a tomini tang, but it's a 36" tank, so molly it is!

I'm thinking the clowns, dotty back, wrasse, sailfin molly and yasha goby would pretty much be a full 40 aio gallon breeder?

The tank is infested with aptasia. I bought some f- aptasia. Considering ordering nudibranches as I don't want filefish or pep shrimp to eat my just settling in lps frags. I need more CUC but currently have 1 tiger conch, 1 urchin, 1 brittle star, 1 hermit crab, and about 8 astreas and ceriths. Just relocated the BTA which suffered in the 29...not sure if due to not enough light, no feeding, or a fat clown constantly squishing it!!

Tank came with first gen nicrew reefer 150. I have it 12" to get better spread ( it's off center as I was going to move tank over after I sell the BC) but 6" is still pretty dark, considering adding maybe a 30-50w light or maybe after I center the light it will be fine or just leave it for mushrooms? I currently have an old marineland on it but not sure it's enough and light color doesn't match.

I'm trying to get the 2nd gen BC skimmer to work, so far it's been producing way too much foam and knocking off the top or I adjust and get nothing.

Chaeto in back chamber is not doing well, covered in brown gunk...ideas?

Still need to set up the ATO, awaiting BRS filter cartridges as I realized I hadn't changed my old ones for ...12 years!!! TDS was coming out 8..lol.

Photos taken with w and b at 33%. They get up to 75% on my current program.

Tanks been setup for 2 weeks after the 4+ hr move, but I've been moving rock and livestock over from my 29 biocube as it settles in, just rescaped for the BTA yesterday.

Current readings:

Ph 7.8- I can't get the pH up even with the protein skimmer and powerheads aimed at the surface.
Kh 8 (started dosing part a and b to increase a smidge)
No2 0
No3 5-10
Temp 78
Sal 1.22

That's about it, open to suggestions on equipment, stocking, and care! Can't wait to see it settle in and thrive!

 

[Tahoe61]

Congratulations, that is a nice step up. Thr Goby actually looks pretty good.
I do think you will be slightly overstocked when all the fish are added. The Chromis will likely kill each other off eventually so you might end up ok.
Scape looks good.

 

[docscorals]

I would keep an eye on the damsel as well as the Chromis mentioned above. It can be aggressive, but with just one you might be ok if you scape right. Provide some good caves or nooks and it might be fine.

 

[20yearsreefing]

Congratulations, that is a nice step up. Thr Goby actually looks pretty good.
I do think you will be slightly overstocked when all the fish are added. The Chromis will likely kill each other off eventually so you might end up ok.
Scape looks good.

Thanks! I keep redoing the scape but I'm happy with it for now, it's so nice being able to choose the best from two tanks! Yeah Chromis and damsel are being rehomed, I just have to catch them! Which is not going well ..