Advice on order of livestock

[Daniel81390]

I believe that I have finally decided on my tank. I am going to go with a planet aquarium internal overflow 180 gallon 72 x 24 x 24 setup. My main question is order and process to add these livestock keeping in mind I want to play it safe and quarantine everything. I’m confused on how to start the tank. I read that CUC need 72 days of quarantine. How can I add them first with no algae in the tank. Or is there a better way I’m overlooking? I don’t have existing tanks there fore my QTs wouldn’t sustain them either. Any advice would be appreciated.


Fish List (any additions or suggestions welcome, I’m opposed to more types. Would love to have multiple tangs but seems like I can’t)

clown pair
Purple tang
(Yellow tang, haven’t decided if i should risk adding young at some time as yellow tang, thoughts with this size tank)
Foxface
Six line rass vs mandarin goby (opinions?)
Royal gramma
Couple various damsels
Lawn mower blenny

CUC

peppermint shrimp
Cleaner shrimp
Various snails


I would like to add hardy corals once coralline algae starts growing

 

[ichthyogeek]

The peppermint and cleaner shrimp can be put in quarantine until they shed, at which point, as long as you wash them off, they should be fine to go into the tank.

As for the snails, you can feed them something like algae pellets, nori sheets, whatever. Just stick them somewhere for the 11 weeks that's recommended for quarantine against ich.

You can also just wait until the tank gets some algae, then add the CUC, and wait for 76 days afterwards.

 

[CindyKz]

You can add CUC as long as you feed them, and don't overbuy. I've never bought a CUC "package" (ie. clean up crew for a 180 gal tank that contains x number snails x number crabs etc) but most of them look like waaaay too many of everything. Don't go crazy, you can add more later.

If quarantining your CUC is a thing you want to do (some reefers don't QT CUC) , let the CUC live in the DT for 76 days while you research, set up for and QT your first fish or 2. Add them slowly, 1 or 2 at a time. Take time to enjoy the process. Selecting, buying and quarantining fish is a lot of work but it's also a lot of fun, and once you are fully stocked you don't get to do it as much. Same goes for coral. Go slow, be selective.

I can't speak to the yellow and purple tang because I don't have either, but I can say I have 2 tangs - a powder brown and a white tail bristletooth - in my tank. Same dimensions that you are considering. They are fine together.

 

[Doctorgori]

Good advice ^^^
Turbo’s get bigger than you think, esp. certain species. ... rotate your glass cleaning, they appreciate newer soft growth (I can’t read a snails mind but anecdotally...)
Don’t waste your time mixing ceriths and hermits
I don’t QT stuff from Reefcleaners...have yet to be unsatisfied
...I thought my tank was overstocked till I started reading post here. ...gheez ... SW fish get bigger than you think and live pretty long ... that 180 can hold a few fish however ....
Best wishes

 

[Daniel81390]

I believe that I have finally decided on my tank. I am going to go with a planet aquarium internal overflow 180 gallon 72 x 24 x 24 setup. My main question is order and process to add these livestock keeping in mind I want to play it safe and quarantine everything. I’m confused on how to start the tank. I read that CUC need 72 days of quarantine. How can I add them first with no algae in the tank. Or is there a better way I’m overlooking? I don’t have existing tanks there fore my QTs wouldn’t sustain them either. Any advice would be appreciated.


Fish List (any additions or suggestions welcome, I’m opposed to more types. Would love to have multiple tangs but seems like I can’t)

clown pair
Purple tang
(Yellow tang, haven’t decided if i should risk adding young at some time as yellow tang, thoughts with this size tank)
Foxface
Six line rass vs mandarin goby (opinions?)
Royal gramma
Couple various damsels
Lawn mower blenny

CUC

peppermint shrimp
Cleaner shrimp
Various snails


I would like to add hardy corals once coralline algae starts growing

Just noticed a typo and for some reason the edit button is gone.... I am NOT opposed to different fish suggestions

 

[JCTReefer]

Just noticed a typo and for some reason the edit button is gone.... I am NOT opposed to different fish suggestions

If you choose to be a R2R supporter, you can edit to your hearts content. If not, there’s a time window to edit post. I was wondering the same thing when I first joined. “Hey now, what happened. How come I can’t edit anymore.” Haha. It’s not a huge fee, if that’s something your interested in. I’m OCD like that, so I have to be able to edit things!!!! Lol You can just upgrade!