Monocle
New Member
Hello everyone, first post here, and figured I should jump in and get some opinions on my plan for my first reef tank. Now some background, I have had a 55 gallon fresh water planted tank now for 5 years, along with a 10 gallon planted tank for 4. Both have been very stable, my biggest issue has been rampant plant growth, I have never had any crashes, and all my plants, including the crypts, have been in great shape for a long time. So I figure it's time to get the next step and graduate to a reef tank, still will be keeping the freshwater tanks too. I think I have enough experience with the planted tanks to make this next step.
So atm the plan will be a 48 x 24 x 24 reef tank, with mostly softy corals and some rock flower anemones. As for other animals, my current list is: Watchman Goby, Tiger Pistol Shrimp, a Tuxedo Urchin, a fighting conch, pair of pink skunk clowns, a pair of Banggai Cardinal Fish, a pair of Springer Damsels, a Yellow Longnose Butterfly Fish, a Coral Beauty, and much later, a spotted Mandarin Dragonette. I am going to try for captive bred for as much as I can, in fact seeing that Longnoses are now available as captive bred was the deciding factor to start this. I'd love a CBB, but realize they are out of my league, so the Longnose is a better option. From what I can tell, the tiger pistol shrimp is the only thing that needs ot be wild caught. The longnose is going to be the centerpiece, and the largest fish in the tank. Most eveyrthign is small, is the bioload okay wqith these guys?
Tank will have a sump with refugium, I want to get the Copepod population up for the dargonette. I know the big thing here is what corals to get, both the Butterfly and Angel may go after corals, so the more noxious soft corals may be the best bet, plus I am new at this, and they look to be the easiest to start with. Right now the only coral I am thinking of is a toadstool for the clowns, so any other ideas that would work are helpful!
I am getitng a RO/DI until for the water, we have well water here, which may explain my my crypts do so well. Are there any other animals taht could be added? I have heard a blenny could be a good addition, but not sure which one would be a good fit.
So atm the plan will be a 48 x 24 x 24 reef tank, with mostly softy corals and some rock flower anemones. As for other animals, my current list is: Watchman Goby, Tiger Pistol Shrimp, a Tuxedo Urchin, a fighting conch, pair of pink skunk clowns, a pair of Banggai Cardinal Fish, a pair of Springer Damsels, a Yellow Longnose Butterfly Fish, a Coral Beauty, and much later, a spotted Mandarin Dragonette. I am going to try for captive bred for as much as I can, in fact seeing that Longnoses are now available as captive bred was the deciding factor to start this. I'd love a CBB, but realize they are out of my league, so the Longnose is a better option. From what I can tell, the tiger pistol shrimp is the only thing that needs ot be wild caught. The longnose is going to be the centerpiece, and the largest fish in the tank. Most eveyrthign is small, is the bioload okay wqith these guys?
Tank will have a sump with refugium, I want to get the Copepod population up for the dargonette. I know the big thing here is what corals to get, both the Butterfly and Angel may go after corals, so the more noxious soft corals may be the best bet, plus I am new at this, and they look to be the easiest to start with. Right now the only coral I am thinking of is a toadstool for the clowns, so any other ideas that would work are helpful!
I am getitng a RO/DI until for the water, we have well water here, which may explain my my crypts do so well. Are there any other animals taht could be added? I have heard a blenny could be a good addition, but not sure which one would be a good fit.
