Hello R2R!

Silver Gooch · Feb 11, 2026

Hey everyone!

Long time lurker and first time reefer here. I've been watching the hobby for a while but never really jumped in as it never seemed to be feasible from apartment to apartment. Finally in a place where I can get a bit salty and very excited!

Recently picked up a 25 gallon IM Lagoon and have slowly been getting everything together. I'm just about at the end of cycling the tank and it should be ready for it's first inhabitants shortly! I'm looking to go for a more softy and euphillia based tank with a few fish and eventually working my way toward a clam! Any suggestions on a CUC for this size tank would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers!

revhtree · Feb 11, 2026

Welcome to your new home for saltwater reef aquarium resources and fun! Welcome to the family! :D

FrugalReeferJon · Feb 11, 2026

Nor'easter Reefer · Feb 11, 2026

Welcome! My suggestion would be get your CUC as you need them, they just starve in a super clean, baren tank.

grumpy-crab · Feb 11, 2026

Welcome... after initial cycle then add your clean up crew... make sure to ghost feed your tank a little bit of food to help build the bio load and feed the clean up crew "CUC". After a few weeks you should be able to add fish. Alot of people hate damsel fish but they are hardy and can survive alot of new tank/ reefer mistakes. Plus they are very active, usually on the cheaper side, and grow to 2-4" so perfect for a 25g.

vetteguy53081 · Feb 11, 2026

Fish Fan · Feb 11, 2026

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

Silver Gooch · Feb 11, 2026

Fish Fan said:
Welcome to Reef2Reef!

Thanks! I saw your 25 gallon lagoon setup and its absolutely incredible... I'll have to get my father-in-law working on a stand as nice as yours!

CoralB · Feb 12, 2026

Welcome !!

Coral&Cocktails · Feb 12, 2026

Pretty tank and rockscape!
I’d get a Nassarius snail, couple hermit crabs, and one or two snails to help maintain a tidy tank and then continue to add to it as algae issues arise. Don’t start with too many as they’ll just slowly die without food.
Have fun with your tank!

TJ42 · Feb 12, 2026

Welcome!!

Naso180! · Feb 12, 2026

Lurking a long while. ;) Nice tank. Humorous user name. Wait till its cycled. Im a big fan of pin cushion or tuxedo urchins. 1 of them and a hand full of Astrea snails and youll be good. Just glue everything well. They are great cleaners but can bulldoze corals that are loose.

Gman83 · Feb 12, 2026

Welcome!

Ruben's Reef · Feb 12, 2026

Welcome to R2R !!! Nice rock work.

BryanM · Feb 12, 2026

Silver Gooch said:
Hey everyone!

Long time lurker and first time reefer here. I've been watching the hobby for a while but never really jumped in as it never seemed to be feasible from apartment to apartment. Finally in a place where I can get a bit salty and very excited!

Recently picked up a 25 gallon IM Lagoon and have slowly been getting everything together. I'm just about at the end of cycling the tank and it should be ready for it's first inhabitants shortly! I'm looking to go for a more softy and euphillia based tank with a few fish and eventually working my way toward a clam! Any suggestions on a CUC for this size tank would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers!

Welcome to the forums!