Help me finalize my 75g reef tank stock list! Am I overstocked?

BigWillStyle

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Hello everyone,

This is one of my early posts, so please forgive me if this is not appropriate here.

I just bought a 75 gallon with a 30 gallon sump now its time to look at fish to stock in the coming months. I am upgrading from a 30 AIO where I have a

Mocavinci clown
Green spotted mandarin goby
yellow watchman goby
Tiger pistol shrimp

After looking up a whole bunch of information I was looking to get a

2-3" Blue Throat Triggerfish
2-3" Yellow Tang (PLEASE DONT ARREST ME, ITS MY 2ND POST) lol
6-8" Snowflake eel - till I can source a dwarf

I have a 10 gallon fuge and was considering moving anything that wont work down there.

I am gonna be running a way oversized skimmer so I am not too worried about bioload with the carnivores.

The big question is... Am I overstocked?
 

Cthulukelele

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An adult blue throat trigger is 9 inches long and like 5 inches thick. It's going to outgrow a 75. A zebrasoma tang is more reasonable than a blue throat trigger in a 75, but it's still a pretty bad idea long term especially if it's heavily stocked. Snowflake could work but at full size may attempt to eat your mandarin and watchman goby. They may also eat most of your cuc if given the opportunity. Their bioload is also massive.
 

HB AL

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You'll be fine, as long as your bio filter is good. The more rocks the better for the fish and corals.
I've got 4 triggers currently, a Black Hawaiian, an Assasi, Huma and an Undulated
A chameleon Broomtail wrasse
Miniatus Grouper
A Hippo Tang
A Squirrel fish
And a Japanese Dragon Eel
Here's some recent pics and a video from a month ago.
You'll be fine as long as you have proper filtration, biological, chemical(if needed) the more rock the better for the fish to hide, sleep in and for the bio filter. Waiting on a crosshatch pair, but might add a big black tang I've seen here in SoCal. I have a 180g with 9 fish total right now.
Assasi trigger
Black Hawaiian trigger
Huma trigger
Undulated trigger
Hippo tang
Squirrel fish
Miniatus grouper
A chameleon Broomtail wrasse
And last of all a Japanese Dragon Eel
Here's a vid and pics of my tank to give you some ideas. I keep things simple really simple and tank is on autopilot. This is my favorite tank I've ever
You'll be fine as long as you have proper filtration, biological, chemical(if needed) the more rock the better for the fish to hide, sleep in and for the bio filter. Waiting on a crosshatch pair, but might add a big black tang I've seen here in SoCal. I have a 180g with 9 fish total right now.
Assasi trigger
Black Hawaiian trigger
Huma trigger
Undulated trigger
Hippo tang
Squirrel fish
Miniatus grouper
A chameleon Broomtail wrasse
And last of all a Japanese Dragon Eel
Here's a vid and pics of my tank to give you some ideas. I keep things simple really simple and tank is on autopilot. This is my favorite tank I've ever had in 37 years. Any in depth questions about anything PM me.

Been do it for 37 years. Any in depth questions about anything pm me
You'll be fine as long as you have proper filtration, biological, chemical(if needed) the more rock the better for the fish to hide, sleep in and for the bio filter. Waiting on a crosshatch pair, but might add a big black tang I've seen here in SoCal. I have a 180g with 9 fish total right now.
Assasi trigger
Black Hawaiian trigger
Huma trigger
Undulated trigger
Hippo tang
Squirrel fish
Miniatus grouper
A chameleon Broomtail wrasse
And last of all a Japanese Dragon Eel
Here's a vid and pics of my tank to give you some ideas. I keep things simple really simple and tank is on autopilot. This is my favorite tank I've ever had in 37 years. Any in depth questions about anything PM me.
 
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BigWillStyle

BigWillStyle

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I forgot to mention that the 75 is going to be their home for about 1-2 years MAX then a 140 - 200 peninsula. Does that change your opinion? TBH I would rather raise a Purple Tang if it would stay small enough for a 75

I also will only buy something less then 3.5 inches to start as the growing process is a bonding opportunity.
 
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BigWillStyle

BigWillStyle

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You'll be fine, as long as your bio filter is good. The more rocks the better for the fish and corals.
I've got 4 triggers currently, a Black Hawaiian, an Assasi, Huma and an Undulated
A chameleon Broomtail wrasse
Miniatus Grouper
A Hippo Tang
A Squirrel fish
And a Japanese Dragon Eel
Here's some recent pics and a video from a month ago.
You'll be fine as long as you have proper filtration, biological, chemical(if needed) the more rock the better for the fish to hide, sleep in and for the bio filter. Waiting on a crosshatch pair, but might add a big black tang I've seen here in SoCal. I have a 180g with 9 fish total right now.
Assasi trigger
Black Hawaiian trigger
Huma trigger
Undulated trigger
Hippo tang
Squirrel fish
Miniatus grouper
A chameleon Broomtail wrasse
And last of all a Japanese Dragon Eel
Here's a vid and pics of my tank to give you some ideas. I keep things simple really simple and tank is on autopilot. This is my favorite tank I've ever
You'll be fine as long as you have proper filtration, biological, chemical(if needed) the more rock the better for the fish to hide, sleep in and for the bio filter. Waiting on a crosshatch pair, but might add a big black tang I've seen here in SoCal. I have a 180g with 9 fish total right now.
Assasi trigger
Black Hawaiian trigger
Huma trigger
Undulated trigger
Hippo tang
Squirrel fish
Miniatus grouper
A chameleon Broomtail wrasse
And last of all a Japanese Dragon Eel
Here's a vid and pics of my tank to give you some ideas. I keep things simple really simple and tank is on autopilot. This is my favorite tank I've ever had in 37 years. Any in depth questions about anything PM me.

had in 37 years. Any in depth questions about anything PM me.



Mother of god your post is breathtaking. I did notice a lot of the fish you mentioned, along with the size of your tank are way different then my future setup. Do you think the fish would be happy in a smaller tank?
 

HB AL

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Some pics
20230209_202420.jpg
20230209_202426.jpg
20230209_202432.jpg
20230209_202442.jpg
20230209_202447.jpg
 
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BigWillStyle

BigWillStyle

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I was considering a toby puffer if the eel is a show stopper. I would worry about the trigger and slow puffer getting their hard shelled food. I have only had FW puffers with herbivores haha
 

i cant think

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Hello everyone,

This is one of my early posts, so please forgive me if this is not appropriate here.

I just bought a 75 gallon with a 30 gallon sump now its time to look at fish to stock in the coming months. I am upgrading from a 30 AIO where I have a

Mocavinci clown
Green spotted mandarin goby
yellow watchman goby
Tiger pistol shrimp

After looking up a whole bunch of information I was looking to get a

2-3" Blue Throat Triggerfish
2-3" Yellow Tang (PLEASE DONT ARREST ME, ITS MY 2ND POST) lol
6-8" Snowflake eel - till I can source a dwarf

I have a 10 gallon fuge and was considering moving anything that wont work down there.

I am gonna be running a way oversized skimmer so I am not too worried about bioload with the carnivores.

The big question is... Am I overstocked?
If this is only your 2nd reef, I wouldn’t go with this stocking.
Your clown and watchman will likely become food to the eel as Snowflakes are known for being fish munchers and often a 3-4” fish that isn’t overly tall will become food in the long run.
If you plan to upgrade in a year or two why not wait then? Plans always change and you don’t know if you will 100% get an upgrade.

There is also many different ways you can style a reef and you may want to explore a different path in the future - I had to get rid of a Blue Spotted ray a few years ago because I wanted to go a different route and couldn’t keep up with the bioload of the ray.
Plans always change and unfortunately you may not be able to anticipate when or what will change.
 

Freshwater filter only or is it? Have you ever used an HOB filter on a saltwater tank?

  • I currently use a HOB filter on my reef tank.

    Votes: 50 25.1%
  • I don’t currently use a HOB filter on my reef tank, but I have in the past.

    Votes: 50 25.1%
  • I have used a HOB on fish only or quarantine tanks, but not on the display tank.

    Votes: 47 23.6%
  • I have never used a HOB on a saltwater tank.

    Votes: 48 24.1%
  • Other.

    Votes: 4 2.0%
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