Help me stock my aquarium!

[ibryson]

Hey all! I'm finally getting to the exciting part of my aquarium build where I start selecting fish to stock. I will be cycling my aquarium next week so it will be fish ready soon.

Some details first...It is a 180 gallon and I'd like to make it a reef tank. I'd like to wait a year or so before adding coral though just so i can get the hang of maintaining parameters in a large aquarium.
I will be moving three fish from my 40 gallon over to the 180 once its cycled. 2 clownfish and 1 yellowtail damselfish.

I'm looking for help with deciding on some beatiful reef safe fish and what order to add them. I really only have two fish that I definitely want at some point. A snowflake eel and an Achilles Tang. What order would those two fit in during the stocking process?

Let me know if you need anymore details! Thanks everyone!!

 

[ShaunRobinson]

Achilles tang should be the last fish you add to your tank.

 

[ibryson]

Achilles tang should be the last fish you add to your tank.

Think I’ll have any luck on adding two or three tangs with the Achilles? I want to avoid over-stocking so if only 1 tang will work that is fine but I’d really like to add a yellow tang for color and maybe another bright one

 

[MaiReef]

Hey all! I'm finally getting to the exciting part of my aquarium build where I start selecting fish to stock. I will be cycling my aquarium next week so it will be fish ready soon.

Some details first...It is a 180 gallon and I'd like to make it a reef tank. I'd like to wait a year or so before adding coral though just so i can get the hang of maintaining parameters in a large aquarium.
I will be moving three fish from my 40 gallon over to the 180 once its cycled. 2 clownfish and 1 yellowtail damselfish.

I'm looking for help with deciding on some beatiful reef safe fish and what order to add them. I really only have two fish that I definitely want at some point. A snowflake eel and an Achilles Tang. What order would those two fit in during the stocking process?

Let me know if you need anymore details! Thanks everyone!!

It usually takes a month or two to cycle a tank, but some have sped up the process. Take your time. BTW, Larger tanks are easier to keep parameters stable based on volume. Good luck!

 

[ibryson]

It usually takes a month or two to cycle a tank, but some have sped up the process. Take your time. BTW, Larger tanks are easier to keep parameters stable based on volume. Good luck!

My plan was to throw in a couple jumbo shrimp. I have 100lbs of live sand and I’ll throw a rock from my existing setup into the sump. Then I have some bio spira I’ll dump in there. How long do you think it will take with this process? I was guessing maybe a couple weeks

 

[MaiReef]

My plan was to throw in a couple jumbo shrimp. I have 100lbs of live sand and I’ll throw a rock from my existing setup into the sump. Then I have some bio spira I’ll dump in there. How long do you think it will take with this process? I was guessing maybe a couple weeks

to a month. Just test and see. You are starting out with a new tank. A very exciting experience where you can correct previous mistakes and learn from others.
On the other hand I have seen magical tanks on here that are setup with coral in a month, but I believe they have quite a bit of knowledge and a bit of luck.

 

[BestMomEver]

Since you already have a tank, you should be familiar with cycling, etc. I’m confident that you will test and wait until the time is right. 180 is a nice since tank but you’ll still have to be careful about your fish selection. Achilles tangs are great fish and are active swimmers. I would only add one other tang to a tank that size. Try to make it one of the smaller species like a tomini or something. As for other fish, be careful about any sand dwelling fish like gobies and blennies. The eel will eat them. Eels really belong in a predator tank. Typically they aren’t good community fish but it can be done. I have a friend with a 300 gallon tank with an eel.... it ate his powder blue tang. Something to be considered. I wouldn’t get an eel if it were my tank. It will severely limit what else you can have.

If you decide against the eel, a Goby/pistol shrimp pair is loads of fun. Flasher and fairy wrasses are beautiful but you’ll have to read about them. They don’t all get along. You can try a dwarf angel but it’s hit and miss as far as being reef safe. Firefish are pretty. Six line Wrasse are great fish IMO and great at keeping nasty worms away. Chromis are pretty. Get a few more than you want... you will end up with a lot less. They are ok with other species but not with each other. For sure get a royal gramma.

Oh... so many choices! Good luck!