I currently have a 32g fluval flex that at the moment is my only saltwater tank. I've had the one saltwater tank for a little over two years now and multiple planted freshwater tanks for about 10 years.
After quite a lot of discussion with the family we have decided to convert or upgrade the rest of our freshwater tanks. We have just come to the realization that we all enjoy the saltwater tank a lot more and want to do more.
This project is going to be rather long and drawn out (it includes a minor house remodeling and new floors in two rooms while the tanks are empty) but I'm just looking for some future ideas of what we would like to do and what kinds of fish I can start researching to stock with.
I do not plan on getting rid of any of my current livestock, but I am willing to split them into multiple tasks to make the best and most compatible options.
My kids love bright colored flashy fish with personality or odd traits, so colorful is important, but reef safe and functional fish with a job is important to me also.
Currently:
-Ocillaris clownfish pair. Boris and Natasha.
-Royal gramma. Gurgle (of course)
-Sailfin/algae blenny. Useless (named such because he eats zero algae).
-diamond goby. Bob the builder. (Constantly building tunnels and hills. Loves covering my coral with sand and carrying all my snails and hermit crabs around by their shells and using them to build walls.)
-skunk cleaner shrimp. Jaques Pierre. According to my youngest son, all shrimp are French.
-turbo snail. Gary. What else would you name a large snail.
-multiple other small snails of various species
-a few hermit crabs
-one bumblebee snail
-some soft and LPS corals.
We currently have a very peaceful and fun tank. I would really prefer to avoid aggression issues if possible.
We will be keeping the 32g we currently have.
We will be adding a 4' tank with a total volume of about 100 gallons, 80g display and 25g sump. Plan on it being a mixed reef tank. It will be completely replacing the current 55g freshwater in that location.
We plan on converting a small 20g freshwater tank into a barebottom QT tank or whatever it proves useful being.
We also plan on converting the small 10g freshwater tank in our bedroom into a small nano tank. It's a WB10 cube, just need to upgrade the light on it.
We are replacing the floor under the large tank and the floor in our bedroom before converting to saltwater so we will no longer have any carpet, yay!
I also plan on some rearranging in my laundry room or the garage(haven't decided) and installing a rodi unit and saltwater mixing station. Have been buying water from the LFS for two years which wasn't a big deal until now.
So, like I said.... long term project, need advice, and stocking ideas. I think Bob the builder, the diamond goby, will definitely be staying in the 32gal. I really want to have a better reef tank and more coral options in the new larger tank, and he just can't help but knock over anything I put in the sand.
Not sure what direction I want to go with the little 10g nano in the bedroom. Part of me really wants an anenome only tank with some small clownfish. I've always been scared to put one in my main tank for fear of killing everything with it if I screw up.
For the big tank though. 80g display, reef safe fish. Fun for kids to watch. Low aggression chances. A schooling option might be fun. Algae eaters, pest eaters, what are your thoughts???
After quite a lot of discussion with the family we have decided to convert or upgrade the rest of our freshwater tanks. We have just come to the realization that we all enjoy the saltwater tank a lot more and want to do more.
This project is going to be rather long and drawn out (it includes a minor house remodeling and new floors in two rooms while the tanks are empty) but I'm just looking for some future ideas of what we would like to do and what kinds of fish I can start researching to stock with.
I do not plan on getting rid of any of my current livestock, but I am willing to split them into multiple tasks to make the best and most compatible options.
My kids love bright colored flashy fish with personality or odd traits, so colorful is important, but reef safe and functional fish with a job is important to me also.
Currently:
-Ocillaris clownfish pair. Boris and Natasha.
-Royal gramma. Gurgle (of course)
-Sailfin/algae blenny. Useless (named such because he eats zero algae).
-diamond goby. Bob the builder. (Constantly building tunnels and hills. Loves covering my coral with sand and carrying all my snails and hermit crabs around by their shells and using them to build walls.)
-skunk cleaner shrimp. Jaques Pierre. According to my youngest son, all shrimp are French.
-turbo snail. Gary. What else would you name a large snail.
-multiple other small snails of various species
-a few hermit crabs
-one bumblebee snail
-some soft and LPS corals.
We currently have a very peaceful and fun tank. I would really prefer to avoid aggression issues if possible.
We will be keeping the 32g we currently have.
We will be adding a 4' tank with a total volume of about 100 gallons, 80g display and 25g sump. Plan on it being a mixed reef tank. It will be completely replacing the current 55g freshwater in that location.
We plan on converting a small 20g freshwater tank into a barebottom QT tank or whatever it proves useful being.
We also plan on converting the small 10g freshwater tank in our bedroom into a small nano tank. It's a WB10 cube, just need to upgrade the light on it.
We are replacing the floor under the large tank and the floor in our bedroom before converting to saltwater so we will no longer have any carpet, yay!
I also plan on some rearranging in my laundry room or the garage(haven't decided) and installing a rodi unit and saltwater mixing station. Have been buying water from the LFS for two years which wasn't a big deal until now.
So, like I said.... long term project, need advice, and stocking ideas. I think Bob the builder, the diamond goby, will definitely be staying in the 32gal. I really want to have a better reef tank and more coral options in the new larger tank, and he just can't help but knock over anything I put in the sand.
Not sure what direction I want to go with the little 10g nano in the bedroom. Part of me really wants an anenome only tank with some small clownfish. I've always been scared to put one in my main tank for fear of killing everything with it if I screw up.
For the big tank though. 80g display, reef safe fish. Fun for kids to watch. Low aggression chances. A schooling option might be fun. Algae eaters, pest eaters, what are your thoughts???
