Question About Stocking Fish

[Joe Tony]

Thanks for clarifying. I think sometimes when new reef keepers get into the hobby they feel they have to dose things because they read about it or get the newest gadgets. Sometimes it is best to just get a feel for how the system works as a whole and not get so hung up on one or two parameters.

Water changes with good seawater is all that is needed most of the time. This is true in smaller systems. After one gets a handle on the basics, then a person can get more in depth with certain species or types of tank to run.
JMO

You know I've always wondered how that works exactly. If you're usuing distilled or RO/DI water that is pure water and doesn't contain any trace elements, then how does it replenish your tank of those trace elements?

 

[DeniseAndy]

It is all in the salt.

 

[Joe Tony]

It is all in the salt.

Huh.

 

[DeniseAndy]

Sorry, I was on a tablet and could not type much. The salt mixes we use for our systems have all the trace elements you need in your system. So, by doing water changes, you take out the nitrates and other gunk (vacuum sand, etc) and add back in more trace elements.
I only had a hob with rubble and a sponge (sometimes a chemipure blue packet) on my 6g for years. Only did water changes and it was one of my most stable systems. Was lps and softies mostly, some easier sps.

 

[vlangel]

Hi Joe, your tank preferred inhabitants are very similar to mine. Actually your tank shares a lot in common with mine except size and dimensions. We both have deep sandbeds, a fair amount of live rock, macro algea and inverts. Don't underestimate the filtering capacity of live rock and a deep sandbed with some macro algae. I took my skimmer offline because I could not get my nitrates up. I do not use filter socks or pads, only floss and carbon when I want to polish my water to sparkle. My system is very mature however with sponges, lubricates, along with feather dusters, micro stars and bristle worms. Some of my live rock is 20 years old, ( and has been moved to my 3-4 different tanks in that time).

I have a lot of fish in my 56 gallon, along with a multitude of inverts, (13 fish, 2 ornamental shrimp, several nassarius snails and a few crabs). My fish are a tomini tang, 2 pajama cardinals, 2 green citrin gobies, a barnacle blenny, a firefish goby, a royal gramma, and 5 yellow tail damsels. ( A royal gramma would be a less aggressive choice rather than a dottyback and would still give you a splash of fuscia color). I also would love a yellow watchman goby or one of the other gobies that pairs with a pistol shrimp.

My system does have double that water volume with the refugium and sump but it used to be an AIO with only an aqua clear filter and it did very well then too. I do try to keep my nitrates up much higher since I have a lot of macro algea and shoal seagrass in the fuge.

Most of my replenishment of trace elements is done with bi-monthly water changes but about once a month I add a capful of strontium and Coral-vite. Less than that I add iron and iodine. I let my macro algae tell me when iron needs added- if the macros look not as lush then I figure iron is needed, but again only a capful for 100 gallons of water.

Good luck Joe with this current tank and also your future upgrade. A caution about the upgrade...bigger tank then bigger water changes and maintenance in general. I had a 100 gallon once but for me keeping a 56 gallon display in very clean condition (meaning keeping the glass clean, bubble algae under control, macro algae pruned) is much easier.

 

[Joe Tony]

Hi Joe, your tank preferred inhabitants are very similar to mine. Actually your tank shares a lot in common with mine except size and dimensions. We both have deep sandbeds, a fair amount of live rock, macro algea and inverts. Don't underestimate the filtering capacity of live rock and a deep sandbed with some macro algae. I took my skimmer offline because I could not get my nitrates up. I do not use filter socks or pads, only floss and carbon when I want to polish my water to sparkle. My system is very mature however with sponges, lubricates, along with feather dusters, micro stars and bristle worms. Some of my live rock is 20 years old, ( and has been moved to my 3-4 different tanks in that time).

I have a lot of fish in my 56 gallon, along with a multitude of inverts, (13 fish, 2 ornamental shrimp, several nassarius snails and a few crabs). My fish are a tomini tang, 2 pajama cardinals, 2 green citrin gobies, a barnacle blenny, a firefish goby, a royal gramma, and 5 yellow tail damsels. ( A royal gramma would be a less aggressive choice rather than a dottyback and would still give you a splash of fuscia color). I also would love a yellow watchman goby or one of the other gobies that pairs with a pistol shrimp.

My system does have double that water volume with the refugium and sump but it used to be an AIO with only an aqua clear filter and it did very well then too. I do try to keep my nitrates up much higher since I have a lot of macro algea and shoal seagrass in the fuge.

Most of my replenishment of trace elements is done with bi-monthly water changes but about once a month I add a capful of strontium and Coral-vite. Less than that I add iron and iodine. I let my macro algae tell me when iron needs added- if the macros look not as lush then I figure iron is needed, but again only a capful for 100 gallons of water.

Good luck Joe with this current tank and also your future upgrade. A caution about the upgrade...bigger tank then bigger water changes and maintenance in general. I had a 100 gallon once but for me keeping a 56 gallon display in very clean condition (meaning keeping the glass clean, bubble algae under control, macro algae pruned) is much easier.

I appreciate it. I think I'm gonna upgrade to the 55 gallon to avoid too much maintenance. I don't need a crazy amount of fish, nor do I need big fish. But I like color, coral, and biodiversity. In fact, the reason why I switched from freshwater to saltwater in the first place, wasn't so much because of the colorful fish or even the corals, but the fact that you can have so much more biodiversity (stars, shrimp, crabs, sponges, clams, feather dusters, etc.) compared to freshwater, whose cleanup crew is generally limited to just shrimp and snails.

I'm also not a reefer who's crazy about equipment. Protein skimmers, mechanical filters, ozone, etc. these haven't interested me, nor have I needed them to keep nitrates down. On the contrary, I was told by some in another forum that I actually have too few nitrates and am starving my corals. Thus I got a clownfish pair and now intend to get a dottyback in a month (And I actually prefer the dottyback over the gramma. The pure magenta-purple of it appeals to me more, and I'm already keeping an azure damsel which means I'm currently limited to fish that can hold their own.)

 

[Joe Tony]

:) A standard 100 won’t really give you much more to work with than a standard 75 considering they’re both 4’ tanks, I said an 80 is better than a standard 75 because my version of the 80 adds an extra 2” in width, going from the 18” width of the standard 75 to 20” so hopefully the extra 2” would be a bit better for the aquascaping. What my version of the 80 “sacrifices” compared to the standard 75 is about an inch in height but IMO height’s not nearly as important as Length and width.

My version of the 100 gives 60” or 5’ of swimming space over the 4’ of the standard 100, while adding a further 2” in width compared to my version of the 80. 18” height IMO would make it a shallow tank but again height’s not all that important IMO unless you’re keeping some larger and taller fish.

It depends on what risks you’re willing to take with corals, no angel or butterfly I’d say is 100% guaranteed reef safe but the Genicanthus angels and some of the butterflies I mentioned are about as close as it gets. If I were you I’d be willing to accept that risk for what are some really nice looking fish.

Another route to go, if you are willing to get a nice and tight fitting top, would be quite a few wrasses. Evolved has pretty much a wrasse only tank. Many Fairy Wrasses, pretty much all Flasher Wrasses, and all the smaller Halichoeres would be fine for a 100. However in terms of fish families that would mean less variety.

If you see a couple of species that interest you feel free to keep us updated.

What say you about a 55 gallon tank in terms of aquascaping capacity?

 

[Zionas]

A 55 gallon tank? A standard 55 is a 4’ tank, not sure about the other dimensions. However it’s only 13” wide so really not a lot of room IMO. However if you do 48” x 18” x 16” it would give you 57 gallons so close.

 

[Joe Tony]

A 55 gallon tank? A standard 55 is a 4’ tank, not sure about the other dimensions. However it’s only 13” wide so really not a lot of room IMO. However if you do 48” x 18” x 16” it would give you 57 gallons so close.

I want to get a tiger conch for this upgrade and I know they like a lot of sandy room. In your experience, what would be the best tank size and dimensions that would allow for this after aquascaping? Keeping in mind I'd like a tank on the smaller size (ie between 55 and 80 gallons) to avoid too heavy water changes/maintenance

 

[Zionas]

I can’t really help you with Tiger Conches, unfortunately, as I have no experience with them. Usually with sand it’s more about the height of the sand bed, not sure how that relates to tank dimensions so please ask a more experienced member. Sorry.

 

[Joe Tony]

I can’t really help you with Tiger Conches, unfortunately, as I have no experience with them. Usually with sand it’s more about the height of the sand bed, not sure how that relates to tank dimensions so please ask a more experienced member. Sorry.

No worries lol. The advice you gave previously was helpful enough.

 

[DeniseAndy]

Most of the smaller conch are fine if there is a sandbed. Does not have to be deep, just enough to keep it fed. Some of my favorites of the cuc.

 

[Joe Tony]

Most of the smaller conch are fine if there is a sandbed. Does not have to be deep, just enough to keep it fed. Some of my favorites of the cuc.

With my tank, as I've shown it at the beginning of this forum, do you think the sandbed is good for a small tiger conch?

Because a large portion of the sandbed is covered in live rock, with only a narrow path cutting through the front and widening at the ends of the tank.

 

[DeniseAndy]

Should be fine. Mine have crawled up the edges of rocks and the glass. Crazy critters.

 

[Joe Tony]

Should be fine. Mine have crawled up the edges of rocks and the glass. Crazy critters.

Got it. Thanks!