Questions from a newbie! Stocking and skimmer.

[Daniel Doherty]

Hi all. After years of FW keeping I’ve stepped into the SW world with a 60 gallon, 2ft cube reef tank. I’m doing this all very budget friendly as I am still a student, and get almost everything second hand. I’ve three main topics today which are stocking, using a skimmer, and macro algae.
First off, the tank is currently stocked with a pair of clowns, a royal gramma, and a pink and blue spot sand sifting goby. They are all doing great. I’ve two bubble top anemones, Xenia and Kenya tree corals. I’m also picking up a lot of soft corals from a local hobbiest in two weeks time. Water chemistry has been perfect for the last two months. I am using two canister filters ( something I will get too later) which I had seeded on a previous smaller tank before I upgraded. I have been wanting to add more fish, and saw two yellow tail damsels and a red fire cleaned shrimp being given away for free, and I am going to collect them in two weeks. Do ye think the damsels are compatible? There are a lot of visual blocks in the tank, and there’ll be even more once I get my hands on more coral! I have heard of damsel aggression but also heard that yellow tails, azures and springeri tend to be quieter. I read that you should add damsels last, so I am actually going to call to my LFS when collecting them. I was thinking of getting a tail spot blenny and a pair of bangi cardinals. I’d also like a wrasse but I don’t think a six line wrasse would be a good idea as I’ve heard they’re aggressive, so would Pygmy posseum wrasse be a good call? I was thinking of setting up two breeder boxes and keeping the damsel in them separately at the start to let the other fish settle in and set up territories, what do ye think of this? Any advice at all is welcome!

Next up is questions about running a skimmer. I got a skimmer as part of a package of an old FW 120 gallon I picked up years ago. I’ve since sold the tank but kept the skimmer as I knew I’d be getting into reef keeping. I don’t keep a sump, but I was wondering if I could say run it inline with my smaller canister filter (i.e water comes into canister, then skimmer, then back to tank? I also have a programmable pump which I could incorporate. If the flow needs to be adjusted for the skimmer, I could turn off the canister, and have my pump situated after the skimmer controlling the flow rate.

Now onto macro algae. I loved keeping planted tank for years and like the idea of having some macro algae in the tank, particularly the green needle leaf type. I was wondering if I’d be able to add this, particularly in the back of the sand bed or along the fake rock background?

Thanks very much and advice is welcome !

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

If you add damsels, they might be the last fish you add. Damsels are very territorial and aggressive. If you want more fish, add the peacefull fish first like the blenny and cardinals for example, then add the damsels when your done stocking fish.

I think a skimmer is great tool for a fish tank, tanks will large bioload especially will benefit from it. I don't know about hooking it up to a canister though, maybe others have experience and can help, sorry .

A lot of tanks have nice macro algae's in them, sure why not? I'm not familiar with macro algae's though so again can't offer comment, but others can.

Anyway, seems like you're doing well, welcome to the salty side and good luck

 

[FUNGI]

Re: Skimmer, in theory, it can be done, but in practice, good luck.
1) is it a HOB skimmer or in sump?

EDIT: Sorry just saw skimmer picture.....again, in theory, it can be done, but good luck getting the water going into skimmer pump under control

 

[Daniel Doherty]

If you add damsels, they might be the last fish you add. Damsels are very territorial and aggressive. If you want more fish, add the peacefull fish first like the blenny and cardinals for example, then add the damsels when your done stocking fish.

I think a skimmer is great tool for a fish tank, tanks will large bioload especially will benefit from it. I don't know about hooking it up to a canister though, maybe others have experience and can help, sorry .

A lot of tanks have nice macro algae's in them, sure why not? I'm not familiar with macro algae's though so again can't offer comment, but others can.

Anyway, seems like you're doing well, welcome to the salty side and good luck

Perfect, ya I think it should be okay, my tank stocking will be complete after this.

 

[Daniel Doherty]

Re: Skimmer, in theory, it can be done, but in practice, good luck.
1) is it a HOB skimmer or in sump?

EDIT: Sorry just saw skimmer picture.....again, in theory, it can be done, but good luck getting the water going into skimmer pump under control

okay haha thanks! might be a project when I've a lot of spare time so I suppose