Hi all! I've had a 65g beginner reef tank running for 6 years now and due to the insanity of giving birth thru keeping up with an insane 15 month year old I've basically been on maintenance survival mode for the last 2 years. Many of my original stock have gradually died off (mostly old age, as I've had a monthly maintenance guy helping me stay afloat on running it when I wasn't able to keep up with maintenance myself) and I'm in a general rut with the tank. GSP has overgrown most of the few corals I was growing, and I'm constantly battling a hair algae infestation since my CUC hasn't been replenished in 2yrs. My Valentini puffer may have been snacking on them too when I wasn't watching, who knows. My last wrasse died a little while back to old age (Flasher wrasse) and I just lost my captive bred mandarin this morning, who was my very first fish in the tank. I have a 5g HOB refugium and a 30g sump/refugium combo both packed with live rock, plus monthly pod shipments, so I don't believe it was diet related. He was fat and happily hunting around the rocks a couple days ago and I found him dead this morning with no obvious signs of issues. I'm finally starting to get out of survival mode and able to focus on my tanks (I have 3 other freshwater systems, but this is my first and only saltwater tank) and I really don't know where to go with it. I'm torn between tearing it down and focusing on freshwater tanks, or getting a new stocking plan that excites me and whipping this tank back into proper shape.
What would you do with a tank like this? Currently I have a 4yr old valentini puffer, a 3+yr old Starry Blenny, 3-4yr old clownfish, 5+ yr old Royal Gramma, and a Banggai Cardinal that's been in the tank for 2+ years. I'm not particularly attached to any of them beyond the puffer, so I'm not opposed to rehoming any that don't fit a new direction. I love personality/unique behaviors most in my fish, though color is always nice. Hit me with your favorite fish for this tank, I need inspiration!
What would you do with a tank like this? Currently I have a 4yr old valentini puffer, a 3+yr old Starry Blenny, 3-4yr old clownfish, 5+ yr old Royal Gramma, and a Banggai Cardinal that's been in the tank for 2+ years. I'm not particularly attached to any of them beyond the puffer, so I'm not opposed to rehoming any that don't fit a new direction. I love personality/unique behaviors most in my fish, though color is always nice. Hit me with your favorite fish for this tank, I need inspiration!
