Upgrade tank transfer and fish stocking order advice please

Bat120

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Hello

My 100 litre (22 gallon) tank without sump sprang a leak a while ago in the summer. I managed to save the sole clownfish and corals (all softies - kenya tree, ricordia, cabbage, xenia and large gorgonian fans) plus the CUC that I could see - hermit, trochus and bumblebees. I abondoned the sand in the old tank.

It has all been sitting in a 80 litre plastic box with skimmer/heater/algae reactor/powerheads with the live rock for the past 5 weeks and everything looks happy after some big water changes, given how much crap went into the water from disturbing the 6 year old sandbed. There are also 2 maxspect bioblocks in there.

So I now have a 250 litre (55 gallon) new tank with sump in which I have been curing some old live rock (with powerhead, skimmer and heater) which had been out of a tank for a few years stored in a box. Nitrite and ammonia now reading zero but I have not added any live sand or bacteria yet.

My plan was to drain the water out completely that the rock has been sitting in, put in the live sand - natures ocean - and fill it up with fresh salt water.

What next? I have a bottle of ATM colony. I am keen to get my clownfish out of her plastic box but also don't want to cause her stress if there's going to be a big ammonia spike - should I add in the original live rock with all the coral attached into the tank with the cured rock straight away after adding the ATM colony to help? Will the softies cope? I know ATM colony say you can stick fish in straight away but...

Finally, my stocking plan is:
Current clown
Midas blenny
2 bengaii cardinals
Royal gramma
1 spot Foxface
Diamond goby (if the midas blenny will leave it alone?)

In what order would you do the stocking? I'll obviously take it slow! I'm slightly concerend that my current clown will not tolerate anyone else in her tank given she's been living alone for a year or so after her mate died although I have no evidence for that and it will be a new set up anyway.
 

bnord

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Firstly, congrats, it sounds like you handled a minor disaster with skill and aplomb!

secondly, for a 55, that is an easy stocking, particularly if they are smallish to start with.

my only comments are as a person who has never had a diamond goby, I understand that they do favor a more seasoned (at least a year) sand bed and second if you are relying on a fox face as your algae control, just know that I have had 2, re-homed the first due to coral nipping and NEVER once seen grazing algae, and the second, current tank member also NEVER grazes algae.

A smallish bristle tooth, and or a lawn mower added before your Midas might be an option. If opinions on the 55 for a bristle tooth are too small, listen to them, however I think cruising lanes and flow with your scape and powerhead can give it years of a healthy home.
 
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Bat120

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Firstly, congrats, it sounds like you handled a minor disaster with skill and aplomb!

secondly, for a 55, that is an easy stocking, particularly if they are smallish to start with.

my only comments are as a person who has never had a diamond goby, I understand that they do favor a more seasoned (at least a year) sand bed and second if you are relying on a fox face as your algae control, just know that I have had 2, re-homed the first due to coral nipping and NEVER once seen grazing algae, and the second, current tank member also NEVER grazes algae.

A smallish bristle tooth, and or a lawn mower added before your Midas might be an option. If opinions on the 55 for a bristle tooth are too small, listen to them, however I think cruising lanes and flow with your scape and powerhead can give it years of a healthy home.
Thanks so much for your reply - really interesting about the foxfaces - the bristletooth looks like a great alternative if I can't get a foxface that I know is keen on grazing! Yes I think I'll wait a while before adding any goby and let it all mature a bit - so frustrating when you've had a tank for years but the new one is immature!
 
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Bat120

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Thanks so much for your reply - really interesting about the foxfaces - the bristletooth looks like a great alternative if I can't get a foxface that I know is keen on grazing! Yes I think I'll wait a while before adding any goby and let it all mature a bit - so frustrating when you've had a tank for years but the new one is immature!
 
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Bat120

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Firstly, congrats, it sounds like you handled a minor disaster with skill and aplomb!

secondly, for a 55, that is an easy stocking, particularly if they are smallish to start with.

my only comments are as a person who has never had a diamond goby, I understand that they do favor a more seasoned (at least a year) sand bed and second if you are relying on a fox face as your algae control, just know that I have had 2, re-homed the first due to coral nipping and NEVER once seen grazing algae, and the second, current tank member also NEVER grazes algae.

A smallish bristle tooth, and or a lawn mower added before your Midas might be an option. If opinions on the 55 for a bristle tooth are too small, listen to them, however I think cruising lanes and flow with your scape and powerhead can give it years of a healthy home.
Yes - I came downstairs in the middle of the night as I just felt something wasn't right and felt a wet kitchen floor. Panic stations - particularly as I have an ATO which was doing its best to keep the tank topped up as it seeped out onto the floor and was making the salinity go down and down!
 

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