What would you add/change?

[resuahknaf]

Hey everyone, I'm looking for opinions on what to do with my tank. We're having a hard time seeing what we want to do with it. We have a 37 gallon tall (Auqeon) that's 10 months old. In the picture it is a little dirty, I'm trying to not overclean all at once. We have:

A pair of clowns
1 pajama cardinal
1 Mandarin goby
1 blue knuckle hermit crab
1 Halloween hermit crab
4 snails
1 zoa
1 urchin

From livestock, corals, rock, what would you do? I thank you all in advance!

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

It doesn’t look dirty to me at all. Does look a little empty though. Just my own preference but I would add more rock to make it look a little more full and another powehead to get more flow.

Are you not interested in corals? Some easy corals like leathers can really fill up some empty space. It would also provide a little colour.

 

[Stevorino]

I'd go get some caribreef life rock arches and make the scape a lot taller and fuller. It'd add a lot of dimension and interest to the tank.

I'd also make the background black.... by either painting it black or putting some kind of covering/paper back there. I don't know what the yellow floating thing is, but I'd move that into the corner and potentially replace with something less eye-catching.

For livestock I'd add:

- Diamond Goby or Pistol Shrimp/Clown Goby combo
- Pair of Cleaner or Sexy Shrimp (the are just fun)
- Bi-Color or Midas Blenny
- More Zoas
- Torches/Hammers

 

[resuahknaf]

It doesn’t look dirty to me at all. Does look a little empty though. Just my own preference but I would add more rock to make it look a little more full and another powehead to get more flow.

Are you not interested in corals? Some easy corals like leathers can really fill up some empty space. It would also provide a little colour.

We got our first coral about a month ago and wanted to see how it went with a zoa and go from there. Overall we've just been taking it all slow.

 

[resuahknaf]

I'd go get some caribreef life rock arches and make the scape a lot taller and fuller. It'd add a lot of dimension and interest to the tank.

I'd also make the background black.... by either painting it black or putting some kind of covering/paper back there. I don't know what the yellow floating thing is, but I'd move that into the corner and potentially replace with something less eye-catching.

For livestock I'd add:

- Diamond Goby or Pistol Shrimp/Clown Goby combo
- Pair of Cleaner or Sexy Shrimp (the are just fun)
- Bi-Color or Midas Blenny
- More Zoas
- Torches/Hammers

I'd go get some caribreef life rock arches and make the scape a lot taller and fuller. It'd add a lot of dimension and interest to the tank.

I'd also make the background black.... by either painting it black or putting some kind of covering/paper back there. I don't know what the yellow floating thing is, but I'd move that into the corner and potentially replace with something less eye-catching.

For livestock I'd add:

- Diamond Goby or Pistol Shrimp/Clown Goby combo
- Pair of Cleaner or Sexy Shrimp (the are just fun)
- Bi-Color or Midas Blenny
- More Zoas
- Torches/Hammers

I was thinking more rock too, wasn't sure how much more livestock to add since it's a tall tank. Oooh trust me the black background is I fight I lost, maybe one day lol. But the thermometer was just there while I was moving things around to scrape the glass, normally it's more out of sight

 

[ReefStable]

I would add some rock and personally I would start adding coral!

I have some good zoas and mushrooms if you're looking for easy stuff. ;P

https://reefstable.com/store/beginner

 

[resuahknaf]

I would add some rock and personally I would start adding coral!

I have some good zoas and mushrooms if you're looking for easy stuff. ;P

https://reefstable.com/store/beginner

 

[resuahknaf]

Sorry if this is dumb, but to add more rock now use epoxy instead of glue right?

I'll check out your inventory, thanks for the link!

 

[tzabor10]

Carpet anemone, rock flower anemone, fireworks clove polyp, green star polyp, and a pencil urchin

 

[fishyjoes]

Lots of empty space due to the height of the tank - I'd get some easy coral that will cover some of that glass
Maybe green star polyp or some encrusting something (cyphastrea or montipora)

 

[resuahknaf]

The empty space drive me nuts! I have more caribsea rock, just having such a hard time trying to incorporate it with what's already there

 

[ptrahan]

Monti back glass.

 

[Stevorino]

I was thinking more rock too, wasn't sure how much more livestock to add since it's a tall tank. Oooh trust me the black background is I fight I lost, maybe one day lol. But the thermometer was just there while I was moving things around to scrape the glass, normally it's more out of sight

I think you can add 2-3 small fish no problem. The fish I recommended above have a LOT of personality.

You could also do a blue background. My last main display was Blue (~10 years), and I generally enjoyed it. I prefer black because it makes the actual tank contents really pop, and looks good even when dirty.

No offense meant here, but both would really be a major upgrade over your current setup. If you are willing to consider it further, taping some black/blue paper or vinyl to the back would allow you to temporarily compare.

My wife originally pushed back on the backgrounds, which is part of the reason we went blue for a decade lol.... but she would definitely say now that black is the best, now that she's seen it in action.

Good luck with the upgrades!

 

[resuahknaf]

No offense taken at all! I appreciate the ideas, and suggestions. Tonight I shall bring them up to my fiance and see what he thinks especially since I'll need his help with it lol