What would you do?

[DeSoDo]

Hello all. Just wondering if the stocking list looks acceptable. I'll be adding my first group of fish this week or next. Tank is completely cycled and in the "ugly phase" so my copepods are helping with diatoms, I currently have 1 baby Blue legged hermit in the tank as well. My questions are as follows:
1. Is this list acceptable for a 65g tank? Footprint is the same as a 40g breeder, just taller.
2. There's a sale at my lfs on gobies, but they only have Yellow watchman gobies available. Can I get a pair and pair the 2 with 2 pistol shrimp and have those in my tank first? Before even adding clowns.
3. Should I go with a full CUC for a week before adding any other livestock first?

 

[DeSoDo]

Sure, DIY mesh lids work great for rimmed tanks but not so well for maintaining the aesthetic of a rimless tank. I think I've seen acrylic lid frames with attachment for mesh in the openings for intended use on rimless tanks, but I have no experience. I personally always have rimmed tanks, as the security is worth more to me than the aesthetic of a rimless tank, but this is all a matter of personal opinion.

My tank is rimmed. 2 of the pieces of glass broke as I was putting the rocks in the display. Luckily it was outside of the tank instead of my dropping it inside.

 

[DeSoDo]

FWIW, you might want to consider getting an HOB overflow box (because tank is all set up, and you may not be able to drill) and running a sump, maybe 20 or 30 gallons. I would recommend LifeReef, but there are others.

I used to run a 20 gallon tank with a Bubble Magus HOB protein skimmer, Tidal 75 filter, and a sumpless ATO. That was one of the worst ideas I ever had. I had nothing but problems for the couple years it ran. Algae, cyano, dinos, nasty. To be honest, it may have been the lights, but the HOB setup wasn't helping.

I had a 55 gallon FW planted tank in my living room that we turned into a reef with a sump and HOB overflow. It's been running quite well for going on 3 years now. I grow chaeto in a refugum in the sump, and I think that makes all the difference.

Just my 2 cents.

Gotcha. Yeah, I'm scared of sumps and plumbing and all that stuff.