You call THIS a stocking list?!?!

[Starling541]

So I’m about 3 months out from my stocking list. My plan is to scape to my stocking plan and I just ordered rock, then cycle the tank and then start stocking.
Here is my 10+ Phase list so I can slowly absorb bio load and work through a SIX WEEK quarantine for each phase.
36 gallon bow w/20 Gallon sump (Equip listed at the end)
Decades of freshwater exp. but first time saltwater.
Any alterations or change of livestock or orders from the peanut gallery? Would love feedback and why?


#IfAllGoesWell #SlowAndSteady

Phase# - Description
1) Paired Watchman Goby/Pistol Shrimp & a bottle of pods
2) Starry Blenny & Mushroom Coral & add Chaeto into my HOB Refugium off sump. Start my light cycle.
3) Bumble Bee Snails (5qty), Pulsing Xena & a bottle of pods.
4) Fire Fish, a cleaner shrimp & Duncan Coral
5) Royal Gamma Basslet, Nassarius Snails (5qty) & Red Gracillia in the Display
6) Ocellaris Clown, Trumpet coral & Emerald Crab & add a bottle of pods
7) Orchid Dottyback, Mexican Turbo Snails (5qty) & Five Finger in the Display
8) Here I will have to up my lighting game than what came stock on the tank (still researching but up for suggestions),
Adding a fish YTBD (any suggestions?), Candy Cane Coral, & a Pom Pom Crab
9) Longnose Hawkfish, Cleaner shrimp, Montipora Coral
10) Six Line Wrasse, Cleaner Shrimp, & Birds Nest Coral.
11) Bristle Starfish, mermaids hand, & Rock Burrowing Urchin.
12) Last jar of pods as we should be well established now. And move to biannual adds, Pink Spiny Cucumber, orange fan Sponge, Tridacan Crocea Clam

Reef Octopus Octo Pulse 2, Icecap 2k Gyre, two 300w helix heaters, two return pumps, protein skimmer, UV filter, & Tunze eco chic submersible.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

S

So I’m about 3 months out from my stocking list. My plan is to scape to my stocking plan and I just ordered rock, then cycle the tank and then start stocking.
Here is my 10+ Phase list so I can slowly absorb bio load and work through a SIX WEEK quarantine for each phase.
36 gallon bow w/20 Gallon sump (Equip listed at the end)
Decades of freshwater exp. but first time saltwater.
Any alterations or change of livestock or orders from the peanut gallery? Would love feedback and why?


#IfAllGoesWell #SlowAndSteady

Phase# - Description
1) Paired Watchman Goby/Pistol Shrimp & a bottle of pods
2) Starry Blenny & Mushroom Coral & add Chaeto into my HOB Refugium off sump. Start my light cycle.
3) Bumble Bee Snails (5qty), Pulsing Xena & a bottle of pods.
4) Fire Fish, a cleaner shrimp & Duncan Coral
5) Royal Gamma Basslet, Nassarius Snails (5qty) & Red Gracillia in the Display
6) Ocellaris Clown, Trumpet coral & Emerald Crab & add a bottle of pods
7) Orchid Dottyback, Mexican Turbo Snails (5qty) & Five Finger in the Display
8) Here I will have to up my lighting game than what came stock on the tank (still researching but up for suggestions),
Adding a fish YTBD (any suggestions?), Candy Cane Coral, & a Pom Pom Crab
9) Longnose Hawkfish, Cleaner shrimp, Montipora Coral
10) Six Line Wrasse, Cleaner Shrimp, & Birds Nest Coral.
11) Bristle Starfish, mermaids hand, & Rock Burrowing Urchin.
12) Last jar of pods as we should be well established now. And move to biannual adds, Pink Spiny Cucumber, orange fan Sponge, Tridacan Crocea Clam

Reef Octopus Octo Pulse 2, Icecap 2k Gyre, two 300w helix heaters, two return pumps, protein skimmer, UV filter, & Tunze eco chic submersible.

So you've actually planned out 12, 6 week phases this far in advance? Don't get me wrong, It's GREAT that you're looking ahead and planning but for me personally it takes away the excitement of having a new coral or fish that you've never heard of before catch your eye and after a little research becoming part of your unique mini ecosystem makes the hobby much more exciting than "following a road map" so to say. Again, I think it's awesome you're thinking things through though! One thing to mention though...you don't need to continue to add so many pods. I'm unsure of you're ordering live ocean rock or established rock from a mature tank but if so, you'll already have pods and if you dose a little phyto every night their population will grow exponentially!

 

[Miami Reef]

After seeding with the initial bottle of pods, is adding more really necessary if you aren’t housing pod consumers (mandarin gobies)? Pods will reproduce to the tank’s food supply.

Sixlines wrasses can be very aggressive. I’d avoid them if possible.

 

[Starling541]

S

So you've actually planned out 12, 6 week phases this far in advance? Don't get me wrong, It's GREAT that you're looking ahead and planning but for me personally it takes away the excitement of having a new coral or fish that you've never heard of before catch your eye and after a little research becoming part of your unique mini ecosystem makes the hobby much more exciting than "following a road map" so to say. Again, I think it's awesome you're thinking things through though! One thing to mention though...you don't need to continue to add so many pods. I'm unsure of you're ordering live ocean rock or established rock from a mature tank but if so, you'll already have pods and if you dose a little phyto every night their population will grow exponentially!

Thank for the timely feedback. Spontaneity is something struggle with. Timelines and planning is my neurosis! LoL. When I vacation, I pre-plan fuel stops so, yeah, I know it’s in MY head. My kids grew up with “if you’re on time you are late” & “people don’t PLAN to fail, it’s a byproduct of failure to plan”. They love me now but I was not there favorite person, especially their teenage years.

I’m planning it out for growth and placement on the rock, and it’s dry rock. Subsequently that is why I went heavy on the pods, that and following supplier recommendations of establishing a good foundation.

But based on what you are saying, instead of ever 3 phases (18 weeks) I probably would feel comfortable scaling back to replenishing…….. every 4 phases. #BabySteps4Me.
Again thanks for the feedback.

 

[Starling541]

After seeding with the initial bottle of pods, is adding more really necessary if you aren’t housing pod consumers (mandarin gobies)? Pods will reproduce to the tank’s food supply.

Sixlines wrasses can be very aggressive. I’d avoid them if possible.

Maybe six months on the pods.

I’ve read if added last Six lines last they can be fine.

But now that you bring it up, the tank is fluid, livestock will die eventually and adding to at that point it is not the “last”.

Hmmmm. What would you recommend? I’ve also read Possum Wrasse or Pink Streak but haven’t looked into compatibility.

Thank for the pushback, good feedback as well.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Thank for the timely feedback. Spontaneity is something struggle with. Timelines and planning is my neurosis! LoL. When I vacation, I pre-plan fuel stops so, yeah, I know it’s in MY head. My kids grew up with “if you’re on time you are late” & “people don’t PLAN to fail, it’s a byproduct of failure to plan”. They love me now but I was not there favorite person, especially their teenage years.

I’m planning it out for growth and placement on the rock, and it’s dry rock. Subsequently that is why I went heavy on the pods, that and following supplier recommendations of establishing a good foundation.

But based on what you are saying, instead of ever 3 phases (18 weeks) I probably would feel comfortable scaling back to replenishing…….. every 4 phases. #BabySteps4Me.
Again thanks for the feedback.

Where are you sourcing your rock from? You may habe mentioned but i didn't catch it...is it live or dry? If live, is it from the ocean, a mature tank, or just dry rock a that a LFS threw dry rock in a bathtub with bottled bac for a few weeks?

 

[saltcats]

Bumblebee snails - my understanding is they're predatory and eat other snails (esp pest vermetid snails). Is that what you're intending them for?

I have a possum wrasse and like him a lot, but he's currently the solo fish so I can't speak to aggression. Pretty much all accounts I read describe them as very timid and peaceful but I did recently come across a thread where someone had trouble with it behaving aggressively/killing other fish so I suppose it's always a possibility. For what it's worth, your planned stocking has a good amount of overlap with mine, so I think they should be compatible with a possum

Dottybacks might also be mean.

 

[NCsalt]

Yeah that mean killer possum wrasse is mine.

Added a Springeri Dottyback to calm him down. They fight multiples times a day. But it might work out still. Not as bad as last week.

I don’t think you can mix basslets and dottybacks in a tank that size. Hawkfish and sixline are aggressive as well. I had an occellaris that was a killer in my first tank.

I must know how to pick them.

 

[Starling541]

Where are you sourcing your rock from? You may habe mentioned but i didn't catch it...is it live or dry? If live, is it from the ocean, a mature tank, or just dry rock a that a LFS threw dry rock in a bathtub with bottled bac for a few weeks?

It’s dry rock from CaribSea

 

[Starling541]

Bumblebee snails - my understanding is they're predatory and eat other snails (esp pest vermetid snails). Is that what you're intending them for?

I have a possum wrasse and like him a lot, but he's currently the solo fish so I can't speak to aggression. Pretty much all accounts I read describe them as very timid and peaceful but I did recently come across a thread where someone had trouble with it behaving aggressively/killing other fish so I suppose it's always a possibility. For what it's worth, your planned stocking has a good amount of overlap with mine, so I think they should be compatible with a possum

Dottybacks might also be mean.

Bumble Bees “have voracious appetite for any uneaten food AND also the nasty vermetid snails”. I like the look, can add to the diversity of a clean-up crew, AND can offer insurance against a hitchhiker coming in on a coral.
Good to know on the possum. Dottyback I will look into more.
Thanks.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

It’s dry rock from CaribSea

Ok, if you haven't already bought it, I'd highly recommend live ocean rock but I know it can be expensive due to shipping depending on where you are. If you can afford it, I'd highly recommend using all live ocean rock actually as opposed to a mix since you're tank won't need too much due to size. I'm advising this because there are many benefits which I can go into if you'd like, one of which is the fact that you won't have to add copepods since they'll already be present on the rock. Simply dose a little phyto nightly and the population will grow very quickly. You'll also get a variety of copepod species that way.
My primary concern about the length through which you plan to stretch out stocking is that you'll lose interest before you get to the point where the tank becomes really interesting.

 

[Starling541]

Already on the way. I researched the vast benefits of wet rock, and the cons of cost, added difficulties in sculpting, and unintended critters, “for me” was not the route I wanted to go.
I’m a bit of a control freak, so I wanted to control, to the best of my ability, to control what is going into it.
I’ve got decades of freshwater work, so losing interest isn’t a concern to me, I’m more fearful of getting caught in chasing the dragon in this new experience while the tank establishes.
I have to remind myself #SlowAndSteadyWinsTheRace.
#MeaureTriceReactOnce

 

[FishKeeper.mp3]

After seeding with the initial bottle of pods, is adding more really necessary if you aren’t housing pod consumers (mandarin gobies)? Pods will reproduce to the tank’s food supply.

Sixlines wrasses can be very aggressive. I’d avoid them if possible.

ive hea

So I’m about 3 months out from my stocking list. My plan is to scape to my stocking plan and I just ordered rock, then cycle the tank and then start stocking.
Here is my 10+ Phase list so I can slowly absorb bio load and work through a SIX WEEK quarantine for each phase.
36 gallon bow w/20 Gallon sump (Equip listed at the end)
Decades of freshwater exp. but first time saltwater.
Any alterations or change of livestock or orders from the peanut gallery? Would love feedback and why?


#IfAllGoesWell #SlowAndSteady

Phase# - Description
1) Paired Watchman Goby/Pistol Shrimp & a bottle of pods
2) Starry Blenny & Mushroom Coral & add Chaeto into my HOB Refugium off sump. Start my light cycle.
3) Bumble Bee Snails (5qty), Pulsing Xena & a bottle of pods.
4) Fire Fish, a cleaner shrimp & Duncan Coral
5) Royal Gamma Basslet, Nassarius Snails (5qty) & Red Gracillia in the Display
6) Ocellaris Clown, Trumpet coral & Emerald Crab & add a bottle of pods
7) Orchid Dottyback, Mexican Turbo Snails (5qty) & Five Finger in the Display
8) Here I will have to up my lighting game than what came stock on the tank (still researching but up for suggestions),
Adding a fish YTBD (any suggestions?), Candy Cane Coral, & a Pom Pom Crab
9) Longnose Hawkfish, Cleaner shrimp, Montipora Coral
10) Six Line Wrasse, Cleaner Shrimp, & Birds Nest Coral.
11) Bristle Starfish, mermaids hand, & Rock Burrowing Urchin.
12) Last jar of pods as we should be well established now. And move to biannual adds, Pink Spiny Cucumber, orange fan Sponge, Tridacan Crocea Clam

Reef Octopus Octo Pulse 2, Icecap 2k Gyre, two 300w helix heaters, two return pumps, protein skimmer, UV filter, & Tunze eco chic submersible.

sixlines can be hit or miss in terms of aggression i recommend adding them last or go with a pink streak wrasse which is the same but less aggressive and more costly

 

[bluemon]

Are you also taking into consideration the QT period with these phases?

Also seems like a bit too many fish for a 36G.

I would stop at the 5th fish with this size of a tank

 

[Hats_]

I agree with above, its great how ur planning it all out but imo thats too many fish and some of those require a bigger tank. Also in my experience mixing firefish and grammas lead to aggression.

Starry blenny i would not keep in a small tank like this. They get pretty big...

 

[Starling541]

Are you also taking into consideration the QT period with these phases?

Also seems like a bit too many fish for a 36G.

I would stop at the 5th fish with this size of a tank

QT, yep called that all out in the post. Fish qty, unless saltwater bioload is different than freshwater, is all about species, filtration, and water changes. Decades of freshwater experience, challenging myself to something new.
I will indeed be pushing the limit, but with gradual introduction I should be fine.

 

[bluemon]

QT, yep called that all out in the post. Fish qty, unless saltwater bioload is different than freshwater, is all about species, filtration, and water changes. Decades of freshwater experience, challenging myself to something new.
I will indeed be pushing the limit, but with gradual introduction I should be fine.

Yup, saltwater bioload indeed is different than freshwater. (and even when they are similar, you mention species being an important factor, and we are telling you, some of them will not be able to thrive together in that tank)

You can keep pristine water conditions, but the aggressiveness of some of these fish are really pushing it.

Not sure why you ask here for advice and then turn around and say "it's gonna be okay"

 

[Dbichler]

Saltwater bioload is 1000% different and every fish is different. You may have three fish add another it dies add another it dies. You think what the heck then eventually realize you’re maxed out. Each tank is different. In my opinion you will be way over stocked and mostly likely fall into the disease portion of this forum quickly. But you may get lucky.

 

[littlefoxx]

So I’m about 3 months out from my stocking list. My plan is to scape to my stocking plan and I just ordered rock, then cycle the tank and then start stocking.
Here is my 10+ Phase list so I can slowly absorb bio load and work through a SIX WEEK quarantine for each phase.
36 gallon bow w/20 Gallon sump (Equip listed at the end)
Decades of freshwater exp. but first time saltwater.
Any alterations or change of livestock or orders from the peanut gallery? Would love feedback and why?


#IfAllGoesWell #SlowAndSteady

Phase# - Description
1) Paired Watchman Goby/Pistol Shrimp & a bottle of pods
2) Starry Blenny & Mushroom Coral & add Chaeto into my HOB Refugium off sump. Start my light cycle.
3) Bumble Bee Snails (5qty), Pulsing Xena & a bottle of pods.
4) Fire Fish, a cleaner shrimp & Duncan Coral
5) Royal Gamma Basslet, Nassarius Snails (5qty) & Red Gracillia in the Display
6) Ocellaris Clown, Trumpet coral & Emerald Crab & add a bottle of pods
7) Orchid Dottyback, Mexican Turbo Snails (5qty) & Five Finger in the Display
8) Here I will have to up my lighting game than what came stock on the tank (still researching but up for suggestions),
Adding a fish YTBD (any suggestions?), Candy Cane Coral, & a Pom Pom Crab
9) Longnose Hawkfish, Cleaner shrimp, Montipora Coral
10) Six Line Wrasse, Cleaner Shrimp, & Birds Nest Coral.
11) Bristle Starfish, mermaids hand, & Rock Burrowing Urchin.
12) Last jar of pods as we should be well established now. And move to biannual adds, Pink Spiny Cucumber, orange fan Sponge, Tridacan Crocea Clam

Reef Octopus Octo Pulse 2, Icecap 2k Gyre, two 300w helix heaters, two return pumps, protein skimmer, UV filter, & Tunze eco chic submersible.

That hawkfish will eat your shrimp in no time!

 

[Starling541]

That hawkfish will eat your shrimp in no time!

After you called this out, I’ve read from multiple sources with order of placement and size of the hawkfish shrimps MAY be safe.
Doesn’t sound convincing does it. LoL do you have a replacement suggestion?