150 gal corner build *Long overdue update*

I'm new to saltwater so any and all critiques are welcome and appreciated.

I have a 150 gallon corner pentagon (back corner overflow) that I'm converting from FW to SW.

Here's the equipment list.

40 gal breeder refugium/sump
Marineland 300 skimmer
Tunze Silence return (~150 gph after head losses)
4x 1,600 gph JBJ Oceanstream PH with 2x dual wavemakers
Lights (from front to back)
-54W Actinic+ (T5HO)
-54W Aquablue+ (T5HO)
-39W Aquablue+ (T5HO)
-36" TrueLumen Pro Actinic (LED)
-39W Aquablue+ (T5HO)
-24W Actinic+ (T5HO)
-24W Aquablue+ (T5HO)
Hofer Gurgle Buster
100 pounds CaribSeas dry rock
80 pounds Special Grade sand bed in DT (~1.5")
60 pounds sugar sand in refugium (4" DSB)

I'm looking at mostly soft and LPS corals, but would like to have a Bird's Nest or a plating Monti also if I can keep things alive.

I'm looking at ways to seed coralline in the dry rock. Has anyone had any success with the Indo-Pacific Sea Farms coralline booster? Not sure what, if any, pests would come in on it.

: : : : Indo-Pacific Sea Farms : : : :

Is it best to wait for the cycle to finish before seeding with coralline?

The cycle started yesterday. Hopefully some corals by April.

The light is the 36" actinic LED strip. Also, the tank shot is with just the LED going. Not sure why my camera adds the red tint to the photo. Hopefully the cloudiness will clear in the next few days.

 

Awesome scape job. Looks like you've done your homework before 'diving' in. I myself haven't found the need to 'seed' coralline with any products. Buy yourself a single one pound rock that has several colors of coralline already growing, and with a clean wire brush scrape the life out of it all around your tank. (be sure and wash the brush off before, and especially After you use it if you want to keep the thing any longer) I found that part out the hard way. After that, you've just seeded your base rock. Now wait a few months and watch the magic happen.

 

Very nice tank, more than enough light for what you wish to do.

I would wait for the cycle to finish since you do not want to have the lights on to keep algae to a minimum before adding the coralline booster. I have never used it nor heard of anyone who used it. I would give it a try though.

 

Thanks for the comments. Hoping the scape works out. I had to use a little epoxy here and there to keep it stable. Not sure what I'll do if I have to pull a rock out.

Think it's too much light? What's the best way to know if I have too much? Bleaching of the corals? I have some time yet if I need to make a change.

I'm leaning towards the coralline booster. I keep running into Aiptasia in the LFS and want to at least get started pest free. I'm thinking the little coralline covered plastic plates they sell are my best bet for that. I'll get some with my CUC order.

Updates to come in about 4 weeks. ;D

 

Stocking plan

I'm working on a stocking plan and would like any input you have. Here's what I have so far, and they're in the order I would stock them with each addition being 2-4 weeks apart with the exception of the first and second probably being more like 6-8 weeks. I want to give the pods, microalgae, and microfauna enough time to get stable and strong. I have a Marineland 300 skimmer and a 4" DSB in the refugium.

I'm looking to stock with fish that are somewhat self sufficient and can either live off the tank or an auto feeder with pellet/flake for a few days when I'm travelling.

(1) Pajama/Spotted Cardinals
(1) Starry Blenny
(3) Blue Chromis
(1) Orchid Dottyback
(1) Yellow Tang
(1) Perc Clown

Alternative plan...
(1) Pajama/Spotted Cardinals
(1) Starry Blenny
(1) Blue Chromis
(1) Diamond Watchman Goby
(1) Reef Safe Wrasse (maybe Long Fin or Filamentos Fairy Wrasse)
(1) Orchid Dottyback
(1) Yellow Tang
(1) Perc Clown


Can the chromis do OK as a single or are multiple required? Any concerns about the blenny/goby/dottyback compatibility? Anything that sticks out as a big mistake?

Thanks for any insight.

 

Very nice looking tank cant wait to see the stocking of this thing.

 

I love that retro fit in the canopy keeps ya completely open to change colors and sizes as needed. That LED it freaking BRIGHT. Cant wait to see the further progress

 

Thanks!

Yeah, they packed in there pretty good. I'm going to get the T5's hooked up tomorrow if all goes well.

I used some StartSmart on Thursday, and it seems to have kicked things in gear. I have a piece of shrimp hanging in the refugium and I'm currently at 0 ppm NH3, 0.5 ppm NO2, and 5 ppm NO3. I'm going to pull the shrimp tomorrow and let the NH3 and NO2 come down to zero.

Maybe I'll get a little sooner start than expected! CUC and pod order tomorrow. ;D

 

It's a great tank and a great scape. You did a good job of designing it for placement of corals and left a lot of open space.

Orchid Dottybacks can get aggressive but in that size tank your odds are good it will find a small area to defend and not feel the need to chase and bully everybody else.

Probably 3/4 of people with Clowns end up with a pair, it's just interesting to watch their interactions with one another.

I know I have read a hundred times that Chromis pick each other off, but in that size tank I would add quite a few. Again your odds of having a small grouping improve with the larger sized tanks.

Have you looked into any Anthias?

 

Thanks for the feedback.

I was looking at the Anthias. I'm not sure how far to go with fish though. I used the 3reef calculator and it gave a result that I shouldn't go beyond 46" of fish. The list above is pushing that. Are they a relatively hardy fish and will take flake/pellets?