Need stocking list approval for our 90 reef

We are working on stocking our 90 gallon reef tank, and would like some opinions and criticism on our potential list of "stock options" ;D

The tank is a 90 gallon reef tank that was recently (very recently) set up from our old 46. The 46 was 5 years old so well established, but with the upgrade the system isn't quite as established as before.

The new system has about 115 to 120 gallons of total water volume, with about 120 to 130 pounds of rock. Only about 70 pounds of that rock is live from our old aquarium at the moment, the rest is brand new base rock. The sand bed is 3 inches or deeper in places, but again is "dead" except for two cups of sand from our old tank to get it seeded.

We are running a filter sock that is cleaned often, Reef Octopus NW-110 protein skimmer, and we have a refugium with chaeto algae. We are also running carbon and phosphate remover.

Our current inhabitants are a yellow watchman goby, an oscellaris clownfish, a yellow candy hogfish, an exquisite wrasse, and a red headed solon fairy wrasse. Inverts are two pistol shrimp, two cleaner shrimp, one fire shrimp, a brittle star, red serpent star, and banded serpent star.

We would like to add one more wrasse of some sorts, similar to the others. Peaceful and reef safe. We would like to add one more "random" fish, which could be a hawkfish or blenny or what have you. Again, peaceful temperament. Then we would like to add a dwarf angel, and either a kole tang or tomini tang.

The main question is this: is this too much? Do we need to drop a fish from the list, or do you think we would be able to add more? Or is this the right amount of fish for our system?

 

Ok so I count 5 fish already there, a watchman, clown, candy hog, exquisite wrasse and RHS wrasse.

You want to add another 4. Personally I'd skip the tang. if you were to add the other three fish, you'd have a heavy-ish bioload and adding that tang would add a lot more IMO.

Not sure which wrasse go good together, I'd check out Evolved's Wrasse thread to see which meet your standards.

HTH

btw how do all the shrimp get along? lol

 

Thanks for the reply! We're trying to do our homework on wrasses, we just want the pretty ones that are peaceful and reef safe.

As for the shrimp, they actually get along great. The two pistol shrimp seem to tag team and share the tunnels very well. They're actually pretty brave for pistol shrimp, and can be seen throughout the day and definitely into the night doing their thing.

The cleaner shrimp are great as well. The fire shrimp merely tolerates everyone else, he's pretty shy and just sticks to hanging out under his rock away from everyone else. The two cleaner shrimp meanwhile are never too far from each other and have control of the other side of the tank. Definitely a shrimp-fest going on in this tank

 

I would go for the hawkfish and I think what you have in your list is doable. Just IMO

 

Comments:

- The tank is a little small for a tang, even a Kole or relative. They need a lot more swimming room.

- Dwarf angels are awesome, but can nip at SPS. It is very hit or miss as to what they will do. I'm about to combine my two tanks into one (I have one SPS and one mixed reef) and I have a Potters Angel in my mixed. I can't imagine not keeping the Potters so I'm going to take the chance. However, I got my Potters when he was very small so he never really had a chance to get taste for corals and has grown up with tank foods.

- Hawk Fish are some of my favorites, specifically Flame Hawks. I absolutely love them. They can pick on shrimp, though. Again, hit or miss.

- For a blenny, I've got a Stary Blenny that is just freaking awesome. They look like something out of a Dr Seuss book. Such a cool fish. Another very cool fish (one my wife loves) is the Midas Blenny. Very colorful, pretty active. I like this fish a lot too.

Frankly, I think if you were add another reef safe wrasse, a blenny or two and a dwarf angel, you'd be about right for a 90. The tang is a little much.

 

Flame Hawkfish +1

 

I had a melanarius wrasse in my 90 and it did fine, just dont add any peppermint shrimp, he ate mine before they hit the sand. They also distroy pod populations. I had a yellow tang in mine, and it did fine. I also had a yellow coris wrasse at one point, it was fine till it died.

 

Not going to comment on stocking list, BUT I haven't seen you post in forever. Although I only get on every now and then. I really enjoyed all the pics you had of your last tank. Looking forward to the new build will be tagging along!