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I'm changing my setup slightly, I made a two island scape with around 20LBS of rock. My return pump will be pointed at the right and larger island. That one will be dominated by SPS, the left and smaller one will be chalices and zoas with some LPS on the sandbed. If you guys don't know, many damselfish species will shelter in large sps colonies, especially in desolate areas. I want my tank to look similar to that. 17g aquarium
2 Dascyllus carneus http://www.liveaquar...cfm?pCatId=3207
Amazing species, they only get around 3in too
I'm going to have a display fuge too, same dims as the DT but slightly skinnier. I'm going to have a few softies and plenty of mangroves, macro algae, and hopefully Star grass.
I was thinking...
1-2 Elacatinus macrodon
Another unusual fish. Very underrated, not colorful, but their markings are very intricate and they are sooooo cute
Anyone think this will work/Have any input?

 

I think that's a bit ambitious for a small setup like a 17 gal, but I admittedly don't know your level of expertise.

IMHO, a 17 is really too small to have a large enuff SPS colony for this to happen, unless that's pretty much all that's in the tank. The damsels may hide in the coral or they may not, but it won't resemble a shoal in a large coral head.

Do post some shots if you decide to go with it tho.

 

Gonna have a few sps that will grow, the bottom will be chalices, zoas, rics, and acans mostly.
I like damsels, not with more peaceful fish.
The fuge will be around 8-10g
Both will be lit by kits from Rapid.
My plan was to start with common softies, then hardy LPS, then "easy" sps, then after at least a year, going to start trading most of the corals for more expensive ones and get some harder sps.

 

dude definitely post some pics, i would love to see your tank! and i believe i have yet to see a picture of it!

as for the large sps colonies i agree with greg, in such a small tank it will be difficult for a colony to reach that kind of size unless it is one of the only pieces and is the main coral. i believe that would be pretty cool in a tank tough. one large sps colony and some small lps on the sandbed along with a few softies/zoas on the rockwork close to the sandbed.

 

Going to have a few "colonies" (I'm not looking for 3 ft ones, just a smaller replica)

 

You could try a birdsnest, the chromis at the LFS hide in those colonies, but that's in a custom 90 gal tank. It'd be cool if it happened, but you'd have to give the damsels a reason to hide in the coral, as they aren't the shyest of fish.

With the fish, you could get away with 3 fish as far as water quality, but i feel there may be some bullying.

What were your ideas as far as what type of SPS? Eventually they'll shade out the coral on the bottom.

 

Oi, OK the gobies will be in a Display fuge and the damsels will be in the DT.
I plan on having birdsnest, but withen a few years, the holy grail.
Acropora
dun dun dun, but that will be in years...
I will have most of the zoas and lps on the other island, maybe a few rics and such on the sps island. I want to have a few gorgs with the sps and a few leathers in the fuge.

 

Anyone else have any input?