Live Stock Strategy Question

So, I'd like to develop a game plan for stocking my 55 gal DT.

Right now, I have 2 damsels (I know I shouldn't have done that now.... didn't learn fast enough, I'll try to sell them back) and a CUC from garf.org.

55DT, 40 sump/refugium. 75lbs LR. Running Octo XP-2000 skimmer. Soon to be running BRS GFO/GAC Reactor. Turn over rate on water flow is 40.

Basic game plan is 6-8 select fish, mostly corals.

I am very willing to go slow and learn. That is half the fun.

Now to my question.

What corals to start with to learn keeping corals, fragging, propagating etc?

What would be a good game plan? Month #3 add Coral X, Month #6 add coral Y. I'd eventually like something like a BTA. Wife and kids insist on a "Nemo" being in there.

Need some help developing a game plan.

Thanks
Mark

 

Hi Mark

good post, good questions

Many people will have different opinions but for what its worth here is mine

beginner corals - I like to add my 1st one at about 1 month
I then add a couple every other week until I feel the tank is nicely balanced , but allows room for growth

I like to build up my fish stocks 1st though as they are the greater waste creators and thus bio load increases are faster with them, than they are with corals

8 fish- depending on type, might be a couple to many in a 55 so you might want to think about your fish stocks carefully and adjust based on your priority list

easy corals are
Green Star Polyps
Anthellia
Clove polyps
Yellow polps
Zoanthids
Soft finger corals
Toadstool leather corals
Kenya trees
Nepthea tree coral
Mushroom colonies

all the above are great in moderate lighting and are not overly concerned with perfect water quality IMHE

some of them can become a nuisance later as their growth rates can soon overtake surrounding rock work but all of them should enable you to experience the pleasure of a healthy looking reef tank, without to much other than adequate lighting and regular water changes ( this is my opinion, others will have a different opinion)

in addition to above corals you can also look at LPS (Large Polyp Stoney) corals as again many of these are reasonably undemanding - although most of them like a moderate water flow so calm areas on the sand bed are great for these species IMHE

Corals such as
Torch
Frogspawn
Hammer
Pearl and Green bubble corals

are all reasonably undemanding in terms of water quality and appreciate moderate lighting (sure they can adjust to high IME) and moderate water movement

with the above list plus the many many species I have left off it, you should be able to build up your confidence, and experience and then progress to the more demanding species , if thats your desire

one good tip would be

If you dont know what it is, dont buy it! as that will spare you the ID thread and then the sad news that the coral you have chosen does not have a good survival rate in the home aquarium

hope that helps

Steve Wright

 

Awesome response!!! Thanks much.

Mark

 

6 or 8 fish is probably too much for a 55. You must always buy and stock a fish according to its full grown adult size, not how big it is today, since our goal is to keep them alive and happy throughout their life. many fish are too big for a 55 as it will not give them sufficient swimming room, espceiall with live rock and corals in it. I only keep 5-6 fish in a 6 year old well established 100G system.

Start out slowly with easier to keep corals and fish, things like zoanthids, mushrooms, leathers, zenia and anthelia and kenya tree are easy to keep and many have bright colors and lots of movement. For LPS I usually start with candy corals, frogspawn and hammers. Easy to keep SPS are things like montipora capricornus or monti caps and montipora digitatas or digis.

Add your peacful fish first, after QT of course, always get in the habit of quarentining(?) and the more agressive last. If they try to battlle move some of the rock work around and it takes their mind off fighting for awhile. Add fish slowly over time so the bio load does not overload the bacteria which keep the system in balance.

 

What do you have in the way of lighting? I would wait at least a year before introducing an anemone. I am on my first reef tank, and the corals recommended by Steve are
mostly what I have in my tank. Yes, some of them may grow too fast later on, but it is so much better for a beginner to be suffering from success rather than plagued with problems. From the setup you described and your take it slow approach, you should do just fine. By the way, my first coral was a purple mushroom. I have made many mistakes, but it and its descendants are still in there.

 

Lighting is Current USA 48" - 324 Watts - (3x54 Watt 10K Daylight + 3x54 Watt 460nm Actinic) on a 55 gal DT. I truly am trying go slow, learn first, ask lots of questions and then take baby steps. I am in NO rush. My job is stressful enough. This is just fun. No pressure or stress allowed. I started the tank in early November. I figure I'll have it pretty well set up by the end of January and will have gotten the hang of it by then. I probably could add a coral now after two months, but there no harm in waiting and learning more. Once I am actually running, except adjustment and additional learning, just taking it in steps.

I like the coral list. I am struggling with the fish list. Six Line Wrasse seems like a standard. Perc is required by my kids. I have decided against a BTA until I get more experienced although I think they are cool and want one eventually. Just not starting off. So given a Clown and a Six Line, what other 3-4 fish should be on the list??

My long term goal, once I consider myself 'successful' and sufficiently knowledgable is to upgrade to a 250-300 gal DT. Have a lot to learn first.

M

 

Tangs can get big for a 55 but maybe one hippo tang. I keep a sixline, yellow tang, foxface rabbit, false perc, yellow stripe maroon and a purple pseudochromis in my 100G. I inherited the pseudo and false perc from a friend tearing his system down but I normally like to have a sailfin tang or hippo too so may sell the maroon, they get kind of mean, and add one more clown.

 

Still learning here...

When you guys referred to mushroom colonies, does Ricordea florida count as a Mushroom colony. See link below, I was thinking of that as my first purchase.

Coral Morphologic :: Ricordea :: Ricordea (Our Choice) :: 12 pack of Ricordea (Limit 1 per customer)

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

Mark

 

Bump...

 

Yes and St Thomas also. And whatever the other type they have at CM.

I think some of the rics have awesome colors.

One suggestion on getting corals I read and think is great is don't buy it unless it speaks to you. Keep in Steve's guideline until you have the experience in keeping the tank stable. Enjoy and have fun with everything.