120 HSNA overstocking possibilities?

[Brimmy]

I have about 20 total hours in from busting up 100lbs of marcos and gluing and whatnot. My question is with this many nooks, crannies and levels would I be able to over stock my tank? I was planning on sticking to the 1 inch of fish per gallon rule but I'm hoping to get away with 1.25- 1.5 inch per gallon.

 

[blaxsun]

I can't view the video, but I don't adhere to the 1" of fish per gallon rule. I have 34 fish in my 160-gallon, and a really good bio media/filtration setup.

The trick (other than getting everyone to get along) is to have fish that exhibit different behaviours and occupy different parts of the tank, ie: swimmers, schoolers, rock dwellers, explorers, utility fish, etc.

 

[CincyReefer07]

I feel like that 1 inch of fish rule is more for freshwater fish and even then a somewhat outdated rule. Stocking is much more along the lines of what blaxsun said above

 

[Anemone_Fanatic]

The inch per gallon rule is not really good for saltwater. The square cube law essentially makes it obsolete. For example, you could have 10 two inch long eviota gobies (five cubic inches total) in a 20 gallon, but you certainly could not have a 20 inch, 5 pound dussumieri tang (180 cubic inches) in that space. Just make sure that each fish has its minimum tank size, good habitat that mimics its preferred part of the reef in the wild, sufficient nutrient export to remove the effect that it has on the water, no compatibility issues, and several caves. If you can do that, you should be fine.

 

[bestfishes]

Its critical to consider the fully grown size of fish you add, not the size they were when added. If you add 10 two inch fish that become 8 inch fish in 2 years, its going to be a problem down the road. I dont think there is any harm in being conservative and not adding too many fish.

 

[blaxsun]

Its critical to consider the fully grown size of fish you add, not the size they were when added. If you add 10 two inch fish that become 8 inch fish in 2 years, its going to be a problem down the road. I dont think there is any harm in being conservative and not adding too many fish.

Yes, but this also assumes every fish is going to survive and grow to an adult.

 

[Anemone_Fanatic]

Looking at the pictures, you have a really nice aquascape. That is probably the best HNSA/NSA for fish I have seen. I'm really looking forward to seeing fish/water/corals in there.

 

[Brimmy]

Looking at the pictures, you have a really nice aquascape. That is probably the best HNSA/NSA for fish I have seen. I'm really looking forward to seeing fish/water/corals in there.

Water should be going in on Friday! I will definitely keep you posted. I'm mortaring it as week speak. Very stressful. 2 limbs broke off already

 

[Anemone_Fanatic]

Water should be going in on Friday! I will definitely keep you posted. I'm mortaring it as week speak. Very stressful. 2 limbs broke off already

I hope that it wasn't your limbs that broke off! In all seriousness, I'm exited to see this. Will you be doing a build thread?

 

[Brimmy]

I hope that it wasn't your limbs that broke off! In all seriousness, I'm exited to see this. Will you be doing a build thread?

Ya that sounds cool. Is there somewhere I can post for a build thread? New around here

 

[piranhaman00]

I see dinos

 

[Anemone_Fanatic]

I don't know how to get a build thread. I'm also pretty new here, and my tank is in no state to be showcased in a build thread (bubble algae). Daniel@R2R should know how you can get a build thread. I hope that this helps!