13.5g Stocking and Future Tank Plans!!

[Katie03]

After only keeping freshwater the last 3 years, it’s time to come back to the salty side! I remember the basics, but recall on stocking has been terrible. Within the next month I’m planning on purchasing and setting up a Fluval Evo XII 13.5g Marine kit for my son. The current plan for that tank is to hopefully have it cycled and ready for a pair of Ocellaris Clownfish as a Christmas surprise/present. I believe that works? I might eventually add Zoas or possibly a BTA after 6 months or so. I decided to go with the kit as I wanted a more cost effective option for my little boy to enjoy. Once I get his tank up and running right, I will be looking to set up a new personal tank. My first options for my personal tank would be 10g, another 13.5g kit if I happen to really like it, 15g long, 20g long, 29g, or a 40g breeder with potential to go a little bigger, but I would rather not. What would your stocking suggestions be for tanks of those sizes? I would most likely not do another kit as I would like a higher tech reef set up. Ideally, I would like to have some sort of Dwarf Angelfish species, but every website seems to list different minimum tank requirements.

 

[_cpate3_]

I am a fellow Fluval owner and love it for its ease of transport and operations. Right now my stocking is a pair of mocha Vinci clowns, orange spotted goby, pistol shrimp, cleaner shrimp, and a lot of corals. I went with an arch design so they can swim through and around as much as they want. I’ve had them for about 4 months now. People told me it was too small for a pair of clowns, and that makes sense seeing an adult pair. But as a first tank there’s plenty of room and definitely manageable for 2 clowns and other things you want. My clowns have ‘hosted’ my frag rack. And they don’t really stray too far from the frag rack even in the 13 gallon. I would say go for it speaking off of experience, just make sure you get a small established pair and good luck

 

[_cpate3_]

After only keeping freshwater the last 3 years, it’s time to come back to the salty side! I remember the basics, but recall on stocking has been terrible. Within the next month I’m planning on purchasing and setting up a Fluval Evo XII 13.5g Marine kit for my son. The current plan for that tank is to hopefully have it cycled and ready for a pair of Ocellaris Clownfish as a Christmas surprise/present. I believe that works? I might eventually add Zoas or possibly a BTA after 6 months or so. I decided to go with the kit as I wanted a more cost effective option for my little boy to enjoy. Once I get his tank up and running right, I will be looking to set up a new personal tank. My first options for my personal tank would be 10g, another 13.5g kit if I happen to really like it, 15g long, 20g long, 29g, or a 40g breeder with potential to go a little bigger, but I would rather not. What would your stocking suggestions be for tanks of those sizes? I would most likely not do another kit as I would like a higher tech reef set up. Ideally, I would like to have some sort of Dwarf Angelfish species, but every website seems to list different minimum tank requirements.

Also longer tanks mean more swimming room for fish so a 20 gallon long could have more fish than a 20 gallon cube

 

[Katie03]

Also longer tanks mean more swimming room for fish so a 20 gallon long could have more fish than a 20 gallon cube

I pretty much only own long tanks. I go off footprint. I’d rather avoid my 29g if at all possible. The depth is harder to manage and there ends up being a lot of unused space.

 

[LouisianaReef]

IMHO I still stick with just a single clown in a 13.5 gallon. As far as the other tank, I would go for the 40g breeder. The footprint of it makes for an awesome nano reef, but I still not sure that I would keep an angel in a tank that size.