Cthulukelele's first tank question extravaganza thread

[Cthulukelele]

Hi!

I have done a lot more prep for my first tank and have a LOT of questions.

It is a 4'x2'x2' 120 gallon with 30 gallon sump. I have a good 300 gallon rated reef octopus skimmer, a gfo/carbon reactor, and hope to eventually set up a refugium (not for the first few months though). I plan to have about 2" of caribsea special grade sand as my substrate.

My hopeful fish list:
Bonded pair clowns
Bonded pair bangai cardinals
Melanarus wrasse
Blue spot puffer (or possibly leopard or valentini)
Mystery wrasse
Ruby head fairy wrasse
Yellow watchman goby
Starry blenny
3x blue green chromi
Purple firefish
Green clown goby
Possibly a yasha shrimp goby
Possibly an anthia down the line?

I am aware the melanarus wrasse and puffer may go after my cuc, but I want them enough to where I think I'm willing to take the risk. For CUC I was thinking:
1x emerald crab
1x pompom crab
1x blue tuxedo urchin
10x blue leg hermit
20x trochus snail
10x nassarius snail
1x cleaner shrimp
1x pistol shrimp (2 if I get a second goby)

For rock I was going to do about 150lbs live rock and some biocube/balls in the sump.

I would eventually like to grow some softies, some non finicky lps, and a rainbow or snowflake rbta.

What are some tips you can give me in this undertaking?

I am aware I am 6 months-a year from getting it all into my tank from its start, but how should I go about it?

What kind of aquascaping would do best with this setup for these fish to make them happiest?

Is there a niche of the aquariam that is over or underpopulated (rock hangout dudes, bottom dwellers, constant swimmers)?

Is this bioload unreasonable?

Which fish should I start with/what order should I add them?

How established should my tank be for each of my different sessiles (softies, lps, bta)?

Could I add a few rock flower anemones?

Are there any other cool inverts or fish that may work in the tank?

Are there any compatibility issues (the 3 wrasse are all different genus and didn't SEEM to be particularly territorial by description)?

Will 2 165w mars aqua lights be enough light for all of this?

Any other questions you have or advice you want to bestow would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Thanks in advance and happy reefing!

 

[mta_morrow]

Well that’s a lotta questions! And that is exactly what you should be doing so good job!

Some recommendations to help you along and to get the best answers as it is difficult and time consuming for anyone to answer all these in 1 thread.

First, post your stocking list question here:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/n...for-your-tank-post-here-and-well-help.200605/

Once you get that figured out, move on to the aquascaping and post your approved stocking list and scape questions in that forum, and so on.

Step by step in the proper forums so that you get the best people focusing on one thing at a time.

I will be looking for them!

 

[Subsea]

If you haven’t added the Melanarus Wrasse yet, don’t do it. He will decimate your CUC.

 

[Cthulukelele]

I had heard it was a gamble, but many of them were okay if well-fed. Is this inaccurate

 

[Subsea]

I had heard it was a gamble, but many of them were okay if well-fed. Is this inaccurate

If you want to buy snails to keep him feed, then go ahead and put him in there. You can’t stop him from feeding continually on your CUC, which includes pods.

 

[Cthulukelele]

If you want to buy snails to keep him feed, then go ahead and put him in there. You can’t stop him from feeding continually on your CUC, which includes pods.

Most of my snails are massive 1 1/2- 2" trochus snails. Will a young melanarus wrasse be able to eat those?

 

[Subsea]

Most of my snails are massive 1 1/2- 2" trochus snails. Will a young melanarus wrasse be able to eat those?

He will not stay young. It is obvious you want that fish. You should get it and deal with his behavior.

 

[Cthulukelele]

He will not stay young. It is obvious you want that fish. You should get it and deal with his behavior.

Is there another pest eating wrasse that's got nice coloration you'd recommend instead? It isn't necessarily THAT fish as much as I want something LIKE that fish.

 

[Subsea]

@Chtulukelele

Buried in this thread is how one Melnanarius Wrasse destroyed micro inverts as well as snails & hermits in 25 year old deep sand bed on 75G tank with 30G refugium.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/2...m-on-top-with-30g-ecosystem-mud-macro.421526/

 

[Subsea]

What pest are you referring to? Perhaps what you call pest are part of CUC.

 

[Cthulukelele]

What pest are you referring to? Perhaps what you call pest are part of CUC.

Nothing currently. I was hoping though to have a fish that would be able to prophylactically prepare me for something like red bugs, negative types of flatworms, nudibranchs, etc. I know it will have a negative impact on my pod population, but that was a tradeoff I am willing to make.

 

[Subsea]

A Wrasse is a carnivore. I got mine to eat Red Planaria. While a wrasse may eat your designated pest, it will eat what it wants and you can not control that. When I stock a system, I consider things as holistic. If you explained your goals in general, I could better give you advice. Do you have a tank thread?

 

[Subsea]

Nothing currently. I was hoping though to have a fish that would be able to prophylactically prepare me for something like red bugs, negative types of flatworms, nudibranchs, etc. I know it will have a negative impact on my pod population, but that was a tradeoff I am willing to make.

Then make the decision and live with it. You don’t need my experienced opinion.

 

[Cthulukelele]

Then make the decision and live with it. You don’t need my experienced opinion.

It's not that I don't need your opinion. I had just been doing a lot of reading over the months and had seen a lot of people having problems with different pests wich almost seem like an eventuality to deal with in the hobby. I wanted to stock a natural defense mechanism for this.

It's also why I asked if you had a more reef safe invert safe option that would accomplish my goal of naturally combatting reef pests. I hope none of this has come off as hostile. I genuinely appreciate your input and the thought you've put into your responses

 

[Subsea]

It's not that I don't need your opinion. I had just been doing a lot of reading over the months and had seen a lot of people having problems with different pests wich almost seem like an eventuality to deal with in the hobby. I wanted to stock a natural defense mechanism for this.

It's also why I asked if you had a more reef safe invert safe option that would accomplish my goal of naturally combatting reef pests. I hope none of this has come off as hostile. I genuinely appreciate your input and the thought you've put into your responses

At my age, I get somewhat abrupt all too often. In fact I may be crusty.

To answer your concern about unavoidable pest, it comes with the territory. I focus on healthy immune system for tank inhabitants by feeding live food to promote healthy immune systems and reducing stress on tank inhabitants. I have not quarantined in > 35 years. During that same time period, I have had two infestations: Red Planaria and ich. I still have visible flatworms, if I look for them. I am fairly certain, I have dormat ich in the same tank but have not seen symptons in 25 years.

I tried to focus you on the word pest, because not all consider the same thing as a pest. Consider the bristle worm, it was considered a pest by many for several decades. Only recently has its benefits been realized, it is a detrivore and a scavenger that will keep your sandbed clean. When these guys multiply they release larvae into the water column to feed filter feeders.

I added a small Melanarus Wrasse to a 23 year mature 6” deep sandbed that was full of pods, worms & micro stars along with Red Planaria. Two years later, my sandbed of 25 years crashed. I still have Red Planaria, but no snails, worms, pods or micro stairs. In my initial quest to rid tank of Red Planaria, I used FlatwormX. It did not eliminate them and after 60 days with three treatments at double dose, I now have flatworm X resistant Red Planaria.

When the cure is worse than the problem, I question the practicality of your goal to fend off problems by putting opportunistic predators of beneficial CUC. The clean up crew usually consist of detrivores that are opportunistic scavengers and herbivores. Some snails are carnivores and some are herbivores. When they multiply to food supply their larvae is food for corals.

What do you envision your tank to be? Do you have a fixed goal or you just starting to grow into the hobby.

 

[Cthulukelele]

Currently what I am trying to build is a mixed reef with a varied smattering of different fish and inverts to kind of cram the most amount of different personalities into a reef.

I have a reef octopus 150 skimmer, dual socks, run gfo and carbon reactor, and have a selection of lps, softies, and sps that are currently doing fine. I have a bonded pair of clowns and a molly miller blenny.

Eventually I'd like a tank that, aside from 2 part dosing, regular maintenance, and feeding, involves little input from me. This was the idea behind putting in a molly miller blenny, a tang, and a halichores wrasse. I want to display a lot of species diversity in inverts AND fish. I find commensal relationships particularly fascinating as well.

Really the only parts I want to add now that aren't well on there way are the fish and some macroalgae. I like the idea of having a little of everything. Fish choices have actually been the hardest part for me.

 

[Subsea]

Predator prey relationship provide special interest to me even after so many years in the hobby. I view things long term when adding occupants to a balanced tank. Healthy social interaction of tank inhabitants is paramount for reducing stress in a tank. Healthy immune system is paramount for resisting pest & disease.