Dream build - need opinions

ahiggins · Feb 29, 2020

Hello all! With the new home on the horizon in a few weeks, I’ve started my dream build!
it will be the Red Sea reefer 250, 65 gallons with live rock from Tampa bay saltwater.

It will house lps, rock anemones, and soft corals.

My fish list is a little lackluster lol I’ve always had the mindset that fish do a job and stocked accordingly for my small tanks I’ve had over the years.

So far, here’s what I will have:
1 Midas blenny
1 flasher wrasse
(Maybe) 1 orchid dottyback

that’s all I’ve figured out! I need help in this department lol I just don’t know what else to get fish wise, having so much room! I love color and want that to be reflected in my reef.

My absolute no go for fish options:
Neurotic clowns (is there any other kind lol)
Sand burying wrasse (bare bottom build)
sensitive/expert care required fish

Please help me with options for my dream tank

Ron Reefman · Feb 29, 2020

I don't care what others say, a small tang is a big asset in a tank as an algae eater. I had 2 in my 40g and they were fine. I now have them in my 90g and they follow each other around and share nori.

ahiggins · Feb 29, 2020

Oh hey @Ron Reefman lol
I’m stuck between a 65 and 75 display at the moment but I can’t wait to start stocking. You ever deal with Tampa bay saltwater? They’re on backorder but I’ve heard a lot of great things. And I’ve got the time to spare waiting lol

Ron Reefman · Feb 29, 2020

If you want live rock that brings all kinds of stuff into your tank, they are great. That was what I thought I wanted.

I bought from them for a local tank that was stuff I collected from the Florida Keys and the Gulf of Mexico. Unfortunatly I got a couple different kinds of aggressive, invasive macro algae I didn't need and an ammonia to nitrate spike from sponges and other live stuff that died off. Never again.

pgravis · Feb 29, 2020

I have a trio of royal grammas that have turned into some of my favorite fish. I started with 3 as small as I could find and put them in a 60 cube and they have been there for at least a year if not two.

ahiggins · Feb 29, 2020

Ron Reefman said:
If you want live rock that brings all kinds of stuff into your tank, they are great. That was what I thought I wanted.

I bought from them for a local tank that was stuff I collected from the Florida Keys and the Gulf of Mexico. Unfortunatly I got a couple different kinds of aggressive, invasive macro algae I didn't need and an ammonia to nitrate spike from sponges and other live stuff that died off. Never again.

Interesting. I’m having a hard time justifying price because I’m in Cleveland lol
I didn’t think about the bad stuff that could come in, past the obvious welks and crabs. my most recent (1 yr old) tank of rock nems was started complete dry. I wanted that challenge but it was a journey full of dinoflagellates lol but I’ve had those beat for months now.
I have a few months to think about how to go about live rock, local and deal with bubble algae and aptaisia out the butt or start mostly dry with my tiny 10 gallon as seed rock.

Ron Reefman · Mar 1, 2020

Buy all the dry rock you need/want, put it in a Brute garbage can, add a pump and saltwater and wait. Seed it if you want, but it really isn't necessary. BTW, I set a return pump in the bottom of the Brute and added a length of pvc pipe so the water was pumped up close to the water surface. That greatly improved the flow up and down through all the rock. Heck, I have 50 to 75 pounds of rock still in the Brute 2 months after setting up my tank, just in case I want to change the rockscape!

ahiggins · Mar 1, 2020

The thing that got me was the lack of biodiversity (in my opinion) that led to dinos having a rager in my tank for so long lol how do you add diversity to plain ole dry rock?

Ron Reefman · Mar 1, 2020

I guess I'm lucky, I can pick up biodiversity at the beach or snorkeling in the Keys. And while it's in my holding tank, I can decide if I really want it in my DT!