How much is too much? Are there really any rules?

[RobW]

Man, I love every type of coral. But I love the fish more! Especially a lot of them.

This is one of the reasons why I’ve not added SPS yet. I want my fish and need to understand what I can reasonably maintain for a nutrient level.

Not necessarily chasing numbers, but what is stability and balance in my tank.

I feel good that I am stable now and my routine is working and solid.

So I’m gonna give some of the typical sps a try, no acros......yet

I like the way you're thinking. I'm a firm believer in hard work pays off. Being able to balance a piece of the ocean like that with what you are achieving is awesome! I hope that when I get my tank up in running here in the next few months that i can progress in the same way. I love the fish and I love the look of the corals. I like the movement and seeing the life in the tank in action. If it were just corals and a couple of fish... yeah, it's cool to look at but, I want to see them fish schooling and swimming through that reef.

 

[tigre44]

Very interesting post. I have two percula clowns, two blue yellow tail damsels and a flame angel in a 60 gal with 26 gal sump, I’m debating adding either flameback angel or false lemon peel angel I thought it might be too many

 

[RobW]

Very interesting post. I have two percula clowns, two blue yellow tail damsels and a flame angel in a 60 gal with 26 gal sump, I’m debating adding either flameback angel or false lemon peel angel I thought it might be too many

Be careful with multiple dwarf angels. They can be jerks at times. I had a lemon peel, a coral beauty and a flame angel in my old 150 gallon. The lemonpeel was a total jerk. I had to give him to a friend. The flame and coral beauty worked fantastic together in my tank. They both had their own space and they also swam around together quite a bit which was nice. It was unfortunate that I had to break my tank down. Ended up going through a divorce and ended up selling off the equipment and gave all the livestock to my friend

 

[vetteguy53081]

Depends if we’re talking small or medium or a mix of. I have 28 fish in a 360 g and thinking it’s starting to get crowded. I just acquired a 660g and am targeting 40-45 fish in that system.

 

[LilElroyJetson]

Just throwing this out there for some general discussion as this topic is discussed and debated a lot it seems.

I have a Red Sea Reefer 525 XL, 108 gallon display. It’s been running for a little over a year.

I currently have 23 fish and am considering a few more open water swimmers and a coris wrasse.

While there are certainly do’s and don’ts I planned it all and made a few changes as needed.

Here is my current fish list:

Purple firefish
Tailspot Blenny
Flametail blenny
Blue chromis
One spot foxface
Coral beauty
Pink spot goby
2 wheeler gobies w a candy cane pistol shrimp
Carpenter flasher wrasse
3 zebra dart fish
3 red lined cardinal fish
Royal gramma
Tomini tang
3 azure damsels
2 ocellaris clowns

I feed them very well.

There is no fighting or issues. Only an occasional flash between the coral beauty and tomini tang.

My daily feeding routine is 2 rounds of a pellet mix, a serious amount of my own homemade live foods (oysters, mussels, clams, mysis), and a 1/4 sheet of nori.

I also have 7 anemones.

3 rock flowers
2 bubble
1 long tentacle
1 Magnifica
Plan on getting a couple mini maxi nems soon.

Lots of snails, 130-150, a tiger conch, porcelain crabs, pair of skunk cleaner shrimp

Will be adding anemone shrimp and sexy shrimp too.

And a 6” deresa.

All of this obviously generates a lot of waste.

To handle that I use 2 filter socks, and aqua max cone skimmer, 6 liters of Seachem matrix in the sump, and dose 9-10 ml of homemade NoPox daily. I also run UV 24/7.

I do a 28 gallon water change once a month and use Brightwell NeoMarine salt.

Here are my parameters which are steady as a rock:

Salinity 1.026
Temp 77-78
Alk 8
PO4 .06
NO3 10

This is my second tank and I have applied the patience and research rules to the max.

I plan on adding some SPS soon as I wanted a more mature and stable tank to help ensure success.

So, what are you thoughts on loading up a tank, or, is this even loaded?

Just a thread created for some friendly conversation and sharing views. Nothing is right or wrong here.

I’ll wrap this up with my latest video.

Your tank looks great! (And ready for some SPS ) I’d be a little paranoid about one of those massive anemones stinging them, but I’m sure you’ll figure it out.

 

[PatW]

Most of your fish are "nano fish" that is they are appropriate for small tanks and represent a rather small bioload. The clowns can get pretty territorial but usually it is limited to other clowns. And you have what, 2 small tangs and a fox face. If you have good husbandry, nutrient export and flow, you might be able to add more carefully selected nano fish.

 

[mta_morrow]

I like the way you're thinking. I'm a firm believer in hard work pays off. Being able to balance a piece of the ocean like that with what you are achieving is awesome! I hope that when I get my tank up in running here in the next few months that i can progress in the same way. I love the fish and I love the look of the corals. I like the movement and seeing the life in the tank in action. If it were just corals and a couple of fish... yeah, it's cool to look at but, I want to see them fish schooling and swimming through that reef.

Thanks @RobW !

It’s very much exactly what I was try for.

A few more corals and a couple more fish and it’s done!

Not say challenges won’t show up! I’ve had a few already including aiptasia.

My wife and I just love to have our coffee or dinner in the “fish tank room” and just watch.

 

[mta_morrow]

Depends if we’re talking small or medium or a mix of. I have 28 fish in a 360 g and thinking it’s starting to get crowded. I just acquired a 660g and am targeting 40-45 fish in that system.

Very true! Crowded means different things in different tanks.

Hence the title of this post!

 

[Ferrell]

Truly a work of art. Nicely done. Appreciate the share. I only have 5 fish in my 75 gallon so I’m impressed with your stocking.

 

[mta_morrow]

Truly a work of art. Nicely done. Appreciate the share. I only have 5 fish in my 75 gallon so I’m impressed with your stocking.

Thank you very much!

 

[DSC reef]

Tank is looking great Mike! Your tank is running smooth and with your knowledge I believe adding some fish will be just fine.

 

[LovesDogs_CatsRokay]

I have 11 fish in my reefer 350, and will be getting 2 more on Wednesday. I do a 10% water change weekly and 5ml nopox daily. I have a lot of rock work for sleeping space, 3 of my fish are sand sleepers though, and feed pretty heavy 2 or 3 times a day. Everyone gets along great and seems pretty healthy.

 

[mta_morrow]

I have 11 fish in my reefer 350, and will be getting 2 more on Wednesday. I do a 10% water change weekly and 5ml nopox daily. I have a lot of rock work for sleeping space, 3 of my fish are sand sleepers though, and feed pretty heavy 2 or 3 times a day. Everyone gets along great and seems pretty healthy.

Awesome!

 

[mta_morrow]

Tank is looking great Mike! Your tank is running smooth and with your knowledge I believe adding some fish will be just fine.

Thanks! I have a bit of traveling coming up so maybe in a couple months.

I’m really leaning towards 2 more flasher wrasse and a yellow coris wrasse.

And some coral too!

 

[DSC reef]

Thanks! I have a bit of traveling coming up so maybe in a couple months.

I’m really leaning towards 2 more flasher wrasse and a yellow coris wrasse.

And some coral too!

Love the coris wrasse! You have room for more tridacna too looking forward too seeing what you add.

 

[n21benson]

I’ve always skewed to the overstocked tank. I think as long as you have the right nutrient export mechanisms and adequate swimming space, you’ll be fine. Heck, I have 120 fish in my 400.

Stop the fight! I've been to public aquariums that don't have that many fish! Well done!

 

[408Dartfish]

Your tank looks great. I’ve got 12 fish in my 60g tank w/sump and remote fuge for almost a year now, no issues.

 

[W@tchm@n]

Just throwing this out there for some general discussion as this topic is discussed and debated a lot it seems.

I have a Red Sea Reefer 525 XL, 108 gallon display. It’s been running for a little over a year.

I currently have 22 fish and am considering a few more open water swimmers and a coris wrasse.

While there are certainly do’s and don’ts I planned it all and made a few changes as needed.

Here is my current fish list:

Purple firefish
Tailspot Blenny
Flametail blenny
Blue chromis
One spot foxface
Coral beauty
Pink spot goby
2 wheeler gobies w a candy cane pistol shrimp
Carpenter flasher wrasse
3 zebra dart fish
2 red lined cardinal fish
Royal gramma
Tomini tang
3 azure damsels
2 ocellaris clowns

I feed them very well.

There is no fighting or issues. Only an occasional flash between the coral beauty and tomini tang.

My daily feeding routine is 2 rounds of a pellet mix, a serious amount of my own homemade live foods (oysters, mussels, clams, mysis), and a 1/4 sheet of nori.

I also have 7 anemones.

3 rock flowers
2 bubble
1 long tentacle
1 Magnifica
Plan on getting a couple mini maxi nems soon.

Lots of snails, 130-150, a tiger conch, porcelain crabs, pair of skunk cleaner shrimp

Will be adding anemone shrimp and sexy shrimp too.

And a 6” deresa.

All of this obviously generates a lot of waste.

To handle that I use 2 filter socks, and aqua max cone skimmer, 6 liters of Seachem matrix in the sump, and dose 9-10 ml of homemade NoPox daily. I also run UV 24/7.

I do a 28 gallon water change once a month and use Brightwell NeoMarine salt.

Here are my parameters which are steady as a rock:

Salinity 1.026
Temp 77-78
Alk 8
PO4 .06
NO3 10

This is my second tank and I have applied the patience and research rules to the max.

I plan on adding some SPS soon as I wanted a more mature and stable tank to help ensure success.

So, what are you thoughts on loading up a tank, or, is this even loaded?

Just a thread created for some friendly conversation and sharing views. Nothing is right or wrong here.

I’ll wrap this up with my latest video.

Nice tank...
What does homemade nopox consist of

 

[mta_morrow]

Nice tank...
What does homemade nopox consist of

Here ya go. $20 for a double recipe gets you 2000ml.

I dose 10 ml per day so I get 200 days for $20, or $.10 per day.

 

[W@tchm@n]

Here ya go. $20 for a double recipe gets you 2000ml.

I dose 10 ml per day so I get 200 days for $20, or $.10 per day.

Nice one...
Thanks, will defo be looking into this