Is this too much for a 70 gallon tank?

[Zionas]

Hi everyone. I’ve settled on a 71-gallon 90cm x 50cm x 60cm tank for my apartment. In inches it will be 36” x 20” x 24” so it’s going to be a custom build. Will this be too heavy of a bioload for a 70-gallon tank? I’ll be running a Bubble King protein skimmer, so I’ll have some higher end filtration but I still don’t want to overstock.

Fish:

x2 Captive-Bred Ocellaris Clowns

x2 Yellow Watchman Gobies + x1 Tiger Pistol Shrimp

x3 Pajama Cardinals

x1 Royal Gramma

x1 African Flameback Angel

x2 YT Blue / Azure Damsels


Inverts:

x12 Cerith Snails

x12 Nassarius Snails

x12 Trochus Snails

x1 Tiger Pistol Shrimp (for the YWGs)

x1 Blood Red Cleaner Shrimp

x1 Skunk Cleaner Shrimp

x1 Blue Tuxedo Urchin



Will this be too heavy of a bioload for a 70G? Do any of my pairings present difficulties in the pairing process? Will I need a larger CuC for this bioload?

Thanks!

 

[ichthyogeek]

Huh, after weeks of seeing you post lots of questions I finally get to see your final stocking list! Huzzah!!!

You've done an awful lot of research, and in my opinion, this is a stellar fish stocking list. A relatively large number of small reef fish, each with its own particular niche, with maximized differences in niche, shape, and color! My only critique is that you seem to disproportionately favor yellow (royal gramma, YWGs, flameback, YT Blue damsels). I would suggest maybe switching the flameback for a different angelfish (I'm biased towards flame and eibli angels), and maybe getting Chrysiptera cyanea (as opposed to C. hemicyanea) for your damsels.

Make sure that you quarantine appropriately! I suggest that you add them as follow, quarantining by speciess: pajama cardinals (get a group of 6, and return the three that don't fit in), YWGs, royal gramma, ocellaris clowns, dwarf angel, and finally the damsels (buy a group of 6, return the four that don't make pairs).

As for CUC, remember it's always easier to add to the population, than remove from it. Oh! And that those will also need to be quarantined first.

 

[Zionas]

Indecisiveness is one of my weakest traits both in and outside the hobby hah! I’m definitely an over thinker! Lol.

I’ll take all the info to heart. Glad my list’s been approved by a more experienced member though! Just a question. Don’t the Chrysiptera cyaneas get a lot more aggressive than the Yellowtails and Azures? Just want to make sure.

 

[Dbichler]

I agree a lot of yellow and orange but I like those colors for fish they stand out. African flame back is one of my favorite fish. This guy is 5 yrs old at least.

 

[Zionas]

Glad it’s doing well for you. How big was it when you got it?

 

[Dbichler]

He was 1.5 now he’s been full grown for about 2 years they stay small even for dwarf angels. He is maybe 3 inches now. They love darting in and out of rock work and mine loves the bottom half of the tank for some reason.

 

[Zionas]

Cute! Hope he makes it to 10 or even more than that!

What about his temperament and hardiness? Any struggles with disease?

 

[Dbichler]

He’s timid but he’s in a 210 now with other more aggressive fish no diseases doesn’t eat any soft corals or lps don’t know about sps.

 

[Zionas]

I wish him a long and healthy life. Very pretty fish indeed. I’ll likely not really delve into SPS for my first tank so I should be fine.

 

[I’ma tempermental coral]

I agree a lot of yellow and orange but I like those colors for fish they stand out. African flame back is one of my favorite fish. This guy is 5 yrs old at least.

Did he have his full color when you got him or was he still filling his color in? I have a young ORA adult I got from Adam @OceanDevotionLA after he QTed and conditioned him for me and while he eats like a champ and is always on the move and not really shy at all, but it looks like his artist was running out of paint lol. Before anyone says it’s food related please hold your thoughts, I could go on a full page post about my slimy babies diets lol. I think it’s a combination of his age and being captive bred. His dorsal and anal fins have their brilliant neon blue edges but the contrast between his yellow and blue on his body isn’t like yours. It kinda fades from blue to yellow.

 

[I’ma tempermental coral]

Also I’d like to add for @Zionas my flameback has yet to nip on anything that I’ve seen. And I have all sorts of fleshy delights my angels in the past have found delectable. Nor have I witnessed him plucking at any of the vast number of sps or zoas/palys I have.

 

[Zionas]

Wow, that’s one well behaved angel!

 

[I’ma tempermental coral]

Wow, that’s one well behaved angel!

Thank you it requires knocking on wood daily I’m sure! Hahahaha

 

[Zionas]

Hahaha good to know!

 

[Zionas]

Thanks for your confirmation and approval of my stocking list. I have just one question. Aren’t the Blue Damsels more aggressive than the Yellowtails and Azures and Talbot’s etc. ? Or are they not that bad? I do find the ones with orange tails to be pretty. Are they the males?

 

[Arabyps]

IMO the bio-load with respect to the fish looks fine depending upon how well the filtration (biological and mechanical) is sized and performing. With respect to the CUC, you need to wait and gradually stage additions once food sources become available. Algae is key for many of them (especially the urchin who could starve). Too many too soon they will starve.

Good luck to you.

 

[I’ma tempermental coral]

Thanks for your confirmation and approval of my stocking list. I have just one question. Aren’t the Blue Damsels more aggressive than the Yellowtails and Azures and Talbot’s etc. ? Or are they not that bad? I do find the ones with orange tails to be pretty. Are they the males?

Maybe swap them for springeri? But I’ve heard they can get pugnacious as well.

 

[Zionas]

Thanks!

 

[Zionas]

Springer’s Damsels are not widely available where I am, unfortunately.

 

[I’ma tempermental coral]

Springer’s Damsels are not widely available where I am, unfortunately.

I’m sorry. I’m assuming what you’ve listed is the norm for your area?