Need Help stocking my tank

Virtualbasil · Sep 12, 2015

I am currently building a 65 gallon red sea reefer.

Lighting: 2x AI primes
Skimmer: Reef octupus rated for 50 gallon (will upgrade)
Rock: 16 pounds live and going to add 40 pounds of dry pukani
Pump: (haven't decided)
Controller: Apex Jr.

Fish and Inverts that I will add:

sexy shrimp
harlequin shrimp
scartlett skunk cleaner shrimp
Peppermint shrimp
Yellow line shrimp

ORA blue mandarin
ORA goldflake maroon clownfish

Corals:
Monti cap
some kinda brain coral.

Mainly this is a tank for shrimp and coral so I don't want a fish that will eat them or other inhabitants. I thought a Pacific Redstripe Hogfish might be good but I heard they eat smaller shrimps? I also need help picking a nice QUIET 600 GPH pump. I may also add a maxspect Gyre. Any suggestions would be apprectiated.

Joeganja · Sep 13, 2015

A reef safe wrasse like a leopard or an ornate. Maybe some anthias

gaz · Sep 13, 2015

I would wait for a bit before adding mandarins just to build up a pod culture. My tanks been running for 3years and hopefully getting a pair of mandarins or flame scooter blenny next week.yeah defo get a gyre should be ok with a fx130. What sort of size fish are you looking for? Small I like the look of court jester goby.

Virtualbasil · Sep 13, 2015

I would like at least 1 bigger sized fish. I plan on getting the ORA mandarin that eats mysis shrimp.

gaz · Sep 13, 2015

Ok cool still try and see them eating if you can. I would say a tang but I think your tanks to small. Blue spot jawfish would be a nice show fish in your size tank

Virtualbasil · Sep 13, 2015

I looked it up on live aquaria they are very nice. Are they active swimmers ?

gaz · Sep 13, 2015

Not really they will make a home and normally stay there with their head poking out. Have a look at the reef safe wrasse section active nice looking and decent size fish

gaz · Sep 14, 2015

Not really they will make a home and normally stay there with their head poking out. Have a look at the reef safe wrasse section active nice lookin and decent size fish

Breakthecycle2 · Sep 14, 2015

Rather then worrying about the fish first, I would save up and get the right size skimmer IMHO.

Tahoe61 · Sep 14, 2015

Virtualbasil said:
I would like at least 1 bigger sized fish. I plan on getting the ORA mandarin that eats mysis shrimp.

Plan on training that Mandarin to eat from a feeding station, ORA ( and I love them) their Mandarins do not always eat what they say they eat once you get them. Wish it were that easy but it's not.

Since you list does not include a lot of corals or clams look into a Dwarf Angel, Coral Beauty, Potters, Flame, Cherub.

gaz · Sep 14, 2015

Breakthecycle2 said:
Rather then worrying about the fish first, I would save up and get the right size skimmer IMHO.

Yeah I didn't see the size skimmer you plan on getting I do advocate going +1 on skimmer size

Virtualbasil · Sep 14, 2015

Most of the Angels seem to need a 70 gallon aquarium according to liveaquaria

this is compounded by the fact my tank is very tall and deep and not very long. yes like I said I will be getting a bigger skimmer

eatbreakfast · Sep 15, 2015

The skimmer you have now is fine for the time being, as the list has a very low bioload to begin with.

I would recommend getting a 1/4"clear mesh top from BRS to prevent jumpers.

Fish that will not bother shrimp and work for that size tank include: yellow assessor, firefish, dartfish, neon goby, midas blenny, stigmatura blenny, clown goby, orange stripe cardinal.