New 75 gallon

Raider0622 · Jun 23, 2020

Hey guys. I just received a new 75 gallon tank yesterday for my birthday. I am not new to saltwater fishkeeping but I have no experience with corals. What beginner corals (and lights for them) would you recommend for a reef tank? Also, what cool and unique fish would you recommend?

I'm not sure about corals but here's what I was thinking fish wise:

A small Tang
2 zebra dart fish
2 clowns
2 gobies
Longnose hawkfish
Foxface rabbitfish
Cleaner wrasse
Fairy or flasher wrasse (would it eat decorative shrimp?)
And either some pajama Cardinals or 2 royal gammas

I know I wouldn't add them all at once. If I were to set up the tank this summer id probably start gradually adding fish around Christmas. Are these fish all reef safe? Is it over stocking? Id appreciate your criticism and suggestions. Thanks!

dbowman5 · Jun 23, 2020

Hey Raider,
thanks for posting, i also have a 75 and look forward to the comments.

thonis · Jun 23, 2020

Cant go wrong with a some Zoa's, i also like Candy Canes as well. If you're willing to spend a little more, Hammers are also great.

Raider0622 · Jun 23, 2020

That's what I was thinking. Any other cool corals though? I've been researching and I stumbled upon some of the Acropora corals like the birds nest. Would these be suitable or do I need more experience? Also, what do you think of the fish? Thanks for responding!

Bryn · Jun 23, 2020

Raider0622 said:
Hey guys. I just received a new 75 gallon tank yesterday for my birthday. I am not new to saltwater fishkeeping but I have no experience with corals. What beginner corals (and lights for them) would you recommend for a reef tank? Also, what cool and unique fish would you recommend?

I'm not sure about corals but here's what I was thinking fish wise:

A small Tang
2 zebra dart fish
2 clowns
2 gobies
Longnose hawkfish
Foxface rabbitfish
Cleaner wrasse
Fairy or flasher wrasse (would it eat decorative shrimp?)
And either some pajama Cardinals or 2 royal gammas

I know I wouldn't add them all at once. If I were to set up the tank this summer id probably start gradually adding fish around Christmas. Are these fish all reef safe? Is it over stocking? Id appreciate your criticism and suggestions. Thanks!

You are experienced in FOWLR (Fish Only With Live Rock), so cycle your tank out, takes about a month, add some Tangs, Yellow Tang, and Yellow Eyed Tang, adding a fish every other week, and then at the 3.5 to 4 month mark, add some light and corals.

What you think? A very simple plan, hopefully avoiding too many problems.

Avoid Green Start Polyps, Pulsating Zinnia, Kenya Tree, generic Brown / green pallies, unless you do a lot of research.

Good Aquascape so you could have some easy SPS at the top with a 300PAR, LPS a little way down at about 150PAR, and softies below 100PAR at the bottom. Lights, start with the AI Prime 16 HD, two of them if not three as a basis to start your research from. Could go cheaper with a Hybrid T5 and LED between. But if you start with the AI Primes as a basis, then you have something to compare to, good or bad, expensive or cheap.

Best of luck.

Raider0622 · Jun 24, 2020

Yeah, that's what I figured. Most of the fish (the tang, clownfish, dartfish, and a goby) are in my 30 gallon right now so how should I approach transitioning them to the new tank? Also, those lights are pretty expensive (I'm only 14 and I don't have that much money). Are there any good quality ones that are a bit cheaper? Thanks for the help!

dbowman5 · Jun 25, 2020

Raider0622 said:
Yeah, that's what I figured. Most of the fish (the tang, clownfish, dartfish, and a goby) are in my 30 gallon right now so how should I approach transitioning them to the new tank? Also, those lights are pretty expensive (I'm only 14 and I don't have that much money). Are there any good quality ones that are a bit cheaper? Thanks for the help!

check out build threads for ideas. if your water parameters are equal: temp, salinity, pH, you could probably net them and plop them into the new tank with the lights off. otherwise acclimate them just like they came from the store. if you move them at the same timethey should accept the new tank ok. if you aree adding other fish look at the introduction guides to see which should go in first, second, etc. good luck.