New Reefer Looking For Advice

[EliMelly]

Hello all,

This is my first post here and I would really appreciate some help and guidance as I’m a brand new reefer. I just purchased a Red Sea 350 and had a couple questions that I would really appreciate some help with.

First of all, what equipment would you say is recommended to run a solid reef tank? Other than the lights, I’m undecided on which pump, skimmer, heater, and all other equipment to buy.

I know I’m asking a lot, all possible advice and tips would be really appreciated so please share if you have the time! Thanks so much!!

I’m looking to stock the Aquarium with some of the following fish and wanted to know if it would be ok and what changes should be made, as well as if some of these fish should be avoided.

• Blue Hippo Tang
• Wantanabe Angel
• 2 Clown Fish
• Purple fire fish, perhaps several?
• Orchid Dottyback
• Perhaps a White Tail Kole Tang
• Would really love an eel, thinking about a ribbon eel
• Leopard Wrasse
• Yellow tang or similar alternative
• Pink Spotted Gobe
• Splattered mandarin

 

[blaxsun]

Short list: ReefMat 500, Skimmer, UV (Pentair or AquaUltraviolet), reactor (optional for carbon/GFO). I like my Nyos skimmer, but Maxspect, Bubble Magus, Reef Octopus and Red Sea are great, too.

I love the Sicce SDC line of DC wireless pumps (SDC 6.0 or 7.0 would work great for you). Heaters definitely titanium, so either the IM Helio (2x200-watt would be sufficient) or an Inkbird with 2 titanium heaters (Schego, Hygger, etc.) For wavemakers, the Red Sea ReefWave 25, Nero 3/5 or EcoTech MP10/40 (not sure if the glass is too thick for the MP10, so you'd have to double check).

All the fish should be fine - although you'll want to ensure you start out with very small tangs or you'll be rehoming them in short order. I would hold off on the mandarin for about 4-6 months to allow your copepod population to full develop (you'll need to supplement during this time). You'll want a good lid with any kind of eel (and for the firefish), so I'd probably bump the eel down the purchase list as well.

 

[Troylee]

Are you planning on a fish only without coral? A curve 5 skimmer would be fine for that tank.. the hippo will out grow that tank fast.. a eel is questionable.. dotty back can be aggressive but with the bigger fish might not be a problem..

 

[Slocke]

Here are my thoughts:

• Blue Hippo Tang - Notoriously unhealthy and can spread disease. Will need a bigger tank eventually
• Wantanabe Angel - Good
• 2 Clown Fish - Good
• Purple fire fish, perhaps several? - Very shy and only really work in peaceful tanks
• Orchid Dottyback - Aggressive, won't work with firefish
• Perhaps a White Tail Kole Tang - Good
• Would really love an eel, thinking about a ribbon eel - Not a good idea at all. Ill direct you to an eel thread about this.
• Leopard Wrasse - Very sensitive, must make sure its eating before purchase
• Yellow tang or similar alternative - Good
• Pink Spotted Gobe - Good
• Splattered mandarin - What blaxsun said, consider captive bred they're much easier.

 

[Slocke]

How bad of an idea is an Eel?

Hey all, I am seriously contemplating an eel and need someone to tell me how bad of an idea it is. I have a 125 gallon tank and a few fish already. 3 tangs 3 clowns Lamarck's Angelfish Watchmen goby Blue throat trigger Possum wrasse Orange Back Fairy Wrasse I don't have any aggression...

www.reef2reef.com

I'd say your fish are on the more difficult side. Ribbon eels in particular are very difficult. Also eels and gobies don't really work together. Gobies are too easy a snack.

 

[blaxsun]

All tangs are ich magnets, but if you run a UV it can keep any parasites at bay. Tangs are great for keeping algae in-check, so it never hurts to have at least one small one. Firefish get along with any fish - they just startle easy and are incredible fast, so without a lid they'll launch themselves out of the tank in short order. Instead of an orchid dottyback a neon or striped dottyback is a calmer option (and they will cohabitate with other fish like firefish or royal grammas). With most wrasses, you'll need a fine 1.5"-2" sand bed for them to burrow into at night.

 

[Wrassenaround]

Welcome to Reef2Reef! I have a reefer 350 as well that I setup in may. You should check out my build thread to see if that helps you at all. All of the equipment I have is great and I haven't had any issues at all!

 

[EliMelly]

Here are my thoughts:

• Blue Hippo Tang - Notoriously unhealthy and can spread disease. Will need a bigger tank eventually
• Wantanabe Angel - Good
• 2 Clown Fish - Good
• Purple fire fish, perhaps several? - Very shy and only really work in peaceful tanks
• Orchid Dottyback - Aggressive, won't work with firefish
• Perhaps a White Tail Kole Tang - Good
• Would really love an eel, thinking about a ribbon eel - Not a good idea at all. Ill direct you to an eel thread about this.
• Leopard Wrasse - Very sensitive, must make sure its eating before purchase
• Yellow tang or similar alternative - Good
• Pink Spotted Gobe - Good
• Splattered mandarin - What blaxsun said, consider captive bred they're much easier.

So is there no possible eel? I really love them …

 

[EliMelly]

Welcome to Reef2Reef! I have a reefer 350 as well that I setup in may. You should check out my build thread to see if that helps you at all. All of the equipment I have is great and I haven't had any issues at all!

Thanks looking now!

 

[EliMelly]

All tangs are ich magnets, but if you run a UV it can keep any parasites at bay. Tangs are great for keeping algae in-check, so it never hurts to have at least one small one. Firefish get along with any fish - they just startle easy and are incredible fast, so without a lid they'll launch themselves out of the tank in short order. Instead of an orchid dottyback a neon or striped dottyback is a calmer option (and they will cohabitate with other fish like firefish or royal grammas). With most wrasses, you'll need a fine 1.5"-2" sand bed for them to burrow into at night.

So the orchid isn’t a good idea?

 

[EliMelly]

Are you planning on a fish only without coral? A curve 5 skimmer would be fine for that tank.. the hippo will out grow that tank fast.. a eel is questionable.. dotty back can be aggressive but with the bigger fish might not be a problem..

Definitely coral

 

[mdb_talon]

I'm not usually a member of the Tang police, but personally think 3 tangs in that tank is too many. At a minimum I would remove the blue hippo they get very large.

 

[EliMelly]

I'm not usually a member of the Tang police, but personally think 3 tangs in that tank is too many. At a minimum I would remove the blue hippo they get very large.

I think I may need to pass on the yellow tang or kole because the blue hippo is my wife’s favorite

 

[Slocke]

So is there no possible eel? I really love them …

Eels in the trade: (I'll bold the ones you may consider)

Morays:

• Gymnotherax - known as the "fang toothed morays" are the most specious moray eel genus. Their diet is primarily fish though they are opportunistic hunters. Size range 1'-8'.
• Echidna - known as the "pebble toothed morays" are another common fish in the trade that hunts crustaceans. They have blunt teeth that crush. Not great at hunting fish.Size range 2'-3'.
• Gymnomuraena - Zebra moray eel. related to echidnas but much bigger any very peaceful. Size 5'.
• Rhinomuraena and Pseudechidna: The ribbon and ghost eel. Long skinny and beautiful. Only eat live fish and usually die very fast in tanks.

Other:

• Garden eels - Expert fish with deep and open sand-bed.
• Myrichthys snake eels - The moray like snake eels. Read my article.

False eels:

• Wolf eel - Want the aggression of a dotty back in eel size than this for you.
• Engineer goby - Goby at the front, eel at the back.

 

[EliMelly]

Short list: ReefMat 500, Skimmer, UV (Pentair or AquaUltraviolet), reactor (optional for carbon/GFO). I like my Nyos skimmer, but Maxspect, Bubble Magus, Reef Octopus and Red Sea are great, too.

I love the Sicce SDC line of DC wireless pumps (SDC 6.0 or 7.0 would work great for you). Heaters definitely titanium, so either the IM Helio (2x200-watt would be sufficient) or an Inkbird with 2 titanium heaters (Schego, Hygger, etc.) For wavemakers, the Red Sea ReefWave 25, Nero 3/5 or EcoTech MP10/40 (not sure if the glass is too thick for the MP10, so you'd have to double check).

All the fish should be fine - although you'll want to ensure you start out with very small tangs or you'll be rehoming them in short order. I would hold off on the mandarin for about 4-6 months to allow your copepod population to full develop (you'll need to supplement during this time). You'll want a good lid with any kind of eel (and for the firefish), so I'd probably bump the eel down the purchase list as well.

I definitely will be getting a great lid, is there a way to make an eel work? Or am I pushing my luck

 

[dstockwell]

Welcome to the Reef

 

[EliMelly]

Welcome to the Reef

Thanks!!!!

 

[Slocke]

I definitely will be getting a great lid, is there a way to make an eel work? Or am I pushing my luck

Of the ones I suggested the only ones I'd trust with small gobies are the engineer goby and maybe the zebra but that's too big for your tank. The snake eels are a maybe but I'm one of the few who keep them so the sample size is too small.

As for the dotty back I always suggest a basslet instead. Similar in appearance but much nicer. The black cap or royal gramma would be good alternatives.

 

[Aspect]

Pretty much everything that @blaxsun said. I just want to emphasize that a UV sterilizer is a piece of equipment I would never run a tank without. For your wallet's sake and your fish's sake.

 

[Aspect]

I definitely will be getting a great lid, is there a way to make an eel work? Or am I pushing my luck

Banded snake eels are less likely to eat your other fish, but no guarantee. The smaller fish would almost certainly be eaten, tangs would be fine. You would never be able to have hermit crabs and snails.