Ready to start stocking tank?

[mikebusc]

So I think I'm ready to start stocking my new tank. Just a few things to finish with the plumbing in the sump, etc. (excuse the temp heaters in the pic and the bad reflection - back of tank is actually black). Cycling started in vats originally then the tank. Probably been cylcling for about 2 to 3 months while I've been building everything, including the stand. Numbers are good. It's a 125 gallon with 40 gallon sump. I have two socks, protein skimmer, future fuge with LR and sand and Chaeto will be next then bubble trap then return.

I've been checking posts and I'm getting conflicting info (As we know that happens, none right or wrong just different). Going to start with fish, CUC, and pods. Corals will come down the line. I've been doing this VERY slowly. This is my first tank in over 20 years and I've done a lot of research with the changes in the hobby and so forth. And this site has been my main goto! Thanks for all the previous help.

So the main question I guess is the order. I think from what I've been reading is to add some hardy or utilitarian fish first. Such as clown, tang, blenny, wrasse. Then the CUC. How about the pods? After the fish also? And can I start them in the fuge and they'll eventually make their way to the DT? And some have said no lights to start and others to start with lights.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

I can only speak from my personal experience, I did no lights for the 1st 3.5 months, adding pods monthly, a couple fish after cycle, and I will say without a Doubt it helped me immensely! I am 7 months in at this point, and so far no “ugly stage”! (Knocks on wood)

 

[alpenreef]

You can do clowns, blenny and a wrasse now if your “numbers are good” if that means 0 ammonia and you have good filtration. Turn skimmer on and high flow, low lights. Watch ammonia closely - get a seachem ammonia hang tag and test with a hanna ammonia test every few days. If you get spikes above .25 do big water changes. No matter what do a 20% change minimum every weekend.
Do get some corals too - just don’t go crazy. They like slightly elevated ammonia. If you get anything but soft corals you will have to start managing calcium and alkalinity. Good luck and start a tank thread so we can follow along.
Oh and no cuc for a while, they would starve - lawnmower blenny is fine, he’ll take algae wavers.

 

[alpenreef]

You can do clowns, blenny and a wrasse now if your “numbers are good” if that means 0 ammonia and you have good filtration. Turn skimmer on and high flow, low lights. Watch ammonia closely - get a seachem ammonia hang tag and test with a hanna ammonia test every few days. If you get spikes above .25 do big water changes. No matter what do a 20% change minimum every weekend.
Do get some corals too - just don’t go crazy. They like slightly elevated ammonia. If you get anything but soft corals you will have to start managing calcium and alkalinity. Good luck and start a tank thread so we can follow along.
Oh and no cuc for a while, they would starve - lawnmower blenny is fine, he’ll take algae wavers.

Here is my tank after 3 weeks. Started with live ocean rock so your milage will vary greatly.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Do some wrasse research, some are best as the last fish due to being territorial

 

[mikebusc]

I can only speak from my personal experience, I did no lights for the 1st 3.5 months, adding pods monthly, a couple fish after cycle, and I will say without a Doubt it helped me immensely! I am 7 months in at this point, and so far no “ugly stage”! (Knocks on wood)

Yes I was following BRS info on trying to avoid or slow down the ugly stage. Do you always need to add pods? Will they multiply on their own or does it matter I guess on who's eating them?

 

[mikebusc]

You can do clowns, blenny and a wrasse now if your “numbers are good” if that means 0 ammonia and you have good filtration. Turn skimmer on and high flow, low lights. Watch ammonia closely - get a seachem ammonia hang tag and test with a hanna ammonia test every few days. If you get spikes above .25 do big water changes. No matter what do a 20% change minimum every weekend.
Do get some corals too - just don’t go crazy. They like slightly elevated ammonia. If you get anything but soft corals you will have to start managing calcium and alkalinity. Good luck and start a tank thread so we can follow along.
Oh and no cuc for a while, they would starve - lawnmower blenny is fine, he’ll take algae wavers.

Thanks. I am good on test kits and all parameters are good. i've tried to do a build thread but I think I'm having trouble on where to start it.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Yes I was following BRS info on trying to avoid or slow down the ugly stage. Do you always need to add pods? Will they multiply on their own or does it matter I guess on who's eating them?

I feed them phytoplankton weekly, but because I have several different fish that will eat them, I do add them every couple months

 

[mikebusc]

Here is my tank after 3 weeks. Started with live ocean rock so your milage will vary greatly.

Looks great in such a short time.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Yes I was following BRS info on trying to avoid or slow down the ugly stage. Do you always need to add pods? Will they multiply on their own or does it matter I guess on who's eating them?

Yeah some people will say the idea of leaving lights off will only prolong the inevitable, but for me at least, it actually worked

 

[mikebusc]

I feed them phytoplankton weekly, but because I have several different fish that will eat them, I do add them every couple months

Understood. Thank you.

 

[Uncle99]

Clown pair great start as they only claim a fraction of your tank once settled. BTA as soon as water stable.

From there least agreesive first, tangs, if any, last and at same time.

After a year, Dead last is exclusive pod eaters like mandarin, but just one so it’s food source pods are always available without you putting them in.

Good luck.

 

[alpenreef]

Also, it’s a good idea to set up a QT for new fish. Here is my quarantine tank, with 2 skunks and a bj trigger incoming. They have another 2 weeks in copper. It’s a good way to keep your DT healthy and also for me personally a good way to avoid impulse buys.

 

[mikebusc]

Clown pair great start as they only claim a fraction of your tank once settled. BTA as soon as water stable.

From there least agreesive first, tangs, if any, last and at same time.

After a year, Dead last is exclusive pod eaters like mandarin, but just one so it’s food source pods are always available without you putting them in.

Good luck.

Great info. Thank you.
Newbie question- what is BTA?

 

[mikebusc]

Also, it’s a good idea to set up a QT for new fish. Here is my quarantine tank, with 2 skunks and a bj trigger incoming. They have another 2 weeks in copper. It’s a good way to keep your DT healthy and also for me personally a good way to avoid impulse buys.

I actually was going to start looking for info on quarantine tanks. Thanks for the reminder!

 

[mikebusc]

and is the quarantine tank basically just heat and water movement? What type of filtration do I need if any? And how about biological filtration?

 

[Baronen]

and is the quarantine tank basically just heat and water movement? What type of filtration do I need if any? And how about biological filtration?

For QT I have a bag of bio media in sump that I take out and place in with a hob filter and a few dry rocks dedicated to the qt. If meds are used, throw out the bio media and refill and place in sump again for next time

 

[alpenreef]

and is the quarantine tank basically just heat and water movement? What type of filtration do I need if any? And how about biological filtration?

Great info. Thank you.
Newbie question- what is BTA?

Bubble tip anemone.
Corals are ok right now because they can handle a bit of ammonia, as a matter of fact they like it as an easy source of nitrogen. But anemones and inverts in general are not as hardy, wait until your tank is seasoned to add nems

 

[alpenreef]

and is the quarantine tank basically just heat and water movement? What type of filtration do I need if any? And how about biological filtration?

Here are the quarantine tank requirements and current protocol: link

Basically fully cycled bare bottom tank with bio media but no live rock. Mine has a sump for lots of filtration but you don’t have to. Note that you cant resuse the media anywhere else because of the medication and copper.

 

[Uncle99]

Great info. Thank you.
Newbie question- what is BTA?

Potential home for a clown pair.
They never ever leave it.