Stocking List for 36 Gallon

[GP0801]

Hey guys, I was going to wait to get a big tank next year once I move but I needed to get something in the mean time just to scratch the itch. I ended up going with a 36 Gallon Fluval M90. I've got it setup with live rock and a few corals as well. So far the tank has been cycled and I've added a pair of Occelaris Clownfish, a purple firefish, a tailspot blenny, a skunk cleaner shrimp and a nassarius snail. Do you guys think I'd be able to safely add a midas blenny and a royal gramma or would that be overstocked?

Also I'm noticing some brown algae(maybe diatom bloom) on my rocks and glass, pretty much everywhere the light touches. Is there any snail or other CUC that would be well suited to getting rid of that? I assume the tailspot blenny may be eating it as well but I'm sure he can't handle all of it. I will attach some pictures later as well.

Thanks.

 

[blaxsun]

Yes, you should be fine (this would only be 6 fish). Before you add the fish, you might want to boost your cleaning crew with a few more snails and hermit crabs. I would also check all your water parameters prior and only add one fish at a time.

 

[glb]

Hey guys, I was going to wait to get a big tank next year once I move but I needed to get something in the mean time just to scratch the itch. I ended up going with a 36 Gallon Fluval M90. I've got it setup with live rock and a few corals as well. So far the tank has been cycled and I've added a pair of Occelaris Clownfish, a purple firefish, a tailspot blenny, a skunk cleaner shrimp and a nassarius snail. Do you guys think I'd be able to safely add a midas blenny and a royal gramma or would that be overstocked?

Also I'm noticing some brown algae(maybe diatom bloom) on my rocks and glass, pretty much everywhere the light touches. Is there any snail or other CUC that would be well suited to getting rid of that? I assume the tailspot blenny may be eating it as well but I'm sure he can't handle all of it. I will attach some pictures later as well.

Thanks.

I’ve never had two blennies in a tank that size. I have a 40g with 5-6 fish and I’ve never had a problem with nutrients. How about a goby?

As far as the brown stuff, that sounds like diatoms, which happen in new tanks. It’ll eventually go away on its own.

 

[GP0801]

Yes, you should be fine (this would only be 6 fish). Before you add the fish, you might want to boost your cleaning crew with a few more snails and hermit crabs. I would also check all your water parameters prior and only add one fish at a time.

Thanks for the response, sounds good. I typically test ammonia and nitrates twice a week and I've been doing 5 gallon water changes weekly as well. With about 40lbs of live rock I figure that its about a 20% water change. Any specific snails you recommend? I don't really want hermit crabs just because I find that they poop everywhere and they've been known to eat snails. I had a few at one point and there was blue poop all over the sand.

I’ve never had two blennies in a tank that size. I have a 40g with 5-6 fish and I’ve never had a problem with nutrients. How about a goby?

As far as the brown stuff, that sounds like diatoms, which happen in new tanks. It’ll eventually go away on its own.

Thanks for the response, I was hoping because the tail spot tends to hide in rocks whereas the Midas Blenny swims in the water column they may be okay. I wouldn't be against a goby instead though if that would make for a more peaceful tank. That's my number one priority really, I don't want anything beating each other up.

Yeah it's brown and seems to have bubbles all over it. Hopefully its just diatoms then if it clears up on it's own.

 

[blaxsun]

Nassarius snails for the sandbed, trochus and turbo snails for the glass, spiny astrea snails for the rocks.

 

[GP0801]

Nassarius snails for the sandbed, trochus and turbo snails for the glass, spiny astrea snails for the rocks.

Awesome, I'll see if i can pick up a few of those tomorrow. Thanks

 

[nereefpat]

I don't like the midas blenny for that tank size. The royal gramma should be okay.

 

[GP0801]

Pictures as promised. If you look closely you can see the TSB hiding in the rock above the firefish. Also I included some pictures of a torch coral frag that I crushed the other day while trying to take it off the plug. Didn't expect it to crumble the way it did but I glued the pieces in multiple spots hoping at least one piece survives.

 

[GP0801]

I don't like the midas blenny for that tank size. The royal gramma should be okay.

Any reason why? I seem to keep reading online that the minimum is 20 to 30 gallons. I'm open to other suggestions though. I don't have to have a midas blenny.

 

[JNalley]

Just as a comparison for yourself. I have the 32.5Gallon Fluval Flex Marine AIO and this is my stock list:

Fish:
3 Pajama Cardinals
2 Oscellaris Clowns
1 Orchid Dottyback
1 Flame Hawkfish
1 Yellow Watchman Goby w/ Japanese Snapping/Pistol (currently waiting for them to bond/pair

Non-CUC inverts:
1 Green BTA
1 Carpet Nem
2 Rock Flower Nems

CUC:
20 Assorted Hermits (Blue legs, Electric Blues, Scarlets)
15 Astrea Snails
10 Margarita Snails
5 Cerith Snails
5 Nassarius Snails
2 Brittle Starfish
1 Sand Sifting Starfish

Corals:
2 Headed Duncan
2 Headed Kryptonite Candycane
2 different colonies of Zoas
1 Double Head Purple Blasto
1 Psammocora
1 Florida Ricordea
1 Colony of Firework Clove Polyps

 

[GP0801]

Just as a comparison for yourself. I have the 32.5Gallon Fluval Flex Marine AIO and this is my stock list:

Fish:
3 Pajama Cardinals
2 Oscellaris Clowns
1 Orchid Dottyback
1 Flame Hawkfish
1 Yellow Watchman Goby w/ Japanese Snapping/Pistol (currently waiting for them to bond/pair

Non-CUC inverts:
1 Green BTA
1 Carpet Nem
2 Rock Flower Nems

CUC:
20 Assorted Hermits (Blue legs, Electric Blues, Scarlets)
15 Astrea Snails
10 Margarita Snails
5 Cerith Snails
5 Nassarius Snails
2 Brittle Starfish
1 Sand Sifting Starfish

Corals:
2 Headed Duncan
2 Headed Kryptonite Candycane
2 different colonies of Zoas
1 Double Head Purple Blasto
1 Psammocora
1 Florida Ricordea
1 Colony of Firework Clove Polyps

Oh wow that's a huge CUC. Good to know, I'll have to add a few more for sure. Thanks

 

[glb]

Nassarius snails for the sandbed, trochus and turbo snails for the glass, spiny astrea snails for the rocks.

+1 on these snails.

 

[blaxsun]

Oh wow that's a huge CUC. Good to know, I'll have to add a few more for sure. Thanks

Yeah, the more fish - the more cleanup crew needed. I have a midas blenny - he's grown about a third in the past 6-8 months (so he's probably 3-3.5" in length). But he's also kind of a pig (like all my fish). If you do get a blenny, get a barnacle "hotel". Blennies love their barnacles!

 

[glb]

I don't like the midas blenny for that tank size. The royal gramma should be okay.

I’ve had my Midas Blenny in a 40g with no problems at all. He hangs out in a hole in the rock. It cracks me up how he backs into it. Any reason you don’t like a Midas for this tank size?

 

[glb]

Thanks for the response, sounds good. I typically test ammonia and nitrates twice a week and I've been doing 5 gallon water changes weekly as well. With about 40lbs of live rock I figure that its about a 20% water change. Any specific snails you recommend? I don't really want hermit crabs just because I find that they poop everywhere and they've been known to eat snails. I had a few at one point and there was blue poop all over the sand.



Thanks for the response, I was hoping because the tail spot tends to hide in rocks whereas the Midas Blenny swims in the water column they may be okay. I wouldn't be against a goby instead though if that would make for a more peaceful tank. That's my number one priority really, I don't want anything beating each other up.

Yeah it's brown and seems to have bubbles all over it. Hopefully its just diatoms then if it clears up on it's own.

The brown stuff could also be dinos, but I’d just keep an eye on it since the tank is so new.

 

[nereefpat]

Any reason why? I seem to keep reading online that the minimum is 20 to 30 gallons. I'm open to other suggestions though. I don't have to have a midas blenny.

I’ve had my Midas Blenny in a 40g with no problems at all. He hangs out in a hole in the rock. It cracks me up how he backs into it. Any reason you don’t like a Midas for this tank size?

That species of blenny gets 5" long, and spends time in the open water eating plankton. More like one of the Meiacanthus blennies or even an anthias and not like a tail spot, for example.

I strongly disagree with anyone on the 20 gallon rec. 40 breeder, I could get on board with. Just my opinion, of course.

 

[nereefpat]

I should have linked this above: https://www.fishbase.se/summary/7561

 

[JNalley]

That species of blenny gets 5" long, and spends time in the open water eating plankton. More like one of the Meiacanthus blennies or even an anthias and not like a tail spot, for example.

I strongly disagree with anyone on the 20 gallon rec. 40 breeder, I could get on board with. Just my opinion, of course.

So, 4 gallons is the line of demarcation? Good to know... I'd say personally a 36 Gallon tank and a 40 Gallon tank are relatively close to the same volume once you consider Rock... 1lb per gallon = 36lbs of rock in one and 40lbs of rock in the other, the displacement created by the extra rock easily brings the volume within a 1-2 gallons of each other I'd imagine...

 

[nereefpat]

So, 4 gallons is the line of demarcation? Good to know... I'd say personally a 36 Gallon tank and a 40 Gallon tank are relatively close to the same volume once you consider Rock... 1lb per gallon = 36lbs of rock in one and 40lbs of rock in the other, the displacement created by the extra rock easily brings the volume within a 1-2 gallons of each other I'd imagine...

The difference is that a 40 breeder is a 36x18 tank with an actual volume of about 48 gallons, and that fluval tank is an all in one with about 9 gallons in the rear chamber. Thanks for the snark, by the way. That's always helpful.

 

[GP0801]

Yeah, the more fish - the more cleanup crew needed. I have a midas blenny - he's grown about a third in the past 6-8 months (so he's probably 3-3.5" in length). But he's also kind of a pig (like all my fish). If you do get a blenny, get a barnacle "hotel". Blennies love their barnacles!

That's actually pretty nice looking, I didn't even know that was a thing.

The difference is that a 40 breeder is a 36x18 tank with an actual volume of about 48 gallons, and that fluval tank is an all in one with about 9 gallons in the rear chamber. Thanks for the snark, by the way. That's always helpful.

That's a fair point. This tank is also about 36" long but I'm not sure how wide the actual display area is.