Suggestions for addition to 32G Biocube

[Reef of Fillory]

Hi everyone,

I'm having trouble keeping nutrients in my tank. I'm having to dose stump remover and my phosphates are very very low as well.

I'm looking to add another fish to my tank to help keep my levels higher so that I don't have to monitor/dose Nitrates as frequently.

Currently I have a 32G Biocube drilled with a 20 Gallon sump. The back 'filter section' of my biocube is essentially a sponge haven. The first section of my sump is the drain/chaeto with 32W grow light. Second section holds my aquamaxx skimmer, the final section is my return pump [sicce 3.0 - 700 gph]

note: I am not willing to take the skimmer offline due to the oxygenation and using a CO2 Scrubber on the intake to help with low pH

Current Stock

2 Clownfish [fully grown]
1 Angel Beauty
1 Lawnmower Blenny
1 Green Mandarin
1 Tuxedo Urchin
1 Black Brittle Star
2 Blue Legged Hermit Crabs
A few Nessarius and a few Trochus

I added a watchman/pistol shrimp pair a month or so ago but he must have died/jumped [never found him on the floor - but the dogs might have gotten him] and haven't seen the shrimp since the watchman disappeared.

My fish are very friendly to each other.

With that said, i'm not looking for another pod eater as the Mandarin is my "one" fish that I intend to keep over all others. My wife's favorite is the Coral Beauty so unless she starts eating my acans/clams she won't be going anywhere. The clowns are very peaceful and non territorial. I thought about adding an anemone [are they "messy"?] but i'm worried about inciting aggression from my clowns in the small tank.

FYI - buying a house in the fall of '18 and will be transferring everything to a larger tank


Thank you for any input/suggestions!

 

[Reef of Fillory]

I forgot to mention above that I also have a cleaner shrimp and peppermint shrimp in this tank.

 

[Richard M]

You are approaching max capacity for your tank, but if you are moving to a bigger tank soon and your fish are still relativity small you could add a pair of small cardinal fish.

 

[Maritimer]

Generally best practice to wait for upgrade-fish until the upgrade happens.

"Murphy" can delay or deny an awful lot of our little plans.

~Bruce

 

[Reef of Fillory]

Thanks for the opinions, however i'm looking for suggestion on what fish to add, not if. I do understand your concern for stocking levels.

My clowns hang with the coral beauty on the back wall, the blenny swims from rock to rock on one half of the tank [middle of the tank] and the mandarin roams around everywhere.

For these reasons I was looking at something bottom dwelling like a watchman/pistol again.

I'm wanting to avoid an actual sand sifter such as the diamond as I have acans on the sand bed that i'd like to stay visible.

 

[Reef of Fillory]

You are approaching max capacity for your tank, but if you are moving to a bigger tank soon and your fish are still relativity small you could add a pair of small cardinal fish.

Thanks for the suggestion, however i'm not looking to stock this tank in anticipation of the next tank. I am looking merely for higher nutrient levels while avoiding having to dose chemicals and without taking my skimmer offline by adding an additional fish.

I don't think that the cardinals would fare well against my clowns and coral beauty in the open water.

 

[lion king]

Why not just remove the chaeto.

 

[Reef of Fillory]

Still looking for fish suggestions for my tank.

I'm likely going to be moving my skimmer to come before the chaeto, but I may also just leave the drain on my skimmer open and let the skimmer overflow back into the tank. The skimmer pull all kinds of crud, but I feel like I need to keep it running for oxygenation and my CO2 scrubber.

 

[Hazenight]

what about dartfish, cardinalfish, or dottybacks.

 

[Reef of Fillory]

what about dartfish, cardinalfish, or dottybacks.

I thought about dart fish but I don't have a covered top (biocube without the hood). And the custom made tops are too expensive. I wish there was a way to bend window mesh railing to match the curve of the tank.

I'm also afraid thata dottyback might bring to much aggression to my tank since everyone is so relaxed right now

 

[Hazenight]

the orchid dottyback isn't as aggressive as the others, but still can jump out. I think a banggai cardinal or pajama might be your best bet.

 

[ArowanaLover1902]

What brand biocube? You should know that in most cases, a "biocube 32" does not mean 32 gallons.

 

[40B Knasty]

I was just telling someone about a Yellow Candy Hogfish. 4" max size, 30g, and they look like a Yellow Corris.
Basslets are beautiful. There is a Jack-o-lantern, Swalesi, Swissguard, Chalk, and Tobacco.
Here is my old Swissguard. Peaceful fish, 3 1/2", 10g, and mine was best friends with my clown at the time. They slept next to each other and were inseparable.

 

[ArowanaLover1902]

What brand biocube? You should know that in most cases, a "biocube 32" does not mean 32 gallons.

 

[ArowanaLover1902]

What brand biocube? You should know that in most cases, a "biocube 32" does not mean 32 gallons.

 

[CindyKz]

I made a top for my Biocube by cutting egg crate to fit for the frame and attaching screen to it. Easy, took an hour, and cost next to nothing.

 

[CindyKz]

I was just telling someone about a Yellow Candy Hogfish. 4" max size, 30g, and they look like a Yellow Corris.
Basslets are beautiful. There is a Jack-o-lantern, Swalesi, Swissguard, Chalk, and Tobacco.
Here is my old Swissguard. Peaceful fish, 3 1/2", 10g, and mine was best friends with my clown at the time. They slept next to each other and were inseparable.

Basslets are beautiful.

A royal gramma might be a good addition to your biocube although I also think that with the coral beauty in there you're probably pretty maxed out.

 

[40B Knasty]

Basslets are beautiful.

A royal gramma might be a good addition to your biocube although I also think that with the coral beauty in there you're probably pretty maxed out.

I was thinking after I posted it was all kind of irrelevant since I noticed it is a post from January. I am sure someone would have filled their selection by now.

 

[ArowanaLover1902]

Royal grammas usually get aggressive, they don't mix well with clowns in a tank that size (from personal experience, I tried to put a clown and a gramma together, they did well at first but when my clown died any other clown I introduced was promptly killed, most other fish as well. Personally I think the tank is a bit more than maxed out.

 

[Thirdeyesight17]

I second adding a orchid dottyback, I have mine in the BC32 and my clowns could careless if he's there. Plus he hides alot, comes out for food but there's not alot of interaction between them. Very vibrant colored fish and I've always found their swimming motion to be pretty cool.