Tank is cycled - what/how much do I start with?

Lylelovett · Dec 16, 2018

Hi all,

So it's my first mixed reef tank. 5'x2'x2' It's cycled and I'm looking to put my first fish, corals, and inverts in...

I'm not necessarily looking for specific recommendations, but more generally, how big should my first wave of livestock should be?

Fish - What's a good number to start with? 3-4? When do I put the famous clown fish pair in?

Corals (non sps) - Just so it's not too overwhelming I was thinking like 5? Should I start with fewer?
Clean-up crew - The consensus seems to start small until the bio-load increases, and would depend on the number of fish? Is there a general ratio to apply?

Or like many decisions in this hobby, maybe I'm overthinking it, LOL.

Thanks for your expertise!

ihavecrabs · Dec 16, 2018

Lylelovett said:
Hi all,

So it's my first mixed reef tank. 5'x2'x2' It's cycled and I'm looking to put my first fish, corals, and inverts in...

I'm not necessarily looking for specific recommendations, but more generally, how big should my first wave of livestock should be?

Fish - What's a good number to start with? 3-4? When do I put the famous clown fish pair in?
Corals (non sps) - Just so it's not too overwhelming I was thinking like 5? Should I start with fewer?
Clean-up crew - The consensus seems to start small until the bio-load increases, and would depend on the number of fish? Is there a general ratio to apply?

Or like many decisions in this hobby, maybe I'm overthinking it, LOL.

Thanks for your expertise!

I think you have the jist of it.

Are your rocks green yet? Any algae for the inverts to eat?

If you have the ability to, go slow with the fish.. 1-2 small or 1 large at a time with a few weeks in between. It makes it easy if you are moving them over from QT/observation tanks.

lapin · Dec 16, 2018

Lylelovett said:
Hi all,
So it's my first mixed reef tank. 5'x2'x2' It's cycled and I'm looking to put my first fish, corals, and inverts in...

I'm not necessarily looking for specific recommendations, but more generally, how big should my first wave of livestock should be? Go slow

Fish - What's a good number to start with? 3-4? I would start with 2 . Run them thru 2 weeks of TTM and some Prazi Pro. Once they are in and ok add 2 more
When do I put the famous clown fish pair in? Any time as long as the aggressive fish go in last Unless they are aggressive tomato clowns
Corals (non sps) - Just so it's not too overwhelming I was thinking like 5? Should I start with fewer? 5 is fine
Clean-up crew - The consensus seems to start small until the bio-load increases, and would depend on the number of fish? Is there a general ratio to apply? No set rule. Just add them slowly, other wise, if there is nothing to eat they will starve

theKoolAidMan · Dec 17, 2018

I think your proposed answers to all of those questions are about right. I might go more in the 2-3 range for fish than 3-4, but that depends on which fish you're planning to add. Big fish that eat and poop more? Add less at a time. Tiny fish with small bioloads? Go ahead and throw a few in.

I would comment on the corals, however. They don't really have a bioload per say, so there's no reason you can't just drop in a hundred if the tank is ready for them. However, I might start with a few cheaper/less valued/don't care as much if they die like mining canaries ones to "test the waters" as it were. Put them in, make sure they open and look happy and healthy for a few days, and then go hog wild if you like.

Lylelovett · Dec 17, 2018

ihavecrabs said:
I think you have the jist of it.

Are your rocks green yet? Any algae for the inverts to eat?

If you have the ability to, go slow with the fish.. 1-2 small or 1 large at a time with a few weeks in between. It makes it easy if you are moving them over from QT/observation tanks.

Thanks everyone for your input!

My rocks are not green yet. I cycled with Dr Tim's... Is it worth seeding the tank with live from from LFS?

lapin · Dec 17, 2018

Just stick a few corals in there. They will come with algae spores on them. Soon your tank will be green all over.

Roy 750xxl · Dec 17, 2018

Only thing I find with the test corals / cheap that you dont really care about is if they take off and start doing extremely well then they take over the tank... on the other hand you put nice expensive stuff there and the tanks not ready boom thrtr goes 1 2 300$ ? Slow and steady is key

Lylelovett · Dec 17, 2018

lapin said:
Just stick a few corals in there. They will come with algae spores on them. Soon your tank will be green all over.

Rock on!

Lylelovett · Dec 17, 2018

Roy 750xxl said:
Only thing I find with the test corals / cheap that you dont really care about is if they take off and start doing extremely well then they take over the tank... on the other hand you put nice expensive stuff there and the tanks not ready boom thrtr goes 1 2 300$ ? Slow and steady is key

Yeah, I was offered some pulsing Xenias, and to the newbie, like myself, they are super cool - but I've heard just as many horror stories that they are not.

So I'm going to be strategic about what I put in there.

JumboShrimp · Dec 17, 2018

Check out Florida Riccordia. Beautiful, and should be good for a beginner to test water quality with— i.e., whether it thrives

JumboShrimp · Dec 17, 2018

Sorry: spelled “Ricordea”

Lylelovett · Jan 6, 2019

So I put my first set of livestock into my 150g 5x2x2 tank last night...

2x Blood Orange Clownfish

3x Emerald Crab
2x Sand-sifting Star

Frag:
- Duncan Coral
- Zoa cluster
- Candy Cane Coral
- Orange Mushroom

How long is a good/safe amount of time for this to stabilize and add a second round of livestock?

JumboShrimp · Jan 6, 2019

The corals and invertebrates will add a negligible bio-load, so if your Clowns are looking good in two weeks and you have no ammonia spike, you’re probably good to go. That’s assuming your Clowns were quarantined, and won’t be passing on any diseased to any new arrivals. As far as that goes, if you were to begin quarantining a new fish or two right now, and observing them for a month, you would definitely be ready by the time the month is up. Best wishes.

ramenorwhatever · Jan 7, 2019

Lylelovett said:
So I put my first set of livestock into my 150g 5x2x2 tank last night...

2x Blood Orange Clownfish

3x Emerald Crab
2x Sand-sifting Star

Frag:
- Duncan Coral
- Zoa cluster
- Candy Cane Coral
- Orange Mushroom

How long is a good/safe amount of time for this to stabilize and add a second round of livestock?

The starfish are cool but your tank is not dirty enough to sustain them. Same thing with the emerald crabs. They'll take care of all the algae but once they run out of food, they'll feast on your corals.