Fishfreak2009's 240 Gallon Predator Build

[Fishfreak2009]

Which do you prefer under blues? Acanthurus lineatus or Acanthurus sohal?

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Snapped a quick video while cleaning the tank yesterday. All the fish kept begging for food. Tank is still divided while I try and track down 2-3 more large tangs to introduce at the same time I reintroduce the sohal and clown tang.

 

[Peair]

Figured I should start a build thread for this tank! I've been looking for a larger tank for my predator fish and other FOWLR fish, and I finally found this awesome 8'x2'x2' 240 gallon acrylic tank with built in dual overflows and a steel stand for an awesome price. Drove about 3 hrs each way to get it. Here's a quick pic of the tank as it sits empty in my garage.

We are remodeling our house currently, and are repairing and repainting the walls, and replacing the flooring through the whole house before putting up the new builds. Finally got our tax return this week, so picking up the new flooring this weekend to get this project started!

This tank is going to be set up with a sump, most likely a 4' 75 gallon, though if I can find a used 6' 125 gallon in decent shape I'd prefer to use that instead to make an even larger refugium. Filtration components will include an oversized skimmer, lots of rock, and a massive refugium, as that has worked well for me in all my other heavily stocked systems.

I've been steadily collecting fish for both this build and for my 180 gallon build (which is an upgrade for my heavily stocked 75 gallon mixed reef). The goal is to have pretty much all the fish done with quarantine and be able to move them in at once when the tank is finally put in place and filled.

Fish going in this system that are already in quarantine or growout include:

Broomtail wrasse (Cheilinus lunulatus)
Slippery Wrasse (Halichoeres bivittatus)
Koran Angel (Pomacanthus semicirculatus)
Cream Angel (Apolemichthys xanthurus)
Lemonpeel Angel (Centropyge flavissima)
Bannerfish (Heniochus acuminatus)
Pakistani Butterfly (Chaetodon collare)
Powder Blue Tang (Acanthurus leucosternon)
Powder Brown Tang (Acanthurus japonicus)
Sohal Tang (Acanthurus sohal)
Tenneti Tang (Acanthurus tenneti)
Purple Tang (Zebrasoma xanthurum)
Kenyan Hippo Tang (Paracanthus hepatus)
Harlequin Bass (Serranus tigrinus)
Neon Dottyback (Pseudochromis aldabraensis)
Aiptasia Filefish (Acreichthys tomentosus)
Verrucosus Trigger (Rhinecanthus verrucosus)
Niger Trigger (Odonus niger)
Mappa Puffer (Arothron mappa)
Zebra Moray Eel (Gymnomuraena zebra)
2 Clarkii Clownfish (Amphiprion clarkii)
3 Orange Line Chromis (Acanthochromis polyacanthus)

 

[Peair]

Wow, a lot of nice expensive fish.

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Figured I'd update this. Picked up a few fish since the last post, and moved some fish around the divider while I get the new guys settled. Clown tang and sohal tang are now doing much better together, and are on the same side of the divider. They actually swim together most of the time.

I added a blue angel (Holacanthus bermudensis) which is doing well, getting along with everyone after a couple weeks behind the divider. The clown tang occasionally chases it, but nothing too bad. Her fins are a bit ripped from before I had her separated off, but are already healing nicely besides the bit of lymphocystis present, but that'll take care of itself in time.

Currently have 2 newbies on the left side behind the divider, a 10" French angelfish (Pomacanthus paru) which the 8" maculosus angel hates with a passion. Hoping they eventually decide to get along using the divider until then. If the maculosus still acts aggressive by the 4th of July, I'll pull all the rock and completely re-aquascape the whole tank that weekend. Also added a 4.5" goldrim Tang (Acanthurus nigricans), which surprisingly has been ignored by just about everyone. Only a little posturing from the chocolate tang, French Angel, and sohal tang. He's thin enough to slip back and forth between the sides in the gap between the acrylic and eggcrate, and no real aggression towards him. A local reefer had him and he was beating up all their fish in a 6' 180 gallon, so should be right at home with all these rough and tumble fish.

Still looking to add 2-3 more wrasses, possibly another tang or 2, and probably a few more damsels.

The current stocklist:

Damsels:
2 Clarkii Clownfish (Amphiprion clarkii)
1 Jewel Damsel (Microspathodon chrysurus)
2 Orange Line Chromis (Acanthochromis polyacanthus)
1 Green Chromis (Chromis viridis)
2 Blue Devil Damsel (Chrysiptera cyanea)
1 Ambon Damsel (Pomacentrus amboinensis)
1 Smithi Damsel (Pomacentrus smithi)
2 Green Spot Damsel (Neopomacentrus azysron)
3 Lyretail Damsel (Neopomacentrus cyanomos)

Angels:
1 Blue Angel (Holacanthus bermudensis)
1 French Angel (Pomacanthus paru)
1 Maculosus Angel (Pomacanthus maculosus)

Tangs:
1 Sohal Tang (Acanthurus sohal)
1 Clown Tang (Acanthurus lineatus)
1 Chocolate Tang (Acanthurus pyroferus)
1 Goldrim Tang (Acanthurus nigricans)
1 Yellow Belly Hippo Tang (Paracanthus hepatus)
1 Vlamingi Tang (Naso vlamingii)

Wrasses:
1 Red Breasted Maori Wrasse (Cheilinus fasciatus)
1 Slippery Dick Wrasse (Halichoeres bivittatus)
1 Hardwick's Wrasse (Thalassoma hardwicke)
1 Secretive Wrasse (Pseudocheilinus evanidus)

Triggers:
1 Picasso Triggerfish (Rhinecanthus aculeatus)
1 Niger Triggerfish (Odonus niger)

Puffers:
1 Stars and Stripes Puffer (Arothron hispidus)
1 Yellow Belly Dogface Puffer (Arothron nigropunctatus)

Eels:
1 Zebra Moray Eel (Gymnomuraena zebra)

Basslets:
1 Harlequin Basslet (Serranus tigrinus)
1 Neon Dottyback (Pseudochromis aldabraensis)

Other fish:
1 Falco Hawkfish (Cirrhitichthys falco)
1 Blackbar Soldierfish (Myripristis jacobus)

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Managed to get a couple pics of the newest tank member. Hoping he plays well with others, the previous owner had no issues with any tankmates going missing. Already ate a frozen smelt, so here's hoping he continues to get along and do well in here. From what I can find online from those who have actually kept this species, they seem to be one of the best Gymnothorax species for keeping with other fish. About 18" currently. Gymnothorax thyrsoideus, the white eyed Moray. If he doesn't work out long-term in here, he'll end up moving in with my fimbriatus Moray.

Added a few other pics as well, since I just did a rip clean on this entire aquarium yesterday. Hence the cloudiness in the pics.

 

[Fishfreak2009]

The goons hanging out.

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Finally got the stand covered yesterday. Still need to build the canopy, paint both, and install handles on the doors (which I ordered and am waiting on arrival).

On a different note, wifey ordered a bunch of saltwater fish stickers off Etsy, and ordered me a key chain since my sohal is one of my favorites in here.

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Update:

Lost the Slippery Wrasse (Halichoeres bivittatus) shortly after the last post was made. Somebody decided he didn't belong in there anymore, and came home to him deceased.

Also did a 60 gallon water change tonight, pulled the divider again, and ended up removing the French Angel, as the maculosus angel wanted to kill it, and was relentless, even after being removed from the tank for a few weeks, then reintroduced on the opposite side of the divider. Thankfully, the French was pretty much unscathed, and I was able to move it to my 100 gallon for now while I work on setting up another bigger tank for it.

Tank is cloudy and very blue this evening after the water change and with the white lights out for the evening. All the rest of the fish seem MUCH happier with the extra space now that the divider is pulled.

Also picked up this nice little floral maori Wrasse (Cheilinus chlorourus) the other day, currently in quarantine. Going to eventually move him in here, will probably try to find a few other wrasses to add at the same time and help make a distraction. Hoping he gets along with the red breasted maori Wrasse (Cheilinus fasciatus) already present in here since they're both juveniles.

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Looking much better tonight. Still a lot of detritus that settled out, so I may siphon another 60 gallons with the gravel vacuum again this weekend.

 

[Fishfreak2009]

French Angel seems much happier in his new temporary home. Especially after destroying all the macro, sponges, and gorgs.

 

[Fishfreak2009]

I think Brooke likes the fish as much as I do!