Help me stock my nano reef tank

[JayFish4004]

I have been in the fish game for about as long as I can remember. Started with cichlids when I was little, slowly evolving into keeping piranha, then got tired of massacring goldfish so moved to saltwater.

Im about 2 months into my first reef tank - a Red Sea Max Nano. Absolutely loving it so far. I have a Tunze ATO and everything else stock.

My current stock list:

Purple/Green Hammer coral (bottom right)
Duncan coral (front middle rock)
Blastomussa coral (bottom left)
Gorgonian sea wand (left)
Gorgonian corky (right)
Citron goby
Flagtail Pink Bar Goby (bonded pair)
Cleaner shrimp
Trochus/Cerith/Nessarius snails
Couple hermit crabs

I am having trouble figuring out what corals to go with next and where to place them. Specifically on the top rock but also open to other spots. Would love some suggestions on what corals you recommend and where.

I want to avoid anything that encrusts or takes over, so no GSP, xenias, mushrooms, etc. Probably going to stick with LPS - I want the least amount of maintenance possible outside of water changes.

Thanks team!

 

[Spare time]

A bubble coral on the sand would look neat.

 

[JayFish4004]

A bubble coral on the sand would look neat.

My only concern is since the hammer is already down there I might be limited to another hammer on the bottom right there which might be my only ideal spot - are bubbles pretty much limited to needing to be in the sand?

 

[SchrutesReefs]

Most euphyllia are capable of being next to each other. In regards of wanting non encrusting coral, you are very slightly limiting yourself. I would consider a vast amount of Coral to be encrusting in a way. If you want an non-encrusting or non-invasive coral that can tolerate high light near the top of your rock work you could try a leather.

 

[JayFish4004]

Most euphyllia are capable of being next to each other. In regards of wanting non encrusting coral, you are very slightly limiting yourself. I would consider a vast amount of Coral to be encrusting in a way. If you want an non-encrusting or non-invasive coral that can tolerate high light near the top of your rock work you could try a leather.

Thats a good suggestion - is there any concern about leathers eventually growing outwards too far and blocking light for the corals below it?

 

[SchrutesReefs]

That is a good possibility, but most leather can be fragged easily, like extremely easily. Just avoid a kenya tree, they drop babies. They can be picked up and given away as frags though if you have good husbandry.

 

[JayFish4004]

That is a good possibility, but most leather can be fragged easily, like extremely easily. Just avoid a kenya tree, they drop babies. They can be picked up and given away as frags though if you have good husbandry.

Makes sense! Yep Kenya Tree, GSP and xenias are top of my list of corals to avoid after seeing some others where they took over. My tank is small too so ideally I want something that is going to fit well and not outgrow its spot too much.

I love the look of zoa’s - for a tank my size are there any spots they might work?

 

[elorablue]

Personally I dislike zoas but you could put them anywhere in your tank and they’d cover everything in time.

 

[SchrutesReefs]

Makes sense! Yep Kenya Tree, GSP and xenias are top of my list of corals to avoid after seeing some others where they took over. My tank is small too so ideally I want something that is going to fit well and not outgrow its spot too much.

I love the look of zoa’s - for a tank my size are there any spots they might work?

I love zoas and have more than 24 diff ones in my nano. I started them all at the bottom and then slowly moved ones that were “reaching” higher up. Now they are in every level of my tank. Zoas adapt very well, but when they are not happy they’re known to disappear.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

No Nano is complete without a parrot fish.

 

[JayFish4004]

Any thoughts on frogspawn? Is that maybe too expensive for someone starting out?

 

[JayFish4004]

No Nano is complete without a parrot fish.

funny you say that - I just dove with this guy in Maui at Molokini Crater in July - something tells me he’s not fitting in my tank haha

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

funny you say that - I just dove with this guy in Maui at Molokini Crater in July - something tells me he’s not fitting in my tank haha

Tank size is the hard part; so long as you have tons of flow and someone to chunk live rock in all day it’s really not that difficult of a fish to keep.

 

[JayFish4004]

Tank size is the hard part; so long as you have tons of flow and someone to chunk live rock in all day it’s really not that difficult of a fish to keep.

Kinda fun to pop an update on this thread as I was looking through my history. Much has changed in the 8 months since the last post. Lost some fish, a couple corals, but overall in great shape. Slow and steady has got me here, and it’s been quite a fun journey so far.


My current stock list old and new:

Purple/Green Hammer coral (died - bad specimen from LiveAquaria)
Duncan coral (still going strong)
Blastomussa coral (still going strong)
Gorgonian candelabra (still going strong)
Gorgonian corky (still going strong)
Citron goby (lost him but have another)
Flagtail Pink Bar Goby (one of the pair jumped)
Cleaner shrimp (died
Trochus/Cerith/Nessarius snails
Couple hermit crabs

New:
Green torch
Gold torch
Purple torch
Green hammer
Purple/green hammer (seen better days)
Green blasto
Bali slimer
Monti digitata
Birdsnest
A 2nd duncan (duncan one almost didnt make it)
Purple firefish goby
Neon goby
Blue Mandarin pair
Threadfin cardinal pair
Barnacle blenny pair
Tuxedo urchin