Welcome to my first big tank build, of 125 gallons.
(Also my 1st build thread).
How it all began or better yet background info..
Alright so to start off this build tank series, I want to note I created this tank from 2 ecosystems...
One was a 32 gallon bio cube, and the other maybe 45-50 gallon with sump tank.
Both each equipped with 1 blue hippo tang, and a pair of clowns, with the exception of the 50 gallon having 1 damsel fish and 1 cleaner shrimp.
Another great point to make is, neither of these were my tanks in the beginning. My in laws purchased and stocked these tanks, and soon fell very short with
taking care of them maintenance wise, that it got so bad the bio cube had a huge algae outbreak and the tank essentially collapsed from the heater exploding, and the only fish
to survive the disaster was, the blue hippo tang. Realizing my brother in law, wasn't into the hobby anymore, I slowly peaked my interest because I felt really bad for the environment the fish were in upstairs. (Started becoming RED)
I came from fresh water as a child and had zero experience in salt water, and from watching how they handled their tanks, I grew even more wary of it. However, I felt it was a must that I intervened.
Slowly taking over the 50 gallon tank that was covered in red algae upstairs from the neglect of maintenance, while they were on vacation I started going at the thing, cleaning it up with little knowledge. Reading about water changes, etc.
It was eventually, just agreed upon it was now 'my tank', without even asking for it and since the mishap of the bio cube, before I could claim full custody of these fish, they introduced the blue hippo tang, into the 50 gallon
with the other hippo, and clowns. Which I read on reef2reef specifically when reading all about water changes, and about the fish in these tanks, that they were NOT compatible room mates.. I warned them of their decision and just got the
ole, "their just fish", "they will be okay". Straight denial. I started witnessing the aggression, the smaller blue tang from the bio cube, had missing pieces on his fins, like bite marks. Later observing, day by day the aggression increased so bad the little one
was mostly hiding, wedged between the live rocks. I hardly seen him, and when I did, the bigger tang was chasing him down fiercely, until he was back in cover.
Baring witness to this, and expressing my concerns, I was not heard. I decided to take over the collapsed bio cube downstairs, mod it, and make it my own from start to finish. This would be my official tank. They were going to just throw it away anyways.. I started cycling the bio cube for months to prepare a new home for the smaller tang to live, and escape that prison sentence. So from September 19th 2022, my first salt water tank was born.
From September 19th 2022, until Aug 16th 2024, I had my own salt water tank with the same blue tang, and 2 new clowns as an addition; still including the care of the 50 gallon upstairs..
The start of the 125 gallon...
From Aug 17th 2024, I was moving into my first apartment and really hated having two tanks, one in the basement, one upstairs, both on opposite sides of the house, it was dreadful doing water changes that way, and I sadly could not change the tank locations.. but since I was moving out.. I could! However, my main inspiration for THIS 125 gallon, SIX foot long tank, was specifically, for my blue hippo tangs! They were my ride or die through this whole process, putting a chair infront of the tank and just watching their personalities individually for hours.. was happiness. The way they flew up into the surface, flappin' their wee fins at the top like a duck.. to them making bubbles and chasing them. It was bliss.. and I felt horrible that they were trapped in such a small space. I wanted to expand that, and getting a 125 gallon, narrowing down the maintenance, to just.... one. I never had a desire for a big tank either, I loved the aquascaped nano tanks, but for the tangs... I had to.
Making several threads here and there, planning out this new tank build, as you all probably have experienced with your tank transfers, one way or another.. it never went to plan. What a nightmare it has been, just removing two tanks from the house, and setting up a larger one. Mind you, I have a bicep injury so, me being naive, I thought I could lift this pig with just my wife. Finding one on marketplace, with only one helper, showing up, knocking, no answer for $600 with the tank and stand.. I left miserably. (Later realizing I would have struggled so much removing it without suctions anyways..) However, as you all suggested, get one from the LFS and you will have a warranty. Well one credit card swipe, waaaay over budget later, ($1300), plus $80 door delivery, the 125 gallon was born. It was delivered to the front door, and boy, did we struggle getting that bad boy inside just 5 feet in Lol. I ended up purchasing 4 heavy duty suction cups from amazon, rated 500lbs each, and then returning them after use. One person per handle, surprisingly easy this time. Lots of shims under the stand, located in my apartment basement, creating my new man cave!
The meat of it all..
Cheers to everyone giving all their awesome advice on how to do a one day transfer, both ecosystems into one 125 gallon. Never went to plan, but it got done. Unfortunately trying to rehome, and surrender my smaller blue tang to several local LFS stores, nobody would take him before the transfer, I had no choice but to include him in the 125G.
125 Gallon stocking list;
2x Blue Hippo Tangs
4x Clown fish (2 pairs)
1x Blue damsel fish
1x Shrimp Cleaner
Misc Clean up crew.
Electronics;
110 Tidal Seachem HOB filter
AI Orbit 4 cross flow pump
LFS heater pump (forget name)
Hydros control center
1x Ai prime 16hd (for now)
So here it is... what was the 125 gallon build, is now an accidental experimentation.
Day one in the 125G
Added my Green trumpet corals 2x polyps
Added my Green/Blue Blasto Merletti 4x polyps
It was about night time all said and done, fish were hiding in the live rock settling down. One tang at each end of the six footer, and a pair of clowns added on each end.
I sat in my chair and observed until bed time. I watched first, from the bio cube clown pair, the male swim on over to the other pair of clowns, that are three times bigger than him.
I am just thinking to myself, oh boy here goes the first round of aggression, this little dude got balls. Welp, idk what happen but aggression wasn't one of them. They all slept together that night, and
the other clown slept alone. (Wonder what he did to his wife lolol). And then later on I watched the bigger blue tang, that was from the 50 gallon tank, AKA the bully, fly over to the right side, where
the smaller blue hippo has been hiding peacefully, hardly coming out at all. I automatically panic knowing the past results.. the little one is inside the live rock cove I created, and the bigger one is
what appear to be either biting or nudging him repeatedly on his side, and pinning him against the live rock. I automatically intervene, thinking this is it, he's gunna kill him. I remove the smaller hippo,
messaging some R2R members about this, and reading that they usually fight for preferred hiding spots from predators at night.. I put him into a small acclimation box to hopefully survive the night..
WELL, that did not work, it was too small for him, he was panicking and stressing out, so I had no choice but to release him back into the tank, and pray...
After they both were hidden away for the night, I went as far as adding my wifes vanity mirror to the side of the tank(shhh, shes wondering where it went), to reduce aggression, "from what I researched".
Day two in the 125G
I woke up at 10AM, flew downstairs to see if my fellow friend was alive.. I look at the tank and I see ALL the fish congregated on one side of the tank.
I **** my pants. I observed, what I thought was his final moments, videoing them, sending it to R2R members for aggression cues..
I can not believe my eyes.. I watched them until noon time, they were up each others butts. Never have I EVER, witnessed these two SIDE BY SIDE, without chasing OR biting involved...
The clowns.. forget about it, the big clowns are wondering why these little ***** are following them around now but other than that they are fine. I read they were aggressive towards other pairs, unless for special instances
I saw people had several anemones, and that was their trick.. well no anemones here. This could last for alittle or awhile, and I guess thats the whole experiment here. Feeding time, the tangs tore up the tank, eating most of the food, flying back and forth together as a unit.. unbelievable.
Day three in the 125G
Today might be day three.. I can not remember but I swapped sides of where the mirror was, and the tangs hardly even go near the thing, all day its the damsel looking at himself, getting cocky- in what I can imagine a rocky balboa voice. I watched the tangs all day, praying they would just show me a sign that they were happy.. and it happened.. the little one did her happy dance, she flapped her wee fins at the surface like a duck once more.. and chased her bubbles.. along side her new tank mate. If she wasn't doing that they were swimming the length of the tank, side by side, through rock work, and up and down the tank. Zero chasing, just fun and games. I really can not believe this result, out of all the youtube videos, and research the only time I found blue hippo tangs together were in schools in the wild, and if multiple tangs were in a tank, there was only one blue hippo.. I know its only a week in but, I am hoping great success with these two, not so much worried about the clown fish, they have not shown any aggression at all, but if they do they are easy enough to trade in to the LFS versus a blue tang. I am hoping this is a good sign, with new live rock lay out, with a 125 gallon tank increase, 6 foot length, and some new tank mates, with a mirror on the side. That this has made it possible. I will keep updating my new thread for myself, and for anyone else who may read this thing. If I see any behavior changes from today on, or even a monthly update on the tang twins, thats what I will do!
Also I forgot to update but as of day three my corals have grown so much more, they had little to no growth in the bio cube. My blasto has SIX heads from 3 days in this tank, to now my green trumpets looking super beautiful, actually taking shape versus a saggy teets. These pair of blue hippo tangs are essentially what inspired me to make this tank build thread, everyone has a 125 gallon some day but to document what I believe is the coolest co existence ever, is magical.
Once more, I thank all of R2R community and anyone who reads this thing, not sure if anyone actually does, more so is for myself to track my own tank progression in this hobby. Thank you for all the countless advice, and midnight messages for assurance. I would not be here today if it was not for any one of you, educating and putting out these threads. I hope I can maybe help at least one person in my salt water hobby life... See you guys on the next update. I am going to be unpacking my camera, and taking better photos and videos of these guys in action.
disclaimer- I do not recommend replicating these experimentations unless you are a true professional of this hobby and by no means do I declare myself as such rather I am unfortunately stuck with two hippos, and this is my story for research purposes.. please do your research first and do not get a tang unless you plan to give him a bigger home when matured.. they are not just fish, they are family
