Stocking list for 280 gallons Display, 340 gallons total

carri10 · Sep 23, 2024

Hello All
Please help me stock my tank!

I have a 180cm x 90cm x 65cm tank (71”x35”x 26” 280 gallons), with a 250l sump (66 gallons)
It is a mixed reef, mainly LPS for the moment, with an Aquascape designed to provide plenty of hiding spaces and line of sight cuts.

It runs at
Alk 8.2-8.6 dKH
Salinity 34-35ppt
NO3 2.5-10ppm
PO4 0.002 – 0.010ppm (trying to get this up -too close to limit of detection)
Temp 25-26 degrees C, 77 F
pH 8.1-8.3
(ORP of 400 if anyone’s interested).

So far I have
1 x Golden Midas Blenny
1 x Banggai Cardinal (were two, but the bully killed the other one)
1x Bristle tooth (Ctenochaetus binotatus)
1 x firefish (Nemateleotris magnifica)
1 x Lawnmower blenny (Salarias fasciatus)
5 x orchid dottyback
1 x pacific sailfin (Zebrasoma veliferum)
2 x clown (Amphiprion ocellaris)
1 x Flame hawk (Neocirrhites armatus)

I also have
1 x cleaner shrimp, 3 blue tuxedos, about 50 snails, 3 blue legged hermit, 1 sand sifting star, 2 large brittle stars, 2 fighting and 1 strawberry conch.

Tank started in May with 20% live / 80% dead rock, after 3 months joint incubation of the live and dead rock from Feb-April.
Coraline is really taking off.
Orange/Brown sand bed is diatoms (assumed), that are rapidly fading after I did an ICP test on my RO water and saw it was basically liquid silicates. Replaced/Beefed up the DI resin and now brown/orange dust is receding nicely. (was very scared it was Amphidinium)

Here’s the tank.

I am looking to get some more fish. Why?

Need a little more support on the algae control – particularly some hair/turf and some tough brushy type green hairy algae. (Hence tangs)
Some more movement and beauty (hence wrasses)
A few more cryptic fish that surprise you when you see them (hence gobies)

Looking for advice on fish that

Are reasonably priced (<$200)
Can be quarantined, at least to a certain extent (want to keep DT as disease free as possible)
Will not require me to try and isolate/spot feed on a frequent basis – time/discipline/etc.
Will not munch on my LPS (euphyillia, ricordias, acans, micromussa)
Will not beat each other up

Was thinking about:

Wrasses:
possum wrasse, leopard wrasse (male and female), yellow coris wrasse, earmuff, silver belly, melanarus
Maybe 3 or 4 of these?

Tangs:
Naso Blonde, Powder Blue, Purple
2 of these
+ 2 bar rabbit (for algae)

Anthias:
Either Dispars or Lyretails
maybe 5
OR
I add some flasher wrasses instead?

Some gobies – with a shrimp:
Yasha, yellow watchman

Angel:
Maybe a Bellus?

Looking for advice from you, as I know you have so much info around this subject!
Thanks!

fishguy777 · Sep 23, 2024

carri10 said:
Hello All
Please help me stock my tank!

I have a 180cm x 90cm x 65cm tank (71”x35”x 26” 280 gallons), with a 250l sump (66 gallons)
It is a mixed reef, mainly LPS for the moment, with an Aquascape designed to provide plenty of hiding spaces and line of sight cuts.

It runs at
Alk 8.2-8.6 dKH
Salinity 34-35ppt
NO3 2.5-10ppm
PO4 0.002 – 0.010ppm (trying to get this up -too close to limit of detection)
Temp 25-26 degrees C, 77 F
pH 8.1-8.3
(ORP of 400 if anyone’s interested).

So far I have
1 x Golden Midas Blenny
1 x Banggai Cardinal (were two, but the bully killed the other one)
1x Bristle tooth (Ctenochaetus binotatus)
1 x firefish (Nemateleotris magnifica)
1 x Lawnmower blenny (Salarias fasciatus)
5 x orchid dottyback
1 x pacific sailfin (Zebrasoma veliferum)
2 x clown (Amphiprion ocellaris)
1 x Flame hawk (Neocirrhites armatus)

I also have
1 x cleaner shrimp, 3 blue tuxedos, about 50 snails, 3 blue legged hermit, 1 sand sifting star, 2 large brittle stars, 2 fighting and 1 strawberry conch.

Tank started in May with 20% live / 80% dead rock, after 3 months joint incubation of the live and dead rock from Feb-April.
Coraline is really taking off.
Orange/Brown sand bed is diatoms (assumed), that are rapidly fading after I did an ICP test on my RO water and saw it was basically liquid silicates. Replaced/Beefed up the DI resin and now brown/orange dust is receding nicely. (was very scared it was Amphidinium)

Here’s the tank.

I am looking to get some more fish. Why?

Need a little more support on the algae control – particularly some hair/turf and some tough brushy type green hairy algae. (Hence tangs)

Some more movement and beauty (hence wrasses)

A few more cryptic fish that surprise you when you see them (hence gobies)

Looking for advice on fish that

Are reasonably priced (<$200)

Can be quarantined, at least to a certain extent (want to keep DT as disease free as possible)

Will not require me to try and isolate/spot feed on a frequent basis – time/discipline/etc.

Will not munch on my LPS (euphyillia, ricordias, acans, micromussa)

Will not beat each other up

Was thinking about:

Wrasses:
possum wrasse, leopard wrasse (male and female), yellow coris wrasse, earmuff, silver belly, melanarus
Maybe 3 or 4 of these?

Tangs:
Naso Blonde, Powder Blue, Purple
2 of these
+ 2 bar rabbit (for algae)

Anthias:
Either Dispars or Lyretails
maybe 5
OR
I add some flasher wrasses instead?

Some gobies – with a shrimp:
Yasha, yellow watchman

Angel:
Maybe a Bellus?

Looking for advice from you, as I know you have so much info around this subject!
Thanks!

don't get a powder or purple tang. I have both, neither "play well" with other tank mates. My hippo tang, blue throat trigger, and dwarf angels (bi color, flame) are among my favorite fish that should work in your tank. A zebra eel might work in your tank, they leave all fish alone, and most inverts. I've seen the best sand in tanks that have bicolor goatfish, from what I recall they are reefsafe. A mandarin goby would also look nice in your tank, but probably needs to wait to be more established first.

beesnreefs · Sep 23, 2024

I agree with @fishguy777 on the tangs.

If you want multiple tangs, my recommendation would be a Naso, a Convict, and a White Tailed Bristletooth. Pretty and as friendly as tangs get.

littlefoxx · Sep 23, 2024

Lol take the powder blue and purples off if you dont want any fish who will beat on each other! Two of the nastiest tangs right there lol

carri10 · Sep 24, 2024

beesnreefs said:
I agree with @fishguy777 on the tangs.

If you want multiple tangs, my recommendation would be a Naso, a Convict, and a White Tailed Bristletooth. Pretty and as friendly as tangs get.

littlefoxx said:
Lol take the powder blue and purples off if you dont want any fish who will beat on each other! Two of the nastiest tangs right there lol

Hiya
thanks for advice.
I hadn't thought of a convict tang, but it looks good.
To be honest, as a newcomer the the hobby, it does seem like Tangs are a kind of a 'must have'. I'd bet that they are the most discussed fish on this forum.
Given your advice, I'll try for a naso and convict (if I can get a convict in good health).

Any advice on the others?

carri10 · Sep 24, 2024

fishguy777 said:
don't get a powder or purple tang. I have both, neither "play well" with other tank mates. My hippo tang, blue throat trigger, and dwarf angels (bi color, flame) are among my favorite fish that should work in your tank. A zebra eel might work in your tank, they leave all fish alone, and most inverts. I've seen the best sand in tanks that have bicolor goatfish, from what I recall they are reefsafe. A mandarin goby would also look nice in your tank, but probably needs to wait to be more established first.

Agreed on Mandarin, but will wait a while before considering. I'll have a look at the goatfish.

littlefoxx · Sep 24, 2024

carri10 said:
Hiya
thanks for advice.
I hadn't thought of a convict tang, but it looks good.
To be honest, as a newcomer the the hobby, it does seem like Tangs are a kind of a 'must have'. I'd bet that they are the most discussed fish on this forum.
Given your advice, I'll try for a naso and convict (if I can get a convict in good health).

Any advice on the others?

Yeah dont get a blonde naso. Suspected cyanide capture and they die really fast. Get a regular naso!

carri10 · Sep 24, 2024

Thanks - didn't know that and will keep in mind.

Glowurm · Sep 24, 2024

Nice job wit the aqua scape, like the effect

carri10 · Sep 24, 2024

Glowurm said:
Nice job wit the aqua scape, like the effect

. thanks - took a while to get it as I wanted. Plan is to have a few different 'energy' zones for corals, both in terms of light, but also flow. Load of fish hiding spaces too.