Tank upgrade stocking advice.

[franklinsreef]

Hi, Newbie here…
Am about to start a tank upgrade… 10 months into current tank but realised early on that we rushed into it… wrong shape, wrong size, not good enough filtration etc… haven’t ordered new tank yet, we are forward planning a bit more this time
Currently have a 200 litre tank,Upgrading to (hopefully) 450 litre.

Current livestock:
2 true percula clowns
Midas Blenny
And a royal Gramma.
would like to move all to the new tank, and would really love a couple of tangs (Tomini/ Purple/ Yellow/Regal are fav) and some Anthias…
And then potentially a Goby and wrasse
Looking for help really with suggestions for stocking order… all old tank inhabitants first? Keep old tank running for a bit and add new ones in between old?
Thanks in advance!

 

[KrisReef]

Are you doing fish only or will you have an anemone for the clowns? Coral?

I think the best way to get a new tank running, if you have the space is to set the new one up and cycle it without light, adding pods and feeding planktonic stuff into the tank to get the environment tuned up before adding fish (or corals). If you are going to have a refugium get that kicked off and add the anthias, wrasse, goby, let them get settled in and the add tangs and the old tank at the same time and feed lightly at first, but with whole chopped clams, oysters, live and frozen plankton items to keep the fish healthy and growing.

But that's just me. There are many ways that can work. Are you going to use live rock or dry rock or a combination?

 

[brandon429]

reef tanks don't need filters the live rock is enough

curious as to the portion above where the current filter isn't good enough

*disease: you're adding bigtime disease species to your tank, whats the disease control plan in place? the actual tank inhabitants move over is the easy part, we do those tank transfers all day long here.

 

[franklinsreef]

P

Are you doing fish only or will you have an anemone for the clowns? Coral?

I think the best way to get a new tank running, if you have the space is to set the new one up and cycle it without light, adding pods and feeding planktonic stuff into the tank to get the environment tuned up before adding fish (or corals). If you are going to have a refugium get that kicked off and add the anthias, wrasse, goby, let them get settled in and the add tangs and the old tank at the same time and feed lightly at first, but with whole chopped clams, oysters, live and frozen plankton items to keep the fish healthy and growing.

But that's just me. There are many ways that can work. Are you going to use live rock or dry rock or a combination?

thanks for reply, yes planning a no light cycle. new tank will be in office, existing is in dining room, but want it closer to water/ cleanup area. So can have both running for a while. had thought I’d use some of the rock from the existing tank in the new sump. But dry rock for the scape. Hadn’t thought about tangs and old tank at same time, but can see the sense there.
Yes planning coral, would like an anemone, wondered on that point too… anemone first to let it find its spot before fixing other corals that it might otherwise bother while cruising?

 

[jda]

Yes, all of the old inhabitants first. Let them get settled before you add too much more.

Move some rock and sand from the old tank into the new and use some of the water. It will have what you need as long as you have type of patience. Moving it all at once is usually fine too, but not a good way to run 2 tanks at the same time.

For the new fish, add them when you can get good and healthy specimens. QT or no QT is important and up to you - you can do Ok with either but they have their pros and cons. The move is a good time to revisit this, if you need to.

 

[KrisReef]

P

thanks for reply, yes planning a no light cycle. new tank will be in office, existing is in dining room, but want it closer to water/ cleanup area. So can have both running for a while. had thought I’d use some of the rock from the existing tank in the new sump. But dry rock for the scape. Hadn’t thought about tangs and old tank at same time, but can see the sense there.
Yes planning coral, would like an anemone, wondered on that point too… anemone first to let it find its spot before fixing other corals that it might otherwise bother while cruising?

Lots of folks say to wait a year before you add a nem to a new set up. My concern is that clowns with a nem will be much more aggressive than a pair without one.

The wandering around is a separate issue and you can plan a spot with a good holdfast location for the foot where current and light appear optimal for the nem to settle down in and the things may never stop wandering. Having a good place, when the clowns move in they will encourage the nem to stay put, usually.

So I might wait at least a few months before I put a nem in the house I made for it. If the clowns have never seen a nem I would put the clowns and nem in a tight space together ( bucket with very little swimming room or a fish bowl) and once the clowns “find their Nem-o” I would pick them up together and place them in the spot.

 

[franklinsreef]

reef tanks don't need filters the live rock is enough

curious as to the portion above where the current filter isn't good enough

*disease: you're adding bigtime disease species to your tank, whats the disease control plan in place? the actual tank inhabitants move over is the easy part, we do those tank transfers all day long here.

Hi thanks for reply.
As in no sump, only an internal filter. We thought we would be happy with fish only, but that plan lasted 5 mins! So planning sump/ refugium.

Yes I’m concerned on the disease front. We basically had an observation period for the current fish. 2 weeks to keep an eye on them in a QT and then into the tank once they seemed healthy and were eating well. I don’t like the idea of treating fish unnecessarily. We have the means to QT all fish, but if Im not going to be able to quarantine every bit of coral/ CUC as well, I’m not really ever truly risk free? Also I could already have something in my tank that is just under control due to stability? What do I do there? Am adding a UV filter for that reason.
Thanks!

 

[jda]

Keep that extra tank or QT around and treat it like a reef with ecosystem and inverts and stuff. You can introduce your fish in there. This is what I do. I usually keep a friendly fish in there to show them how to eat new foods and to show them that I am cool. Once the fish come out and see me looking for food and eating well, then they are usually ready for the main tank. I do give them a few months to make sure that no diseases have resurfaced or anything - the extra time can save you with some less hardy fish. I have enough inverts and microfauna in mine to eat diseases when the life-cycle off of the fish.

Of course you need a filter. Rock alone cannot remove the harsh metals that come in with nearly every piece of food, skim the surface and remove phosphates. Rock might be able to handle the nitrogen cycle if it is super mature and porous enough to have anoxic regions, but there is way more to reefing than this.

'nems will always move around. There are very few who have nems that just stay put, but they are almost unicorns, IMO. They tend to settle on your favorite, or most expensive, coral.

 

[franklinsreef]

Lots of folks say to wait a year before you add a nem to a new set up. My concern is that clowns with a nem will be much more aggressive than a pair without one.

The wandering around is a separate issue and you can plan a spot with a good holdfast location for the foot where current and light appear optimal for the nem to settle down in and the things may never stop wandering. Having a good place, when the clowns move in they will encourage the nem to stay put, usually.

So I might wait at least a few months before I put a nem in the house I made for it. If the clowns have never seen a nem I would put the clowns and nem in a tight space together ( bucket with very little swimming room or a fish bowl) and once the clowns “find their Nem-o” I would pick them up together and place them in the spot.

Thanks, that helps a lot!

 

[franklinsreef]

Keep that extra tank or QT around and treat it like a reef with ecosystem and inverts and stuff. You can introduce your fish in there. This is what I do. I usually keep a friendly fish in there to show them how to eat new foods and to show them that I am cool. Once the fish come out and see me looking for food and eating well, then they are usually ready for the main tank. I do give them a few months to make sure that no diseases have resurfaced or anything - the extra time can save you with some less hardy fish. I have enough inverts and microfauna in mine to eat diseases when the life-cycle off of the fish.

Of course you need a filter. Rock alone cannot remove the harsh metals that come in with nearly every piece of food, skim the surface and remove phosphates. Rock might be able to handle the nitrogen cycle if it is super mature and porous enough to have anoxic regions, but there is way more to reefing than this.

'nems will always move around. There are very few who have nems that just stay put, but they are almost unicorns, IMO. They tend to settle on your favorite, or most expensive, coral.

Thank you for replying,

Keep that extra tank or QT around and treat it like a reef with ecosystem and inverts and stuff. You can introduce your fish in there. This is what I do. I usually keep a friendly fish in there to show them how to eat new foods and to show them that I am cool. Once the fish come out and see me looking for food and eating well, then they are usually ready for the main tank. I do give them a few months to make sure that no diseases have resurfaced or anything - the extra time can save you with some less hardy fish. I have enough inverts and microfauna in mine to eat diseases when the life-cycle off of the fish.

Of course you need a filter. Rock alone cannot remove the harsh metals that come in with nearly every piece of food, skim the surface and remove phosphates. Rock might be able to handle the nitrogen cycle if it is super mature and porous enough to have anoxic regions, but there is way more to reefing than this.

'nems will always move around. There are very few who have nems that just stay put, but they are almost unicorns, IMO. They tend to settle on your favorite, or most expensive, coral.

Thanks for the reply. Current tank might be a bit bigger than I’d like for a permanent Qt/obs tank, but I like the idea.