first year stocking guidance

[krullulon]

alrighty... second post. :?:

Here's my tentative plan for stocking the tank during the first year break-in period... any thoughts/comments appreciated!

setup: 90g tank, 120lbs marshall live rock, 1/2" shallow arag sand bottom, 30g sump, skimmer. 2 weeks old. levels zero as of two days ago. 250 MH + 4 36" actinic tubes.

aquarium dimensions: 36"Lx24"Wx24"H

tentative schedule:

• 2 weeks old (now): nothing -- give the tank 2 additional weeks to stabilize
  one month (2 weeks from now): add some snails, hermits, and a shrimp.
  two months: add some mushrooms and other low-impact inverts
  three months: add one or two LPS or soft corals
  four - five months: one or two additional corals
  six months: get a little blenny
  seven - eleven months: additional livestock, no more than one critter each month (shrimp, coral, etc.)
  one year: BTA and 2 clownfish!

above assuming that all of the levels and general tank health are appropriate before adding anything else. does this seem reasonable? i'd eventually like to have 6-8 small fish, but currently won't plan to add any until the tank has been running for a year except for the blenny @ 6 months. am i being unncecessarily conservative? i know you can never go too slowly in reef land, but i do want to be efficient where practical.

thanks!

JP

 

[aldouglas]

Might want to increase your cycling time. My first 2 weeks, water params were fine, then BAM. Its been 8 weeks and the counts are just starting to come down. Of course at first I didn't do too many water changes, and I was topping off with tap water. Now I have a RO/DI and last week did a 20% water change. Good luck. Post some pics.

 

[Anonymous]

I think you have a good handle on things. Every tank cycles differently, so just make sure everything is stable before you start adding things.

Good luck
Jim

 

[Mihai]

Looks like a great plan. Kudos to you if you can stick to it.

I'm having a very similar plan (90 gal). I'm 4 months in front of you. I have LR, DSB, a few soft corals and cleaning crew. And pods, LOTS of pods (perhaps 1/2-3 square inches of rock not counting copepods).

I'm itching to get a fish, but I try to postpone it as much as I can (I might start with a pair of benggai cardinals in a month or two)

M.

 

[Anonymous]

You are probabley being way more careful than need be. I've never had to wait for than 8 weeks to start adding fish, and I've been doing this almost 20 yrs.
Just make sure you quarantine after your first additions.

Jim

 

[krullulon]

Thanks folks... much appreciated. I'll probably add a week or so before I add the first wave of snails and crabs, and maybe I'll loosen up on the fish waiting period a bit.

 

[EmilyB]

I'd add the crabs first. Snails later, and shrimp a while down the road.

 

[krullulon]

grazi!