Stocking List -- See any problems?

[jwc3]

My 75 gallon reef tank finished cycling two weeks ago, and now I am planning the stocking list.

First, some info on my tank:

Tank: 75 gallon AGA w/ 20 gallon sump
Lighting: Coralife Aqualite PRO w/ 2 175w MH, 2 96w Actinincs, and 3 LEDs.
Skimmer: Euroreef ES5-2
Pump: Rio 20HF (might upgrade soon)
Heater: 300w
Live Rock: 72 pounds from Fiji
Water Parameters:

• Temp: 78 - 80 F
  pH: 8.2
  Carbinate Hardness: 7 dKH
  Spec Gravity: 1.021
  Ammonia: 0 mg/L
  Nitrite: 0 mg/L
  Nitrate: 5 mg/L
  Calcium: 580

Me: Had 2 FO SW tanks before, this is my first reef

I've read a fair amount about fishes and think I have a good list. Do any of you see any problems with the list below?

Fishes:

• 2 Ocellaris Clowns
  1 Bicolor Blenny (or a Red-spotted Blenny, any difference?)
  1 Neon Goby
  1 Yellow Tang
  1 Green Mandarin (have tons of copepods in my tank)

Can I put 2 Neon Gobies together in one tank? Who on this list should I introduce first? Last?

Here is my invert list:

• 6 hermit crabs (already in tank and pigging-out)
  ? Snails (not turbos, I hear they knock things over a lot)
  1 Red Serpent Star
  1 Blue Sea Star
  1 White-banded Cleaner Shrimp
  1 Sally Lightfoot crab (are they reef safe?)
  1 or 2 Clams -- maybe a Boring Clam?

Also, I've been having a hard time finding a list of corals for people that have never had them before. Here is the list I'm considering. Any comments?

Corals:

• Open Brain Coral
  Hand-waving Polyps
  Xenia
  Leather Coral
  Button Polyps
  Staghorn Coral
  Birdnest Coral
  Slipper Coral
  Trumpet Coral
  Bubble-tipped Anemone (for the clowns)

I purposely didn't put mushroom corals on the list since everyone tries to get rid of them later on.

I plan to add slowly, giving the tank time to recover and balance before the next inhabitant arrives. Should I add corals first, then fish, or mix it up as I go?

Thanks for any advice you can give. I'll post some photos soon.

 

[Joew]

on the fish side, looks good. Get a Bi-color blenny. All the personality in the world. I say go for astrea snails.

JoeW
_________________
grand daddy purple photos

 

[Len]

Stocking looks fine on all fronts. I'd mix it up, adding fish and corals as you go. Start with the LPS and soft corals, then move on to the SPS corals once the tank is more mature. As for the fish, any order should do, but mandarin should be added as late as possible (once the tank is fully mature); I'd say wait at least six months, even if you think you have copepods now. A mandarin will deplete your pod polulation in no time flat. Neon gobies can do okay in pairs or groups.

 

[Anonymous]

I'd hold off on the mandarin altogther. If you are intent upon it, as Len says, wait at least six months. There are a lot of old threads here on keeping mandarins. You are going to want to set up a refugium to keep up your supply of pods.

 

[jwc3]

Thanks for your answer, Joew. I'll go for the bi-color blenny.

Len, thanks for your reply, too. One question: How can I tell which of the corals are SPS, LPS, etc. None of the books I have use those terms, so I have no idea. Any links for more info would be appreciated.

 

[Anonymous]

I love the bi colored blenny, but they can be nippy with some corals. Keep an eye on him. Shrooms are great. It is exciting to have something grow and spread in your tank. If you end up with a shroom glut most LFS will take them as trade. Same with the Xenia. I would raise your salinity up slowly to 1.024. Good luck.
Andy

 

[Anonymous]

Lps are hammer, bubble, frogspawn, that type of coral/ Sps are the acropora like

 

[Anonymous]

Large Polyp Stony, and Small Polyp Stony. Or something like that. I guess they are more like hobbyist slang than true classification terms.

 

[jwc3]

Great. Thanks for all the replies. Sounds like I'll be in the market for a bi-color blenny soon.

The coral classification thing is frustrating. I see LPS and SPS here all the time, but can't find those terms in my books (including Delbeek and Sprung, Vol. 1). I'd love to find a list of SPS and LPS corals somewhere.

As for the mandarin, I'll put it on hold pending further investigation. Not sure I want to go to the trouble of making a refuge. Although, I do remember some saying that the overflow area of the tank can act as a mini fuge. Would that be enough space to grow copepods for the mandarin?

 

[Anonymous]

FWIW, Eric Borneman (whose book Aquarium Corals is the best purchase I've made in this hobby) is particularly disparaging about the terms SPS and LPS. He points out that some genera which are generally thought of as SPS have species with pretty large polyps and vice versa.

I personally think the LPS/SPS terms can be useful, but mostly in giving you a rough guide as to what conditions to provide for the coral. IF you combine knowledge about the size of the polyps with knowledge of growth form, colour etc, you can get a pretty good idea. As a general rule, the LPS will need lower currents and will tolerate/thrive on higher nutrient levels than the SPS. There are of course exceptions and certain corals will live (but not flourish) in the opposite conditions.

HTH,

Tom