172 Gallon Marine Predator Build

[predatorkeeper87]

Alright guys. I get the point. I apologize for coming off this way. I am new to this forum and usually use TheReefTank for my questions. Here is the thread I posted there where I got completely different feedback.

http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f6/210-gallon-agressive-predator-marine-tank-238977.html

If you read through that post, you will see how we ended up going from 210 to 172. I have also adjusted and changed my fish list based on information I got there along with info from my LFS that I trust.

I started off thinking this was too much fish for this aquarium until I was informed differently by the LFS. We understand that some fish will eventually outgrow this tank. I am able to install a larger tank later. Ended up with this tank mainly because my wife liked it.

I am certainly open to others opinions which is why I posted here.

Out of the people who mentioned the fish and not just everything else, at least 1 or 2 had to google the info they gave you lol. That would frighten me taking that advice, especially with salt water were everything requires a small loan of a million dollars.

As stated...trusted or not LFS's are out to make money in a hobby that is hard to keep a store running in. I "trust" several of my LFS's, but I also have seen the "sell no matter what" side of them, so I don't ask them for any info unless I need a fish out of the tank lol.

I'm not saying MFK is the end all be all solution in the hobby but I most definitely trust the heavy hitters on this site when it comes to raising fish.

 

[butchie]

You may be able to pull it off but you're going to struggle with your water parameters, and i suspect you will give up pretty quickly once the reality of maintaining a reef with that bio load hits. I guess if you are just trying to raise softies like xenia etc. It would be ok.

The whole concept of a reef tank is a low fish bioload so the rocks can support the filtration. There really isn't the typical filtration we have in our freshwater set ups to support large predators. Idk i guess the question would be why? If you want a reef i would build a reef, if you want a predator tank i would build that. I researched most of the fish you mention and many people have had success with them in reefs. So, i don't see a problem with putting one or three in a reef. I just wouldn't want to maintain an overstocked reef seems like a real pita. Actually, when i think about it I've had overstocked reefs (the wives love the fish lol), and it is brutal. What you're proposing is way more overstocked than anything i tried though.

 

[Cu455]

Puffers are a risk with coral. I had a New Guinea puffer that wiped out my coral, macro algae, sponges, feather dusters, coraline and whatever else he could scrape off. CUC will be trial and error, many people are successful with them. Best thing to do is get your fish small and cleanup crew large. They might not look at them as food when they get older.

This is what I do to improve the water quality in my tanks. It might be something you want to consider. Plumb a 55 gallon drum into the system to help increase the water volume. You can add underwater leds or put a light above it and use it to grow macro. Not only will the water volume help if you use good rock you will grow tons of feather dusters and sponges.

There are better eels out there then the Tessalata.

I looked through that thread, and i'm guessing being a reef forum the people there are probably going to be more into corals and the look of the scape more than what goes in the tank... also, no one seems to mention sizes of fish, which makes me think they are thinking about long term health of the fish...

Now as for the Trusted LFS, while im not saying they are bad, but at the end of the day, they are out to make money, and if they sell you fish they know will out-grow your tank, then either A) You will need to upgrade and probably buy more fish from them, or B) you will give it back to them, at which point they will try and sell it to make a profit... either way, they are most likely going to be looking out for their bottom line and not so much your best interest...

Crazy how the freshwater and saltwater are so similar yet so different. I can't believe the amount of views and responses the "Growing out my 1/8 in .... coral. Next year when I post it will be 7/8 of an inch. I am using a macro lens which magnifies the zooxanthellae so the color can only be seen in the photos and not the naked eye. " I always wanted more MFKs to setup saltwater tanks. Maybe some of the stingray people will convert.

 

[Thekid]

Maybe some of the stingray people will convert.

I wouldn't think so. You're purposing that I swap the pinnacle of fish keeping that gives me the recognition of breeding a group of fish that most people can't keep alive for what essentially a slow growing color blob? Remind me what the cost pound for pound is when compared to a high end stingray? Also how many restaurants have a run of the mill tank with the fake coral and typical reef fish and how many have Rays? Saltwater tanks are everywhere, I think that's part of the attraction to fw Rays is the ability to branch out and be different is what draws most people to rays.
Sorry don't see that happening anytime soon.
On the flip side E Energy converted from reef to rays as did my dad when he transitioned to sw Sharks then he got me interested in fw Rays.

 

[predatorkeeper87]

I always wanted more MFKs to setup saltwater tanks. Maybe some of the stingray people will convert.

Sooooo much work, amazing I'll give you that, but sooo much work. I have 4 FW tanks and honestly I couldn't imagine doing maintenance that's more time consuming lol

 

[Thekid]

Sooooo much work, amazing I'll give you that, but sooo much work. I have 4 FW tanks and honestly I couldn't imagine doing maintenance that's more time consuming lol

They're not bad. I have a 12 gallon biocube and a 65 fowlr and other than water changes every two weeks with tests every other day and logging the results there's not much to do other than feed and occasionally add supplements.

 

[predatorkeeper87]

They're not bad. I have a 12 gallon biocube and a 65 fowlr and other than water changes every two weeks with tests every other day and logging the results there's not much to do other than feed and occasionally add supplements.

tests every other day...logging that down...and adding supplements killed it for me hahaha

 

[Fat Homer]

^ yeah, the micro management of taking care of a reeftank scares me...

 

[Thekid]

tests every other day...logging that down...and adding supplements killed it for me hahaha

I men when you consider the daily waterchanges on my discus tank that's nothing.

 

[Freshwater4Life]

tests every other day...logging that down...and adding supplements killed it for me hahaha

Lol yea I'm on good on all that. Water changes and feeding are all I care to do.