65 stocking???

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sweeTang21

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 10, 2007
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Wisconsin
hey all. im starting my 65 gallon saltwater in 2 weeks. i have a list as far as stocking the tank with fish, but im not sure what the best corals and annemones are. my list is as follows:
2 clownfish
1 royal gramma
3-6 green chromis (to cycle the tank)
2-3 peppermint shrim
1-2 mandarin (after tanks is cycled)

exactly how long should i wait on the mandarian. i know the tank they go in needs to be close to fully cycled. i also intend on using 60-70 lbs of LR, probably 70 as it would be better. i would like to do a tang, but all the info i find on them suggest at least a 75 or larger tank. would i be able to house say a powder blue or regular blue tang if i where to adjust my stockin list a little bit.

my equipment is going to be as follows:
red sea protein skimmer, rated for up to 100 gallons.
coralife T-5 HO for basic, and a coralife advanced clamp on HQI system.
rena xp3 or smaller only if required.
i would probably get a UV sterilizer and pump after the tank is setup but before its stocked.

as far as your advice goes, does all this sound good or is their some things that i should change around.
 
i do not know much about that subject, but i have heard that mandrin gobies are fairly difficult to take care of...as far as tangs, I have a friend who has a blue hippo tang in a 55 so it should be ok in my opinion
 
I would wait at least a year before you put a Mandarin dragonet in your tank. I would not use chromis to cycle, that is cruel and un needed. Just use a raw piece of shrimp from kroger. When the ammonia spike take it out and it will cycle on it's own. I just used the live rock and live sand to cycle the tank and it worked great for me. Remember to use the canister filter for just carbon no bio media. It will just turn into a nitrate trap. Make sure you use at-least 70-80 lbs of live rock and equal to that in live sand. Be patient remember NOTHING HAPPENS FAST IN A REEF TANK!!!. Good luck the rest of your fish look ok.
 
sweeTang21;825141; said:
i have a list as far as stocking the tank with fish, but im not sure what the best corals and annemones are.

<corals and nems come later:D>

my list is as follows:
2 clownfish
1 royal gramma
3-6 green chromis (to cycle the tank)

<i personally would do duskies and only like 3-4>

2-3 peppermint shrim

1-2 mandarin (after tanks is cycled)

exactly how long should i wait on the mandarian. i know the tank they go in needs to be close to fully cycled.

<NOOOO! they go in when the tank is ESTABLISHED. meaning all of the amphs and copes that are going to be in there are. not just when cycling is done. also i (again personally) would NOT recommend getting a mandarin/scooter in anything smaller than a 100g>


i also intend on using 60-70

<stay closer to 80>

lbs of LR, probably 70 as it would be better. i would like to do a tang, but all the info i find on them suggest at least a 75 or larger tank. would i be able to house say a powder blue or regular blue tang if i where to adjust my stockin list a little bit.

<by regular blue i assume you mean the one from nemo? don't your tanks not long enough. they too need like a 100. just because they are fast and need room to swim>

my equipment is going to be as follows:
red sea protein skimmer, rated for up to 100 gallons.
coralife T-5 HO for basic, and a coralife advanced clamp on HQI system.
rena xp3 or smaller only if required.
i would probably get a UV sterilizer and pump after the tank is setup but before its stocked.

as far as your advice goes, does all this sound good or is their some things that i should change around.
Click to expand...


added my stuff to the quote <...>
 
hm.. ive never heard of duskies. also i wasnt going to do a mandarian for a while, but ill wait a year cuz that sounds better. i also had a feeling that the tang wouldnt work. the length of tank issue is obvious lol, just thought i would ask. with the filter that im using, should i have a bit of floss pad in their to keep the carbon from building up crud??

also would it be better to buy uncured LR and cure it myself for like 6 weeks or whenever everything settles out. i like this idea cuz it would be pocket friendly. what do all you think?

does the equipment list look good?? should i consider changing anything or keep it the same?

when the tank is settled what kind of corals could i add. what kind of anems could i add. i like the featherdusters and brain corals, would these work with my lighting?
 
sweeTang21;826080; said:
hm.. ive never heard of duskies. also i wasnt going to do a mandarian for a while, but ill wait a year cuz that sounds better. i also had a feeling that the tang wouldnt work. the length of tank issue is obvious lol, just thought i would ask. with the filter that im using, should i have a bit of floss pad in their to keep the carbon from building up crud??

It wont hurt. Just clean it out regularly.

also would it be better to buy uncured LR and cure it myself for like 6 weeks or whenever everything settles out. i like this idea cuz it would be pocket friendly. what do all you think?

If your patient then ide say cure your own. Its more work but you will get alot more living creatures after a few weeks then if you buy cured rock. I also think its interesting seeing all the changes and new creatures that hatch out from in the rocks.

does the equipment list look good?? should i consider changing anything or keep it the same?

What exactly are the lights your getting?? As in how many watts?

when the tank is settled what kind of corals could i add. what kind of anems could i add. i like the featherdusters and brain corals, would these work with my lighting?
Click to expand...

Depending on your lighting brains maybe not although i think your getting halides. If so then yes. Feather dusters are fairly easy although bigger ones may need to be fed in a smallish tank like yours. Need to know what lights your getting.
 
whoops! well actually meant vanderbilt chromises but duskies are cool too.
yeah watch the brains and the lighting. i think that they need really high light (like 4+watts/gallon)
 
ok well the T-5HO is dual 21 watts.(42 watts) The HQI is only about 250 which i will be getting before i get any corals. according to my math, that would give me about 4.5 watts per gallon on a 65 gallon tank!! from what your all saying thats going to be good, correct??
this probably wont be the last question but as of now the only one i have. what is a good trick/method in controling SG. ive heard of a few ways such as a holding tank and mixing it their. i have a 20 gallon long which would be just barely enough for the 65 water changes, but what do you guys think? any other methods that would be easier then that would be awsome. thanks for your time.
 
some lfses sell rodi water and can mix the salt there, just bring in some containers and they'll fill em up.

about controlling SG i assume you mean keeping the salinity constant. so just add some rodi water every day. just like a cup, unless you have halides you may need to dd more.
(not sure what T-5's are, never seen em.)
 
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