75 Gallon Stocking

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deancoxx

New member
So after a bit of research I decided to do a final stocking check before buying. I have a 48x18x18 tank, Reef Octopus BH-2000 Skimmer, 75lbs live rock and I'm looking to have:

2x Occelaris Clownfish
1x Flame Hawkfish
1x Squaretail Bristletooth/Tomimi Tang

Added in that order. No sump because the wife doesn't feel safe about leaks and the tank crashing through the floor with the extra weight. Also don't want to add a phosphate reactor or the like because too much equipment doesn't look very nice in the display tank.

My question is whether this stock list is considered light, medium or heavy for a 75 gallon? I want to stay on the lighter side since I'm not having a sump.

The other thing would be whether there would be any aggression due to the tank being too small for all four fish since they're all semi-aggressive according to the internet?

Thanks!
 
Your stock seems light in my opinion, what type of filtration are you running beside the skimmer? Also the fish listed are all compatible
 
that's on the lighter end for a standard 75g.

in my 75 i had my tang (i made a mistake and picked a yellow, bristletooh is a much better choice for the size), my lawnmower blenny, two clowns, a flasher wrasse (until he found a way through my screen top sadly), and my mandarin.

i could have probably comfortably added two or three more small fish (nano sized) or maybe one medium sized fish.

certainly nothing wrong with stocking light. it gives you the opportunity in the future if you find "the one" to have the room for it.

plus you can always cram it full of corals. ;)
 
deancoxx said:
So after a bit of research I decided to do a final stocking check before buying. I have a 48x18x18 tank, Reef Octopus BH-2000 Skimmer, 75lbs live rock and I'm looking to have:

2x Occelaris Clownfish
1x Flame Hawkfish
1x Squaretail Bristletooth/Tomimi Tang

Added in that order. No sump because the wife doesn't feel safe about leaks and the tank crashing through the floor with the extra weight. Also don't want to add a phosphate reactor or the like because too much equipment doesn't look very nice in the display tank.

My question is whether this stock list is considered light, medium or heavy for a 75 gallon? I want to stay on the lighter side since I'm not having a sump.

The other thing would be whether there would be any aggression due to the tank being too small for all four fish since they're all semi-aggressive according to the internet?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Can you give us some more insight to the tank? Placement in your home? Reef or Fowlr? What are your plans for the tank long term. There are many things to consider. I would also tell the wife that any tank can leak or bust at any time. Weight can be an issue but before you put any tank on a second floor, you need to assess the structure of your home. If it can withstand a 75, an extra 15 gallons in a sump is nothing. A sump will help with long term success and if you have any coral will be very important.
 
I would agree that that is a light stocking list, and although those fish are listed as semi-aggressive, they should get along.

If you were thinking of adding more fish, I would suggest a royal gramma, a midas blenny, or a flasher wrasse.
 
Thanks for the responses guys.

So more information:
-Tank is placed along one of the outside walls on top of a support beam in the living room
-I want it to be a reef. I only intend to keep soft corals
-My plans for stocking is pretty much done at what I listed. I would like to add a dwarf angel but I don't really know if that's viable since it's shaped a lot like a tang and has a decent sized bioload? Insight would be great here. Also I want to get an anemone eventually as well for the clowns.
-Sump is a no-go for sure. I tried again lol
-The tank is set up but the fish aren't purchased yet so I don't know if he will eat pellets. Is that a problem with hawks? Like feeding them?

In terms of filtration, I thought this was all I needed. Please let me know what else I can get to make my life a bit easier. Money isn't an issue, but again a sump is not possible and I do want to keep the tank looking as equipment free as possible.
 
deancoxx said:
Thanks for the responses guys.

So more information:
-Tank is placed along one of the outside walls on top of a support beam in the living room
-I want it to be a reef. I only intend to keep soft corals
-My plans for stocking is pretty much done at what I listed. I would like to add a dwarf angel but I don't really know if that's viable since it's shaped a lot like a tang and has a decent sized bioload? Insight would be great here. Also I want to get an anemone eventually as well for the clowns.
-Sump is a no-go for sure. I tried again lol
-The tank is set up but the fish aren't purchased yet so I don't know if he will eat pellets. Is that a problem with hawks? Like feeding them?

In terms of filtration, I thought this was all I needed. Please let me know what else I can get to make my life a bit easier. Money isn't an issue, but again a sump is not possible and I do want to keep the tank looking as equipment free as possible.
Click to expand...

I would make sure the tank runs perpendicular to the floor joist of you home. If the joists are 16in on center, you're golden. Finding the blue prints of your home or hiring a contractor to be sure isn't a bad idea. Most people do not recommend anything over a 40b on a second floor unless you are 100% certain your home can withstand the weight. Remember, a 75 with rock, sand, water and stand is going to weigh ~8-900lbs.

Just to prepare you, tank husbandry is going to be quite a bit more with only a hob skimmer. You are going to have to pay close attention to your water parameters since you aren't going to have the extra water volume. By this i mean testing water every day. As far a corals go, you are at the complete opposite ends of the spectrum for soft corals and anemones. Soft corals are good between 80 and 120 par while anemones are going to require more lighting. Plus, in your tank, anemones are going to be harder to keep due to water chemistry changing. Im not saying it isn't possible, but its going to be testing and water changes that keep you afloat. Have you tried taking your wife to a lfs and have them explain everything and why a sump is critical for a reef? Yes, many people on here have reef tanks without a sump, but, it's work and giving you advice about something that is going to require more time than you want to put in is not what the goal of this forum is. I'm sorry to be redundant here, but I can speak for everyone on here in saying we only want to provide you with the best information possible. For most of us on here, reef aquariums aren't just about keeping animals alive, its about replicating the ocean as closely as possible so they live long, healthy lives. Again, I am not trying to come off as "my way or the highway", but check on here about how many long-term, successful reef tanks are sump less..and then check their husbandry. If the husbandry is ok with you..go for it!
 
Yes, I got an expert opinion on tank placement. It's on the main floor not the second floor and is apparently on a load bearing wall and perpendicular to a joist.

I didn't know that about anemones. The one I was thinking of is the rose bubble tip anemone and I thought that was a lot less particular about water conditions than some others.

Doing daily maintenance for the tank is fine by me. This is my first saltwater so I'm okay with putting in the extra effort. I was just wondering what exactly you think my maintenance will look like with my setup? I was hoping that the low bioload would kind of balance out the not having a sump. You think it would take like 30min a day? I think that water tests, top-offs, and feeding would take maybe like 10-15min. Then again, I don't really know what else there is to do daily.

One alternative I have is using an aquaclear 110 that I have from an old freshwater. I was planning to just use to maybe weekly or biweekly for a couple hours with carbon and filter floss just to help out a bit, but if I modded it into a refugium that's something I would consider if you think it would help a lot.

Thanks again
 
i would highly recommend an ATO unit. the stability it allows you to have in terms of salinity goes a long way.

i was able to see an appreciable difference in coral growth when i got it, versus manually topping off twice a day.
 
Your stocking list is very similar to my own.. I'm also running 75 gallon sumpless. However, with a softies tank you can stock heavy, as softies love nitrates (up to a point).. softies are so easy you really don't even need to check water chemistry.. it's not a bad habit to be in, but standard weekly testing is fine... no reason to over do it, and you can go much longer once things are looking good and you know your tank.


Also.. people overestimate the sumps usefulness/effectiveness.. The thing it's best at is hiding equipment, and better skimmers.. however, the skimmer you plan on getting is overkill.. i'd recommend getting the 1000.. the 2000 is just a mammoth..

Also, i've done a really heavily stocked softies tank without even a skimmer, just powerheads.. no problem.
 
Yeah, I thought the 2000 was a bit much but figured there was no downside to that (unless I'm missing something). I wouldn't mind getting another fish, but aside from bioload, do you think I can fit anything else in the limited space in terms of aggression? Planning on keep these guys in there for a while so it would still have to support them when they're adults and meaner. Just having trouble finding something that can hold it's own against all four fish but also isn't too big for the tank.

In terms of auto top-off, anyone have any suggestions for models that wouldn't look absolutely awful in a display tank :P Thanks again
 
deancoxx said:
Yes, I got an expert opinion on tank placement. It's on the main floor not the second floor and is apparently on a load bearing wall and perpendicular to a joist.

I didn't know that about anemones. The one I was thinking of is the rose bubble tip anemone and I thought that was a lot less particular about water conditions than some others.

Doing daily maintenance for the tank is fine by me. This is my first saltwater so I'm okay with putting in the extra effort. I was just wondering what exactly you think my maintenance will look like with my setup? I was hoping that the low bioload would kind of balance out the not having a sump. You think it would take like 30min a day? I think that water tests, top-offs, and feeding would take maybe like 10-15min. Then again, I don't really know what else there is to do daily.

One alternative I have is using an aquaclear 110 that I have from an old freshwater. I was planning to just use to maybe weekly or biweekly for a couple hours with carbon and filter floss just to help out a bit, but if I modded it into a refugium that's something I would consider if you think it would help a lot.

Thanks again
Click to expand...

Rose bubble tips are very sensitive to water chemistry swings and require high lighting. As stated below, an ATO would be great too. It will add another thing in the tank that you will see. Tunze osmalator is great. Also the auto top off.com ones are good as well if you are handy and can wire your relay. I would say 30 min is a good estimate. Maybe more or less depending on the day. Saltwater test kits take 15-20 min to get solid readings. I would invest in a red sea or salifert. They are very accurate. Feeding, glass cleaning, dumping skimmer, and cleaning up salt creep are all daily tasks. The 110 could be a good idea for carbon. The space wont be enough to be a main source of nutrient export as a refugium, but you could put some biomax or live rock in it with some filter floss like you said. It would polish the water.
 
Since you don't plan to attach a sump I am guessing the tank will have an open top with all the equipments hanging over it? I agree with all the opinions on the light side of stocking. Just want to warn you that while some fish jumps out more often than others, everyone is at risk. All hawkfish are known for jumping and I've seen several tangs (not mine, in a store) jumped in my life. Also forget about keeping any wrasse if you don't have a cover. just a fare warning~
 
I was going to buy one of those mesh nettings to use as a tank top. Would this be okay or do I need to get a glass cover?
 
It will be hard to get good coverage with hang on back equipment, but I am a big fan of the screen tops.

I got my clear screen from bulk reef supply, but bought the aluminum frame for it from Lowe's.
 
The problem I have with the 2000H is my glass lid just barely fits, and I'm assuming the 1000 is a bit smaller so the lid would fit better.

I prefer glass lids, and cover as much of the tank surface as you can, really eliminates the need for ATO as you can top the tank off every few days instead of daily. (Less than a gallon will have evaporated after 3 days if you keep it mostly enclosed, not enough to change the salinity measurably)

Other fish I'm rather fond of black cap basslets, and some of the smaller wrasse.. I had a leopard wrasse I really liked (Had to sell him last time I moved) - they can be difficult to get eating frozen foods though.. I had mine on frozen brine.

And remember.. skimmers are optional on softy systems.. but it does help keep your tank looking clear/nicer.
 
Tank is on the fist floor, perpendicular over a load bearing beam and against an outer wall?
You could have a 200gal tank with 100gal sump and the weight wouldn't be an issue as long as you support the floor beneath the tank from the basement.

Four fish is light for a 75. If that's what you want in the way of stocking, I'd say it's ideal. Most people seem to want more fish than space allows, preferring less fish is probably going to be a plus for you. Less waste, less feeding and less aggression to deal with.
 
Just out of curiosity, I heard that glass lids cause tank overheating and collect dirt really easily. Has this been the case with your experience? I would much rather get a glass lid since it would stop evaporation and I know a couple guys who could cut a piece of glass to fit perfectly around my HOB equip so that wouldn't be an issue at all.
 
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