Clownfish and Filefish order of intro to tank

[ladyshark]

I have a couple of issues I am trying to deal with as nature intended if I can.
It involves adding a clownfish eventually, for my RBTA, but I think I want to take a couple of steps first.

Tank: 4.5 years old

125 gal with 20 gal sump
Two inches of sand in display, four inches in Sump with Cheato reverse lighting
Nice robust skimmer working well
Currently running GAC in reactor, will switch to GFO
Probably 125 pounds of live rock (TBS) and just added marinepure medium rock (looks like a rock, little smaller than an 8X8X4 block)
Maxpect Raxr LED, set sunrise to sunset, equal white and blue


SG 1.023
Temp-81
Phos-1.25 per Hannah
Nitrates-50 Salfert
Nitrites and Amonia-both 0
Mag-1350 Red Sea titrate
CA-425 Red Sea titrate
Alk-12.15 (4.34) per Hannah--not sure why so high

Inhabitants--all doing well

Three Rolland's damsel's--known to be less aggressive compared to other damsels
One leather--Colt
several mushrooms--about 25 polyps
Some misc nems (just posted pics on another thread looking for ID--God please don't be large aiptasia.....)
CUC = snails, peppermint shrimp (just added), hermits, bristleworms (I don't mind these, not huge population)
Various button cap anemones that came with the LR
RBTA--2 small--recent additions
Red brittle star--about the size a a small dinner plate

Macroalgae

Cheato in sump, pruned and thrown away as it grows
Devils Tongue (two small)
Saving Brush Plant (4 small)
Grape kelp--just appeared recently
Halimeda--2 small--not doing well (turning whitish--probalby too much phos or nitrate)

I purchased the macroalgae recently except the kelp that just appeared and the cheato which I have had all along, and the marine pure recently to assist with nitrate. Nitrate was up to 80 but I did three water changes in a week and a half, started rationing my feeding better and that has helped bring it down--purchased the reactor to run GAC and GFO to continue this journey. Thinking about biopellets but I am not there yet.

My issues are bryopsis and aiptasia--these started appearing, along with the kelp, about three months ago. I love the kelp, kind of liked the added color of the bryopsis until I researched it and it started taking over my tank. I am keeping it at bay with aggressive pruning, so this problem is secondary.

Big problem is aiptasia, of course. Using Aiptasia X and added three peppermint shrimp. Only see two at the moment, concerned the brittle star will eat them. I am concerned that the star will also eat any berghia nudibranches.

So, I am thinking about an aipt. eating file fish. But, I don't want it nipping at my RBTA's, so I thought I would add the clownfish next, and the file fish last, so the clowns can guard the RBTA (I understand this all depends of if the clowns take to the RBTA, etc.)

Also, with QT and such, its still a long wait to get the file fish in to do its job, so I will be using Aip. X and such in the mean time.

I guess my question is will the filefish have problems with being the last added to a tank with three damsels (less aggressive ones, but still damsels) and two clowns (probably clarkii, maybe maroon)--and be two busy hiding or defending itself to eat the aiptasia?

Incidently, I have a second, cycled tank (75 Gal) that I could put the filefish in once it has eaten the aiptasia. It does not have sufficient lighting for corals or RBTA though, just sufficient for fish only.

Does this sound like a workable plan?

PS I would love to add a Midas Blenny to the tank but I will ask in another thread if this would work adding this to the tank of three damsels. If so, the clowns would come after.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Matted file fish are pretty much ignored by all fish as the file fish will act like a dead leaf and kinda looks like one if another fish gets aggressive towards it. After a time or two of this most fish will leave the Matted File Fish alone. Matted file fish are the only ones that will eat aiptasia. Not all of them will but most will.

Midas blennies are awesome fish and I won't have a tank without one. Highly recommended and it will quickly become a tank favorite.

You can add either at anytime IMO same goes for most clowns as we usually get them small and at small sizes they're not too aggressive.

Good luck in whatever you decide, they're both great fish.

 

[g_langley]

Halimeda--2 small--not doing well (turning whitish--probalby too much phos or nitrate)

I think you are right about the nitrate/phosphate and they also need high light and high flow, good growth is a very good indicator of overall water quality.

Edit: And I dose Iron.

 

[ladyshark]

Thanks Dkuhlmann--good to know about the mix. I also love me a Midas! Filefish is more utilitarian for me, but I understand they are pretty interesting, and their odd look gives off a kind of charm.

g_langley--maybe I will try putting the halimeda higher in the tank--I think my flow is pretty good throughout--and hope my GFO reduces the phos quickly enough--although with my tank, with macros and softies, I don't want to go ULN

Do you test for iron? I will research that in the macroalgae forum.

Thanks all.