Help me Stock my new 300 Gallon

R

Red_Ant

New member
Here we go again. Just got a monster deal on a 300 gallon Miracles aquarium so time to start building the stocking list. Could you some help/ideas. Would like some movement and fish in all levels of the water column, but don't want to go too crazy where I will be fighting nutrient issues too much to focus on the corals. See below:

300 gallon (mixed reef, mainly LPS)
96"x30"x24"
70 gallon sump
135 gallon frag tank
H&S Skimmer
ATS

Current Inverts:
5 - Cleaner shrimp
Multiple RBTA
Usual CUC, but I'm fine changing given some fish on my list eat crabs/snails which is fine

Current Fish:
1 firefish (will stay in frag tank)
1 royal Gramma
1 Midas Blenny
1 Starry Blenny
3- PJ Cardinals
1 Blue Spotted Goby
1 Melanurus Wrasse
1 Flame Angel
3-Osc Clowns (2 will stay in frag tank)
1- Green Mandarin (will stay in frag tank)

300 gallon future list for your review:
Blueface Angelfish
Emperor Angelfish
Blonde Naso Tang
Blue Tang
8" future Tang (haven't decided on which like chevron, PBT, etc) (Can do without)
8" future Tang (haven't decided on which like chevron, PBT, etc) (Can do without)
Blue Throat Trigger
Canthigaster Puffer
Foxface
Flame Hawkfish (this one can go if I'm stocked too heavy)
Blotched Anthia
5- Lyetail Anthias
4 - Clownfish (2 different pairs probably percs)
Royal Gramma (can be moved to frag tank)
Midas Blenny
Starry Blenny
3 - PJ cardinals
Blue Spotted Goby
Melanurus Wrasse
Flame Angel
New Reef Safe Wrasse (TBD, can do without)
Lyretail Wrasse (can do without this one)
Skeletor or Golden Dwarf Moray Eel (would really like this one so can do without some of the fish on this list and/or move them to the frag tank)
RBTA
Carpet Anemone (Can be move to frag tank if needed)

I come up with about 200" of fish if everything gets to maximum size. I'm afraid I'm probably overstocking so definitely need your help and insight. Also worried if I will be fighting bioload too much for the corals. Also if I do this list am I fully stocked or do I have room for 1 or 2 small fish in the future. I plan on stocking very slowly (least agressive to most aggressive, eel last) so my 600lbs of LR, skimmer and ATS can keep up.
 
Im no expert but based upon 2 accepted rules of thumb you'd have a heavy bio-load. I would skip the 2 8" tangs. Once you have the other fish you want then access the tank and use your judgment. Any additions I would keep to the smaller side though.

From what I've read you have have a more difficult time with SPS but should be just fine with LPS
 
Some of those fish (angels) will be an issue with some corals - what is your coral selection going to look like? Others like the puffer may eat inverts.

IMO the X inch per gallon rule isn't very useful anymore. There are too many variables - two 3.5" Firefish for example are not equivalent to a 7" Tang. You must consider swimming characteristics, aggressiveness, body mass, typical personality traits, feeding profile, habitat niche (open water, rock percher, bottom dweller, rock dweller etc.

With all of the great technology available today some of the old "bioload" concerns can be relaxed somewhat for a diligent experienced aquarist as some of the stocking rules we encounter in books (remember them?) are 30+ years old.

But each fish should have enough space, hiding places & a lack of direct competitors to harass (or eat) the other fish & tank residents. Like you're saying, the selections should be chosen to use different habitats. I don't have experience with many of the fish you list and have never had a tank that big, so I have few comments on that list...others will hopefully give you some first hand wisdom. The large tank forum in RC might be helpful. GL.
 
Coral wise I plan on having LPS (acans, chalices, frogspawns, Candycanes maybe) and SPS mostly Montis. I have a couple of yumas, but I can get rid of those as well as the Candycanes if needed.

I think you are right, I will get rid of the 2 8" tangs. Also thinking of removing the following:
2- 8" tangs
1- Flame Hawkfish
1- TBD Reef Safe Wrasse
2- Clownfish

Do you think that will help some? I'm on the fence as to whether I should have only 1 large angelfish. Also will move the carpet anemone to the frag tank.

Any other interesting fish I should consider and possibly remove some of the others? I'm hoping the Trigger and Puffer will work. Also worried about the lunar wrasse.
 
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personally i would scratch the 2 large angels and keep the tangs. a long tank like that would be perfect for them. id also only keep one set of clowns in the main display. and you have options when it comes to your live stock that you want. removing the 3 pj cardinals wouldnt be a bad idea. they really dont do much and loose there color and pattern as they mature.

is your frag tank linked into your main display?
 
Currently the frag tank is not connected to the main tank, but I will connect it once I know I have the main tank nutrients are under control almost fully stocked. I agree on the PJs. But, I've had them since I started my first tank 1 year ago. I'm not that attached to them so I could sell them. I want to get at least the blue face angelfish since that is one off the main reasons I got the big tank other than it was a deal that was too good to pass up.
 
i used to have a 300, pretty heavily stocked, learned to stay away from large angels, its not usually a matter of if they will eat your coal but when, most wont when juvenile then they nip and eat when they mature has been my experience. At one time I had about 42 fish of varying sizes, and had a naso tang, sohal tang, maculiceps tang, yellow tang and a blue tang.
Flame hawkfish are gret additions, lots of personality, and I think once you get that many fish, one more if you really like it isnt going to matter.
 
Thanks. But, "owe" the wife the blueface for the reason to get the larger tank. :). Are there certain corals they like more than others? Like would acros, montis, chalices and acans be ok? Candycanes out of the question?
 
Ok, here is the updated list...

Ok, here is the updated list...

Here is the updated list. I got a couple of the fish now and lost a couple from the move over so below is the updated list. What do you think? I will keep mostly LPS (Acans, chalices, hammers/frogspawns) and maybe a couple of SPS (montis mostly, but may not do any SPS). Thoughts? Not worried about fish eating the cleanup crew but worried about them eating the coral or Giga. I also put them in stocking order.

1- royal Gramma (own now)
1- Starry Blenny (own now)
3- PJ Cardinals (own now)
1- Blue Spotted Goby (own now)
1- Melanurus Wrasse (own now)
1- Flame Angel (own now)
5- Carberryi Anthias (own now/soon)
2- Osc Clownfish (own now)
1- Skeletor Eel (own now)
2- RBTA (own now)
1- Giga Carpet Anemone (own now)

2- Fathead Sunburst Anthias
1-Blonde Naso Tang
1-Blue Tang
1-Canthigaster Puffer (Can I do a dogface puffer instead?)
1-Blue Throat Trigger
1-Blueface Angelfish
1-Red Coris Wrasse
 
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