HELP PLEASE! Recommendations For My 224 Gallon Reef\Vertebrate\Fish Safe Tank

[r0cksteady]

Hi Everyone,

I live in Melbourne, Australia and am having too many conflicting opinions from LFS so Im looking to the community in hopes of some assistance. If you wouldnt mind referrng to the below link I would like to know what the best model would be for me to use on my 224 US Gallon tank. Below the link I have attached a list of stock that I am considering having though its still being fine tuned. Thank you for taking the time in reading this post.


http://www.thereefshop.com.au/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=5_49


Tank Details:

5ft (5ft x 2ft x 3ft) = 224 US Gallons (187 UK Gallons) or 850 Litres

120 Kg (265 lbs) of Live Rock

60 Kg (133 lbs) of Coral Sand Substrate

Lighting - SunSun 2 x 250W Metal Halide Reflector 20K + 2 x 54W T5HO + Moonlight 7 LED

Protein Skimmer - Undecided

Heater - 2 x 300 Watt Jager Eheim

Filter - 48 US Gallon (188 Litres) Sump with pump.

Power Heads - 4 x Hydor Koralia


PLEASE POST ANY SUGGESTIONS YOU FEEL VALID OR ANY TROUBLE YOU SEE I MAY EXPERIENCE.


FISH

CLOWNFISH
1 x Ocellaris Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris)
1 x Black & White Ocellaris Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris var)

DAMSELFISH
4 x Blue Reef Chromis (Blue Reef Chromis) - non agressive

DRAGONETS (Add later after tank is established)
2 x Male/Female Pair of Spotted Mandarinfish (Synchiropus picturatus) OR 2 x Male/Female Pair of Green Mandarinfish (Pterosynchiropus splendidus, Synchiropus splendidus) - Need lots of fauna ie. Copepods to eat.

GOBIES, DARTFISH AND JAWFISH
1 x Green Clown Goby (Gobiodon atrangulatus) - (Add later after tank is established)
1 x Neon Goby (Elacatinus oceanops)
1 x Black Cap Basslet (Gramma melacara)
1 x Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus)

Blennies
1 x Jewelled Rockskipper \ Lawnmower Blenny (Salarias fasciatus)
1 x Midas Blenny (Ecsenius midas) OR 1 x Bicolor Blenny (Ecsenius bicolor)
1 x Tube Blenny (Acanthemblemaria)

CARDINALFISH
2 x Banggai Cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni)

TANGS AND SURGEONFISH
1 x Chevron Tang (Chevron Tang)
1 x Tomini Bristletooth Tang (Ctenochaetus tominiensis)

TRIGGERS
1 x Bluechin Triggerfish (Xanthichthys auromarginatus)

WRASSE (ADD FIRST AFTER INVERTEBRATES)
2 x Banded Possum Wrasse (Wetmorella sp) - Need lots of fauna ie. Copepods to eat.
1 x Exquisite Fairy Wrasse (Exquisite Fairy Wrasse)
2 x Filamented Flasher Wrasse (Filamented Flasher Wrasse)
1 x Five Bar Wrasse (Psuedochellinus mysterii)
1 x Yellow Wrasse (Halichoeres chrysus)

EELS - NEED HELP!
I would love to have an eel if possible though I am fully aware that they will eat my small fish and vertebrates as such Im not going to list an eel but it would be great if anyone who has had sucess or knows of a great placid or tiny eel could comment. Otherwise I will get 1 x Convict Blenny AKA Engineer Goby

(Pholidichthys leucotaenia)

INVERTERBRATES

STAR FISH (Add later)
1 x Blue Starfish (Linckia laevigata)
1 x Orange Sea Star (Echinaster sp)

SHRIMP
1 x Pedersons Anemone Shrimp (Periclimenes pedersoni)
1 x Spotted Anemone Shrimp
2 x Hinge-beak Shrimp (Rhynchocinetes spp)
2 x Blood Shrimp (Lysmata debelius)
4 x Indo-Pacific White-Striped Cleaner Shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis)
1 x Pistol Shrimp (Alpheus sp)

Crabs (MUST ADD EMPTY SHELLS FOR THEIR GROWTH)
10 x Purple Porcelain Crabs OR Porcelain Anemone Crab (Neopetrolisthes ohshimai)
1 x Emerald Crab (Mithrax sculptus)
30 x Dwarf Blue Leg Hermit Crab (Clibanarius tricolor)
1 x Left-handed Hermit Crab (Calcinus laevimanus)
4 x Red Reef Hermit Crab (Paguristes cadenati)
4 x Dwarf Zebra Hermit Crab (Coenobiata species)
4 x Scarlet Hermit Crab (Paguristes cadenati)

SCALLOPS & OYSTERS - (Add later after tank is established / Need more experience before attempting / Need to feed DTs Phytoplankton)
2 x Electric Flame Scallop (Lima sp)
2 x Flame Scallop (Lima scabra)
1 x Paguriste scadenati

SEA CUCUMBERS
1 x Sand Sifting Sea Cucumber (Sand Sifting Sea Cucumber)

SEA SLUGS & NUDIBRANCHS
1 x Lettuce Sea Slug (Tridachia crispata)

CLAMS (Add later after tank is established, Need to be up high near lights)
2 x Crocea Clam (Tridacna crocea)
1 x Maxima Clam (Tridacna maxima)
1 x Squamosa Clam (Tridacna squamosa)

SNAILS
10 x Bumble Bee Snail (Pusiostoma sp)
10 x Mexican Red Foot Snail (Norrisia norrisii)
20 x Nassarius Snails (Nassarius sp)
20 x Banded Trochus Snail (Trochus sp)
10 x Stomatella Limpet Snail (Margarites pupillus)

CORALS

HARD CORALS
1 x Artichoke/Button Coral (Scolymia sp)
1 x Bird's Nest Coral (Seriatopora sp)
1 x Brain Coral (Trachyphyllia sp)
1 x Green Bubble Coral (Plerogyra sp)
1 x Candy Cane Coral (Caulastrea furcata)
1 x Cat's Paw/Club Finger Coral (Stylophora sp)
1 x Daisy/Flowerpot Coral (Alveopora sp)
1 X Elegance Coral (Cataphyllia sp)
1 x Lobophyllia Brain Coral (Lobophyllia sp.)
1 x Plate/Disk Coral (Fungia sp)

MUSHROOM CORALS
3 x Ricordea Mushroom Coral (Ricordea yuma) - Different colours

SOFT CORALS

1 x Acalycigorgia Sea Fan (Acalycigorgia sp)
1 x Clove/Glove Poly (Clavularia sp)

ANEMONES (Need to be 12" apart, Prefer less air flow, Need more advice on best way to get the established so they dont wander)
2 x Bubble Tip Anemone (Entacmaea quadricolor) - Different Colours

FAN WORMS \ FEATHER DUSTERS (ANNELIDS)
1 x Christmas Tree Worm (Spirobranchus sp)
1 x Cluster Duster (Bispira brunnea)
1 x Dwarf Colored Feather Duster (Bispira sp)
1 x Hard Tubeworm (Protula bispiralis)
1 x Feather Duster (Sabellastarte sp)

MACROALGAE - Also put in sump with live sand as refugium to feed herbivores when low in fauna on main tank.
1 Chaetomorpha Algae - Aquacultured (Chaetomorpha sp) OR 1 X Sea Grape (Botryocladia sp)

 

[Mr James]

First, may I say you are very well organized. You have everything all planned out. But at the same time, I wouldn't plan so strictly. Set it up and see where you want to go with it.

Is your tank 2' tall or 3' tall?? I assume 3', but want to make sure. Do you have access to all of that livestock and hardgoods??

That seems like a lot of shrimp, in my opinion. I always thought they needed lots of space!?!

EDIT: I would really put some thought into your skimmer as you have quite a large bio-load staring you in the face. Oversize the skimmer, whichever you decide, IMO!!!

 

[r0cksteady]

Hi Mr James,

Yeah the tank is 3ft tall sorry didn't realise I hadn't labeled it. Because I live in Australia im sure that there are going to be plenty of stock that is NOT available and I have given the list to a few LFS who said they hadn't heard of some of the creatures etc.

My idea was to come up with an "in a perfect world" scenario list where thing were free and readily available and then going into all the LFS im my area to find out what they will never be able to get legally and what I just need to hunt down and be patient in finding.

Thanks for the feedback on the skimmer, I have certainly put that decision off until I got more of an idea\understanding of how much stock I was going to have so I didn't buy one too small.

I'm limited in space as my wife is an interior decorator by trade she wont let me have anything that is "ugly". She things my idea is OK. lol and Ive taken her into a shop with some of the coral and creatures that stole her heart but once we get home she still doesnt like the idea of an ugly tank.

Im trying to use an existing piece of furniture she likes (fancy desk thing) and incorporate the tank into that. This means that my sump and all equipment which is going inside the desk, is limited to a height of 46 cm (18 inches) to 54cm (21 inches) depending on where inside the cupboard doors I place it.

Do you have any skimmers you recommend that are international brands and would fit within 18 inches?

 

[r0cksteady]

Can anyone help me with the LIGHTING requirements? I am hoping to place a deposit on the equipment tomorrow if possible and need to decide on hardware requirements quickly. Thanks

 

[rppvt]

could you possibly locate your sump/equipment away from the tank? that would give you more options for the tank dimensions and location.

 

[r0cksteady]

I might be able too, that is a possibility but IF i did im scared that wife will just say NO to the whole concept because ive gone from a reasonable sounding request to punching holes in the walls. lol.

I will think on what your suggesting though and maybe take her out for a good cooked breakky

If we did have to work with what ive got here, what would you recommend?

 

[kodyboy]

protein skimmer:
DAS ex-3 petorama.net Don't know if you can get these in Australia

 

[Mr James]

by r0cksteady
Can anyone help me with the LIGHTING requirements? I am hoping to place a deposit on the equipment tomorrow if possible and need to decide on hardware requirements quickly. Thanks

Quickly?? You really should take your time, unless your plan is concrete. Also, if your tank is going to be 36" tall (3 feet), 250w lights won't penetrate that to the bottom. I think they are good for 24" depth. I would reconsider your lighting and go with 400w bulbs/ballasts to get the depths you are talking about.

 

[Reef Sponger]

You need 400W MH and still you cannot keep the high light demanding corals on the bottom, just the less light demanding corals near the bottom.

For protein skimmer, I saw another Australian reefer posts that Deltec is cheaper than ATi Bubblemaster there, so you may want to look into that if the replacement parts aren't too expensive. Checkout both brands, For the ATi, you would need the Bubblemaster 250. For a similar Deltec model, it would be AP702 or AP902. I believe H&S skimmers are probably much more expensive in Australia that the previous 2 skimmers, if not, checkout the H&S A250-2x1260 for a great high performance and extremely well engineered skimmer. I own both an H&S and ATi skimmer as well as so many EuroReef skimmers and the H&S is probably the best skimmer I have every purchased for my marine system.