I have converted!

[Saltmeister]

I've just recently converted my 70g freshwater to FOWLR....now the dilemma, agressive, semi-agressive or peaceful. Anyone have any ideas on what to fill this tank...go ahead, pretend that it's your very own personal tank. I've come up with three combos but I'm very indecisive so I'm looking for your ideas...not mine.
I currently have a 100g reef but, this set up is very simple and I'm using all of my old equipment from the fresh. I have a RenaFiltar canister filter filled with only LR, a HOB Aquaclear filter, a CPR BakPak skimmer, a Rio 800 powerhead and two regular flourescents (actinic and powerglo). The dimensions are :

36"Lx16"Wx30"H

92cmLx41cmDx76cmH

Here's a pic of the old fresh and the new salt (only a few days old):
http://www.photochicken.com/ims/pic/86YG2w4/4942.jpg
http://www.photochicken.com/ims/pic/86YG2w4/4941.jpg

 

[Patchy]

very nice rock stack im a big fan...and i never thought of stacking my canisters with LR lol so im in your debt and will have sat here thinking for ages on what you could do......

Not just cause im a fan of lions but i believe that ropck stack you have would be a great perch for a dwarf lion.
if you did a section of undergravel pvc tunnels you could do a dwarf moray.

For community
1xFlame angel
2xOnyx percula
1xRed dragonet

this is just a collection of my fav community fish that i would love to have if i didnt keep big predators

 

[chummy]

Welcome to saltwater, the second time around!

 

[Saltmeister]

Thanks guys....I am also a very big fan of the spotfin lion. We used to have one but had to give him up when we went reef. In fact...here's a pic of the 100g as a FOWLR, as you can see, our lion was beautiful.
http://www.photochicken.com/ims/pic/86YG2w4/4657.jpg
I used a PVC frame to stack the rocks on:
http://www.photochicken.com/ims/pic/86YG2w4/4943.jpg
I was thinking of having maybe an angler, zebra eel, yellow tang, lion and some other fish with a blue green color that wouldn't be eaten by the angler (smaller sp.). I was looking at the mexican rainbow wrasse or the blueheaded wrasse but they may be too agressive for the angler?

 

[Patchy]

Very nice lion.
I would only choose 3 out of the 4 fish you listed. got some messy eaters there.

just curious whats the reason for the HOB filter? carbon? fine filter pad?
Did you remove the trays from you canisters when you filled with LR?

 

[Cutiewitbooty]

I love your tank, awesome looking i love the way u stacked the rock too. As for smaller bluegreen fish that wouldn't get eaten......what about blue damsels, they might get eaten, but they can hold their own and are very fast......

 

[sinful9302]

with an angler just know that about every fish is at risk for being eaten. they have been known to try to eat fish that are as big as them or larger. that includes lions. i have also read that eels eat anglers if the eel is large but i can't say that I have tried it myself. i'm not saying that it can't be done, just know that any fish that you put in there might become lunch.

 

[aquaman67]

Your tank is 75 gallons FWIW.

36 X 16 X 30 = 17280

There are 231 cubic inches in a gallon.

17280 / 231 = 74.8 gallons.

Just wanted to point that out....

Nice tank BTW.

 

[Saltmeister]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6403690#post6403690 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Patchy

just curious whats the reason for the HOB filter? carbon? fine filter pad?
Did you remove the trays from you canisters when you filled with LR?

Ya....just for media when I want to put it in there. I left the two baskets in the canister but removed the trays (2 levels instead of 4) and filled the baskets with small pieces of rock. I figured the water would circulate around it better.

As far as the angler...I totally agree. I was thinking of getting a warty but like you've said, that means he can swallow an 8" fish being twice his size.

Also, thanks for pointing out the actual size of my tank...Ive always though it was a 69g, lol!

Anyways, I'm still biting my nails on this. What do you think about a picasso trigger, antennata lion, zebra moray (supossedly very submissive and rarely attacks tank mates...eats crustaceans), cinnamon clown, and a lemonpeel or coral beauty?

 

[sinful9302]

triggers and lions generally don't mix. the picasso often nip fins. that is also pushing it for a 75 gallon tank. triggers, lions, and eels all get fairly large and will produce a lot of waste. i would probably get rid of the trigger and then you might be ok,

 

[Saltmeister]

Let's say I scracth the trigger and the eel. What would you guys suggest for fish that swim in the top area of the tank? Do you thiink the two wrasses I've suggested would be good?

 

[Petstorejunkie]

i am prolly going to get yelled at for this one but if you are really set on an angler, there are some sp. of anglers that dont get larger than 2.5in, that i have kept very sucessfully in an eclipse systen 6 for several years. have one as a countertop display on your desk or kitchen counter.

 

[Saltmeister]

Actually, I have heard that this is a great way to keep your angler. When in larger systems, they tend to get lost in the rockwork. Maybe in the future, I will convert one of my smaller freshwater tanks to an angler tank. I absolutely love these fascinating fish!

 

[LisaD]

Anyone interested in anglers should read the excellent chapter on them in Scott Michael's Reef Fishes volume 1.

 

[Saltmeister]

Thanks for the reference. I do believe that I may have read some of his stuff about anglers. I think he was the one that suggested keeping them in smaller tanks?

 

[sinful9302]

small systems are fine as long as you keep a close eye on all perameters and over filter. they don't seem like it, but they can produce a lot of waste and they are not the most hearty fish. some people try to keep them under reef conditions.

another option is to keep an angler in a display type fuge. a warty stays pretty small and would probably be ok in a 20 gallon.

as for the smaller species, I think that they are a little harder to come by. I have never seen one at a LFS in my area. I could be wrong on that one though.

 

[LisaD]

On average, they are around 4 inches. I have never seen any of the ones that stay small, though babies are occasionally available. Some of the commonly available species that get bigger. I don't have the book handy, so these measurements are from memory:

A. commersonii - over 12"!
Histrio histrio - sargassum fish, around 7-8 inches
A. striatus - striated angler, around 8 inches
A. hispidus - hairy angler, around 8 inches

 

[Saltmeister]

If I were to go with an angler...I'd definately go with the giant. Although the warty has also solen my heart, lol! As I've said before, maybe in the future, but not in this particular set up.
Here is another combo I have come up with:
sm yellow tang
antennata lion (usually sold at 4")
lg bluehead wrasse or mexican rainbow wrasse
md flame hawk
and maybe a zebra moray

 

[sinful9302]

i would probably drop the tang off and possibly the moray. long tanks are better for tangs as they like a lot of swimming room and zebras get fairly large. a nowflake would be better if you really want an eel.

 

[LisaD]

angler, zebra eel, yellow tang, lion and some other fish with a blue green color that wouldn't be eaten by the angler (smaller sp.). I was looking at the mexican rainbow wrasse or the blueheaded wrasse but they may be too agressive for the angler?

I agree, drop the zebra and tang. A snowflake would be nice in this tank, or maybe a green wolf eel blenny. Wolf eels (actually a type of eel-like dottyback) are very cool and unusual looking, but will eat fish that can fit in their mouths. A snowflake is pretty fish safe, but must have a well fastened lid on the tank.

The angler, unless you make it an angler tank, is probably out.

I think a nice stock list would be:

one medium (e.g., antennata, radiata) or two dwarf lionfish
wolf eel blenny or snowflake moray
marine betta or some other not too active moderately large and peaceful fish
gold head sleeper goby - these get big and sift sand

your tank isn't really long enough for any triggers or tangs, IMO
a small puffer (toby) might not be compatible with the lion(s)

what is your all time favorite fish that will do well in that sized tank? you can build suitable and attractive tankmates around your show fish

if you are really crazy about anglers, try getting a pair of commersonii and set up the tank as a softie reef. I have a bright yellow angler in my 55 right now. He is always out in front, and everyone notices him. I thought it was a warty, but I think it is actually A pictus. The fish has been growing like crazy ever since I got it to eat frozen Ocean Nutrition angel formula cubes. I was hoping he would coexist with my other fish (and has, so far) but I really thing I have to move him to a species only tank. He would look spectacular in a 29 set up as a softie reef, and I just happen to have an empty 29 available.