new 180 upgrade! stocking advice needed

[lilyost4290]

Hello everyone, I've been into keeping saltwater tanks for over a year now and just got the green light to set up a 180g tank in my basement. Since I already have a 55g reef and don't want to deal with the hassle or costs of a huge reef I'm deciding to stick with a fowlr tank for right now. I already have a yellow tang I'm going to have to move to the 180 when it gets set up, but other than that I need help selecting fish for it. I'll have about 230-250g total water volume with the sump included and plan to have an oversized skimmer.

Here's my ideal stocking list: (Feel free to make suggestions or additions)

1. Yellow Tang (already have it so it needs to be in here)
2. Kole Tang
3. Volitan Lionfish (maybe a pair?)
4. Achilles Tang (not anytime soon, maybe one day)

and maybe either a puffer, trigger, eel or large angel. I think i read that puffers and triggers are usually not recommended with lions, but is there any combo that would work? Would any large angels fit long term in a 180? And could I possibly put another tang in?

Thanks for your help!

 

[c-me-fish]

I don't have one, but from what I've read, a 180g may be too small for an achilles long term... could be the same for many of the large angels, but you could always acquire juveniles and watch them grow. So far your bioload is light so you might not need an "oversized" skimmer so you could save a few bucks there.

Are you setting up a standard 180g tank or will it be custom? Physically how will the tank be set up (against a wall with 2 or 3 sides viewable, peninsula, etc)?

 

[lilyost4290]

Itll be a standard 6'x2'x2' tank. one of the 6 foot sides against a wall, most likely.

 

[lilyost4290]

anyone have thoughts on keeping a pair of volitans? will this work?

 

[Wondereef]

I've personally kept a variety of puffers with lions and had zero problems. Everything from dogface varieties to porcupines to spiny boxfish. The only issue you will have with the combo is the same if you kept a pair of volitans is you'll have to feed heavy and make sure that both get enough food because one or the other will "hog" most/all of the food.