Picking up a 110 next week, starting research now...

[lifeoffaith]

...first question. Once I'm ready to start with adding fish, do you have any suggestions for this size reef?

The only absolutes I hope to have will be two black and white clowns, one hippo tang, one yellow tang, two anemones and one large angel.

Looking for other suggestions! Oh, tank will be established with a little live rock and crushed coral bed.

I'll get pictures once it is home and set up.

 

[MrTuskfish]

Do you have a QT and plans to use it?

 

[9thwonder]

Scratch large angel and hippo tang off the list

 

[lifeoffaith]

I don't at this point. What all is needed for this? I'm familiar with QT for freshwater, but not done much research on saltwater QT.

 

[RJT]

Congrats. It's good you have experience with a qt process. If you go to the New to hobby forum on here there is a lot of info on qt process. Basically you need a 20 or more gallon tank, heater filter and test kits for ammonia at a minimum. You should also get some basic meds like prazipro cupramine and meth blue if meds don't scare you. There are a lot more but these are rather common.

I had the same tank. I had a powder brown tang swallowtail angelfish pair flame angel pair some wrasses clown pair and anthias. Ime I think the tank was too small for the powder brown because he became aggressive. Not overly but he was definitely the boss. No fish was over 4in long.

 

[lifeoffaith]

Scratch large angel and hippo tang off the list

Ok, a couple suggested to remove. Any suggestions to add?

 

[danimallaminad]

It really depends on what you want to add, we can tell you if its compatible or reef safe. You should go to liveaquaria and just look through their marine fish sections, They have a great variety for you to look at and choose from.

 

[lifeoffaith]

Ok, here is my current list. I would be interested also on suggestions on order of additions. I know there are varying opinions on tangs. I also found out the tank is a 120 gallon and will have a sump, not sure of size. I plan on growing tang heaven in it and have coral sand and rubble rock as well. I will also slowly be adding corals along with slowly adding fish. Any corals I should steer clear of? Any fish I should wait on until I have some established corals?

1 Regal Tang
1 Yellow Tang
1 Genicanthus Angel (any suggestions on which of these would be appreciated)
5 Blue/Green Chromis
5 Lyretail Anthias
2 Black and White Occelaris
1 Green Mandarin
Varied clean up crew

 

[danimallaminad]

alot will say the regal needs an 8ft to 10ft tank but I have one in a 125, granted he is smallish and I havent had him in there for more than a year, he is doing good and if things start to go bad i will remove him. I think your list looks good, I would do a trio of lyretails, they get fairly good size to have 5 in a 120. clowns should be fine. wait to put the mandarin in, atleast six months for your pod population to flourish. the green chromis may eventually become 1 or 2. Angels may nip at corals, i had a coral beauty who was perfect and one day snapped and started eating zoas, its like playing russian roulette. yellow tang should be fine but i would add last in case of aggression. hope this helps goodluck.

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

I suggest you substitute a bristletooth tang like the kole or Tomini and remove the regal tang, and only put one chromis in (multiple chromis tend to kill each other off until you are left only with one). Also, the mandarin typically requires a very well established tank so read up on it and add it in a year or more.

I would use about 120 lbs of live rock and a thin sand bed but no crushed coral as it can trap detritus.

Is the tank a 4' x 2' x 2'? You will need a good protein skimmer.

 

[lifeoffaith]

Got the tank home, it is a 150.

 

[Politiceaux]

Got the tank home, it is a 150.

What are the dimensions? That will affect possible fish additions more than gallonage.

 

[lifeoffaith]

Got official measurements and it works out to the formerly thought 120. It is 60" x 18" x 26". Is there another type of schooling fish that would allow a few more than three in a tank of this size?

 

[lifeoffaith]

What is your experience with cardinals as schooling fish. I am particularly interested in Banggai or Pajamas.

 

[Politiceaux]

What is your experience with cardinals as schooling fish. I am particularly interested in Banggai or Pajamas.

Get a bonded pair that were tank bred. Easy to find. And the Chromis will kill each other, eventually dwindling down to one or a pair if you're lucky.

 

[slgcmg]

If you are looking for schooling fish, or basically fish that will give you some nice color and movement, look into dispar and lyretail anthias. They can be kept in multiples.

With a 150, I would say add the Regal back. If you are not wanting any coral, maybe a large Angel as well. My all time favorite is the emperor, but he would tear up my zoas and lps.

 

[Politiceaux]

If you are looking for schooling fish, or basically fish that will give you some nice color and movement, look into dispar and lyretail anthias. They can be kept in multiples.

With a 150, I would say add the Regal back. If you are not wanting any coral, maybe a large Angel as well. My all time favorite is the emperor, but he would tear up my zoas and lps.

With due respect, a 5' 150 isn't suitable for an adult emporer.

 

[9thwonder]

Look into a bristle tooth tang instead of the regal tang. And yes tank is too small for a emperor angel

 

[snorvich]

Look into a bristle tooth tang instead of the regal tang. And yes tank is too small for a emperor angel

I agree.

 

[lifeoffaith]

I have decided to ditch the Emporer. I am thinking Regal Angel right now. I'm almost for sure going to try the Regal Tang and either a yellow tang or kole tang. I think I'm also going to try 5 Pajama Cardinals instead of the Banggai as I hear they're a little more peaceful than the Banggai. I still plan on the B & W Occelaris pair, and then a Mandarin to be added last. I am curious on your thoughts on which order to put all the fish in. I'm thinking currently that I will add the Occelaris pair, Pajamas, Regal Angel, Regal Tang, then Yellow or Kole, then of course Mandarin last.