Stocking A 75g SPS

[TMF89]

Hey guys, I have a build thread going in the Equipment forum, but after my latest post the thread's gone unanswered to page 3, so I figured I'd C/P it to here.

Here's the build thread

Well I'll be home for the summer some time next week, and I'll actually start building the tank! One key point in planning this tank is that I WILL have to transport it about four hours to my college house in August. I've transported fish up there before (ran an African cichlid tank and had to order all my fish from the cities, the school town is only about 15,000 people and only a couple small LFSs), and live rock for my first tank, so I'm not super worried about it, I have plans for power inverters to provide juice for heaters and PHs for the rock, and plan on just bagging up the fish/corals as if I were shipping them. Sound like a good idea?

My only concern is that the corals won't do well with the stress, because I'll most likely only have them in the tank for anywhere from two weeks to a month and a half (depends on when I finish the tank, and my monetary situation). Should they pretty much be fine, or should I just wait get them after I re-set up my tank up at school? I guess my opinion is that they'd probably like sitting in a tank for weeks, then a short four hour drive, then back in their tank, as opposed to getting shipped across country over the course of 24 hours? Are there any specific corals that are much more prone to shipping/stress than others? Again I plan on this being an SPS tank, and will probably try and buy the largest pieces possible (I know I know, patience, but hey I've been patient for two years planning this!).

Besides that, I think I'm going to hold off on any more equipment questions until I start getting paychecks in a couple weeks to start buying it! I guess I can finally start a rough-draft stocking list!


I was thinking

Blue Eyed Kole Tang
2-3 pairs of flasher/fairy wrasse
1 Sandsifting Blenny/Goby
Peppermint Candy Hogfish
Dwarf Lionfish (if I add him when he's small, like 2-3", will I be alright? I know they max out anywhere from 5-7", and the smallest fish in the tank would be my 3-4" wrasses, is that still small enough to become lunch?)
1-2 larger Wrasse (max 5-7", like a Christmas wrasse (Depending on if I go to LA or Bluezoo, they vary from reef-safe to fish-only? Opinions?)
1 dwarf angel or butterflyfish (yes I know the risks involved, that's why I'm asking on here before I buy =P)


Now I know that's a heavy bioload, but again it's a rough draft, and I'm expecting plenty of rehashing before I make my purchases. Mainly, are any of those fish going to cause issues in an SPS tank, and/or with each other? Again I know the butterflys and angels are pretty much a crap shoot, but I also know some species are generally more reef-safe than others, and I know the dwarf lion might be an issue (honestly I just really want a lionfish in the tank, just how some people want clownfish in their saltwater tanks), but I'm hoping if I get him around the same size as the other fish, by the time he's full-grown, they will be too? Thanks for the help guys, and thanks for reading!

 

[Monkeyfish]

Way too many fish.

Dwarf lionfish can grow to be over 6" long and will eat anything they can fit into their mouth. Chances are all of the other fish on your list with the exception of the tang would eventually end up in its belly.

Unless you're going to have some really heavy duty filtration I would look to keep the fish bioload down for a 75 SPS tank.

IMO a "Christmas wrasse" will outgrow a 75g tank.

Angels and butterflies are quite likely to sample some of your corals, though I think the dwarf angel would prefer polyps and LPS.

 

[TMF89]

I mentioned how I wasn't sure on the dwarf lions, that's why I asked, I know they eat anything that can fit in their mouths, that's why I asked what fits in their mouths.

Again I know that angels and butterflyfish are prone to nipping at corals, but considering there's like a six page thread in this forum about how to keep butterflies with corals (honestly I've read about a third, I'm working through the rest of it), and it seems for every post saying angels destroy reefs, there's just as many people getting away with keeping them.

If I were to do a heavy bioload, what kind of heavy filtration would I need? Obviously a way overpowered skimmer, but what else? Just a bunch of reactors and a ton of live rock? I plan on making almost all of a 55 into a fuge, and throwing a ton of rock in there to keep the DT minimalist, as I like that look. While I know that doesn't go well with the idea that lionfish need plenty of hiding spaces, I plan on spending a lot of time designing a ideal aquascape (again, if I even get the lionfishes).

 

[Monkeyfish]

Filtraton - oversized skimmer (like you mentioned), live rock, regular water chagnes, limited feeding and media reactors for GAC and GFO.

There have certainly been some successes with butterfly and angelfish in reefs... there have been a lot more disasters. It's a chance. If you're willing to risk having corals damaged then go for it. It comes down to what's of more interest to you - the corals or the fish.

 

[TMF89]

I'm definitely willing to up the filtration for the fish, I've actually planned on having two reactors, a huge sump, and a big skimmer from the start. I wanted a coral tank but honestly prefer fish to corals, so I knew I'd have my work cut out. As far as the angels and butterflies go, my chances with them are far better if I do SPS rather than LPS or softies right?

 

[Monkeyfish]

As far as the angels and butterflies go, my chances with them are far better if I do SPS rather than LPS or softies right?

For angels, yes. For butterflies it depends on the species.