Stocking question for 65g

[pledosophy]

Yup another stocking question.

It's a 65g with a 25g refugium. There is a RSP 1000 recirculating skimmer rated for 125g. I have about a 100 lbs of LR or so. Variety of coral SPS, LPS, and some softies. Also a clam. I do 20g water changes every week. Feed a few times a day. Levels right now are golden, this tank is doing extremely well, don't know why I want to add to it but I do.

Tank currently holds:

Potters Leopard wrasse
Bi Color Blenny
Midas Blenny
Pink Spotted Watchman
Manderin

Would like to add

Pair of CB clowns.
Either a Tomini or Kole Tang.

I know the tang is a stretch and the tank is a wee bit small, but the Ctenochaus do stay smaller and provide a very nice function by eating algaes (like the taxifloria that is not letting go of the tank), and I've always wanted one.

Opinions? Is this way pushing it?

 

[Jerry W]

I'd do the clowns and stop. Even though a smaller sp. of tang, both of the ones you mention would need more room. The tank is not large and a good deal of real estate is consumed by your rock. Leaves little open space for an active fish. As you say, the tank is golden right now. Why risk it?

 

[pledosophy]

The reason for wanting to add the tang besides personal selfishness of wanting to add a tang, is that it would clean the rocks and eat the macro algaes that I can not control through weekly pruining.

With the amount I feed the tank now I do not think I would need to add more food, just worried about the space issues.

 

[Chef Reef]

Uh oh! That means buy a bigger tank!!

 

[str8clownr]

i have a hippo in my 65 and dont have any problems whatsoever

just buy the tang you want in a very small size, and when it gets to the size where it shouldnt be in there, fish it out and bring it to the LFS to trade for a smaller one...

 

[pledosophy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12550046#post12550046 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Chef Reef
Uh oh! That means buy a bigger tank!!

Ya that would be nice. I don't want to plan stocking for it until I actually have it though. Right now I have 3 systems running. I think I'm full until I buy a house. My apartment manager is only so understanding. :lol:

 

[basssnake]

I have a lopezi tang in a 24gal aquapod(lopezi get over 20 inches in the wild, one of the largest tangs) and he is doing fine. Of course, he is young and only about 2.5 to 3 inches. Feeding three times a day? That sounds a little much, i know they say most fish need fed three times a day, but they can do fine on once a day or every other day, mine do. It also would help on not doing so much water changine, isn't 1/3 of the tank a little more than needed? I mean, you got a perfect tank, but would it still be perfect with a little less work and money up in salt?

 

[Toddrtrex]

Avoid the tang. Years ago I had a small purple tang in my 58 ( just a wee bit shorter then a 65 ) and it wasn't "fine" in there. Too much pacing back and forth.

 

[pledosophy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12550298#post12550298 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by basssnake
It also would help on not doing so much water changine, isn't 1/3 of the tank a little more than needed? I mean, you got a perfect tank, but would it still be perfect with a little less work and money up in salt?

You know I've just always been into water changes as part of my routine. Total volume of the system is about 85g so I'm doing 20% a week. When I used to be able to get water for free from a place a few doors down from where I worked I'd do a couple of 30g changes a week on the 65g. Water changes are fun. If you match a few levels IMO you can't do to large of a water change. Some aquaculture facilities do 90% changes a few times a week.

 

[pledosophy]

Forgot thatnks for all the opinions on the stocking. Anymore?

 

[pledosophy]

 

[nancymccall]

also in such a small tank wont the leopard wrasse and manderin compete for the same limited food. you know the little copapods and stuff?

 

[pledosophy]

They have been in the tank together for quite some time. Both are eating frozen foods but the pod production from the refugium is pretty good. One of the reasons I went with a recirculating skimmer was to help limit the amount of pods the skimmer pulled.