Upgrading to a 300 gallon wide. Need some advice

[anthias26tang]

Hey everyone. I've had my 135 gallon fish only tank for a few years now. Been wanting a 300 gallon for a long time and I'm finally getting one in the next few weeks. My LFS gets custom built tanks from somewhere out of Dallas and can have a tank made anyway I want it. My current tank is not drilled and I tried to keep a sump and tried to do it so many different ways and it always ended up over flowing so I eventually got tired of it and gave up. This new tank is going to be drilled and done right. Also I haven't bought a new fish in a while because my old fish kept killing the last couple of fish I tried to get so I ended up turning my quarantine tank into a freshwater glofish tank for my baby boys room. So I'll have to get a couple used tanks for quarantine for what I want to do. I'm hoping to go ahead and purchase the fish I want and have them in quarantine and done with quarantine to go into the new tank with the old fish all at one time so hopefully there's no aggression since everybody will be in a new territory together. Current stock are blue hippo tang, lunar wrasse, lemon peel angel and arch eye hawkfish. My sailfin tang and blue eye kole tang randomly disappeared after having them for 5 years. No idea why. Parameters were still normal and the other 4 are still fine. I plan on getting rid of the lunar wrasse because I eventually want to do coral once the new tank has been up and running for a while and once I learn more about them because as of right now I don't know much about them. So the fish I'm hoping to get for the new tank are orange shoulder tang, mimic lemon peel tang, powder blue tang, exquisite fairy wrasse, mckoskers fairy wrasse and 3 anthias. Haven't totally decided on the anthias yet. My first question is how many quarantine tanks would you recommend for these fish and how big of tanks? My old quarantine tank was a 37 gallon but I usually only ever had one fish in it at a time. Also if I get all these fish and have them quarantined will I be able to move all the new fish and old fish into the new tank the day it's set up? I'm sure that's a dumb question and I'm sure what the answer is going to be. But the problem is the new tank has to go in the place where the current tank is so basically I have to get the old tank down and the new tank in its place the same day. So would I have to put my old fish into another quarantine tank while the new tank is cycling? I'll leave the questions at that for now and ask more questions later since then is such a long post for everybody to read haha. Thank you in advance

 

[CrayolaViolence]

Yes, you'll need to put them somewhere. While they're there treat for any possible bugs (praziquantel pro, cp, or copper) then when they go to the new tank you know they are as clean as possible.

I think you'll need a larger tank than a 37 gallon though.

 

[anthias26tang]

Yes, you'll need to put them somewhere. While they're there treat for any possible bugs (praziquantel pro, cp, or copper) then when they go to the new tank you know they are as clean as possible.

I think you'll need a larger tank than a 37 gallon though.

I figured that. I was going to get multiple quarantine tanks for the stock that I am wanting. Maybe 3? Do you think three 40 breeders would be enough to quarantine the ones that I purchase new plus the old ones while the tank cycles? Also my old fish have all been quarantined and preventively treated before they were put in my current tank. Would I really need to treat them again? I will be trading in my lunar wrasse to the fish store that I order my new fish from. The store I purchase from also quarantines for 2 weeks before I would be getting them they just don't treat with anything preventively. So the fish that would need to be quarantined would be lemon peel angel, arch eye hawkfish, and blue hippo(current stock while the new tank cycles) the new fish would be orange shoulder tang, mimic lemon peel tang, powder blue tang, 3 anthias, exquisite fairy wrasse and mckoskers fairy wrasse. Possibly a coral beauty angel also. I think I want another angel but not sure if I want to just get a large angel later or if I want another dwarf now.

 

[anthias26tang]

Also does anybody know if cupramine expires? I still have my bottle of it and I honestly can't remember when I got it but I can't find an expiration date anywhere on the bottle. I know I'll be buying more prazipro and wondering if I need more cupramine also.

 

[CrayolaViolence]

I don't think cupramine expires. And yeah, if you had fish disappear and die for seemingly no reason, and you're going to take all the other fish out any how. Treating some and not all won't do any good. You have the opportunity to make sure they are extra squeaky clean, might as well take it.

 

[worm5406]

Not to be mean to your LFS, glad they QT it for you. Is the water shared? If it is and t hey add new fish on a regular basis something they get the day before you pick it up can be in/on your fish very quickly.

Just wondering. Personally I would QT it. It is not going to harm it.

3 X 40g breeders is good but is there a reason you need to do that many? How many fish are you going to QT at once? I see the list bust are all these going to be done at once?

How much new rock are you adding and are you transfering over the substrate?

Right now it is all cycled. You could do an upgrade over a few days as long as the rock stays wet and alive.

 

[anthias26tang]

Not to be mean to your LFS, glad they QT it for you. Is the water shared? If it is and t hey add new fish on a regular basis something they get the day before you pick it up can be in/on your fish very quickly.

Just wondering. Personally I would QT it. It is not going to harm it.

3 X 40g breeders is good but is there a reason you need to do that many? How many fish are you going to QT at once? I see the list bust are all these going to be done at once?

How much new rock are you adding and are you transfering over the substrate?

Right now it is all cycled. You could do an upgrade over a few days as long as the rock stays wet and alive.

I've seen the stores setup. In the back room they have several separate tanks for quarantine. Some for coral and some for fish. I think they might dose something in there but not sure what. And they mostly quarantine to make sure the fish are eating before they are taken home. And I am actually hoping to get all the fish at once so I can add them all to the new tank together because of my experience with old fish attacking new fish because of their established territory and all. I've had bad luck with trying to add new fish. The lunar wrasse was the last thing added and that was only successful because he's bigger than everybody else. They killed the powder blue I put in there. And a couple fish before that. So I stopped trying. So I was hoping to just be able to put those all in together at the same time so I wouldn't have to worry about aggression if I try to add any of these later after some have already established territory. That's why I want to set up a few quarantine tanks. I see all these videos where people have tons of fish. I'm wondering how they do it? A group of fish at a time? Or what.

 

[worm5406]

Ok Just asking. Did not realize the full game plan. Aggression really does make for a horrible transition.

 

[anthias26tang]

Trying to decide on a protein skimmer. Does anybody use bubble magus? Found one that says it does 400 gallons and it's $379. I wanted reef octopus but $600 for a skimmer that does 300 or so gallons is ridiculous. Then it doesn't make sense that a skimmer that does 250 gallon aquarium is $299 then it jumps up $300 just for a skimmer that does 50 to 100 more gallons. There's a reef octopus that says it does 265 gallons for $329 or the bubble magus that does 400 gallon. Then the next best reef octopus is 569$ or so. So out of the 265 gallon reef octopus and the 400 gallon bubble magus which one is better? Is bubble magus a good skimmer or does it being that much cheaper mean it's not a good skimmer? I just don't hear much about bubble magus

 

[anthias26tang]

This is why I quit even bothering to post on threads before because yall are no help to beginners. Yall are too busy commenting on people's builds who already know *** they are doing just to talk about how much great wonderful stuff yall have. I've seen tons of posts where people needed help and nobody hardly answered yet rods 154th tank build gets 1346643345 replies

 

[sde1500]

This is why I quit even bothering to post on threads before because yall are no help to beginners. Yall are too busy commenting on people's builds who already know *** they are doing just to talk about how much great wonderful stuff yall have. I've seen tons of posts where people needed help and nobody hardly answered yet rods 154th tank build gets 1346643345 replies

Well newbie questions really should be in the new to hobby or reef discussion. This section is more for chronicling builds and not as active. Also sometimes questions are missed and posts get buried. People answered your previous questions, miss one and this is how you react?

 

[worm5406]

Sorry you feel this way. I will help by giving my two cents on it.

I have a RO 300EXT Rated for
Heavy 400 Gallons
Medium 550 Gallons
Light 700 gallons

These prices are all based on the vendor and their reputation. I dont know anything about the Bubble Magnus so I cant really answer your questions. Which is why I did not answer them earlier.

I can say my RO skimmer runs perfectly and is easy to work on and clean.

Sometimes people need a reminder (bump) to remember the thread. I think this post in the equipment section might have been a better place.

Hope this helps you out a bit. What did you actually decide to go with?

 

[DgenR8]

The mood in the new to the hobby forum is completely different than what you should expect to find here, in large reefs. I believe that, as suggested above, trying the new to the hobby forum, even the reef discussion forum will offer you an experience much closer to what I think you're looking for.
Take a few seconds to browse our list of forums. You are almost guaranteed to find a comfortable fit somewhere in there, even if New To The Hobby and Reef Discussion aren't your thing.
Don't ignore local club forums. Some folks are lucky enough to have more than one local club to join, and that's a great way to buy and trade hobby related goods. Not to mention get first hand experience on anything hobby related, face to face from someone you have gotten to know and trust.
Last, we are all human. Some are brighter than others, some merely more informed. Some nicer than others, some just downright ornery. You're not going to like everyone here, and some of our members won't think much of you. This isn't a flaw in Reef Central, it's a flaw in Human nature. I have no idea how to fix it

 

[CrayolaViolence]

This is why I quit even bothering to post on threads before because yall are no help to beginners. Yall are too busy commenting on people's builds who already know *** they are doing just to talk about how much great wonderful stuff yall have. I've seen tons of posts where people needed help and nobody hardly answered yet rods 154th tank build gets 1346643345 replies

Yeah, I totally missed your question.

I'm not sure there is that much difference between the higher end brand skimmers. Bubble Magnus is supposed to be good. I have an oversized reef octopus for my 180 because I got it used and cheap. It's rated for a 500 gallon tank and paid less for it than I did the new one for my 150 gallon tank.

 

[anthias26tang]

I didn't really consider it new to the hobby because I've had my 135 gallon for 4 years now. And lots of people put their build threads here so I thought it was appropriate. There's too many different choices of forums you never know where to post your thread. I've just never had good luck getting help and answers. I'm a member of several forums and have had the same problem everywhere I get a few answers and then that's it whether I put my thread in the new to the hobby or whatever section. And unfortunately there's only one local club forum that I've ever found. Nobody around here really seems to care that much about the hobby like that. And there's not many people on it.

Anyways I went with the bubble magus rated for 400 gallons. Hopefully it'll be enough. Still waiting on my tank to get here.

I'm working on my list of fish that I want to get. I'm being told by the lfs to add fish in batches and do Tangs last. Is that true or what has worked for everybody else. And has anybody had any experience with bimaculatus anthias? I'm thinking about a group of them.

I currently have a lunar wrasse which I can't decide what to do with. I was researching them and it says they don't eat coral just shrimps and snails etc. I've had him a few years and hate to get rid of him. The only store that's any good won't take him because he's not "reef safe". Everywhere else aroumd here sucks and i dont wanna give him to them. So I suppose i will keep him and just not have shrimp and stuff. How important are they in a reef tank? Also he was not aggressive to my other fish that were there before him but he was aggressive to new fish put after him. So my first group of fish I ordered will be going into the new tank at the same time as old fish after everybody has been quarantined and the new tank has cycled. But as far as new fish later on if I add a group at a time do you think they will be ok?

 

[worm5406]

Yes you can add a group at a time. Leaving the tangs last will work.

It would help to share your list. That way someone can find/see a territorial fish and recommend to wait or how to introduce it.

I am looking for a new skimmer for my setup with will have about 500g after it is all said and done.

What area do you live where a LFS is not plentiful?

Are you starting to cure your rock now or going to wait until it is in the tank?

 

[anthias26tang]

I live in Louisiana and near me there is only a petco, a really crappy place called pet zone, and the only good place called epic aquaria which is where I'm getting my tank.

Right now I have a blue hippo tang, lunar wrasse, lemon peel angel, and arch eye hawkish. Have had the hawkish about 5 years, blue hippo and lemon peel 4 years and the lunar wrasse almost 3 years. I had a sailfin tang and blue eye like tang about 5 years and they disappeared within a month of each other. I'm not sure why but I was really sad about that.

Fish that I ordered from my decent lfs are
Coral beauty angel, mccoskers flasher wrasse, melanarus wrasse, 2 female lyretail anthias and 1 male lyretail anthias They haven't ordered them yet.

Other fish I am wanting
2 more anthias looking into bimaculatus or bicolors
Midas Benny
Exquisite wrasse
Another sailfin tang because I loved mine that disappeared
Powder blue tang
Mimic lemon peel tang
Orange shoulder tang
Maybe a yellow tang
Foxface
I possibly wanted a flame angel
Some kind of goby
Long nose hawkish

He said I should get angel fish now to add at the same time as my lemon peel into the new tank but said I could add more wrasse and anthias at any time and Tangs just have to be last. What are everybody else's experiences? If I want a flame angel also should I get him now too or will he be ok if I add him in with a group of other fish? Are fish less likely to be bullied when a group is added? I see YouTube videos of people having 100 fish in their tanks and everybody seems happy so just want to do it right. Adding one at a time doesn't seem to work as the old fish pick on a new fish. Thanks for the help

 

[anthias26tang]

Oh and as far as curing the rock I suppose that will be when it's in the tank. Does live rock that's already been in my current tank need to be cured? What exactly is the curing process?

 

[Jhardain]

People cure rock different ways, the easiest way is to set up a tank/bin that recirculates the water. Run it for a couple weeks or so to let stuff that died break down in the bin instead of a display tank. The secondary reason and most important to some is to draw out ugly hitchhikers and remove them before that get into your tank, some crabs eat fish, some eat corals. My main reason is to not allow the extra die off to effect my tank inhabitants. You run a skimmer on it to help remove particulates and help the process along. I'm no expert, but i have never killed any of my display fish with the addition of new rock.

 

[DgenR8]

Adding a small batch of fish confuses the existing inhabitants. Before they can decide on who to chase, all the new fish seem like old friends. Adding Tangs last is a good idea, not because they are Tangs, but because Tangs tend to be territorial. Any fish with that tendency should be added last.
Any Angel, even the dwarfs (Flame Angel, Coral Beauty, etc.), are potential coral eaters. I would not go that route again unless I could buy from a hobbyist that has had luck with their particular fish. Some won't bother corals, many will.
Removing the Wrasse and adding your shrimp and crabs for a few days before putting the Wrasse back will give you a chance of them being left alone. I don't know how many $50.00 Blood Shrimp you want to take a chance with, as that's really pricey fish food.