I think I am overstocked...

[michelle]

The facts:
72 gallon bowfront
2 aquaclear 70-90 filters (I AM getting a rena filter and a skimmer within a month, waiting on my lfs stock to arrive)
3 power heads (794 gph flow ~also another 400gph powerhead ordered on lfs stock)
50 lbs aragonite
65 lbs live rock (planning to double that amount)

The coral:
50-60 mushroom polyps
1 colt coral
1 open brain coral
1 bubble coral
1 favite brain
1 devils hand leather
1 frogspawn
1 galaxy coral

The fish (here's the overkill)
1 copperband butterfly (doing AWSOME-eats like a pig)
2 bartlett anthias male/female (pretty sure thats where the unidentified babies came from)
2 banggai cardinals
1 yellow tang
1 clown (planning on a second for the pair:shock:)
1 cleaner wrasse
1 watchman goby
1 engineer goby
1 yellow wrasse

planning on 2 cleaner shrimp to replace the 2 I just lost.

ok, lemme have it.
How bad is it? I was doing a 10 gallon change every 10 days, but since upgrading to the 72 I may make the changes bigger. I don't plan on any more fish (although there is this yellow eyed kole tang?....ehem, sorry...)

 

[Alexander]

I think you should be fine with what you have. You have a lot of flow going through that tank. The main thing is protien skimming and filter maintainence. You really need to be cleaning your canister filters at least once a week. If you don't things can go downhill fast. You have tons of rock which is good. Are you experiencing any problems as of now?

 

[Piggy]

Well you have quite a few fish in your 72. But if Biff can have what was it 13 in a 55 then you should be able to handle 11. But seriously though I think you may be pushing it a little bit. But if you keep doing water changes and get a very good skimmer you should be alright.

 

[michelle]

the only problem I consistently have is the presence of phosphate. It's been an ongoing battle with phosphate removing media in the filter and making sure not to over feed.
nitrate, nitrite and ammonia are all nil.
And I do clean out the filters weekly...well actually its more life every 10 days. I rinse it all out during my water change.

 

[Bifferwine]

If your water quality is staying good and your fish aren't fighting, then you are okay. I had 13 fish in my 55, but was constantly battling nitrates. Let your water quality and your fish's health be the guide when you are stocking.

 

[yote]

I think your borderline.Of course the tang will eventually out your 72.

 

[michelle]

I think your borderline.Of course the tang will eventually out your 72.

I expect he will but, some of what I have read have said minimum 70 gallon tank requirement..one site even said a 50 gallon minimum. Either way I plan on a 120 in a year or so, That will be my last upgrade..or so, I've told my husband:)

 

[michelle]

If your water quality is staying good and your fish aren't fighting, then you are okay. I had 13 fish in my 55, but was constantly battling nitrates. Let your water quality and your fish's health be the guide when you are stocking.

Thanks Biff, my water quality is great except the phosphates. They aren't high, but they are ever present.

 

[cthegame]

I think you're OK. Te bigger issue for me would be territory over water quality, because you can just do more water changes to keep that flow of fresh water coming. But not much you can do if the fish start killing each other over territory.

I think 11 is fine tho.

 

[daugherty]

i think you are fine look into a phosban reactor

 

[michelle]

i think you are fine look into a phosban reactor

Thanks. I actually never thought of that. Have you got one? How much do they run and are they normally stocked in fish stores?

 

[daugherty]

here is one at 2doc.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=11586

 

[reeffreak]

You are overstocked but nothing serious or outrageous like others I know on this site.***cough**Biff**cough.

Is the Rena a canister filter?If so,skip it,go with the phosphate reactor Daugherty suggested.

 

[michelle]

I am going to get the phosban reactor. I actually didn't know what it was until daugherty recommended it.
Thanks

 

[Rcpilot]

Cheato will remove phosphates.

Put some cheato and about 6" or 8" of sand in a refugium in a refugium under the cabinet and use one of those canisters to pump it.

No more phosphates and NEVER A nitrate problem. With a good skimmer, cheato and a DSB, you could probably add 2 or 3 more fish. The water quality wouldn't suffer, but I'll bet you'd start losing fish due to fighting, as already mentioned.

You can buy cheato cheap on craigslist, ebay or reef central.

 

[Bifferwine]

Phosphate reactors are great. You can get a new one from the 2 Docs for around $40. They work great. And when you are not running phosphate media, you can use the reactor to run anything else you want too -- carbon, ChemiPure, etc.

 

[oceanus]

Better watch out for your NO3 and P04 level ... this may crush your tank .!!

 

[michelle]

based on my livestock listed, does anyone have any feeding advice. I am currently feeding 2 cubes of mysis shrimp per day. Does this sound reasonable? I also throw a fresh mussell about once every week or two.
I am looking for advice on both the quantity of food AND types of food. My only picky fish is the copperband(although the engineer goby will not venture out of his cave to get food) The CBB WILL eat: mysis, brine, and mussels...oh! and LOVES bloodworms-but I won't usually give it to him, just once in a while.
He/she wont eat megaplankton.
Any thoughts?

 

[dustin_P74]

maybe mix in some emerald entree

 

[michelle]

maybe mix in some emerald entree

I haven't heard of it. What is it exactly(or roughly) and is it commonly stocked by lfs's?