Stocking List

x19

x19

Reefing newb
With my water properties stable since Monday I went ahead and made the first additions to my tank this week:

Astrea Snails
Cerith Snails
Emerald Crab (have same hair algae hes enjoying taking care of)
Dwarf Hermit Crabs

Today, I made the long drive to my reef store of choice and picked up my first two fish: a Blue Damsel, and a Yellow-Tail Damsel :-) Its exciting to finally have some fish in the tank, and they already seem to be enjoying themselves.

I'm planning on making small additions to the tank each week, and watching the levels religiously.

My planned stocking list:
2 Damsels
1 Orchid Dottyback
2 Ocellaris Clowns
1 Gobi/Shrimp pair

I had originally planned on an anemone, but think I will go with a leather coral for the clowns to host instead. I'm not sure what the next addition will be, but there is a stunning white pearly bubble coral at the shop that is calling out to me...

Does the stocking list look alright? Could I add more then that? Is that too much?

Thanks as always.
 
Oh yeah, forgot my second question. The guy at the lfs sold me some frozen brine shrimp for the damsels. Since they are omnivores do they need anything else or just stick with the shrimp?
 
I would get a food that has a bunch of different ingredients in it. That way the fish get a variety of food. Brine shrimp is like candy to fish. They love it, but it isnt really nutritious for them.

As for the damsels, be prepaired fo them to bully anything you add. It tends to be their nature. I personally havent had any experience with them, but they can be very terretorial.

BTW what store did you go to? Just want to add it to the list of store I know of.
 
I have a 29gal going now since end of april. If I could add anything add your new fish very slowly. One everyweek seems like it might be too fast IMO. My tank went through a mini cycle after adding my thrid fish which I believe is the reason I lost it. I still have the two clowns but lost a six line wrasse. Clowns are just expensive damsels so they are hardy and could take the mini cycle better. But I read the dottybacks are very terretorial also. but I might be thinking something else. FYI I am still a newb myself but these are the little things I learn in my short but very fun journey so far.
 
Yeah, I'm definitely going to watch my levels for any sign of a mini-cycle and will stop as necessary. The live rock I got was fully cured from the LFS and only spent about 15 minutes out of the water total in the tank set up process which I think accounts for the quick cycling of my tank.

As for a LFS, I live in Plainfield so the nearby choices I've found are limited to Aquarium Adventure in Bolingbrook and Upscale Aquatics in Plainfield. Upscale Aquatics was filled with dirty tanks, poorly colored fish, and they were cranked death metal through the speakers so loud it was hard to talk to my wife. Aquarium Adventure is owned by Petland which is known for its puppy mill affiliations which I'd rather not support...so I did some research and came up with Reef Plus in North Aurora. I really like the guy that runs the place, but its a good 45 minute drive so I hit Aquarium Adventure if I need something quick, order gear from Foster and Smith Aquatics, and drive up to Reef Plus for livestock and water.

I'd love to find a quality shop closer, but I'll travel if thats what I have to do.
 
I'm sure most will agree flake food is not the best choice. Try to find a frozen food. Can't remember now what I got from my LFS problem with DRS food is frozen needs to be shiped overnight $$$. Do you have a RO unit in your house? You said you go to a pace for water. I got one from Menards for $150 and it was worth every penny to not have to get water. I think filter guys is the web site I have seen suggested here for a good RO unit also.
 
No, I don't have an RO unit but have been considering it. It's actually the salt water that I've been traveling to buy, a recommendation I got from an experienced reefer was premixed water to eliminate one potential failure point.

Yeah, I just pulled the top seller off the Foster and Smith site. I'd love to hear a recommendation from someone on the site and I'll travel somewhere to buy it.
 
Awesome, thanks. I've actually got that in a tab waiting to see what people were recommending :-)
 
RO/DI Systems
here is the web for the RO. I think this is the site Biff was recommending for RO. Take a look. The best is one with a DI unit. That will help you get to 0ppm which is what you are shooting for. Also look into a TDS meter I got one for $20 which will let you know when to change filters.
 
BTW I live in Milwaukee, just a little north of you. If you find any good LFS around us let me know. We have a few good ones up here but I have not found one that I really like yet. I guess I would be willing to go to Chicago if it is worth it. I have found alot of "hole in the walls" with good prices and good people but selection and info seems a little off.
 
I do suggest tht you dont add a fish once a week, if a mini cycle does happen, you wont be able to stop it or fight it back no matter how much monitoring you do. This hobby is about patience and you shouldnt add more than 1 fish every 3-4 weeks.

You can do it at your own risk, I did, and was lucky, but my tank has a lot of water volume and VERY VERY highly rated skimmer and filtration systems.

But I would not suggest that you do this. A few members on here havent even added more than a few fish in tanks over 100 gallons in size to stopt he chances of a mini cycle and are going very slowly. Follow their lead. + the longer you wait, the more enjoyment you will get for getting a new fish, otherwise your tank will be finished tooo quickly.
 
I should have been more clear, the intent isn't to add a new fish every week but that I would add something. For example I could add that pearl bubble coral that I've been eyeing..
 
About adding fish…I would love to have the money or the fish back from stocking too fast . My new way to do it is I take the cost of the fish divide by 21 put that money in a envelope every day when the 21 days are up I go buy it. Slow and steady wins the race. Nobody buys a fish just to give it the big flush which what can happen if you go to fast I switched to a bigger tank and thought I could just transfer all the livestock at once. A very expensive mistake the $200.00 worth of livestock I lost would have bought food for a week "stupid is as stupid does" :twocents:
 
AT the store we just mix some of each in a cup then we'll stick whats left over in the refrigerator.That way we always have some food thawed for when a customer is looking at fish,we can show them that the fish is actually eating frozen.
 
x19 said:
I should have been more clear, the intent isn't to add a new fish every week but that I would add something. For example I could add that pearl bubble coral that I've been eyeing..
Click to expand...

That is fine. Inverts don't count towards the bioload of the tank like fish do. You can add all the corals you want while you wait for the next fish.
 

Similar threads

Mike
We're Back!
Replies
0
Views
715
Mike
Mike
F
New to marine.
Replies
2
Views
1K
kbuser92
kbuser92
Sashimi
75G LPS 2.0
Replies
2
Views
2K
Sashimi
Sashimi
Sashimi
75 gallon LPS 2.0 suggestions
Replies
0
Views
2K
Sashimi
Sashimi
Hellybell80
Water quality advice needed.
Replies
4
Views
2K
Hellybell80
Hellybell80
Back
Top