New 125 almost-reef with community fish and inverts

[Elizabeth Nicol]

New set up, most equipment TBD... here's what I'm thinking so far. Although I want a reef tank, not willing to spend for the big lights... so, this will almost be a reef

EQUIPMENT
125 gallon, factory drilled, dual
125 lbs live fiji rock (might cure myself, depends what I can find)
Glass top/ Twin Florescents
Wet/dry- trickle- brand tbd
Protein Skimmer- Corallife NW 200
Two 150 watt heaters- brand TBD

AquaNotes tank management (To be added next year)
Tunze Stream Powerheads, model TBD
Aqua Surf wave maker (To be added next year)

FISH PLAN
Blackray shrimp goby
Neon Goby
Longfin Fairy Wrasse
Red Fin Fairy Wrasse
Ocellaris clownfish (2)
Blue-green chromis (6)
Canary Fang Blenny
Schooling Bannerfish
Bluechin Trigger

Maybe one day add a Mandarin Fish if it seems there are plentiful natural critters for feeding.

INVERTS PLAN
Clove Polyps
Green Star Polyps
Bubble Tip Anenome
Emerald Crab
Blue-legged hermit crab (5)
Trochus Snail
Sea Egg ??
Blue Tuxedo or Royal Urchin
Feather Dusters
Scarlet cleaner shrimp
Tiger Snapping Shrimp
Banded coral shrimp ??
Peppermint shrimp

[Fat Tony]

The only question I have is that you are willing to spend about $1000 on the aquacontroller (at least the AC3) with aqua notes and aquasurf to use with a pair of Tunzes, but you aren't willing to spend on nice lighting? Makes no sense to me really....

There may have to be a couple changes to your stocking list, but otherwise it appears to be fine (the inverts are the ones that may need tweaking)

[Elizabeth Nicol]

Originally Posted by Fat Tony

The only question I have is that you are willing to spend about $1000 on the aquacontroller (at least the AC3) with aqua notes and aquasurf to use with a pair of Tunzes, but you aren't willing to spend on nice lighting? Makes no sense to me really....

There may have to be a couple changes to your stocking list, but otherwise it appears to be fine (the inverts are the ones that may need tweaking)

Thanks. I'll look again at the T-5's. You make a good point. Just feeling like we have to draw a line somewhere... I travel alot, so just want a way to monitor in addition to whatever help I'll enlist with feeding/ etc.

Which inverts?

[YLChik]

Elizabeth I love a planner


I think it is admirable when people come here with a plan and look for feedback. Your way ahead of most just by doing that so be glad! I am sure others will have other suggestions or feedback for you, but here is my 2 cents.



Your fish list seems on the high side to me for the skimmer that you have listed. I know that may sound odd, but it's a lower end skimmer that works well, but I would put that skimmer on a 55 gallon tank not a 125 with a lot of fish in it. Skimmers are usually over rated by the manufacturing company so I would suggest you keep looking and try to find one rated for a 200 gallon tank.

I would skip the wet/dry up front - your live rock and skimmer will be your filtration.

With the stock lights... I wouldn't add any coral at all, it is possible that you might be able to keep gsp or cloves alive under those lights, but I am doubtful that they will thrive. And any anemone is certainly right out of the picture without reef lighting.

Originally Posted by Elizabeth Nicol

New set up, most equipment TBD... here's what I'm thinking so far. Although I want a reef tank, not willing to spend for the big lights... so, this will almost be a reef

EQUIPMENT
125 gallon, factory drilled, dual
125 lbs live fiji rock (might cure myself, depends what I can find)
Glass top/ Twin Florescents
Wet/dry- trickle- brand tbd
Protein Skimmer- Corallife NW 200
Two 150 watt heaters- brand TBD

AquaNotes tank management (To be added next year)
Tunze Stream Powerheads, model TBD
Aqua Surf wave maker (To be added next year)

FISH PLAN
Blackray shrimp goby
Neon Goby
Longfin Fairy Wrasse
Red Fin Fairy Wrasse
Ocellaris clownfish (2)
Blue-green chromis (6)
Canary Fang Blenny
Schooling Bannerfish
Bluechin Trigger

Maybe one day add a Mandarin Fish if it seems there are plentiful natural critters for feeding.

INVERTS PLAN
Clove Polyps
Green Star Polyps
Bubble Tip Anenome
Emerald Crab
Blue-legged hermit crab (5)
Trochus Snail
Sea Egg ??
Blue Tuxedo or Royal Urchin
Feather Dusters
Scarlet cleaner shrimp
Tiger Snapping Shrimp
Banded coral shrimp ??
Peppermint shrimp

[Fat Tony]

Elizabeth, did you mean and Octopus NW200 for your skimmer? If so, it is a good skimmer, but it takes a few mods to get to work really well. My suggestion is to go to Marine Solutions and get one of the MSX Extreme 200's. It's got some much better features and the pump on it is a much better pump and is far more efficient than the pump on the NW200... they are pretty much the same body and manufacturer as far as the skimmer goes, the MSX is just a more refined skimmer that works better and more efficiently.

[YLChik]

Oops I read that as coralife superskimmer - if that's not right please disregard my bit about the skimmer!