29 Biocube HQI reef stocking

[Southpaw]

Hey everyone, I am in the process of stocking my tank. As of now I have:
2 perc clowns ( 1 orange & 1 black )
1 six line wrasse

Inverts:
2 turbae snails
2 Mexican snails
1 emerald crab
1 peppermint shrimp
4 blue hermit crabs

What would you guys suggest for this tanks additions? I know I want to add a goby/pistol pair for sure.

This is my first salt tank so I am open to all suggestions! Thanks for your time!

 

[Southpaw]

As for corals, I have a green candy cane frag, a Kenya tree frag, and a frogspawn frag.

 

[czwicky]

For one I would get a lot more live rock and cure it and then add it to your tank. Gives more area to place corals, more hiding spots, and most importantly more bio filter. I would then decide what corals you like and write up and list and then post any questions you have. I also have the hqi and I have everything from softies to sps. Great little system. I would suggest a koralia powerhead or 2 of the biocube powerheads. Also do NOT keep the ballast under the stand unless you install fans. It gets extremely hot. The day after I set mine up I reached in to turn the lights off after 8hrs and it burned my hand. Also it started melting the paint off the stand where it was sitting. I now have it mounted on the wall with a fan blowing horizontally across the glass top of the tank and then onto the ballast. This has given me less then 1 degree temperature fluctuations and keeps the ballast just slightly warm to the touch.

 

[Beengirl]

Some possible fish options would include:

Firefish
Cardinals
Yellow headed jawfish (but wouldn't recommend if you do get the shrimp/goby combo)
Bicolor blenny

Obviously, not all of them, but just a list of options.

 

[Southpaw]

@czwicky I have about 17 lbs of rock in there now. Can I just stick in more live rock or will that cause a mini cycle? If so, how much more rock? I have the biocube nano powerhead. I plan to get a new one or two, what is the best placement?

 

[Southpaw]

Would a flame angel be out of the question? I have heard they are big swimmers and sometimes not reef friendly

 

[czwicky]

A flame angel would be fine in there imo. Others may say not. I have a coral beauty in my biocube and he is happy as can be. It is generally the larger angels who are prone to nipping at corals. My advice would to just keep an eye on him. I've never had a problem with my coral beauty. Every once in awhile I think he's nipping my corals but he is just pulling off algae. He is very peaceful. If you want a flame angel you will need more rock though. They need hiding and swimming spots and also a decent amount of rock to graze on.
With the new rock you would have to go about curing it before you add it to your dt or you will have die off, meaning a mini cycle or even a full cycle again. Let me find a link to a good guide that lays out how to cure live rock and I will post the link here for you

 

[czwicky]

And as for placement of the powerheads it depends on how you have your rockwork.

 

[Southpaw]

Oh that's great! An angel wouldn't be crammed in there with my already mentioned stock? I would appreciate the link on curing rock. How much rock would you suggest I add? Going to my lfs later today. Currently at 17 lbs of live rock

 

[czwicky]

My current stock is
2x Clarkii clowns
A mandarin
A royal gramma
My coral beauty
A three stripe damsel
And a lawnmower blennie

So no IMO a flame angel wouldn't be cramped. Most people would say my tank is "overstocked" but I have great paramaters and happy fish.

 

[Southpaw]

Really? How is your coral beauty in a reef environment of that size? Does he pick at the corals often?

 

[Ericwm]

I also have a coral beauty in my 29(not a bio cube) and he is happy as can be and hasn't touched any corals yet, knock on wood. Live aquaria had them posted as needing a 30 gallon and has since changed it to a 70. Other sites say 30, I suppose it is up to you but I tend to error on the side of caution. I will be upgrading before he is full grown so I am not concerned but I have read horror stories about dwarf angles and coral.

 

[Convict2161]

I agree with more live rock. I have 30 pounds of live rock and 25 pounds of live sand. I didn't like having a flame angel or a coral beauty. They nipped at my zoas and Xenia.

 

[Ericwm]

Just read the op on this thread and I would suggest a midas blenny. They are very entertaining and interesting looking. Definitely my favorite fish right now.

 

[Southpaw]

Gosh I am tempted, I LOVE dwarf angels, but I would hate to risk my new corals.

I have added more rock, now I am up to ~25 lbs w/ 20 lbs of live sand.

 

[Southpaw]

Just looked up a Midas Benny ( was new to me ) they look to have so much personality in their face! A valid option to add.

 

[czwicky]

I don't want to highjack the OPs thread but no my coral beauty doesnt bother anything. He is extrmely peaceful. He's never even bothered my little crocea clam. But I also breed copepods, phytoplankton , rotifers, brine shrimp, and mysis shrimp every now and then. I also grow macro algae in a separate 10g tank for food purposes. So my fish are always getting a constant supply of fresh, live food. I share all of this with my close Freinds who have reefs and out of 7 of us 4 of us have biocube 29s with a coral beauty in them. I believe the good supply of food is what keeps them content with leaving our corals alone. Imo it also depends on the specific fishes attitude

 

[Southpaw]

I would have no issue keeping up on feeding a dwarf angel. I think I would prefer a flame angel to a coral beauty, just personal preference. Is there a difference between the two? Or differing reputations?

 

[Mannydouhnut]

I would also suggest a Midas blenny as they are easy to care for full of personality and have this weird but awesome pattern and have those googly eyes that give them a ton of personality. For corals I reccomend scans, zoas, Duncan's, pipe organs, frogspawn, hammer, and birdsnest. To be more specific I think the coolest coral of all time are blonde blue eyed b*****es zoas.

 

[Convict2161]

Looks real good with the added rock.. Nice job