260 gallon stock list critique? (Not stocked yet, lol)

[Freshie In Disguise]

I'm still daydreaming about the empty 260 gallon tank my fiance found at work last summer. Due to the cost of just filling it with sand and water, it will probably end up cycling for waaaaaaay longer than necessary.

In the meantime, I've compiled a stock list that I would love constructive criticism on, keeping in mind that everything will be added over a VERY LONG period... Like... Years. Please tell me what to introduce in which order as well.

Hardware first:
2 Hagen fluval FX5 canister filters
Eshopps wet/dry filter WD-300CS (w/ Eshopps in-sump protien skimmer PSK-100 & Maxi-Jet submersible utility pump)
2 Hydor koralia 6 Magnum wavemakers
4 Aqueon 250W ProHeaters placed vertically in the corners
4 Marineland Pro lighting 24-hour systems (2 on the back wall and 1 on each side wall)

Furnishings:
1" crushed coral
3" Plain sand
3" Live sand
50 lbs base rock (in the center of each rock mass)
25 lbs of Bali Alor live rock, here and there
25 lbs of Marshall Island live rock, here and there
25 lbs Namoli ultra live rock, here and there
25 lbs Pacific Island deepwater live rock, here and there
12 Turtle grass clumps placed sporadicly throughout the tank
8 Saltwater ferns placed throughout the tank
Caulerpa, chaeto/spaghetti algae, red gracillaria just kind of shoved into rock holes for the time being...

ALOT of these, particularily the ones that make you giggle, were my fiance... I swear.
Stock list:
3 blue sponges
2 red serrated decorator sponges
2 yellow tree sponges
Yellow carpet anemone
Yellow sebae anemone
Purple long tentacle anemone
Large multicolored worm rock
2 Red Bali starfish
1 Blue linckia starfish
1 Purple linckia starfish
4 purple & yellow nudibranch slugs (my fiance wants them )
12 bumble bee snails
6 banded trochus snails
6 tonga nassarius snails
4 fire shrimp
4 Pederson shrimp
4 Randall's pistol shrimp
4 Pom pom crabs
4 staghorn hermit crabs
2 decorator crabs
2 yellow watchman gobies
Twin spot signal goby
Pair of blue mandarins (remember, this will be YEARS off)
Pair of false percula clowns
1 Australian black percula
4 flourescent blue damselfish
4 royal gramma basslets
1 male African McCoskeri flasher wrasse
1 coral beauty angelfish
1 purple firefish goby
1 small blue hippo tang
3 yellow hippocampus erectus (fiance again )

What do you think?

 

[carey]

I would really go with a sump setup for this size tank. That skimmer will be totally inadequate as well, good rule is to get one rated for 2X your tank volume, so you'll need a monster pretty much so therefore the sump can be very handy. You also can have a refugium down below and keep your macro algae there.

I have the fx5 and while its a great filter, i can't imagine the maintenance that would be involved. You also could get away with 2 heaters if you had a sump as well as add an auto top off which you will certainly need on that size tank. I would also recommend 4 powerheds for circulation, 2 1400's and maybe 2 1050's would probably be good.

As far as the stocking intentions everything looks good except the extra clown fish. they don't do well with more than 2 per tank. i tried 4 in a 6 foot 125g tank and they still tried to kill the other pair.

 

[Freshie In Disguise]

There is a sump on it, but just one, and it's not huge. My fiance has been looking at this contraption he found online somewhere, it's a big sump filtration system that hangs on the outside of the tank, with a refugium on the inside that has lots of holes on it, everywhere, and you're supposed to add copepods etc. into the sump with macro algae, and they are supposed to breed and travel into the refugium (with more macro algae) and eventually fall out of the holes and into the tank.....? It sounds like a long and complicated process, but evidently people at big aquariums and facilities use this to feed finicky fish and supplement highly-stocked tanks. Unfortunately, the whole thing costs over $600. It would be worth it if it meant adequate nutrition for gobies and seahorses (if that ever even becomes a possibility).

I always like multiple small things rather than one big thing, so that they can be placed in different parts of the tank, so I'm going to go that route and just add more of what I have. Do you think I have too many heaters, then? What if they are kept turned down? I just want to make sure the temperature is relatively uniform throughout the entire tank.

And we can X the black clown. That's a small price to pay for a peaceful reef.

Okay... Additional skimmer(s), additional sump(s), auto top-off, more powerheads.

Anything else? (The electric company is going to send me gift baskets, lol!)

 

[carey]

Something like this would work and it's alot less than $600

Eshopps RS 300 Berlin Style Reef Sump, for tanks 225-300 gallons - AquaCave

Or this refugium sump
Eshopps Refugium R-300,225-300 gal, 2nd Generation - AquaCave

In the end it's much easier to go with a sump and not hang on back items. A hang on skimmer would almost impossible to find for that size tank. On the other hand, an in sump skimmer like this one
Bubble Magus BM-NAC9 Cone Protein Skimmer - English

is rated for what you will need. It's a good rule to get a skimmer that can handle 2X the water volume.

A larger sump would be where you keep your heaters, skimmer and where you run your ato from. You can also add phosphate reactors or a carbon reactor and it will be much easier.

 

[Freshie In Disguise]

That sounds like it would carry numerous benefits compared to having everything in the tank. The tank will be a heck of alot prettier too. My fiance says he can make a large sump and we can keep it on the other side of the wall (which is a closet) so almost nothing would be visible from the front, not to mention it would probably lessen the noise from all my junk.

I think I'm going to buy a heck of alot more base rock too, after seeing Mr. X's in-wall build. My tank is a money pit. Still, this will be well worth giving up vacations for, lol.

 

[carey]

Another odd thing I've noticed too is that my hermits dont have any wires to climb up and get out of the tank. LOL There are alot of benefits tot he sump and your idea of the wall behind is great. I would get an old used 55g tank or a 75g tank and use that as a sump. You then just silicone in the baffles and youre set. Check out some of the other build threads on here in the do it yourself section. People have saved crazy money that way and from what people say it's quite easy to make a sump.

 

[Freshie In Disguise]

I think we're going to use a super ugly acrylic cubic tank that has a bunch of scratches on it... And a hot pink frame, LOL. Finally something useful to do with the horrid thing... I don't know how big it is for sure without measuring it, but it's definitely over 50 gallons, and very awkward looking. I hope there is room for everything.

 

[carey]

You should be fine. Just have to decide if you want a refugium section or just protein skimmer, filter socks and return pump compartment.

 

[Freshie In Disguise]

With the sump tank divided into four equal spaces, there is enough room for everything but the sections are tall and thin and there isn't room for a refugium compartment, but I can always add one onto the big tank. This is already getting insanely expensive, but it will be so worth it in the end. Still don't have anything hooked up.

 

[Heera]

That's one impressive stocking list.
I feel you have way more than your fair share of invertebrates. Most of them have same food source so they may starve out. If you must have them all. Then add them one by one and make sure they have food.

As far as your deep sand bed. The life that makes it live and function will be lunch for anything sifting sand for food.

I would love to see it coming together.

 

[Gboy66]

My concern is the 4 grammas. I doubt that'd work

 

[Heera]

Plz use this compatibility tool and post the results. It's not perfect but still a great tool.

http://aqadvisor.com/AqAdvisorMarine.php

Have you started building?

 

[Freshie In Disguise]

We've purchased everything aside from lights and piping (and live rock/sand), but nothing is put together, unfortunately. Most of the stuff is still boxed. I honestly haven't a clue what I'm doing, if you couldn't tell. Lol. This will only be our second SW tank but I think it will be good for us, as the large water volume will probably prove quite forgiving to our mistakes...

I'm not good at stocking. I see pretty fish and that's all I think about. This might be fun: If this was your tank, what would you put in it? Anyone and everyone, type out a stock list. It's going to be a while anyway. The more colorful, the better.

 

[Heera]

I know how you feel. We all want every nice fish we see in our tanks.
What would help is If you decide on a theme.
Like;
reef- focus is corals and few fish
Or few easy corals and focus is reef fish
Or mix of both
(eq.

)


Relationship tank- clown/ anemone, goby/ shrimps, etc or pairs

FOWLR- breathtaking fish. No corals just display fish ( eq. Tropicana mob tank in Tanked series)

There are so many things you can do. But once you decide the style/ theme and know the limits of your tank size. It is easier to pick fish.

As for my tank my Niece wanted NEMO TANK.
So I have;
90 gallon build I am doing now.
Clownfish / anemone
Royal gramma
Yellow tang
Blue tang ( too big for this tank dory has to go soon
Cleaner shrimp

I may one day attempt Moorish Idol if I find one eating prepared food from fellow reefer. But don't think thy will happen.

Hope it helps a bit

 

[Freshie In Disguise]

We definitely want a reef tank with lots of brightly colored fish, but I think the majority of our corals will probably be fake; I tried SPS once and I had to rehome them before I killed them. I've always loved sponges. I think they are just great, and for whatever reason, they seem to be really easy compared to corals. I've always loved anemones too, and zoas, but I've never been able to pull off the harder corals, nomatter how hard I try. It's probably my hatred of glaring lights.

My first saltwater tank (when I didn't have ANY IDEA at all) was a maroon clownfish, his anemone, a watchman goby, and his shrimp... And that was it. Unfortunately it was a 20g tank with no sump and it was a total PITA, not worth it at all, so after I met my fiance, he built the 50gL we have together now and we put everyone in there, added a few more (tiny)residents, and left it alone. That was our first SW tank together, and we still love it, but it's a rather permanent fixture in the bedroom and we want something big and gorgeous for the livingroom.... Which is where the 260g comes in.

We definitely want some sort of clownfish, some sort of tang, and something small that will school, as well as residents for the sandbed. As long as we get those, we aren't too picky about which species... As long as they don't kill my sponges, lol. Nobody messes with my sponges.

 

[spoonman]

On a tank that size I would use a 125 for the sump. A cubic tank is not good for the sump, you need long tank, not tall.

 

[carey]

Let's see, my dream stock list for such a large tank!.....
Just my list so bear with me! LOL

1 Yellow tangs
1 blue tang
1 Scopas
1 Tomini/Bristletooth Tang
4 Lyretail Anthias (1 male, 3 female harem)
3 yellow coris wrasses
1 Sixline wrasse or a fourline or an 8 line
5-7 Chromis for a school
1 Flame Hawk
1 Midas Blenny
1 Sand sifting goby
1 Butterfly fish ( last fish in)
2 Clowns, not sure which ones lol
1 Algae/lawnmower blenny
MAYBE 1 foxface lo or another rabbit fish

As far as other stuff I have a huge list in my head but it contains: Shrimp, emerald crabs, hermits, misc snails etc....

That would be my dream list so hope it helps a bit!

good luck

 

[Freshie In Disguise]

Spoonman, I think with the other stuff we bought (particularily the new skimmers) we will be MORE than fine. Lol.

Carey, that list is awesome. I don't have any experience with alot of the fish though. I'm on google, LOL. As long as they won't eat eachother, I'm happy. It's probably going to be a good year before the tank is fully stocked anyway and I'm sure we'll get ideas as time goes on.... Or as I learn more, lol. I really like the lyretail anthias. And the flame hawk.

 

[carey]

I have squareback anthias's and love them, figured the lyretail would be easier and cheaper. And th flame hawk is an awesome fish, mine is named Sumo and he is so full of personality! Wish I had one in every tank! lol