Gaseous exchange stocking method inc. coral.

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J.Mcpeak

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The gaseous exchange method is how I've always stocked my tanks, how does that work with a marine tank? Is it "display area" only, or "all areas" able to permit gaseous exchange, sump, ref etc. this makes a big difference in my sums, I can't find anything anywhere about this? Also how do you factor corals into all of that in terms of bio-loading?
 
Stocking a salt tank is completely different from freshwater. I have never used that method for measuring stock or bio load. It's more about fish compatibility and temperament when it comes to stocking a tank - some fish require long tanks because they are free swimmers (tangs in particular) and knowing who is going to get along with who is also important. Then there are species that can't tolerate their own species but are peaceful to others. It's fascinating really. I use liveaquaria.com and ask here for advice on fish stocking levels. Be prepared to be disappointed when you realise you can only fit 2 fish in a 20g, only have a single pair of clowns and can't put any tangs in a less than 6ft tank, but that's the way it goes! It will all be worth it in the end...
 
Corals don't really get factored into bioload IMO. You can fit as many as you can as long as different species aren't to close as they will sting each other.
 
I am aware of most of those elements. I will use 10 times rule on fish size I've chosen a few things I think that should work together. The list is #springers demoiselle, jaw fish, #mandarin, rainfords goby, thread fin cardinal, #paired shrimp goby, #flame angel. That's the list for this tank. It will be 105x45x40cms (LxDxH) with 45x45 sump to house skimmer and pumps. there will be overhead refugium 90x30x35 with 60x30x28 area for rock and algae, this missing part allows for baffles and pipe entry/exit. The hashed ones are the short list. By my maths I can get 39cm of fish. There will be a skimmer, one circ pump one pump to ref. How do you factor corals in? It's about 280 litre. 61 imp gal. Or 74 US liquid gal.
-EDIT
The corals I like I thought may fit are yellow sun, Xenia, bubble, s. Hystrix.
Snails nerite and trochus.
 
There is no stocking rule as to size of fish vs. tank size. You couldnt put a 10 inch fish in a 24 inch tank for instance.

I'm not sure what tank size you are going with, I'm american here we dont use the metric system lol
 
Corals don't really get factored into bioload IMO. You can fit as many as you can as long as different species aren't to close as they will sting each other.

I thought coral excrete ammonia, like urine. They eat? And have guts, or does that depend on xoozanthellae? Like the difference between sun coral and bubble coral.
 
There is no stocking rule as to size of fish vs. tank size. You couldnt put a 10 inch fish in a 24 inch tank for instance.

I'm not sure what tank size you are going with, I'm american here we dont use the metric system lol

That is common sense.
The rule is ten times body length equals tank length for active species and six times for sedentary species.
Divide or multiply by 2.54 metric/imperial
 
Corals do eat and excrete waste but it is in such minimal amounts compared to fish that it doesn't really count. The sun coral will probably create a little more waster than coral with zooxanthellae but they really only contribute more due to the fact that they require feedings and get no energy from light. I see no problem with those corals other than all of them have different care. Seriatopa hystrix will need high light high flow while the bubble is mod light and flow and the tubastrea is low light moderate flow. I have well over 20 species of corals in my 20 gallon and see no issues with any of my parameters.
 
- some fish require long tanks because they are free swimmers and knowing who is going to get along with who is also important. Then there are species that can't tolerate their own species but are peaceful to others. It's fascinating really.
All of this applies in freshwater. I've kept fish for 8 years. Freshwater and brackish.
 
Corals do eat and excrete waste but it is in such minimal amounts compared to fish that it doesn't really count. The sun coral will probably create a little more waster than coral with zooxanthellae but they really only contribute more due to the fact that they require feedings and get no energy from light. I see no problem with those corals other than all of them have different care. Seriatopa hystrix will need high light high flow while the bubble is mod light and flow and the tubastrea is low light moderate flow. I have well over 20 species of corals in my 20 gallon and see no issues with any of my parameters.

I'm getting somewhere! :thanks: I realise they have different care, I have to read it from a book as I don't yet own anything marine. I don't want any errors. I thought careful placement may have ironed out those issues, up and down in the tank, shadowed by rock etc.
I only have a few coral books as a guide.
 
Tubestrea is one of my faves, that's the sun coral, you know your stuff. I'd need to check, I'm using my paper plan, it's a single sheet. The books are all noted, the fish list is a little vague, I can prepare a full list of potential items in Latin for you if would look at them please? I also like S. hystrix.
 
Tubestrea is one of my faves, that's the sun coral, you know your stuff. I'd need to check, I'm using my paper plan, it's a single sheet. The books are all noted, the fish list is a little vague, I can prepare a full list of potential items in Latin for you if would look at them please? I also like S. hystrix.

Haha I'm not good with fish species in Latin but I'm not bad with corals. Tubastrea are very cool, I also like dendrophyllia. Both are non photosynthetic. I have S. hystrix and S. guttatus in my tank and they are not to difficult. What type of light are you looking into?
 
I'm getting somewhere! :thanks: I realise they have different care, I have to read it from a book as I don't yet own anything marine. I don't want any errors. I thought careful placement may have ironed out those issues, up and down in the tank, shadowed by rock etc.
I only have a few coral books as a guide.

Oh also careful placement works in most cases but corals can be picky and sometimes they will not be happy where you think they will and you have to move them. Most of the time they will let you know through polyp extension but not always.
 
The brand new max spect razor 120w, I looked into DIY learned all about electronics found stockists for Cree led, a nifty 240v 2 channel light switch and meanwell power. Then somebody made that light. It's cheaper than I could build out of bits and ticks the boxes of my researched specs.
 
Oh also careful placement works in most cases but corals can be picky and sometimes they will not be happy where you think they will and you have to move them. Most of the time they will let you know through polyp extension but not always.

These are things I've only read about. I have absolutely no experience on marine tanks, this is my first shot. I killed a few fish when I started, I don't want to kill any more!
 
The brand new max spect razor 120w, I looked into DIY learned all about electronics found stockists for Cree led, a nifty 240v 2 channel light switch and meanwell power. Then somebody made that light. It's cheaper than I could build out of bits and ticks the boxes of my researched specs.

Sweet that is an awesome light, I looked into their nano version when I setup my 20 but went with a kessil instead. You will have no problems keeping even the most light demanding corals under that. It's dimmable too so light acclimation will be easy.
 
Corals do eat and excrete waste but it is in such minimal amounts compared to fish that it doesn't really count. The sun coral will probably create a little more waster than coral with zooxanthellae but they really only contribute more due to the fact that they require feedings and get no energy from light. I see no problem with those corals other than all of them have different care. Seriatopa hystrix will need high light high flow while the bubble is mod light and flow and the tubastrea is low light moderate flow. I have well over 20 species of corals in my 20 gallon and see no issues with any of my parameters.
I've read about various flow levels for different species, how do you class flow rate? Total system turnover? Just the main tank? With/without sump? I understand I should be aiming at (times per hour turnover) 10+ for main and 4ish for refugium. Plus wave makers etc! Which only all confuses me, then there is the light factor? Phew! With water hardness there is a graph and scale.
 
I've read about various flow levels for different species, how do you class flow rate? Total system turnover? Just the main tank? With/without sump? I understand I should be aiming at (times per hour turnover) 10+ for main and 4ish for refugium. Plus wave makers etc! Which only all confuses me, then there is the light factor? Phew! With water hardness there is a graph and scale.

For flow in the main tank you will want anywhere from 20-40 times per hour the total display. Then you will have areas of lower flow where you can place the bubble. And you will have areas of higher intermittent flow where the seriatopa hystrix can go. Really you just want random patterns of flow in the main tank achieved through the return and powerheads. Light can be tricky. But once you find where a coral likes it light wise they usually are happy there.
 
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