Another Bio Load Question

[ryshark]

I am hoping to get a Auriga/Threadfin butterflyfish to add to my aquarium. I would like some advice from you guys if you think my tank could handle the bio load. I have a 75-gallon tank, 40lbs live rock and 30lbs live sand. My LFS sold me one of those expenensive complete water management systems which includes all of this stuff in two pieces: Protein skimmer, surface skimmer, 1000 GPH pump. As far as the filter media the layers go as follows from top to bottom PolyFiber mechanical media, carbon pad, bio balls, activated carbon pillow, sintered glass cylinders.
My current bio load includes:
1-Blue Hippo Tang about 4"
2-Ocellaris Clowns about 1.5"
1-Sgt. Major Damsel about 2:
8-assorted snails
2-cleaner shrimp
2-scarlet hermet crabs

I have had my aquarium up and running for a little over 2-monts and everything has been great. I have a couple of those amphipods running around at night sometimes. My current readings are 0-ammonia, 0-nitrite, 20-nitrate, 8.3-PH
This new hobby has been a ton of fun for me and I know for sure that I will end up upgrading to a bigger tank at least 150gallons probably in 2-yeras.

So back to the original question. Do you think I can add a Auriga/Threadfin Butterfly fish? Thanks.

[Lance M.]

I dont know anything about butterflyfish but I think it will be too big for such a small tank. idk

But your nitrates are relatively high you should pwc and try and get them under 10ppm. And I think your going too fast if you already have those fish in just two months. And I would ditch the bio-balls and sintered glass and get about 80-100lbs of more lr.

[melosu58]

I`m thinking you might be OK but you`ll be at your limit. Your water management system will help. One thing I would suggest is that you add another 30-40 lbs of LR. You are a little understaffed there. A good target amount is 1.5-2 lbs per gallon. Here are some threads on the fish.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...cfm?pCatId=190

http://www.fantasyreef.com/database/...=7&item_id=146

[roka64]

I agree with Lance (on the adding too much too fast), you may want to wait a few weeks, so as to not overload your bioload.
I also agree with Mike, you should be ok as long as you don't have corals in the tank, specifically, polyps. I would add more rock, since they tend to be shy and need ample hiding spaces.

[ryshark]

If I ditch the bio balls and glass cylinders can I put Live Rock pieces in their place in that part of my filter? If so, is it a MUST that the live rock in the filter would need light? I hope not because I the way my filter is set up the bio balls and glass cyliners dont get a lot of light, so if I replaced it with lr, it would not get much either. Thanks

[austinsdad]

The rock rubble wouldn't need light.

[melosu58]

Originally Posted by austinsdad

The rock rubble wouldn't need light.

I agree with Ray