Oops, it's been 6 months!
These corals are not difficult but they require a lot of work. You have to feed every head individually and they don't come out when you want them too. Usually about an hour after you feed your tank. As far as the bioload I have never fed my corals. They get all they need from the lighting and water column which feeds the zooxanthellae which inturn feeds the coral or invert. Thus why the no or very low bioload that they cause. Also as far as the gas exchange it`s best to have as much as possible. Your biggest chance will be the top of your tank. If you can get the sump also then that will be a big plus. I have total gas exchange as I have no top on anything in my tank. Surface agitation is how it is done.
This is all good advice, so I've decided based on the info I've gained so far, perhaps I will not have tubastrea. Yet.
I've made some advances and some changes to my plan. I was thinking open topped, all of my other tanks are now open topped, one had a lid but it has since broken. No net or mesh?
I guessed the gas exchange would be similar to a normal tank, I was trying to work out if I calculate stock by gas exchange to the display area only or do I factor in all areas where this can occur?
The more I read the more i seem to think, have the minimum fish stock possible and focus on coral for a reef.
I've now added Duncan to the list and dropped the Xenia and tubastrea.
You lot are really very helpful, so thanks to you.
No doubt I'll have more questions soon pertaining to the initial start up sequence.
My plan,
Build stand/tank, test, if ok,
Set up pumps and plumbing, check things are ok, if all is good,
Add salt water,
Buy sand/rock, wave maker pumps and skimmer, wait until things clear up.
Add lights and critters. (Maybe 3-4 months from now I'll be here)
Add fish, (jan 2015)
Add coral.(+12months from start up)
If I get a move on maybe livestock by christmas or the new year and coral this time next year.
Question, is it ok to sequence it that way? Or should the lights/rock/skimmer happen all at the same time?
Or maybe lights/sand/rock then later add the skimmer, when there is something to skim?