Stocking a 2k gallon aquarium??

[ML42]

A customer who's tank I used take care of just built a 2k tank in his new home, pretty much everything is massive and custom built, so he is covered from sump, to filter, to water movement, to LR and LS his main issue is stocking.

Honestly when I first saw the massive glass, it was a bit overwhelming so I need some help in some big boys for stoking this tank, and idk yet how i am going to service the tank???

the dimensions of the tank are basically 10ft x 8ft x 4ft so real state isn't an issue.

 

[Beengirl]

Wow!! Lucky guy!!! you could put loads of fish in there. I would definitely get a batfish, emperor angel, a school of anthias in there would be cool, foxface, glass eye squirrelfish, sailfin tang, golden semilarvatus butterfly, a panther grouper is cool. Is this a reef tank or FOWLR?

 

[ML42]

Right now I have his tank cycling but since we stock tanks and he has so much real state that I might throw the idea to him of a reef tank, the issue I have in converting his tank to a reef is the clearance in between the top of the tank and where it hits the wall there is probably about 1ft of clearance so if we set him with Hallides in order to penetrate the depth, the light would basically be in the water, if we set LED's it would just barely penetrate, i think the originally builders of the tank set the tank for a freshwater as the space limits a good light set up that can penetrate the 8ft depth, But i had consider a school anthias and maybe a coral cat shark. LR right now has about 500lbs because we are limited to buying and transporting where the tank is housed.

 

[bettaowner]

Put some gobies or clowns if you don't add the shark. Thread fin butterflies are cool. How about a group of fairy wrasse? I would go with many small fish to add color. Did you choose the inverts yet?

 

[baron1282]

pic's of this tank would be cool, if the owner wouldn't mind.

 

[ML42]

pics will be posted soon as the surfacing on the glass needs to be polished I guess the company that built the tank is telling him, thats its for the anti-scratch surface, uhm you see any other tank I would had probably approached like you guys said, tangs, clowns, and wrasses for color but since the tank is so big the tiny 6in clownfish will look even smaller, I got in contact with a fish supplier and the biggest anemone they can provide is a brownish carpet anemone thats about 1.5ft in diameter, besides that I really do not know how about stocking his tank, Im thinking of approaching it kind of like massive 250g tanks, but the aquascaping and the LR and LS are the issue too, LS in there right now is about 500lbs to cover at least 4in bottom of just sand, but the rocks are requiring we add at least 500 more, LR we are going to probably end up with 1k, and lighting might be done through a DJ lighting that he uses for his club, honestly IDK how thats going to work with corals but he says his LED's have yellow spectrum so I guess they are better than my tank, uhm water movement we have 2x Gen X PCx 150 they are massive but the company who built the tank provided those. Filtration he has a custom leslie SW pool filter modified by the tank co. for aquarium use so IDK how much filtration power it has, the temperature is being taken care of by 7x Hagen Fluval E-series electronic heaters placed in the path of the water movement currents.

 

[ML42]

The tank in the picture is the design he bought, so technically its the same exact tank, the only difference is the top his is open with about 1ft while this one hits the ceiling

 

[Hocky puck]

Aaaaaaaammmmmmmmmaaaaaaaaaazzzzzzzzziiiiinnnngggggg I might say something else when I find my jaw off the floor

 

[TheTodd]

Wow! I think that even though its a monster of a tank, I would still go with your typical mix of Tangs, Angels, wrasses, rabbit fish, etc. they will max out in size. getting some big boys would be cool...Threadfin Snapper, Sweetlips, emperor angel, etc.

 

[Gregcoyote]

Sure wish I had your problem! What a cool challenge.

As to lighting, if he wants a reef;

Plasma would work but $$$

A 6-8 1000 watt MH's will be a good start but a big chiller is going to be needed.

Multi segmented high power LED's with proper lenses would also do the trick. I would use at least 4000-5000 watts in LEDs with at least 90deg lenses for a reef. They are 100 watts per LED chip. See my thread on DIY LED on moving track. Would still use a chiller, but a smaller one. The yellow spectrum in his LED solution will probably turn this tank into a algae farm.

You are going to need to build multiple rock levels, maybe to within inches of the surface for SPS that needs maximum light. Ignore my recommendations if this is fish only.

I would go for schools of fish. They are far more impressive and interesting IMO than a few trophy fish (which you could have as well!).

That is a dream tank to me!

PS: if he is going reef, he needs more equipment and a huge check book.

 

[bettaowner]

I like the tang idea. I think fairy wrasses would be cool.

 

[crister13]

I vote for schools of larger fish like tangs. Also I would suggest big fish like snapper and triggers, angels, batfish, etc. sounds amazing.

 

[KoaGecko]

You should have schools of fish like a big school of yellow tangs! I also like the idea of anthias.

 

[Rosesrblu1]

A school of morish idols. That tank is off the hook!

 

[Mr. D]

I think desjardini tangs, a vlamingi tang, purple tang, and 2 blue hippo's would be nice. A large school of anthias, mated blue jaw triggers, several species of wrasse and a harliqan tusk.

Maybe some jawfish? Or sand sifting gobys as well

 

[crister13]

You can get so many fish I don't want to list them. Seriously.

 

[Keithhjs]

If it were my tank and I had the funds I would go reef all the way. Aquascaped, stocked with corals, schools of fish, and inverts, I don't think the fish would look small. It could be so diverse and interesting I think it would be magnificent. You could have a community of reef fish big to small.

 

[bettaowner]

Anthers would be cool. Maybe some pistol shrimp and goby.

 

[Rosesrblu1]

I just picked up an Australian tusk and that fish is out of this world. Very smart!! Starting to beg just like my porkie puffer!

 

[adeebm]

Saltwater Fish: Marine Aquarium Fish for Saltwater Aquariums Start shopping! The larger tangs would look amazing in that tank. Naso, sohal, blue hippo, achilles. Since you can fit pretty much anything you can buy in that tank, browsing LA and seeing what you like is the best idea. Man I'd kill for a tank like that.

--Adeeb