50 Gallon Stocking

[ZanaZoola14]

Hello,

I am looking at stocking my newest tank and would like some opinions on it. The tank is larger than 50 us gallons, however I have "removed" some gallons to take into account the hardscape.

Actual —
Length x width x height
Inches — 69.69x12x15.75
cm — 177x30x40 approx

"Working"/internal —
Length x width x height
Inches — 69x11.9x14
cm — 175.26x27.94x35.56

This tank will be sumped! I luckily managed to get myself an overflow bit so this tank is now capable of being sumped, the size of the sump is still unknown due to not having it yet. I have room to add on a decent sized hang on refugium to the tank, as well as an ato if my sump size ends up rather small.
I am hoping for a sump size around 15 us gallons, if that is good?

I've already started this tank off to help with getting it cycled, so it currently has around half an inch of sand in there alongside 5kg of rock including some live rock I took from my other tank to seed some of the dry stuff. I was also given mangroves so they are in this tank as well.

I will be increasing the rock as well, another 3kg increased over the next couple of days. And hopefully when I can get a lift to the lfs I can get the final amount of rock in wet live rock. (Although I will be adding to it once I can get some branches). The rock is directly on the glass, with the sand surrounding it.

Any corals for the tank are likely to just be zoes and softies, as well as possible macroalgae. The lights on it currently are not very good, but I hope to upgrade these in the future.

I make my own saltwater as I have an RO/DI unit. Instant Ocean salt. I do also occasionally use natural saltwater as well.

Before I show the lists of fish I like, let me do some explanation. I am not intending to do all these fish. Only those in Known are guaranteed to happen. Otherwise the other two lists are based on the number I gave them, the higher the number, the more I am interested in them. Those in the Possible list are of more interest than those in the Lower list.

Known
1x Chalk Basslet
1x Assessor Basslet (yellow or blue)
2x Flame Scooter Blenny (m&f)

I do have a spare tank already running that either of these basslets can be moved into if needed. But I want to give it a shot

Possible
1x Possum Wrasse (yellow?) (6)
2x Banggai Cardinal (6)
3x PJ Cardinal (7)
1x Barred Spiny Basslet (6)
1x Yellowfin Flasher Wrasse (6) Paracheilinus flavianalis
1x Multicolour Lubbock’s Fairy Wrasse (5) Cirrhilabrus lubbocki
1x McCosker’s Flasher Wrasse (8) Paracheilinus mccoskeri
1x Ruby Longfin Fairy Wrasse (8) Cirrhilabrus rubriventralis
1x Naoko’s Fairy Wrasse (8) Cirrhilabrus naokoae

Here I understand that I will only be able to have a Ruby Longfin or a Naoko's due to them coming from the same subspecies of fairy wrasse. Which one I get will likely end up as which one the lfs can get in as I like them equally.

Lower
1x Starry Algae Blenny (7)
1x Blue Stripe Pipefish (4)
1x Golden Dwarf Moray (2)
1x Snowflake Moray (2)
1x Jawfish (yellowhead?) (9)
1x Longnose Hawkfish (6)
4x Blackfin Dartfish (6)
4x Barnacle Blenny (4)
1x Greenbanded Goby (5)
4x Blue Gudgeon (6)
1x Blue Cheek Goby (4)
2x Purple Firefish (6)
1x Silver Belly Wrasse (5) Halichoeres leucoxanthus (1" sand)
1x Peacock Leopard Wrasse (5) Macropharyngodon bipartitus (1" sand)
1x Red-Lined Wrasse (5) Halichoeres biocellatus (1" sand)

Here I know the wrasses will need a deeper sand than what I already have. However, I can always deepen areas as well for them.

I don't know whether the eels are actually likely, due to wanting these smaller fish that they might see as snacks. Also whether the width of the tank would stop them, even with their noodle soft curling up. Anyone have any experience on what sort of "size" fish these eels have the chance of eating?

CUC
3x Cleaner Shrimp
2x Pods
5x Nass snails
2x Spiny Astrea snail
2x Conch
2x Tuxedo Urchin (?)
4x Trochus snails
5x Nerite snails

Here the tuxedo urchin has a (?) due to how I am debating doing macroalgae in the display and I know that these would eat it.

With my tank size I understand that I cannot have any fish larger than 6".

To help with the numbers in the bracket, treat it like a 1 — lowest chance of having, 10 — guarantee of having. For instance clownfish would be a 0 due to how I don't want them no matter what.

The jawfish is a 9, a very high rating, but not moving up because I have a yellowhead/pearly jawfish in my other tank. And as much as I love the little idiot, I don't know if I want two of the same fish in there.

Please feel free to suggest fish, or reasons for fish to change categories, as nothing is set in stone. I am struggling to also work out what sort of numbers I could do for this tank, as it is not like the little nano I was originally planning. For instance, I think that Tomini Tangs are small enough for this tank, but I am not sure whether the width/depth of this tank would be fair for them.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, whether that is on the stocking or otherwise. As well as maybe anyone who has any idea on the order of adding livestock to the tank?

Thanks

 

[Andy Sager]

WOW!!! That's a lot of ifs and maybes.
For starters, the size sump is determined by the pumps and piping you will be using not the size of the main aquarium. I had a 20 gallon tank that I used on my 75 gallon tank which when it was running, only held 10 gallons of water in it. I had a 30 gallon tank that needed a 15 gallon tank for the sump because I was using a stronger return pump so it needed more water in it. So you need to figure out your machinery and plumbing before you get the sump.
You are going to need a lot of hiding places and rock work if you are going to be successful with keeping different Fairy wrasses and if you get all males, there will still be a possibility of fighting unless you put them all in at the time so no one wrasse has HIS territory invaded by another wrasse. The cardinals are okay but scratch the eels and the pipefish as the eels will eat the smaller elongated fish and the pipefish are too timid to fight for food with more aggressive feeders. You are going to have to be more specific on which gobies and blennies you are actually getting because some gobies will do better in schools while others do better alone. Same with the blennies. As for your clean up crew, be careful with what kinds of conch you add as some do eat other snails. The Tomini tang should work since your tank is near 6' long.
Some of your choices may have to change depending on if you get any corals and plants.

Hope this helps.

 

[ZanaZoola14]

WOW!!! That's a lot of ifs and maybes.
For starters, the size sump is determined by the pumps and piping you will be using not the size of the main aquarium. I had a 20 gallon tank that I used on my 75 gallon tank which when it was running, only held 10 gallons of water in it. I had a 30 gallon tank that needed a 15 gallon tank for the sump because I was using a stronger return pump so it needed more water in it. So you need to figure out your machinery and plumbing before you get the sump.
You are going to need a lot of hiding places and rock work if you are going to be successful with keeping different Fairy wrasses and if you get all males, there will still be a possibility of fighting unless you put them all in at the time so no one wrasse has HIS territory invaded by another wrasse. The cardinals are okay but scratch the eels and the pipefish as the eels will eat the smaller elongated fish and the pipefish are too timid to fight for food with more aggressive feeders. You are going to have to be more specific on which gobies and blennies you are actually getting because some gobies will do better in schools while others do better alone. Same with the blennies. As for your clean up crew, be careful with what kinds of conch you add as some do eat other snails. The Tomini tang should work since your tank is near 6' long.
Some of your choices may have to change depending on if you get any corals and plants.

Hope this helps.

Yeah, there are a lot of fish that caught my attention, and this is the shortened lists.

The greenbanded and blue cheek goby have since been removed. Same with the eels. The cardinals themselves have been moved to the Lower list. The barnacle blennies have also been removed from the lists.
A midas blenny has been added to the Possible list.

Midas Blenny — Ecsenius midas
Starry Algae Blenny — Salarias ramosus

Would strawberry conch be ok? Or would they attack other snails?

I'm possibly looking at doing some macroalgae in this tank, maybe during the initial setup time it is up. However, I am happy to only have them in the sump and additional refugium.
I understand the urchin, possibly the algae blenny, and if I do get the tang, would eat these macroalgaes.

Is there any on that list that would annoy/eat/kill softies? Because then I need to really remove them. I'm likely down the road add some of the blue heliopora that is thriving in my other tank to this tank as well. So I probably need to try and take that into account as well.

The overflow I have for the tank is rated up to 5000l/h. So hopefully I'll have some wiggle room. I also know the sump will need to be a certain size due to the overflow and what happens if the power goes out. So it needs at least 5 gallons free space to stop overflowing if the power goes out. I was guessing the size of the sump partially due to the room I have for the sump.

Thanks so much for your reply!

 

[Andy Sager]

The conch is an omnivore which means that it does eat meat but not solely meat so as a scavenger, if your other snails are not healthy, the conch will most likely eat them before they die. If you are concerned, scrap that one from the list too.
I don't see any fish on your list that would bother soft corals but the blennies could do some damage to plants since many on your list are algae eaters.
As for not overflowing a sump here's is my way that works for any size tank or system.
Start with all pumps off.
Fill the aquarium to the point where the water is overflowing into the sump then stop filling.
Once the overflow has stopped draining, fill the sump to the top ( or just under the top) of the tank.
Turn on the return pump.
Once the system is flowing where the water is returning to the sump at full force, mark that water line on the tank and NEVER fill the sump above that line. Your sump can't overflow because there isn't more water in the system than what the tank and sump can hold. The only way that happens is if there is a break in the overflow line or the return line back siphons when the power goes out. The way to stop that is to either have the return line end above the water level or drill a hole just under the water line so that it will suck air and break the siphon. ( You would need to drill the hole after you fill the tank and before you fill the sump so that you have a true level in the sump to not fill above. ) This way, you don't have to depend on any other devices to stop the back siphon.

 

[ZanaZoola14]

The conch is an omnivore which means that it does eat meat but not solely meat so as a scavenger, if your other snails are not healthy, the conch will most likely eat them before they die. If you are concerned, scrap that one from the list too.
I don't see any fish on your list that would bother soft corals but the blennies could do some damage to plants since many on your list are algae eaters.
As for not overflowing a sump here's is my way that works for any size tank or system.
Start with all pumps off.
Fill the aquarium to the point where the water is overflowing into the sump then stop filling.
Once the overflow has stopped draining, fill the sump to the top ( or just under the top) of the tank.
Turn on the return pump.
Once the system is flowing where the water is returning to the sump at full force, mark that water line on the tank and NEVER fill the sump above that line. Your sump can't overflow because there isn't more water in the system than what the tank and sump can hold. The only way that happens is if there is a break in the overflow line or the return line back siphons when the power goes out. The way to stop that is to either have the return line end above the water level or drill a hole just under the water line so that it will suck air and break the siphon. ( You would need to drill the hole after you fill the tank and before you fill the sump so that you have a true level in the sump to not fill above. ) This way, you don't have to depend on any other devices to stop the back siphon.

Hmm, the conch may have to be a tentative yes for now, as I know they can be very good for your sand. So maybe only one that I watch over.

Is the midas blenny the same and likely to eat macros and mangrove? While I don't mind so much if the display micros do disappear eventually, I'd rather know if midas is likely to take them to plan timings of when to add.

Thanks for those bits about the sump. That sounds like a much better way than filling and hoping for the best as you turn the pump off! I'll likely have the waterflow just above the water level so that it cannot syphon out.

Thank you so much for the reply!

 

[Andy Sager]

Hmm, the conch may have to be a tentative yes for now, as I know they can be very good for your sand. So maybe only one that I watch over.

Is the midas blenny the same and likely to eat macros and mangrove? While I don't mind so much if the display micros do disappear eventually, I'd rather know if midas is likely to take them to plan timings of when to add.

Thanks for those bits about the sump. That sounds like a much better way than filling and hoping for the best as you turn the pump off! I'll likely have the waterflow just above the water level so that it cannot syphon out.

Thank you so much for the reply!

Midas Blennies are not really herbivores so no issues with your plants. They are one of the " swimming" blennies more than stationary blennies like the Barnacle Blenny and feed in the water column instead of off the rocks and decor. Make sure you feed them planktonic foods like Mysis shrimp, Enriched Brine Shrimp and similar foods.

 

[ZanaZoola14]

Midas Blennies are not really herbivores so no issues with your plants. They are one of the " swimming" blennies more than stationary blennies like the Barnacle Blenny and feed in the water column instead of off the rocks and decor. Make sure you feed them planktonic foods like Mysis shrimp, Enriched Brine Shrimp and similar foods.

Woo! Enriched brine shrimp is one of my favourites to feed my tanks, so that shouldn't be an issue!
Thank you so much for all your help!

 

[Andy Sager]

Woo! Enriched brine shrimp is one of my favourites to feed my tanks, so that shouldn't be an issue!
Thank you so much for all your help!

Just remember, variety is the spice of life. You need to feed multiple foods to keep fish healthy. Even specialty feeders eat more than just one food type.
Don't forget to post pics of your tank(s) when you get them set up and filled.

 

[ZanaZoola14]

Just remember, variety is the spice of life. You need to feed multiple foods to keep fish healthy. Even specialty feeders eat more than just one food type.
Don't forget to post pics of your tank(s) when you get them set up and filled.

Of course. I only meant how when I repeat a food (I attempt to try different each time) that it is brine shrimp that I repeat as I know the fish like it.

Will do! Well, however long that takes.