First time reef tank plans

[Brokagain]

Hey everyone, new member here. My name is David Holland, I am 27 years old and have been keeping freshwater planted aquariums for many years. Majority of my tanks are extremely low tech, just sponge filters and light. I keep colder water fish and don’t use heaters due to how many tanks I have the room is kept at the tank temp I want. Most of my tanks are tannin stained due to botanicals I put in to increase microfauna for the fish to feed on and other health benefits. I also keep small tubs outdoors. Overall I was at over 2000 gallons at one point, now tightening up and down to around 500g of active tanks. Some examples pictures I’ll link of tanks I made for bowl show competitions.

I’ll be starting my first reef tank in a AquaTop Recife All-In-One 24g cube. I understand the nitrogen cycle well and will be adding stocking after it’s fully cycled in the order of this list assuming this will not be overstocked and the community here approves of my plans.

CaribaSea Aragonite Special Grade
Dry coral skeletons for base rock

Month 1
1. Trochus Snail ×2
2. Nassarius Snail ×2
3. Cerith Snail ×1

Month 2
4. Yellow Watchman Goby
5. Tiger Pistol Shrimp
6. Trochus Snail ×1
7. Cerith Snail ×1

Month 3
8. Purple Firefish
9. Royal Gramma

Month 4
10. Black Ice Snowflake Ocellaris ×2 (pair)

Month 5
11. Cleaner Shrimp
12. Pom Pom Crab
13. Micro Brittle Star

Month 6+
14. Tuxedo Urchin

Month 6–12
15. Bubble Tip Anemone x3

I plan to seed the tank with live rock or sand from a friends well established tank.

I understand patience and want to take my time to set this tank up properly to focus on a nice pair of clownfish and anemones the rest of the fish and inverts are optional if I can make them work.

Not only am I asking for guidance here but also looking to source these fish and inverts locally within the tri state area preferably closer to Brick Township/ Point Pleasant area where I am located. I would love to find local breeders to source these from if possible.

Any advice is appreciated! Thanks in advance.

 

[Boehmtown]

Some advice if you want it...
i am a very much biology first. I use very minimal non biological filtration. Sparingly. Month 1. Get some live rock in it or live media. Or live sand (real not the carb sea stuff). Very little light. I'm talking like 30-50 par tops. Assuming you can't or won't get your hands on a par meter. (You can infer the par through the Watts of the light or a lux meter on your phone. Or even a cheap lux meter vacuum sealed. And get close enough). Dose 1 drop of reef nutrition live phyto per gallon, per day. I would after a month start adding very low light corals (toadstool's, leptoseris, cyphastrea, mushrooms, rock flowers , blastos etc there's tons that do fine in very low light. Even if they aren't your dream corals, trade or sell them later) . Adding them all at once is a lot to ask from someone new , but the point is the corals are the filtration. Get them in. Get them happy before you start adding fish.


And after it's rocking and rolling.... Someone once told me the snail tank is never dirty. Which holds true. Sometimes even if they aren't eating it. Just walking over your rocks constantly keeps stuff from growing.

Check out indo Pacific sea farms out of Hawaii. I have started all my tanks with them and I do really believe in them. The critters and biology they culture goes together. The bristle worms and starfish eat the algae that comes in their media and Coraline plates and corals etc etc. Can't recommend them enough.


The micro fauna and water parameters are what you're really keeping. The fish and corals just live there.

 

[MadReefer]

My only concern is the livestock. Clowns, gramma with firefish not good. Think the firefish would get bullied.

 

[Boehmtown]

My only concern is the livestock. Clowns, gramma with firefish not good. Think the firefish would get bullied.

Good point. If he's gonna try it anyways. Cause most of us do...... If the Gramma has a proper cave to control and live in, they are much less likely to bully in my opinion. As for the clowns. There's a member on here Eric's 210 I think is the name. Someone will put the right one I'm sure. Super cool dude and he breeds clowns. I got two of the sweetest clowns I ever owned from him. And I think it's because of how he treats and handles them. Never bite me. Never hunt any of the other fish. I've moved the two of them around in 4 different tanks. They swim right up to me , the male will let me even grab him with my hand to move him. I'd get the fire fish in there first.

 

[Brokagain]

My only concern is the livestock. Clowns, gramma with firefish not good. Think the firefish would get bullied.

I plan on incorporating a good amount of caves and hides. Do you think they’d be ok given each their own area? Is it more the personality of each fish or are they guaranteed to be aggressive? Would it be the clowns doing the bullying? The clowns are priority for me, so the fire fish can be excluded if it’s going be a problem.

 

[Brokagain]

Some advice if you want it...
i am a very much biology first. I use very minimal non biological filtration. Sparingly. Month 1. Get some live rock in it or live media. Or live sand (real not the carb sea stuff). Very little light. I'm talking like 30-50 par tops. Assuming you can't or won't get your hands on a par meter. (You can infer the par through the Watts of the light or a lux meter on your phone. Or even a cheap lux meter vacuum sealed. And get close enough). Dose 1 drop of reef nutrition live phyto per gallon, per day. I would after a month start adding very low light corals (toadstool's, leptoseris, cyphastrea, mushrooms, rock flowers , blastos etc there's tons that do fine in very low light. Even if they aren't your dream corals, trade or sell them later) . Adding them all at once is a lot to ask from someone new , but the point is the corals are the filtration. Get them in. Get them happy before you start adding fish.


And after it's rocking and rolling.... Someone once told me the snail tank is never dirty. Which holds true. Sometimes even if they aren't eating it. Just walking over your rocks constantly keeps stuff from growing.

Check out indo Pacific sea farms out of Hawaii. I have started all my tanks with them and I do really believe in them. The critters and biology they culture goes together. The bristle worms and starfish eat the algae that comes in their media and Coraline plates and corals etc etc. Can't recommend them enough.


The micro fauna and water parameters are what you're really keeping. The fish and corals just live there.

I believe I want to do more macro algae’s and anemones to start, I’m not sure tho. Trying to avoid the need for a dosing pump, is this possible? I understand the use of corals for filtration, so I’m alright with using them to get the tank established. But long term I want more anemones than anything. Would that be ok? I can get real live media, rock and sand from a friend with established tanks.

 

[MadReefer]

I plan on incorporating a good amount of caves and hides. Do you think they’d be ok given each their own area? Is it more the personality of each fish or are they guaranteed to be aggressive? Would it be the clowns doing the bullying? The clowns are priority for me, so the fire fish can be excluded if it’s going be a problem.

The clowns will be the bullies, especially if they lay eggs.

 

[MadReefer]

I have a 30g cube with 1 clown, 1 starry blenny and 1 mandarin. Also, have a large black widow nem. The nem split and killed a few small coral colonies so be careful.

 

[Brokagain]

I have a 30g cube with 1 clown, 1 starry blenny and 1 mandarin. Also, have a large black widow nem. The nem split and killed a few small coral colonies so be careful.

This is why i think I’ll stay away from corals for the most part, clowns and nems are priority so i may stay away from the firefish for now. It would be great if i could get the clowns breeding. The other stocking is fine? Goby, shrimp etc? I would love to add some small inexpensive corlas once the nems find their forever homes, but I wasn’t aware they can split themselves so are macro algae’s a better option or will nems kill those too?

 

[MadReefer]

Nems will split and depending on type can be quickly or slowly. Also, nems tend to wander around the tank. If you add coral check daily as you may have to move them away from the nem.

 

[Boehmtown]

I believe I want to do more macro algae’s and anemones to start, I’m not sure tho. Trying to avoid the need for a dosing pump, is this possible? I understand the use of corals for filtration, so I’m alright with using them to get the tank established. But long term I want more anemones than anything. Would that be ok? I can get real live media, rock and sand from a friend with established tanks.

Anemones in my experience don't do well in New tanks. And macro Algae pulls more nutrients than corals so you may have to dose nitrates and phosphates for it in a new tank. Most of those corals I mentioned don't really need dosing. Just an occasional water change. And you can always sell or trade out later. If you want nothing but nems. Buy the rainbows. They split like crazy. But I'd still wait 6-9 months unless you get a free one or a deal for the nem.

 

[Boehmtown]

But it's most important to have fun and keep what interests you, even if it's hard. That's what will carry you through the rough times and lessons

 

[Brokagain]

Nems will split and depending on type can be quickly or slowly. Also, nems tend to wander around the tank. If you add coral check daily as you may have to move them away from the nem.

So you’d suggest even tho I want anemones only, to use corals in the meantime for filtration until the tank is established enough for a nem? Are there any corals that are nem safe? I’ll do some more research into this, if I can do corals without a dosing pump and only water changes I’ll give it a shot.

 

[Brokagain]

Anemones in my experience don't do well in New tanks. And macro Algae pulls more nutrients than corals so you may have to dose nitrates and phosphates for it in a new tank. Most of those corals I mentioned don't really need dosing. Just an occasional water change. And you can always sell or trade out later. If you want nothing but nems. Buy the rainbows. They split like crazy. But I'd still wait 6-9 months unless you get a free one or a deal for the nem.

Sounds good, thank you. I don’t plan on adding nems until I know the tank is well established, which from my research is about 6 month to a year. Nem will be the last thing I add after bioload catches up to the stocking I want.