future build 125 reef

I had to give up my 55 gallon when I moved out of my mom's house. I am currently going to college and working full time. I also plan to move to OR when I get finished. It seems exactly the kind of place I want to live in.

But to the fun stuff. I want to start a 125 gallon at some point and would like a little feedback. I currently have a ro/di unit that does 75 gph, will need to replace the ro membrane and di media. A hob reef octopus rated for 130 gallons.

Some of the fish I plan on keeping are possible coral nippers, but I have heard they are easy to keep if fed the correct diet and I am willing to chance it. I don't plan to keep any coral I would need a small loan for.

The fish are: Royal gramma*
Midas Blenny*
Melanurus Wrasse*
Flame Angel
Coral Beauty*
Onespot foxface (Siganus unimaculatus)
CCU: may add some detritus eating snails as needed
Corals are vague but: zoas*
coraliamorphs*
leathers*
Duncans*
Frogspawn* hammer and torch
certain xenia like corals GSP and POM POM xenias*
Birdsnest ( Seriatopora hystrix )

Plants: Dragons breath- DT
Cheato - sump
* the species I have previously kept.

My plan is as follows. Setup the tank with a 2in sandbed, 100 lbs dry base rock, 4 Hydor Koralia Magnum 6 Powerheads 3 set on a wavebox one always on near the top. 300 watt led setup basically 2 3ft fixtures with dim-able controller. Lighting mounted to a tight fitting canopy to keep jumpers inside. The tank drilled with an overflow box into a 55 gallon sump(under stand). Sump set up to have an area for escape artists, a place to house cheato and an auto top off and a section for the sensor box (temp, salinity, nitrates,etc), appropriate sized pump to return the water to the DT. 2 Non glass heaters in sump. 30 gallon quarantine tank with opaque divider sealed for the angels.


I wanted to for go using reactors and high light so I didn't choose many higher light corals. I prefer motion and the first corals I wanted to keep were the euphillia's, fiji leathers and ricordia. I also chose fish that are active as the clowns and firefish I had before were quite boring. Also no dottybacks as they were the most eye catching they were ill tempered and one made its way into my power head and didnt fare so well.

Any feedback besides telling me not to do the angels is appreciated.

 

Something I forgot to add. I am going to also be quarantining corals. Aptasia and poor quality live rock did a number on my last tank. I'm going to try very hard this time to keep unwanted hitchhikers out of my tank.

 

rabbitfish will eat your dragons breath.

 

oh thats why I didnt use a powder blue tang in the equation. hmm

 

then its between another species of wrasse or anthias (which would require more equipment.)

 

I would certainly not do both a Coral Beauty and a Flame Angel. It may work out with them, or it may not. But chose one, if either. I personally have a Flame Angel in my mixed reef, but it is still new and so can't recommend one way or the other.

How about a Fairy or Flasher Wrasse or two?

 

If I had to chose; flame angel, no contest. I initially wanted to do a 5 Halichoeres setup with the melanuras, radiant, Christmas, Hortulanus and yellow wrasse but I thought that might be too much overkill.

I was also looking at the mystery and line wrasses but thats a no. So my other options are the salon fairy, one of the scotts fairy or the Orange-Back Fairy.

I was thinking of one of those and a sunrise dotty back. Also deciding on if I want to add a small school of fish as well.

 

I agree with the Flame selection over Coral Beauty, however know that they are not nearly as hardy as CB's IMO.

You may know this but both Solon (C. solorensis) and Scott's (C. scottorum) will lose color over time if not kept with a female. And a Scott's would likely prevent any future Fairy/Flasher additions. Orange-Backs (C. aurantidorsalis) are reportedly not long lived in the home aquarium (according to Evolved), but otherwise beautiful and peaceful.

 

I didn't know that, but if I did get the salon I would get a pair because the female is one of the few that are as pretty as the male. Will they attempt to spawn in the tank? I know they are broadcast spawners so its nearly impossible to rear young.

 

That's a question I will defer to Hunter (Evolved). You may want to post it in the "All About Reef Safe Wrasses" thread.