New fish again??

First the question-- Then the life history.

I just got 2 new fish about 4 days ago. A 6 line wrasse (currently ~ 1 inch) and a yellow watchman goby (2 inches) to go along with a mated pair false percs, a maroon clown, and a PJ cardinal. The closest "good LFS" is about 2 hours away and I will be there tomorrow and was wanting 1-2 more fish. Is it to soon??


Started about a year ago with a 46 gal bow and transfered all contents to a 100 gal about 6 months ago. Params continue to be stable. Tanks has 100 lbs+ of LR ~ 2-3 CC substrate. Right now I have a superskimmer hanging on the back, a pinguin 400 filter with carbon and biowheels, a Koralia 2 and 3 in opposite corners and a maxi in a low position on an odd front corner for some upward current.

I am thinking of a Red sea Sailfin tang and maybe something else if anyone has any good suggestions if it is not too soon after adding the 6 line and the watchman.


Thanks,


W

 

I would wait. Let the tank adjust to the new bioload. JMO.

You can see that I went waaaaayyyyyy too fast with my fish and friends in a tank that isn't even three months old. I lucked out and averted disaster somehow.

 

Seem like you have plenty of water volume to keep the parameters from spiking too fast, and plenty of liverock to support the extra bacteria that will need to grow to account for your increasing bioload. But seeing as the sixline and goby are very small, and although the tang is going to add to the bioload, I'd say it's probably ok. What size super skimmer? 125 or 220? It will take a little time for the bacteria to catch up, but I think you're ok with adding a tang of reasonable size ~2-4" and maybe another small fish. Up to you, but try to get something compatible for the other fish in the tank.

 

Super skimmer 125.


I am actually hoping to get a school of b/g chromis, but maybe not tomorrow. I would like something colorful and semi-peaceful (again fishing for suggestions ;D)


W

 

I'd get the Chromis first. The most peaceful fish should be added before more aggressive ones. JMO.

 

That's the same skimmer I have right now... I think you'll be ok. You seem to have good flow/circulation in the tank, so as long as the skimmer is working efficiently, it will pull a great amount of waste out, and the bacteria will grow within a few weeks to adjust to the bioload. The only thing that I'd be concerned about would be if you presently have a problem with nitrates. "Params continue to be stable" doesn't describe a lot (someone on life support could be described as stable, but hope you know what I mean by that). If nitrates are 0 ppm, that's great. If they are 5-10ppm, you still are ok, but still (and if higher than 10) I'd look into building or buying a coil denitrator.

 

Nitrates hang around 0-5ppm
ammonia-0
Nitrites-0
Ca~420
Mg is low~950

 

For a 100 gal tank, to bump Mag up from ~950 pmm to ~1400 ppm, you'd probably need to add a little more than 2 cups of epsom salt (magnesium sulfate). Just mix it in with some RO/DI water, and add to your tank. It may take about 1/2 to 1 gallon of water to dissolve 2 cups of epsom salt.

Where do you keep your SG level? I'm assuming lower range, but something seems wrong, because in any salt mix, you should have higher Mag content than that. Are you dosing extra Ca for some reason? Also, got your fish list on the 1st post, but is this also a reef tank, or just FOWLR?

 

Yea, got toadstool leather, some various zoas, shrooms, birdsnest, branching hammer, galexia, open brain, crocea clam, trumpet coral, small acan, elegance, plate coral, favia, and xenia.

I might be forgetting one or two, but trying to get Ca and Mg up recently.


W

 

Well, in that case with the coral you have, I'd get the parameters more suitable for them.
Alk ~12 dKH
Mag ~1400 ppm
Ca ~440 ppm