Help with stocking list for my 180 please.

[debdeb]

I will be setting up my 180 soon and need help with possible stocking list.
Oceanic 180 (72X24X24)
Oceanic model 150 trickle filter (I'll use as a sump)
29g or 37g refugium not sure what will fit under cabinet
3 X 175w mh
2 X 96w pc
2 X 65w pc
CPR skimmer in sump
(Seaclone 100 skimmer on fuge?)
approx. 200lbs of base rock and live rock
I have these in the 37g reef now:
1 clarkii clown
1 lyretail hawkfish
1 flametail blenny
1 sm. yellow tang (I know, I've already been arrested by the Tang police but I knew I would be upgrading)
assorted snails and hermits
CB shrimp (body about 3")
assorted soft corals and lps corals
List of fish/inverts I would like to consider:
either a mated pair of clowns
or a mate for the clarkii I have
purple tang
hippo tang
naso tang
dwarf angel
copperband butterfly
6 line wrasse
fairy wrasse
pink and blue shrimp goby & pistol shrimp
yellow watchman shrimp goby & pistol shrimp
4 wheel drive goby
clown goby
midas blenny
mandarin (after a year or more)
tridacna clam
green carpet anemone
and/or bubble tip anemone
more lps & soft corals
possible sps down the road
I know I can't put all of those fish in so I'm trying to get opinions on which ones would make a good mix and what would be the best order to add them. Or if anyone has any suggestions to add to the list, I'd like to hear them.

 

[debdeb]

Oh well, everyone must be gone for the holiday. I must not ask the right questions or ask the right way. I seem to have a hard time getting responses on any of my posts. Anyway, I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving.

 

[1journeyman]

Sometimes the questions we ask on here don't attract responses... it's weird. Don't take it personally. I've found personally the more direct the question the better answers you get. Asking stocking questions often is too vague as a lot of it depends on your personal preference.
I'll try to help you out. I've got an Oceanic 180 as well. Does yours have the large center brace? If so 3 lights might be a problem as you can't really place a MH directly over the brace and get the best light penetration. I put 4 250wt HQI's (double ended halides. Smaller bulbs that burn a bit cooler and provide slightly better lighting.) on mine. I put the fixtures "off center" and am using the center of the tank under the brace for meduim/low level light corals.
No need for a skimmer in the refugium. In fact, that might prove detrimental to the life you are trying to raise in the refugium. not familiar with your brand of skimmer. Do your research on them. You get what you pay for in skimming. I'm using an AquaC 240 in my sump and am happy with the results. Check sump size and height clearance as both will dictate skimmer. Just don't skimp...
Coral banded shrimp are known fish killers as they get bigger.
Your list includes animals that burrow. Make sure you place rock directly on the bottom of the tank to avoid a burrower from collapsing your rock and crushing the animal as well as possibly causing a landslide that could break your tank. Research deep sand beds if you are going for burrowers. You need to keep your sand bed deeper than 4 inches for a deep sand bed; as well as making sure you don't keep sand "sifting" animals that will deplete the sand bed of help critters that otherwise keep the bed healthy.
Clowns don't like to be mixed.... in a tank your size it might work, but it might not. Even a 6 foot tank gets small when an aggressive fish is chasing another fish around.
Not at home so I don't have my books handy. Check up on your Hawk. All but the smallest Hawks are known predators on shrimps. I'm happy with my Red Spot and Falco Hawks and they stay small enough to leave shrimp alone. (at least mine have, still must be monitored).
Tangs like swimming room. If you are planning on a lot of corals, live rock, etc. don't go overboard with them. Also research compatibility.
Honestly I'd suggest narrowing your list down. Get a good book like Michael's pocket guide and decide on a couple of fish you must have and build the tank around them.
Have a great Thanksgiving!

 

[saltn00b]

i agree with journeyman for the most part.
those three tangs are compatible , the PT being the most aggressive and the naso the least. other compatibility issues you should research though are mixing your wrasses and gobies.
a lot of people say not to add more than 1 wrasse / tank but then others have 3 and do ok. it might be workable if you have 1 male and the others female.
i dont know enough about the gobies to say for sure but there may be problems with them.

 

[debdeb]

Thanks, I appreciate the input. I knew I would probably have to pick and choose from my list. I also know I may have to give away some of what I already have. So far my lyretail hawk has been very docile. He aggravates my cat more than he does any of the critters in my 37g. I've never seen him pick on anything yet in the 7 months I've had him. That's not to say he won't though. I had a small camelback shrimp disappear within days of putting it in the tank. Not sure who the killer was though.
I'll do my homework on my list and come back with more specific questions if I need help later. Luckily I can take my time and enjoy setting up this new tank.
Happy Thanksgiving again everyone!

 

[ci11337]

I wouldn't put a YT in with a PT unless the YT is bigger and it goes in first.

 

[sebae09]

i only see 2 problems
1) seaclone skimmers suck b@!ls
2) the yellow tang and purple together, im not saying it cant be done but your saying you have a small yellow tang and it needs to be larger than the purple tang to keep its dominance. other than that you should be fine. good luck