my plan

[mp32]

Well I wanted to run this by you all to see waht is best, I am on a trip right now but as soon as I get back I hope to set my tank in motion

. My sump fuge should be finished and as long as my Uncle has the time

I should be able to get things going within 2 weeks (hopefully less). So here is the plan for now I want to pick up a 20 gallon for a Qt. and start cycling it, When it is time I will order 50 pounds of live rock from here, that should be all I need because I have about 200 pounds of dead base. I was going to go with a Maine Lobster/Alaskan snow crab tank but upon further thought my stock would not last long

. Anyhow, I am going reef and I was thinking my first fish would be a False Perc. or a mated pair. I was going to order them with my rock and that way they can be quarantined in the 20 while the tank was cycling. Now, I was looking at the reef packages they sell here but was not sure if they are overkill or If I should build my own. I have a 180 and I was looking at the 150 package or the 100+ package. The other thing I was concerned about was the hermits because I read about some of the trouble they cause. Also want to know how long should the tank be established before I add the CUC? So what do you guys think?

 

[prime311]

I'd order the fish at the same time as the CUC. You don't want to add them all at once, so the fish would be in QT while the display adjusts to having the cuc in it. As to when the tank will be ready to add the cuc, thats really dependant on how lon the cycle takes. Minimum 1 month and longer if levels aren't 0 yet.

 

[mp32]

I was wondering if adding the CUC to early they would start to starve if there is not enough algae and stuff for them to feed on, or can they survive on flake food because I thought alot of them feed on algae and I did not think that there would be enough for a large clean up crew until the tank is more established. Also should I order one of the packages from here or is it best to build my own. I do not want to overkill this or have too little or the wrong kind. what is a good amount to go with on a 180? On the False Percs. do you have to buy a mated pair to keep them together or can you buy them seperate, and if you do should they be put in at the same time or can you put them in at seperate times? I ask this because I am not sure if I want one or two yet.

 

[mp32]

anyone??

 

[atrialfib22]

As far as the clowns I would buy them together if you are planning on keeping two...preferrably of similar size. Over time, one will eventually grow larger than the other (differentiating as a female) and possibly mate if all conditions are right.

 

[mp32]

Thanks

.