Need some input on stocking my 125g

[rumrunner]

I will be ready to start setting up my 125 FOWLR in the next few weeks. This will be my first larger tank and I am having a hard time deciding on a stocking list for the tank. I have certain fish that I like, but would like to get some feedback on fish combinations that would work well. I would appreciate any help.
I will be using a 55 gallon tank as a sump with live rock, live sand, ASM G3 skimmer, and refugium for filtration.
Here are fish that I am interested in, let me know what combination(s) out of these fish would work well together and be easy to feed/care for:
Puffer (I like dogfaced puffers but I also like the blue dot Toby puffer)
Yellow tang or Blue Tang (are blue tangs much more difficult to keep?)
Harlequin Tusk
Flame Angel
Flame Hawk
Huma Trigger or Blue Throat Trigger
Small School of Chromis
Well there is my list of fish I like, let me know what you think
Thanks

 

[evilss]

the puffer is a great choice. i keep them and love them. i currently have a guineafowl puffer, and he is a blast. he cost a lil more than the plain dogface puffers but these have tons of personality. you will have a great tiem wiht them.
triggers are also a great addition. but you may have to beware that they may chase and kill those chromis. the trigger may not bother them. just a warning.
as far as the tangs. the blue regal tang may not be that great of a choice. they get stressed very easy.
the harqulien tusk will also be a great addition.
keep us posted on what you decide to keep.

 

[goldpuffer]

To give you an idea, this is whats in my 130 gallon.
Stars and Stripes Puffer 6 inches
Panther Grouper 13 inches
Picasso Trigger 3.5 inches
Spanish Hog fish 3.5 inches
Naso Tang 7 inches
Thinking about add one one fish maybe a gold puffer, bird wrasse or tusk

 

[rumrunner]

thanks for the replies.
Do you think if I drop the flame hawk and stick with a yellow tang that I would be okay bioload wise with everything else?
So that would be a Tusk, Yellow Tang, Dogface puffer, Flame Angel, Huma Trigger and 3-5 Chromis.
If I had to give something up I would probably lose the Tang.

 

[swman]

Sounds good.

 

[irishsalt]

I don't care what Anyone seezz....
I'm settting up a 125 g.(6ftlong) Agressive tank soon. I feel that a 125 with it's extra foot of length stomps all over a 120(high tank).
It's all realtive to your Filtration. I know dudes that run 210+ G. custom Agressive only tanks that have what many in this hobby would call *high*(some would even say dangerous load) Bio-loads and their tanks are always rocking. They have awesome filtration and they clean their gravel allot.
I've had every fish you mentioned minus the Huma Trigger. I've also had most ever type of Trigger Avaliable to the HObbyist(inluding a Clown Trigger that I loved.....ate like a GLuton). I had a relatively rare trigger who's name escpaes me. Hakuma Trigger maybe?
ARe you talking about adding them all - once or is this your Longterm tank load goal?
As for Tangs in General.....GIve them room and they'll love you. Honestly, After doing a 55g,-125+. I personally wouldn't run any type of Tang in a tank shorter then what your proposing. They love to swim end-end like many large fish. As for their genreal UPkeep....easy. If they don't have rock Algea to graze on you'll have to feed them obviously.
Like I mentioned in another thread, I had a Bad ass Emperor Angel that went form tiny Juny to Full grown Adult. He started out in a 55ft Long tank and that wasn't NEARLY enough lenght for him to swim. I finished him in a 125 and he still wanted more.
Also, If you did have a tank with awesome filtration and perfect levels. If you strat them all as Juvy's together, your much more likely IME to have long term sucess with said fish. The family that's raised together will often stay together...hehe.

 

[rumrunner]

Thanks for the replies. The last list would be my long-term tank goal. I was planning on adding fish one a month.
I was wrestling with spending the extra money and getting a 180 gallon but I don't know if that would be worth the $200-$300 difference plus the added expense of salt, more difficult water changes, etc.

 

[evilss]

the up keep for a 180 isnt really gonna be much more than the 125. imo i would get the 180 if you can swing the extra cash. you can get a bucket of oceanic salt that does 200 gallons. your gonna need about that much salt to begin with anyways. your possibly gonna spend a lil more in live rock cost. but you also have a tank that you shouldnt have to upgrade ever. with the 125 if you see another fish or that you want you are gonna have to upgrade tanks. even though its gonna cost a lil more to get started i would get the 180. both tanks are a great size though. let us know what you decide.

 

[irishsalt]

Hey dude,
To add to what RumRunner said which is all spot on IME.
Excuse me if I'm preaching to the choir.
Bigger truly is better in this hobby....period(with few exceptions). The Intital cost for setting up a bad ass 180-210+ CAN cost a Kings Ransome, but it doesn't have to. This isn't a cheap hobby but it's not like one has to be *rich* to have amazing tanks(like many/some would assert).
As for Salt. Dude, Coralife is still kick ass after all these years IME. I never pay more then $40.00/150gal bucket locally for Coralife and they sometimes have it for $35.00 or less. Also, most of the Coralife comes with a free T-shirt(LOL). I've ran Oceanic in a reef tank and it was good but I'd rather just use Coralife if I was going with a Non *UBER* salt. If you want really kick ass salt, Tropic Marin makes the 200gal. buckets that should run you $60.00-$70.00 locally. If your gonna run Tropic Marin, I'd stick with that...period.
Levels aren't as sensitive in FishOnly tanks compared to Reef(as you probably know). Just run the Coralife if you want good Salt that doesn't cost a fortune. It's all you need for a Fish Only tank IME. If you want great salt...buy the 200/gal bucket of Tropic Marin.
The LR For large tanks is what can kill your bank account. I'm going to setup a Minimum of a 125gallon soon. What I'm going to do is setup a min. 40gallon LR curing tank(rubber maid bucket) with a Cultured Bio-wheel Penguin Filter to keep the Ammonia levels low, a heater, a Powerhead and a Metal Halide HID lampt to get the coral growing like crazy. ALl the rock I'll be adding will be Uncrued *Live* rock and regular *Dead* rock that will eventually be live. THis is going to save me a ton of money as the local dudes have are selling me Uncured Premium rock(of various types) for $2.00/lb. quanitity discount.
I say if you can afford a larger tank....DO IT> You'll love it in the end. Start out with Great equipment to begin with, as it will save you allot of heartache and money in the long run. CHeck out the newspaper/s as people are sellling their ole fish stuff all the time. 125+ tanks are harder to find but you never know. I saw some dude two weeks ago selling a Custom Acrylic 320gal with stand and canopy(someone stole it from him - a sweet price).
Peace

 

[evilss]

irish salt touched on some great points. you dont have to be rich ot enjoy this hobby.i myself am in the situation that i cant all brand new equiptment or brand new thanks.
i got a deal on my used 135 gal. $600 tank stand, lights, filtration, and canopy (that i threw away). this had about 40 lbs of live rock and fish. so there are good deals out there. i got some of my stuff used but i got it in good condition. i got a skimmer rated for 180 gallons for $40. when i finally got it dialed, in you cant tell me it dont do as good as a $250 skimmer.
you can also save alot of money by doing do it yourself projects. im currrently designing a refuge with rubbermades. this will save me tons of money and work just as good as anything you can buy. i also made a canopy for my 29 gal tank.
about 5 months ago i set up my 135 again. i didnt want to fill it with live rock because of the cost. i used about 50lbs of live rock, that i got for $130. and about 25-30 of dead rock, that i got for free. you can hardly tell which is which now. coraline has grown that fast. with the right conditions you can get the rock to grow very quickly.
im i would look around and see what you can find. you will be able to set up the 180 for cheaper than you think.
let us know what happens.

 

[swman]

Originally Posted by IrishSalt
I don't care what Anyone seezz....
I'm settting up a 125 g.(6ftlong) Agressive tank soon. I feel that a 125 with it's extra foot of length stomps all over a 120(high tank).
It's all realtive to your Filtration. I know dudes that run 210+ G. custom Agressive only tanks that have what many in this hobby would call *high*(some would even say dangerous load) Bio-loads and their tanks are always rocking. They have awesome filtration and they clean their gravel allot.
I've had every fish you mentioned minus the Huma Trigger. I've also had most ever type of Trigger Avaliable to the HObbyist(inluding a Clown Trigger that I loved.....ate like a GLuton). I had a relatively rare trigger who's name escpaes me. Hakuma Trigger maybe?
ARe you talking about adding them all - once or is this your Longterm tank load goal?
As for Tangs in General.....GIve them room and they'll love you. Honestly, After doing a 55g,-125+. I personally wouldn't run any type of Tang in a tank shorter then what your proposing. They love to swim end-end like many large fish. As for their genreal UPkeep....easy. If they don't have rock Algea to graze on you'll have to feed them obviously.
Like I mentioned in another thread, I had a Bad ass Emperor Angel that went form tiny Juny to Full grown Adult. He started out in a 55ft Long tank and that wasn't NEARLY enough lenght for him to swim. I finished him in a 125 and he still wanted more.
Also, If you did have a tank with awesome filtration and perfect levels. If you strat them all as Juvy's together, your much more likely IME to have long term sucess with said fish. The family that's raised together will often stay together...hehe.
How big was your tank you mentioned (55ft) long. :notsure: