New 150 gallon Aggressive

[ron s]

I have ordered a new 150 gallon tank that I plan on stocking with agressive fish. Hopefully the tank and stand will be ready later this week and I just wanted some advice on the set up from someone other than the guys at the lfs. The tank is (60x24x25)w/ built in overflow. I plan on having 100+ lbs of ls and 100+ of lr. I have allready purchased 2 vho's for lighting 1 blue and 1 white. I am planing on a wet dry rated for up to 240 gal if it will fit or at least one for up to 180 gal. I am planing on a little gaint 4MDQX-SC for the return line with a splitter going to a 1/2" sea swirl on each side of the tank. I have not decided on a Protien Skimmer yet but I am thinking of getting a Berlin turbo classic if it is big enough. Later on I may add a UV sterilizer. I have not finalized my stocking plan and I am not sure how many fish I will be able to keep but Some of the fish that I am thinking of getting are a Snowflake Eel, Volitan or Radiata Lion, Fu Manchu Lion, Harlequin Tusk, Picasso Trigger, Clown Trigger, Blue Throat Trigger and Miniatus or Blue Line Grouper. Any advice or sugestions on the equipment especailly the Skimmer, filtration and circulation would be greatly apprecaited. I would also appreciate any help on trimming down my stocking list.
Thanks,
Ron
[ October 08, 2001: Message edited by: Ron S ]

 

[mark-24]

Well it sounds like your on the right track, but your tank is pretty crammed. This is my setup, 135 gal, wet/dry, Marine Tech Pro-6500s skimmer, SEN900 return pump, about 100 lbs of lr, 40 lbs ls, 150 lbs Southdown sand, and as far as fish, I'm planning on getting a Antennatta lion, harlequin tusk, foxface lo, and picasso trigger to go with my snowflake eel. You could go with a snowflake, raditata/antennatta/voltian lion, picasso/niger/blue throat trigger, harlequin tusk, and a small sized grouper. It would all be a matter of personal choice, but the voltian lion will be larger than the other lions so you could switch to a raditata or antennatta. I wouldn't suggest a clown as because of their aggressive behavior.
Also, if you went with a snowflake, a lion, blue throat, harlequin tusk, and a blue line grouper, all those fish are technically reef compatable, and if you have VHO lighting. You could think about adding some relitively hardy corals in there. First come cheap polyps to see if they survive. Just an idea, but the aggressive fish will degrade the quality of water in that tank. I always thought it would be cool to have an aggressive reef tank.
-Mark
[ October 07, 2001: Message edited by: Mark-24 ]

 

[ron s]

I know that Clown Triggers are very aggressive but that is one of the fish that I have wanted for a while now and the reason I decided to get a large tank. If I decide to get one it would be the last fish I add and also the smallest hopefully around the 2" range. I have a while before I have to make that decision, right now I am concentrating on getting all the right pieces for the set up so I don't have to do over like I did my first tank.
As for the sand I have 80lbs of coarse and 30lbs of fine Carib Sea sand now and will probably get some more when I start setting of the tank and find out how deep it is.
[ October 08, 2001: Message edited by: Ron S ]

 

[dasnake03]

If I were you I would get a Voliton lion,Clown trigger,miniatis grouper,Harlequin tusk,a Zebra moray eel,and if you like them a Queen Angel,or a Green Bird wrasse.The clown triggers are usually good if you put them in last,and about 3-4".I have a Berlin turbo hang on on my 90 gallon,it works great,if you have enough room you might want to get the XL,I was going to put one on the 180 I had set up,but it was to small to fit under my stand.But Berlin turbo classic should be enough.

 

[justchillin]

dasnake03: i have to disagree about suggesting an Angel...w/ those aggressive fish the water quality will suffer and angels require excellant water quality...

 

[dasnake03]

I don't know how you keep your tanks,but in my tank I can manage to keep my water parameters good.My Emperor does fine in my tank with the Voliton Lion,and the tusk.With a good skimmer and water changes every couple of weeks every thing does good.My Nitrates never go past 15ppm.Have you guys ever kept an Angel before?Have you ever attempted or are they out of your league?Queen Angels are an aggressive fish that is very hardy,and could do very well with the fish I recommended.

 

[justchillin]

dasnake03: well if your keeping a queen angel, volitan lion and a tusk in that 90 i wouldn't really be that worried about you telling me that i'm out of my league. your tank is already overstocked(both the volitan and the angel will outgrow a 90)...just because i choose not to overcrowd my tank doesn't mean that i'm incapable of keeping an angel. i would just rather the fish i do have are healthy and stress free than to crowd a bunch is big messy fish into a tank that is to small...doing water changes my help keep you trates down but that doesn't mean you tank isn't overcrowded...
also Ron S has a 150 which although it is a good sized tank is to small for all the fish you suggested...if you dropped the angel then i wouldn't have a problem with your suggestions....
your post said that you also had a 180 setup. what do you have in there???

 

[dasnake03]

After I moved I never set it up again,but my Angel,and my Lion aren't big.I don't have a 10" Angel,ang a 10" Lion in the tank,My Emperor is 4",and my lion is 3",angels grow at a slow rate so I don't have to worry about him,and the Lion is not growing to grow out of the tank any time soon.What are you going by the stupid 1" of fish for every 5 gallons.Ho w long have you been keeping fish?

 

[justchillin]

no i'm not going by any paricular rule...but the FACT of the matter is that both the lion and the angel WILL outgrow a 90...whether of not they are big now or not is irrelavent. they will either out grow you tank or the tank will stunt their growth causing them unnecessary stress...
i've been keeping saltwater fish for almost 4 years with no deaths...how about you...
also keep in mind i never claimed to be an expert (as you can see i'm not a shark) but i have been reading this BB and others for a few years and one thing i've learned is that overstocking = stressed fish = dead fish. it's as simple as that...
Ron S: are you happy now? look what you started!!! just kidding!!! good luck with what ever you decide to go with and keep us posted...

 

[zack schwartz]

hi
I think with the stuff you have you are diffently ready to put some lions in. Lions are my fav. Just be careful when cleaning. Lions also make a lot of waste!

 

[ron s]

I had not even thought about putting an Angel in my agressive tank. I have always thought of them as a little fragile and hard to keep because they require near perfect water conditions and some have special diets, but I have never had one so I can't speak from experience. All I know about them is from what I have read. I would like to have one someday but I don't think I will put one in this tank. I am sure that Angels are like other fish, every fish is different one may do great in a agressive tank but the odds are that the majority probably wont. Dasnake03 I hope yours continues to do well. Thanks to everyone for the advice.
Well, my tank will be ready tommorow but the stand wont so it looks like I have another week to wait and prepair.