NEWBIE 200 gal build diary

coral keeper

coral keeper

Active Member

Originally Posted by rlablan
http:///forum/post/3111430
**Just to clarify, this is not what I actually intend to keep. (maybe, if I can) these are the inverts and fish that I like and would like to see. I am thinking of buying 1 of the things I want every 2 weeks or so. (my BF and I like to make it a day where we go buy our choice of something and we pick it out together. Corny, I know.)
Existing stock-
Mandarin goby x1
Royal gramma x1
Green bubble tip x1
Pencil urchin x1
Various corals
Fuzzy dwarf lion fish x1
Maroon clownfish x1
Signal goby x1
Pygmy angel x1
Deep sea yellow gorgonian x1
New stock- (for 200 gal)
Flame angelfish
Banded Angelfish
Coral beauty Angelfish
Fisheri Angelfish
Midnight angelfish
Lyretail anthias
Midas blenny
Heniochus butterfly (monitor with coral, invert)
Banggai cardinal x3
Pajama cardinalx5
Harbour goby
Longnose hawkfish
Sand flounder (aka tongue fish)
Blue hippo tangx2
Powder blue tang
Yellow tang
Humu humu trigger (Picasso trigger)

[hr]
trigger
Pinstripe wrasse
Maxima clams x2 (possibly 1 giant one?)
Duster clusters
Feather dusters
Coco worms
Purple lobster
Lettuce nudibranch
Various corals
Here is what I would do for fish if I were you. I would defiantly get rid of the Fuzzy dwarf lion fish as it can eat all your small fish.
Existing stock-
1 Mandarin goby
1 Royal gramma
1 Maroon clownfish
1 Signal goby
1 Pygmy angel (50/50 with corals)
New stock- (for 200 gal)
1 Flame angelfish (50/50 with corals)
1 Coral beauty Angelfish (50/50 with corals)
1 Midas blenny
1 Heniochus butterfly (monitor with coral, invert)
1 Harbour goby
1 Longnose hawkfish (monitor with coral inverts)
1 Blue hippo tang
1 Yellow tang
1 Pinstripe wrasse
2 Lyretail anthias
3 Banggai cardinal
3 Pajama cardinal
Here is a list of triggers that are fairly reef safe and should be fine in your tank.
1 Niger Trigger
or
1 Sargassum Triggerfish
or
1 Pinktail Triggerfish
or
1 Crosshatch Triggerfish
But like all other fish, if starved, it will start to eat things in the reef, so, be sure to keep your angelfish and trigger full.
Also. what are the dimensions of your tank? Dimensions play a BIG role when planning on adding large fish.
 
coral keeper

coral keeper

Active Member
Also, I just noticed that you put a Purple Lobster to your list, DO NOT GET IT!!!!! Don't get ANY lobster!! Lobster's WILL eventually eat your shrimp and your small fish.
 
king_neptune

king_neptune

Active Member
Isn't 200 gal small for any trigger? Those fish swim ALOT.
I thought you wanted 500 gal or more for triggers. Just checking, cuase I wasn't sure 200 gal would be ok for them.
 
coral keeper

coral keeper

Active Member
Originally Posted by King_Neptune
http:///forum/post/3120536
Isn't 200 gal small for any trigger? Those fish swim ALOT.
I thought you wanted 500 gal or more for triggers. Just checking, cuase I wasn't sure 200 gal would be ok for them.
It all depends on the dimensions and the amount of rock you have in the DT. If the dimensions are right, and you don't have a lot of rock in the DT, a 200 gallon should be fine for a trigger.
 
rlablan

rlablan

Active Member
My dimensions are 31 deep by 51 wide and it's a big rectangle. it's also very deep. I have alot of live rock but I stacked it and glued it together in the middle of the tank around my intakes. There is room on all side of this tank for much swimming. I planned ahead because I really wanted a niger trigger. There is one for 24 bucks right now at an LFS... can I get it?? he's only about 3 inches from head to tip of fin. maybe less.
And also... I am not getting rid of the lion. He is like tiny tiny tiny. All of my fish are twice the size of him. He'll be fine. Plus I already put him in there and there is no way he's coming out. he's also adorable and I love watching him... he's out more than any other fish!
And I have updated my lists and stocks and recently. And yes coral keeper, I would like a list of equipment and a list of corals. lol Also a list of what's in your pantry.

Current stock:
1 foxface rabbit fish (doing great by the way!)
1 mandarin goby
1 twin spot goby
1 royal gramma
1 maroon clown fish
1 dwarf pygmy angel
1 fuzzy dwarf lion fish
Here is my new list for things I want:
1 niger trigger
1 midas blenny
x3 cardinals (pjs or regular???)
1 longnose hawkfish
1 blue hippo tang
1 achilles tang
1 (what kind of tang would do well here??)
Maxima clam
Duster clusters
LG feather dusters
some snails or small hermits maybe
So does that work?? What do we think?
I still don't know what kind of corals, probably softies, I don't want to add any reactors or anything of that nature. I am just looking for coral and texture.
I put the niger on hold at the store, So tell me if I should go get him!! I have wanted one of those forever!! They are absolutely my favorite fish to watch.
 
rlablan

rlablan

Active Member
I have just been on the phone with some local LFSs who know about my tank and they said yes, the fish can get big but it will take a long time, especially buying him this small. I think I am going to get him, unless there are any objections? As long as we will look with my current fish. I have just googles and many people said that they keep them with lion fish as well, thought the niger may pick at his fins. Alot of the comments I read, said they this had never happened to them, and the only down side is rock slides but all of him stuff is glues together and alot of the peices are quite large, and are hard for my to pick up. I don't have any inverts at this point in my tank, except some peppermint shrimp and I never see them.
Is it okay?
 
coral keeper

coral keeper

Active Member
Originally Posted by rlablan
http:///forum/post/3120595
My dimensions are 31 deep by 51 wide and it's a big rectangle. it's also very deep. I have alot of live rock but I stacked it and glued it together in the middle of the tank around my intakes. There is room on all side of this tank for much swimming. I planned ahead because I really wanted a niger trigger. There is one for 24 bucks right now at an LFS... can I get it?? he's only about 3 inches from head to tip of fin. maybe less.
And also... I am not getting rid of the lion. He is like tiny tiny tiny. All of my fish are twice the size of him. He'll be fine. Plus I already put him in there and there is no way he's coming out. he's also adorable and I love watching him... he's out more than any other fish!
And I have updated my lists and stocks and recently. And yes coral keeper, I would like a list of equipment and a list of corals. lol Also a list of what's in your pantry.

Current stock:
1 foxface rabbit fish (doing great by the way!)
1 mandarin goby
1 twin spot goby
1 royal gramma
1 maroon clown fish
1 dwarf pygmy angel
1 fuzzy dwarf lion fish
Here is my new list for things I want:
1 niger trigger
1 midas blenny
x3 cardinals (pjs or regular???)
1 longnose hawkfish
1 blue hippo tang
1 achilles tang
1 (what kind of tang would do well here??)
Maxima clam
Duster clusters
LG feather dusters
some snails or small hermits maybe
So does that work?? What do we think?
I still don't know what kind of corals, probably softies, I don't want to add any reactors or anything of that nature. I am just looking for coral and texture.
I put the niger on hold at the store, So tell me if I should go get him!! I have wanted one of those forever!! They are absolutely my favorite fish to watch.

Go for it! But, if you get the trigger, get only 2 tangs instead of 3.
 
rlablan

rlablan

Active Member
Yeah, alot of them are open til 8 or 9. He looks great! he is acclimating now. He is alot smaller than I said, he is barely 3 inches, if stretch it. He has great color and is really really active/ I'll post some pictures.
 
marchingbandjs

marchingbandjs

Member
Sweet... Man i really want a Flame.. hmmmpf... I could try then always send him back ... I have a big fish book i will find something that works...
Thanks for killing my hopes and dreams...
and sweet grab 27 bucks.. cant beat it...
 
rlablan

rlablan

Active Member
I never said you couldn't have one. Just careful with them. My pygmy has been good and they say it's a keep factor of keeping them well fed. Atleast twice a day and maybe provide algae sheets? I put them in but no one in my tank will eat them. It sucks... oh well.
The trigger has been out swimming a ton and as a result, all of my other fish have come out too! That's so cool because they all hide, all the time! They are all out swimming! That's really exciting!
 
coral keeper

coral keeper

Active Member
Originally Posted by rlablan
http:///forum/post/3120847
I never said you couldn't have one. Just careful with them. My pygmy has been good and they say it's a keep factor of keeping them well fed. Atleast twice a day and maybe provide algae sheets? I put them in but no one in my tank will eat them. It sucks... oh well.
The trigger has been out swimming a ton and as a result, all of my other fish have come out too! That's so cool because they all hide, all the time! They are all out swimming! That's really exciting!
You will learn very quickly as I have learned that the more fish you have, the better chance in new arrivals accepting foods and all the fish being out much more often then they normally would when there's a little bit of fish as they feel much more comfortable with a lot of other fish around. That's just my opinion.
 
coral keeper

coral keeper

Active Member
Not too long ago I got a Tang, Flame Cardinal, and a Candy Hogfish for the 180 gallon and once I added them, an hour later its like they were in there forever! They were all out and about eating.
 
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