Joe Posted September 2, 2013 Share Posted September 2, 2013 Hello All. As the title suggests I have decided to set up my first salt tank. I have kept freshwater aquariums for years but I know very little about salt. No worries as I know I will learn as I go just as I did with previous tanks. However my first decision is which tank to use. I have an Oceanic 125 that is not drilled and I have a 200 gallon 7x2x2 that is drilled on both ends and has a sump that came with it. I was planning on making the 200 a huge african cichlid tank but my interest in salt has been growing recently and my plan to start with a 45g has gradually evolved to this. I am weighing the cost/benefits of using the 125 vs the 200. I know the fact that the 200 is drilled makes it a better set up for salt but the size also means more cost in the form of lighting, sand, and rock. How much more? Can I use lighting that I would normally use on a 6' tank despite the fact that this tank is 7'? I would like to use LED's. As far as stocking, my planned approach is to add the fish that I want and then add coral that will work with them rather than having the coral dictate which fish I can keep. I like things like the bannana wrasse and lion fish. Given that info, would it be possible to keep some coral with those fish? If so, which ones would you suggest? I would like to start looking them up and planning gradually as I put the tank together. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robb in Austin Posted September 2, 2013 Share Posted September 2, 2013 Strictly based on my experience; use the 200. The width alone would be my deciding factor. IMO, the cost difference between those 2 sizes will be smaller than say the difference between a 75 and a 125. As far as stocking with those types of fish; you will be able to keep some corals and probably no inverts(snails, crabs, etc). Those 2 fish you listed are predators and will severely limit their tankmates. If you in fact want them, seriously consider a FOWLR setup which will reduce the amount of equipment you will need. A big skimmer will be a must, but you can get away with less intense lighting and still keep some low light corals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted September 2, 2013 Author Share Posted September 2, 2013 Thanks for your input Robb. I am just beginning to figure this out so my fish list may change as I learn more. I have heard there are other wrasses that present fewer challenges so I guess I need to do some more reading on live aquaria! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robb in Austin Posted September 2, 2013 Share Posted September 2, 2013 I suppose you should decide what exactly it is you want out of the tank; SPS, mixed, fish only(most of these are predator only setups, IMO). and build from there. The type of livestock you want will really determine what equipment you need and therefore, the cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted September 2, 2013 Author Share Posted September 2, 2013 At the moment, what I want out of the tank is a lot of colorful, active fish. As a secondary element, I would like coral that add to the color and movement in the tank. My 2.5 year old daughter is going to want to see all of her freinds from "Finding Nemo." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robb in Austin Posted September 2, 2013 Share Posted September 2, 2013 200g Clowns, fairy wrasses, some cardinals, yellow tang, royal gramma or three, zoas for color, LPS for movement/color, BTA for clowns. Mo moorish idol, no puffer. Done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted September 2, 2013 Share Posted September 2, 2013 Robb is right avoid that moorish idol. It'll only end in tears. Even if you can afford one, they're master level fish and it will likely die on you real quick. Instead consider a Heniochus butterfly fish. They look real similar and are alot easier to keep. In a tank that size you could keep the whole finding nemo crew. Minus the loggerhead turtles and great white sharks. Also...you'll notice the benefits on using the 200 for saltwater alot more obviously than using it for cichlids. That's pretty awesome though to have two large tanks in the house. Would love to have a big African Cichlid tank, but I'm tapped for space Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted September 2, 2013 Author Share Posted September 2, 2013 If I decide to go FOWLR and set up a smaller reef tank. How would you suggest stocking the 200g? Wife loves the clown tiggerfish which is the source of the question. I know coral is out if I have one... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted September 2, 2013 Share Posted September 2, 2013 While this is just my opinion I'm sure most will agree. I love clown triggers. One of my favorite fish. Triggers in general are my favorite genus I just don't have the accommodations. Clown triggers in particular are not a good idea. I'd honestly say they're best kept to public aquaria. They just get too big and nasty. You can try a small one but they'll be a nightmare to rehome somewhere that could take one. An adult clown trigger would likely kill any and all other fish in a 125 or a 200 gallon by the time it is a decent sized juvenile. They really are beautiful but its just not good for smaller tanks. By small I mean anything less than thousand gallon plus tanks. What about a harlequin tusk? Equally as beautiful, full of character, but not over the top mean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted September 2, 2013 Author Share Posted September 2, 2013 Thanks for that info Bpb. Yes the harlequin tusk looks beautiful but not similar in coloration or markings unless I am looking at the wrong thing. Any other triggerfish that would be less of an issue? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted September 2, 2013 Share Posted September 2, 2013 No you're right. Harlequin tusks don't look similar, just are equally as attractive to me. Another one of my favorites Some milder triggers are your blue throat triggers, and Niger triggers. Not as pretty as clowns, but still have that cool big shape and swimming style. Picasso triggers look cool too but are gonna be meaner, though in a 200 gallon you may have enough room Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robb in Austin Posted September 2, 2013 Share Posted September 2, 2013 Pink tails are nice too. Peruse the FOWLR section at reef central to get an idea of whats being done in that realm. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=139 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 Welcome In my opinion, the 200g would make a better tank and it would be easier to convert to SW because it's drilled. That's not saying that it's the best tank because I don't know the condition it's in. Truthfully, you can make a really nice tank in any dimensions, but 24" width is AWESOME! A 125g will take less $$ in equipment to run. Shallow tanks are easier to keep corals because the light penetrates easier and fish like deeper tanks. I think it's easier to start with a coral tank and add fish, rather than the reverse. All fish can live in acceptable coral conditions, but not all corals can live in acceptable fish conditions. Does that make sense? Fish are generally less sensitive so they are more forgiving. I think it's best to decide what type of corals you want to keep first and then pick from fish than can be kept with those corals. Getting the fish first will limit you significantly. If you want a predator tank with cheap corals for background, then that's a different story. Banana Wrasse - You can keep it with corals, but it will eat small fish and all of your crabs, shrimp etc. All triggers - You can keep it with corals, but will eat all inverts and requires shelled critters on a regular basis to eat. May bully smaller fish. Will knock down rock work as it wanders through the caves you create. Special care has to be given to secure your LR if you decide to get any. Generally messy eaters. Takes more effort to maintain the aquarium because they leave a lot of uneatten food, which causes nitrates. Some triggers bury themselves in the sand, so if you don't want sand then avoid those specimens. Lion Fish - Obviously poisonous. Will eat any smaller fish, normally up to 3". Generally people that keep lions, house it with aggressive and large tankmates like groupers, eels, triggers and wrasses. One thing that should be noted is that larger fish think that everything added to the tank after they get established is food. So if you get a trigger or angel in there and then add a coral, then they might eat it. If you already had the corals and then added fish, then you could get them started on angel formula and they be used to receiving that as food and not bother your corals unless hungry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuxx Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 As big as your can fit or afford. I've had a 55, 135, 240 and now a 470ish... every step up I've decided I needed a bigger tank. Wanted bigger more active fish, etc... Reason I went with the tank I have now is because it's the maximum tank I can fit where I want it to go. Tank is 120x29x31" I'm within 3-4" of the length of the cutout I want it to go in (Rust colored wall). The width is the max my wife would accept in that room, was about to start blocking a window and couldn't move the furniture over more without making the room look funny. 31" height is really the max I want to mess with as well. The stand will be 41" tall, so 72" is already high, and 31" to reach to the bottom while on a step ladder is enough for me. We already bought a smaller table (pictured) for the room. We sold our larger one because fitting it in that room with the tank would look silly. So yeah... go as big as you can spatially or financially... or you'll keep getting new tanks all the time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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