Stocking ideas for 700 gallon mixed reef

[Moonraker76]

Instead of a group of yellows (that’s pretty basic if I’m honest - everyone has a group of them) go for a group of convicts!!
They seem to group better in general and also have a much better algae munching ability.

Also, throw in many wrasses (at least 25 Fairy and Flasher alone is what I’d do). They will add colour like no other fish as well as activity. Just make sure to have a lid - all fish can jump but some are more likely to jump than others.

With the mandarins as suggested I might just set up a separate system in my home office and just keep them in there with macroalgae (36x24x52). Maybe add a couple others but build it around mandarin habitat if it doesn't work out in the main system.

Thinking of the wider stocklist for the main tank and bearing in mind some of the advice maybe something like this:

2x Banggai Cardinalfish
2x Pajama Cardinalfish
7x Green Chromis (I want to give them a try but it might depend how many are in the LFS as to how many we try. Worked well in our previous tank).
1x Chalk Bass
1x Algae Blenny
1x Red Spotted Blenny
1x Barnacle Blenny
2x Percula Clownfish
2x Darwin Clownfish
5x Sergeant Major Damsel
2x Lemon Damsel
1x Red Firefish
1x Purple Firefish
1x Lilac Firefish
2x Zebra Dartfish
1x Orchid Dottyback
1x Bicolour Dottyback
1x Sunrise Dottyback
1x Royal Gramma
2x Green Manadrin (Will move to separate tank if needed for food)
1x Flame Scooter Blenny
1x Yasha Shrimp Goby (Plus Pistol Shrimp)
1x Orange Spot Sleeper Goby
1x Blue Neon Nano Goby
2x curious wormfish
1x yellow tang
1x mustard tang
3x regal tangs
1x tomini tang
3x Convict tangs
1x Orange shoulder tang
1x Silver Spot Bristletooth tang
1x Indian Sailfin tang
1x Bicolour cleaner wrasse
1x Blue flasher wrasse
1x royal flasher wrasse
1x carpenter's flasher wrasse
1x mccosker's flasher wrasse
1x eightline flasher wrasse
1x filamented flasher wrasse
1x bluehead fairy wrasse
1x longfin fairy wrasse
1x exquisitefairy wrasse
1x yellow fin fairy wrasse
1x lubbock's fairy wrasse
1x naoko's fairy wrasse
1x fine spotted fairy wrasse
1x pink margined fairy wrasse
1x koi fairy wrasse
1x timor wrasse
1x pink face wrasse
1x moorish idol
1x yellow foxface
1x copperband butterflyfish

Willing to take on advice over compatibility as we move on to a bigger tank and no doubt will be some changes as that is a lot of fish and depends what LFS can get. Have found a great place in Cheltenham that also Quarantines everything three weeks before it goes on sale but everything will be QT'd at home anyway.

The observation tank will have live rock only and no coral so might get some angelfish to keep in there as permanent residents and just use it for a couple of weeks to move others between QT and and the display.

 

[iReefer12]

Fwiw 36” depth will make life hard for many reasons. Much harder to get par all the way to the bottom for coral down there, and almost impossible to reach down into the tank without getting in yourself.

I went with 30” which was effectively 32” with the canopy bracing on a 220g and hated it, was so hard to work in it. On the 700g I dropped it down to 29” and no brace for the canopy.. and I’m much happier. Just food for thought.