New Tank Timing

[suzyblue]

I'm in the planning stage of a Waterbox 6025 and I am planning a bare bottom, negative space aquascape (dry rock) with lots of bio media and some live rock rubble and sand in the sump (AquaBiomics). I plan on a refugium with an established copepod population prior to turning on the lights. I plan on getting all of my fish from Dr. Reef (maybe a Biota Yellow Tang) and quarantining any coral that doesn't come from Dr. Reef for 6 weeks. My question is about the timing of everything... right now my question is the timing of adding the two storm clowns I want after a Dr. Tim's cycle and trying to follow BRS's timeline of no lights for 4 months. I want to have frogspawn for the clowns to host and I am wondering if they'll host some piece of rock and not switch over if I can't add any coral for 4 months as I won't have lights on? I'd rather do the 4 months of no lights without fish, but I'm worried I'll mess it up by not adding the right amount of ammonia on a correct schedule. If I add the clowns after the cycle is complete and then use the 4 months without lights to slowly add the rest of the fish, then turn on the lights and add coral, what are the chances of the clowns hosting the frogspawn that is introduced 4 months after they were? Also I have a Yellow and Powder Blue tang on my fish list. Do I add them last in the 4 month 'fish add timeframe' and add them together? I want to have them prior to my lights going on for preemptive algae predation, but I'm worried particularly about the powder blue being considered an 'expert' level fish and my tank being so young. I plan on having Mastertronic checking my levels daily and all of my fish will be pre-quarantined ...

 

[brandon429]

that plan above violates fish disease protocol

it's a good source to get fish, but after paying for prepped fish you can't go add wet things from a pet store without preps.

just feed coral food in the absence of fish. see this thread:

What goes into the new tank first? Corals or Fish?

I know there are several different theories on this, so I thought this might be an interesting discussion. What do you think should go into the new tank first? Corals or Fish? What's your reasoning for your position?

www.reef2reef.com

once you pay for quarantined fish, anything you add to your tank must be passed through fallow preps

anything wet from a pet store

or all that money on fish quarantine was lost. the timing by which you'd add fish, and corals, and clean up crews etc matters greatly. it has to be a certain order of added timing to keep the disease prevention up

 

[suzyblue]

I will quarantine any non quarantined coral for 6 weeks, in a separate frag tank, at a temp of 81 degrees, after dipping at least once. I'm going to set it up with my main tank getting an automatic 2.5 gallon water change which will empty the old water into the frag tank daily. CUC will be from Dr. Reef

 

[brandon429]

that's the most effort one could ever ask for in the matter. that's amazing planning.

 

[brandon429]

regarding hosting in corals that can't be predicted, they either take to them or they don't

it won't be hard to grow frogspawn in your planned setup thats for sure

what about including some component of upgraded feeding to complement the disease isolation efforts

meaning one of the tricks Paul B mentions is him taking time to make a custom blederized feed sometimes including mussels from the store and clams and seaweed and fish or octopus etc, custom blends of fresh food to boost up the normal prepared stuff we buy.

natural immunity boost to all fish eating this way, clean feed boosting. could pre soak in selcon etc

you're using the best of every system with that last food boosting angle imo. the corals will side feed off that and it wouldn't require much at all of a frozen customer blended mix/thawed out in tiny pieces/ to run lots of coral in that planned tank.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

The clowns will host what they want, you can't make them host a frogspawn. Mine live in a corner of the tank in their sand pit. Some host on powerheads lol....

Personally, 4 months of darkness and no fish and no corals sounds boring.....

 

[suzyblue]

regarding hosting in corals that can't be predicted, they either take to them or they don't

it won't be hard to grow frogspawn in your planned setup thats for sure

what about including some component of upgraded feeding to complement the disease isolation efforts

meaning one of the tricks Paul B mentions is him taking time to make a custom blederized feed sometimes including mussels from the store and clams and seaweed and fish or octopus etc, custom blends of fresh food to boost up the normal prepared stuff we buy. you're using the best of every system with that last food boosting angle imo. the corals will side feed off that and it wouldn't require much at all of a frozen customer blended mix/thawed out in tiny pieces/ to run lots of coral in that planned tank.

I haven't gone into the whole food plan other than planning on an auto feeder for the anthias and a nori nibbler for the tangs. I will look into what you suggest So even though the clowns would be in there for 4 months with nothing but rocks it won't affect them maybe hosting the frogspawn when I add it 4 months later? I'm worried that they will set up a place before I start adding coral and stay with it permanently. I can do the fish and hope they host something when corals come in 4 months. Or I could add other fish first and the clowns last when I add corals? They are just the hardiest so I wanted to add them first. My fish list -
Yellow Tang
Powder Blue Tang
3 lyretail
2 Clowns black storm
Midas blenny
maybe some chromis