My 120g Mixed Marine Tank

[SeaSerpant]

Hey All,
I've been on and off this forum for... Years. Ever since i was younger than i am now i've like saltwater aquariums. I've had a 20g aquarium set up since December and it's been going so great i decided to upgrade.

I've had a 120g tank sitting in my room. It's been through many different stages. I've had fish and lizards in it for a long time. But nothing that's been able to last! I love marine fish because they move in an interesting motion, as if they have a mind of their own. Unlike FW fish that go with the current.

This tank will be a mixed tank. It'll have Fish and Soft Corals. I just got my tank drilled and it is being fitted with an overflow. Now i'm not very good at updating my tank because there is nothing really to encourage me too. But i always enjoy the input of others on my tank and everybodies advice helps.

I think that if people help me i should try and help them. So i'll not only be posting on my thread. I'll try and help others.

Now to my tank!
Stats:
Tank - 5'x18"x26"
Sump - Too be determined, either a 33g or 50g. If you have on pm me! (12"width)

Equipment:
1- koralia Nano
1- Koralia 1
2- divepower 200
1- maxijet 900
total flow: 1290 + sump pump

Lighting:
2 150w Halides
1 36" T5 or Powercompact (4 bulbs) if you have one pm me!

Stocking:
120lbs live rock (need 20lbs if you have some pm me )
120lbs sand (deep sand bed)

Soft Corals:
Torch Coral
Elegance Coral
Frogspawn
Duncan Coral
Xenia
Green Star Polyps
Clove Polyps
Zoanthids
Toadstool
Any others you want to advise?

Rough Fauna:
2 Banded Pipefish
2 Jawfish
2 Yellowtang
4 Banggai Cardinal
2 Longnose Hawkfish
2 Yellow Damselfish
2 Clownfish
1 Red mandarin goby (to be put in later)
2 Copper Butterflyfish
2 Redtail Flasherwrasse
2 Dragon Pipefish
2 Royal Gramma
2 Firefish
2 Scopas Tang
2 Flame Angelfish
2 Threestripe Damselfish
2 Hi Fin Redbanded Goby
2 Yellow Longnosed Butterflyfish

Total: 38 (will be narrowed down if too many )

And thats it i believe.
Comments? Questions? Advice?

Thanks
SeaSerpant

[whatcaneyedo]

Thank you canreef for eating my post. Note to self: select all and copy often...

Are you planning on having a MH pendant on either end of tank with a T5 strip down the middle?

You still need a skimmer.

I'd advise over 2400gph. You may also want to get some larger powerheads rather than cluttering your tank with so many little ones.

I'm no fish expert but I doubt 4 tangs are going to like 4 butterflys in that confined area. The pipefish will have a difficult time competing for food. Damsels can be very territorial... Perhaps narrow your list down to ~10 fish

[SeaSerpant]

Hey Whatcaneyedo,
I am planning to have the mh on the ends with the t5 strip down the middle. I plan to get a skimmer but that won't be until i have the tank set up/cycling.
I think that the small powerheads will create a different flow because the ocean isn't only a little bit of flow from here and there but all over. And i'd have a sump pump bumping the overall flow to over 2000 gph.
The fish situation is just a rough list so it's nothing definite. I will research into everything. And i think less than 10 fish would be kind of anti climatic for a big tank But i will also look into it!
I don't mean to disregard any advice! Sorry if it seems if i do.

For lighting i'm going to sell my halides and get the Sunlight tek light 8x54w. Will this be enough?

Thanks
SeaSerpant

[whatcaneyedo]

In a small area the ocean actually surges and flows all in one direction at a time. Hot tubs flow all over and in every direction all of the time. Therefore fewer yet larger sources of flow (that alternate) are actually more natural.

You need to take into consideration their adult sizes when choosing the fish that you want to keep. 120gal isn't actually a very large tank. For many medium size reef fish like tangs and butterflys most sources consider it only slightly more than a minimum size. I deal with a lot of aggression issues in my 120gal and I only have 7 different fish. Many of which are very similar to what you have listed: a tang, butterfly, wrasse, dragonet, and damselfish. More fish means more aggression, territorial behavior, stress, waste, disease outbreaks etc.

Your lighting sounds fine however I'm a MH person so I cant really comment.

[Leah]

I have a 120g as well. I have 8 small fish at the moment and will probably only add a few more, maybe. I would also think twice about adding two of anything.

[SeaSerpant]

Thanks Guys
I have been working on my fish list. I know it needs work but it's always hard to decide. I only put 2 of everything because i thought it would look nice I have been narrowing it down but i'm going to do my research on the fish before i buy them so i know if they're compatible with others of their kind or with other fish!

I will also be looking into getting either different powerheads or in the placement. Maybe a few on one wall pointing the same way but different directions and a few others to disperse around the tank! Or just buy new ones (with my small budget

Thanks So much with the help!
SeaSerpant