newb need suggestions

[jbjack]

180 gallon fowlr tank finished cycling. eventually (in long run) will be reef

details:

approx 1.5 inch sand (aragonite)

45 pounds live rock with 70 pounds base rock

spaggetti worms, apistomes, and asternia stars came in on my lr

i got 10 algae eating hermit crabs (i dunno real name thats what the lfs sold them as they are little black reef safe hemits)

6 astrea snails (bought them before the hermits, but like hermits better, im ok if the hermits kill em for there shell)

2 emerald crabs

3 large true peppermints that I hope are chowing down on aptasia

1 large spiny sea urchin

4 blue green chromis

1 yellow tang

a spiny sea cucumber

1 cleaner wrasse (bought on a whim, wish i new more about it, now that i do, I hope it lives)

and my riskiest buy,

1 wild mandarin dragonet - i cant couldnt help it I dont mind buying copepods for it, its so awesome.

ALOT of cheato in hanging baskets

i plan on eventually turning this fowlr into a reef, so all the fish above i have made sure are reef safe.....

I am adding 4 captive bred ocellaris clownfish in 5 days.

now, my lfs orded in at my request a matted filefish, which i will get in 2 days.

using strong powerheads and hob skimmer

what should i get next?

any tips, hints?

[hound96]

at least 100 lbs more of live rock especially with that mandarin that will give more places for pods to breed the standard seems to be around 1lb per gallon also the snails will be better than the hermits youll see why when they reach golfball size other than that i would wait for a while to see how everything does and if you plan the get lps corals i would get rid of the filefish one its done eating the aptasia

[Jewel]

Yes I agree more Rock is needed,get some other snails, Nazzarious,Cerith

[jbjack]

i toltally agree on the rock, i plan on ending up with about 250 pounds of live rock, but it will be additions of base rock that will turn into live rock in time, untill then i will supliment the tank with pods. I should have been more clear, i dont plan on adding any more fish for a while, just was wondering on good choices in the future. As for the file, i dont plan on keeping him, I just want him untill I reef up my aquarium, then I will gif him to a fowlr or fo aquariast.

thanks

[whatcaneyedo]

Is your tank drilled? Do you have a sump?

[jbjack]

no, no sump, it has hang on skimmer but it does have an in tank fuge, full of cheato

[RuGlu6]

Originally Posted by jbjack

no, no sump, it has hang on skimmer but it does have an in tank fuge, full of cheato

With 180 Gal you may want to consider a much larger skimmer then HOB espesially for a reef tank you want something rated at least double you tank size with at least 600 l/h air intake the more the better.

So looks like you need a sump, you can hide all equipment there: skimmer, heater, refugium, carbon.