New Reef Tank - Fish or Coral First?

[67Stang]

Hi Again

Well, my 200 gal reef has been established for 5 months now with ammonia/nitrite and nitrate readings of 0.

The tank was cycled with over 200lbs of live rock and a 4" DSB.

The only critters currently in the tank are from the clean up crew package (3 Peppermint Shrimp, Nerite Snails, Cerith Snails, Astreas Snails, Worms etc.)

I'd really like to try and add some more life to the tank. In a previous post, I noticed that David Mohr mentioned that some corals are hardier than fish. Do you think they might be a good choice for a new tank.

So, what do you think? What goes in first?

Would the following be good beginner coral choices:
Star Polyp
Leather
Mushrooms

What do you guys think of the Encrusting Gorgonian? I saw one at reeftopia, very nice but is it a good choice for a new tank?

Here's what I'm considering in terms of fish:
Small Dusky Jawfish
Royal Gramma
Eyelash Blenny
Pair Percula Clowns

Thanks for all your help

 

[jcac27]

Add as many mushrooms as you want, these things dont die. Get some polyps ie. yellow polyps, very cool, dont die. Green star polyps ime, are not as hardy as people say and sensitive to changes in water condition, they will just close for 3 weeks and decompose.
Get the pair of clowns, you have to run them over to kill them.
Good luck,
James

 

[toptank]

I think your choice is good. I would add the fish a little at a time to avoid ammon. spike but with that big of a tank you shouldn't have a problem.

What kind of lighting do you have?

Barry

 

[Alex1]

Well you have been cycling for a long time. I would say the list of corals you were looking at getting were are good starting corals. I would say get the royal gramma first they are really hardy.

Since you are doing DSB make sure you avoid sand stars, Gobies and wrasses that dig. If you get them you will mess up the DSB. They will eat your worms and other sand bed fauna. Get nassurus snails from what I here they do wonders for sand beds.

Sounds like you will have a cool tank.

What kind of lighting are you running?


Alex

 

[ophiuroid]

67stang,
I agree with the above. I also wanted to add that you are to be commended for taking such time with your tank. Patience is the key and I am sure you will have great success, seeing that you let your tank work itself out for 5 months and are now considering hardy animals as the first corals/fish!!

Surely with a 200g there must have been great desire to throw all sorts of stuff in there long before now!

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Brittlestars!! http://home.att.net/~ophiuroid
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[67Stang]

Thanks for all your help and support.

This board has made it possible for me to extensivly research all elements of reefing.

I'm going to buy:
1 leather coral
1 mushroom rock
1 royal gramma

At least I'll be able to see some life in my tank and then I'll hopfully have patience to wait a month or so for my next order.

I'll keep you updated