Your preferred stocking order

[InAtTheDeepEnd]

Just wondering what everyone's personal thoughts are on  the order to stock a new tank. Say you have a fresh cycled set up; how do you stock it and what's your rationale for doing so in that particular order? 

[Naekuh]

stock as in what? Fish? corals? 

 

I would always go Coral first. 

Then i would go in the order of least likely to bully the hell out of everything in your tank last, when it comes to fish. 

 

So Peaceful things first... and let them get settled so they know the tank and where to run incase someone decides to "McFly" it.  

Then the Medium fishes next. 

Then lastly Tangs, if your tank is large enough, because i think ive read the most horror stories on Tangs and how they like to own the tank, more so then even Angels.  

[Staticmoves]

I would say, slowly ramp up to your targeted bio load slowly, let settle to where 10% weekly water changes are able to maintain stable parameters. Let the uglies come and hopefully subside. Then coral.

in theory, this would ramp up and stabilize biome, so your corals don’t have to endure the curves.

but there are many good methods to use.….. my 2 cents……

and @Naekuhhad some sound advice on order of fish.

[mcarroll]

When I started out, live rock (and all that entailed) went first, so there was less uncertainly....if there was an ammonia spike it was from die-off.  The condition of the rock you bought determined the extent of this, so it was generally not under your control....so we would act accordingly.

 

Nowadays with live rock becoming an almost-forgotten element of the modern reef tank, there are lots of right and wrong ways to go about starting a reef tank. 😕

 

People focus on lots of different things, but the whole object at the beginning should be to avoid ammonia spikes.  

 

They aren't good for anything.  They most certainly aren't necessary for anything.  

 

Thankfully ammonia spikes are pretty easy to avoid if you put your mind to it.

 

In spite of this, unthinkingly or on purpose, most newbs DO generate large ammonia spikes in their new tanks....and pay the price in unhealthy animals and algae blooms.  What a bummer!

 

If you avoid causing ammonia spikes in the first place, chances are you'll avoid (or minimize) 80-100% of the problems that most new tanks go through.

 

With that in mind, start small like @Staticmovesdescribed.  But depending on your needs and expertise levels, you can start with CUC or corals, or both – both are easy on the ammonia front.  (Corals will be ammonia consumers.  Individual CUC are TINY ammonia sources.)  With CUC you need to start small, in size and numbers.   Usually 1-2 critters will be all it takes to start off...like a pair of blue-leg hermits, or a couple of small herbivorous snails (or a few easy corals, whatever that means to you).  Observe them and the system for at least a week before you add another small batch of critters.  It'll probably be a month or two (at least) before you get around to adding fish.  If you choose to add corals later instead of sooner, you might be well-served by not running your lights until the corals go in....although without an ammonia spike to fuel it, any algae growth would be slow and spotty (and maybe coralline dominant) vs a typical hair algae bloom that most tanks see.  After at least 30-40 days (see below), take the same strategy with fish....add them in the smallest size and numbers possible (1 at a time is ideal), observe them and the system for at least a week or two (a month isn't "too long") before adding another fish.  

 

Keep in mind that feeding the fish is what generates the large ammonia spikes that cause algae blooms and other ammonia related issues.

Quote

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein (min.) — 7.9%
Crude Fat (min.) — 1.5%
Crude Fiber (max.) — 0.5%
Moisture (max.) — 88.0%
Ash (max.) — 2.5%
Phosphorus (min.) — 0.1%

That's a typical food analysis for frozen food.  After being eaten, a good percentage (maybe 70% on average) of that protein will be released into the water as ammonia and related byproducts.

 

Keep ammonia spikes small – and preferably don't allow them at all – until the system is capable of handling them.  When is that?  Nitrifying bacteria will be growing the whole time you're running this livestocking process, beginning as soon as there is even the smallest ammonia source....and in 30-40 days it'll be ready for fish.  There are good bacterial supplements that can shrink the timeline, if you want.  But...

 

Taking your time is good for LOTS of reasons though...and 30-40 days goes by pretty fast in this plan.

 

Also, it's hard to think of a good reason NOT to use a Seachem Ammonia Alert to manage this phase of the tank...this way you can IMMEDIATELY SEE if an ammonia spike is happening, and to what extent.  "Just in case" it's a good idea to have a water change ready to go, and even some ammonia detoxifier on-hand during this phase of the tank.  All of this is cheap insurance.

 

Finally, it's highly advisable IMO to read up on starting an aquarium in one or more quality books that cover the topic.  Martin Moe's books (eg. "Marine Aquarium Handbook, Beginner to Breeder") are still among the best resources on this...just loaded with timeless core knowledge, and easy to read.  (And having a few books is better than having just one.)