Lukinrats

I always planned my fish based on color and where in the tank they dwell. I always liked anthias and wrasses, so my oranges were covered. I got a pygmy angel for blue, purple tang, .... you get the idea. You really should just go on saltwaterfish.com and look down their huge list and write down anything you ever thought you'd want. Then from this list start eliminating based on quantity, relationship, and color. Don't forget to add some nano gobies into your tank. One of my favorite things in my 150 was finding those tiny fish chilling in the rocks. I think I had at least 10 at one point.

With a 4' x 3' foot print, you've opened up your options fish-wise. You still have to remember that you've got a fixed water volume though, which will probably be around 200g total after rock & sand displacement. What do you envision? A few larger fish, or a bunch of little ones actively swimming in groupings? Will the tank be covered or open, because that would rule out jumpers?

Originally Posted by melev

With a 4' x 3' foot print, you've opened up your options fish-wise. You still have to remember that you've got a fixed water volume though, which will probably be around 200g total after rock & sand displacement. What do you envision? A few larger fish, or a bunch of little ones actively swimming in groupings? Will the tank be covered or open, because that would rule out jumpers?

OPEN TOP TANK!!! YAY!!!
For real though. I will probably put a large tang to go along with my current yellow tang, but other than that, I would really just like to have a lot of fish. I don't want any that are going to need feeding five times a day. I like to feed a couple of times throughout the day, but I don't want to lose my *** trying to feed fish. I think that I got too small of a sump for this tank, but I will have to live with it. At the time, I was going with the 120 instead of the 180. My new sump is 44 x 16 x 16. I wish it was 44 x 30 x 16, and maybe down the road, I can go that route. In the meantime I will be limited to the water volume you suggested, and an external skimmer (this helps some)

Later,
Nathan

Originally Posted by Jessy

I always planned my fish based on color and where in the tank they dwell. I always liked anthias and wrasses, so my oranges were covered. I got a pygmy angel for blue, purple tang, .... you get the idea. You really should just go on saltwaterfish.com and look down their huge list and write down anything you ever thought you'd want. Then from this list start eliminating based on quantity, relationship, and color. Don't forget to add some nano gobies into your tank. One of my favorite things in my 150 was finding those tiny fish chilling in the rocks. I think I had at least 10 at one point.

Great advice! I ain't real sure how I missed you on RC, but I can tell. I would have bugged the shit out of you, like I did Melev.

Anyway. That is what I am talking about. I love anthias, but I dont particularly love the big ones that need to eat like 100 times a day. I also have to become more adept at picking out my wrasses. It seems that everytime I buy a wrasse it ends up being a convict
I like the idea of the Nano Gobies, however I wonder if they will like it in a Barebottom. I tried a watchman goby, and I loved him, but he did not like it in my tank because of the vortechs. It may work better in a 4' x 3' tank, than it did in a 4' x .80' tank

I would also love to have a little school of chromis, even though they are sort of a boring color. They always seemed to be fun little fish to look at

Shoot, I just realized that I will not be able to pick out my fish by myself! I am color blind!

There are lots of theories on fish stocking. My personal preference, in both fresh and salt, is to have one center piece fish. Something large that everyone spots right away. Combined with a school of small active fish like tetras (fresh) or chromis, and a few small interesting fish like cories (fresh) or the small gobies, like Antenna/candy cane, Rainfords and hector's. One thing I love about Rainford's is that they're sand sifters and love to pick at hair algae. so I wouldn't recommend them for a pristine tank with a bare bottom

There are gobies that aren`t "sand sifters" that are quite attractive & play around like little monkeys.
They will also breed quite easily.
Shark Nosed Goby, black & yellow, & Cleaner Goby, blue & yellow/white.



image edited to show by Marc

Oops
Let me try that again.
[IMG]<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37knucklehead/1088617009/" title="_dog_pile_3_dscn6533 by 37KNUCKLEHEAD, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1196/1088617009_3e468d7814.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="_dog_pile_3_dscn6533" /></a>[/IMG]

To add a picture to your post, click the little Photo icon, and paste in the URL of the actual image into the pop-up box. Click Okay, and it will magically appear.

In this case, all you would paste would be: http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1196/...3e468d7814.jpg

Thanks Melev
I`ll test myself later tonight.
All sites are different & I`ll use the "red type" as a template.
Why don`t I try it here now.
Here`s a little Cleaner Goby

The cleaner goby is another extremely (low bioload) fish, that will pick parasites off of other fish, are quite inexpensive & add interest to the variety of fish in any reef tank.
They must be introduced into a new tank in a proper order.
I have no idea of anyone`s experience here so I may be preaching to the choir, but introducing fish into a new tank correctly will make for a more stress-free tank.
The least aggressive small specimens should be introduced first so they may find their own little safe spaces, before a more "agro" fish is introduced, claiming a lot of space as his territory.
You should also take into consideration, where your choice of fish usually are located on a reef so you have the whole reef populated. Some are constant swimmers who rarely go into the rock structure, some are bottom of the reef swimmers, & others go anywhere.
With a "cube reef" like you are planning, & the volume, you have a capacity for so much diversity it`s making me jealous.
Another suggestion is to get three young Bangaii Cardinalfish.
You will probably lose one of those when two will sex & pair off.
They also will easily breed in the tank, & it`s something else to see the mouth brooding male with a face full of little mini-me bangaiis.
Here`s another Cleaner Goby shot for scale, next to some Christmas Tree worms.

Originally Posted by Knucklehead

The cleaner goby is another extremely (low bioload) fish, that will pick parasites off of other fish, are quite inexpensive & add interest to the variety of fish in any reef tank.
They must be introduced into a new tank in a proper order.
I have no idea of anyone`s experience here so I may be preaching to the choir, but introducing fish into a new tank correctly will make for a more stress-free tank.
The least aggressive small specimens should be introduced first so they may find their own little safe spaces, before a more "agro" fish is introduced, claiming a lot of space as his territory.
You should also take into consideration, where your choice of fish usually are located on a reef so you have the whole reef populated. Some are constant swimmers who rarely go into the rock structure, some are bottom of the reef swimmers, & others go anywhere.
With a "cube reef" like you are planning, & the volume, you have a capacity for so much diversity it`s making me jealous.
Another suggestion is to get three young Bangaii Cardinalfish.
You will probably lose one of those when two will sex & pair off.
They also will easily breed in the tank, & it`s something else to see the mouth brooding male with a face full of little mini-me bangaiis.
Here`s another Cleaner Goby shot for scale, next to some Christmas Tree worms.

Wow, now this is what I was looking for. I got plenty of ideas, and even learned some stuff. Great post!