to the salty side of life
. Honestly, it sounds like you've been reading up a lot, cause what you listed would do really well for a marine tank. My only constructive ideas is that a 324watt T5HO system (which is a 6x54watt setup) will be more than enough light for pretty much any coral you want in a 55g. No need to slap on a 2x150 halide as well unless you have money for lots of electrical bills
. Also, I'd go with 2xSeio M620 or 2xTunze Nanostream for flowrate, 2 maxijets won't be enough on a big tank like that. And finally, use rowaphos or phosban over phosguard for phosphate removal. Otherwise you're off to a great start
What kind of stocking did your scheming brain come up with?
Hi Ski,my scheming brain
has come up with the following stock
Fish,1xPurple Firefish,1xOcellaris Clownfish Tank Breed,1xFlasher Wrasse,
1xRoyal Gramma,1xYellow Watchman Goby
,1xGreen Mandarin
Coral Candy Cane,Brain Coral(TRACHYPHILLIA)or(LOBOPHYLLIA) Zoanthus different colors,Dwarf Colored Feather Duster,Anemone.
Shrimp 1x Scarlet Skunk Cleaner,4x Sexy Anemone ,1x Pistol Shrimp
Tank Cleaners ,10x Scarlet Hermit Crabs 12x Cerith Snail,6x Super Tongan Nassarius 8x Trochus Snail.
Just so you know I also have a 55gal reef....
The firefish, clownfish and royal gramma will be perfect. The watchman goby will quite possible eat your smaller shrimps so I'd be careful putting it in with Sexy's or they may be dinner. The flasher wrasse should be fine also but be aware it needs feeding 3 times a day...The mandarin however is a no-no. They require mature tanks as they feed on copepods whicj your new tank won't have enough of for a good year.
The CUC sounds good but personally I'd cut down the numbers a fair bit, at least to start. I'd add a couple at a time and build it up over a year or so or you may well end up with them all starving to death.
As for your corals...the candy canes will need feeding. They will eat brine shrimp, krill and diced fish and you'll have to turn your powerheads off while it feeds. Also they don't like too much light so be careful where you put it.
An open brain coral will need to go on the sand bed and will also need the same feeding as the candy cane. However it will eat smaller fish if it get the chance. Also they do not tolerate hermits.
Zoanthids are a good choice. Some like target feeding.
All feather dusters need large additions of phytoplankton or they will shed thier crown and eventually die. If you provide them enough food they are beautiful and pretty hardy.
I honestly wouldn't even think about keeping any kind of anemone for at least 12 months. They need extremely stable water parameters and are aggresive towards any corals the come across.
Good luck