Fish Choice For New Open Top Set-up

[1entra]

Hi guys I'm looking to set a new 120l tank which may possibly be open top unless I find a way to make a cover which is asthetically pleasing.

Firstly I'm wondering how many small(ish) fish i can keep in it and also also recommendations of fish that are bright colourfull and not really known to jump... just like to know what my options are you see.

Thank you

 

[GShorty1981]

You running a skimmer and external to crap out? if so you can cram a bit more in there.

I have a Humbug,Adult Clarkii Clown,Strawberry Dotty,Yellow Tail Blue Damsel and a juvenile Yellow Tang in my 185l.

the 4 small fish look awesome together for different colours,they are all cheapish and are all aggressive so they bicker alot but no one gets bullied.

 

[SkiFletch]

A non-jumper? I don't believe my pseudochromis has ever jumped, that's about it though...

 

[GShorty1981]

I have never seen anything jump out of my open top tank other than my cleaner shrimp on to my hand.

 

[1entra]

Thanks for the replys guys. I'm planning on running a MCE300 skimmer along with a HOB refugium with the tank.

So how many fish do you wrekon I could keep in there then?

 

[IIITYIII]

ive never had any wrasse, clownfish, or jawfish jump out...however i have had 2 firefish jump out on me which sucked.

 

[GShorty1981]

I'd say 5 small dudes,maybe more if you have extra filtration and tons of LR,something like i go without the Tang and you could have like a jawfish in place of a damsel and things like that.

As the above poster said,avoid Firefish in open top tanks or anything else that is easily startled.

 

[1entra]

I want it to be a placid fish tank with no aggressive/semi-aggressive fish and I am not keen on no damsels etc that can be temperamental.

I think I may just construct some sort of lid for my tank posibbly using eggcrate.

Does anybody hav any ideas as to how I can go about doing this on a tank that does not have any support braces etc...

 

[GShorty1981]

Why not use a sheet of perspex?

Bare in mind most marine fish are Semi Aggressive...

The only small fish i know not to bicker with other fish is Yellow Clown Gobys,the rest will bicker over terrotory and if there is more than one of the same kind of fish its almost guaranteed!

Apparently the Clarkii clown i have is supposed to be the least agressive fish in my tank but he rules it.

 

[1entra]

Perspex traps heat and so can cause the water to overheat in the tank so is not a good idea, also perspex can get covered in salt crep along with algae etc and so need cleaning more often and thoroughly than say egg crate.

I wll have to find a way round this. I think I may have to do some DIY and attach (silicone) some brackets inside the tank onto which I can place a sheet of eggcrate as a cover. Hopefully it shouldn't look too bad.

Also I'll have a more thoroughly look at fish species when my tank is cycling.

I assume 5/6 small(ish) fish should be adequate for the tank as it will have a 4/5gallon HOB refugium attached on the back.

 

[SkiFletch]

Yeah, somewhere around 4-5 fish in there would probably be good. Nice choice on skimmer

 

[GShorty1981]

Perspex traps heat and so can cause the water to overheat in the tank so is not a good idea, also perspex can get covered in salt crep along with algae etc and so need cleaning more often and thoroughly than say egg crate.

Perspex does trap a little bit of heat if it has holes then you dont get that problem,plus if it does,your just turn your heater down a little.

Perspex does get a weekly coating of salt...no algae ever tho.

Egg Crate allows for Condinsation meaning you will be constantly topping your tank up,perspex drips the water back in the tank and you don't lose anywhere near the amount.

For example on my old tank i would lose about 1% of water a week with perspex but had to clean off the salt,my new tank is open top and i lose about 20% of my volume a week through condensation.