I'm setting up a 90 gal FO tank with Wet/Dry, UV, and protein skimmer. I have read that for stocking you need 3 gallons per inch of fish. Is that a good rule? Is that based on the final mature length which when you research, can be quite large. Won't the size of the tank confine the growth? Any suggestions?
How Many Fish?
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Yes you must allow for the growth of your livestock. I see too many people stock to the limit to fast and before the tank is cycled. But for the largest size that the fish can get is also not realistic to do. I would recommend putting in at least a 10lb piece of live rock to start the cycle.
This is the first time I've heard of a gallons/inch rule for SW fish--and am deeply cynical about these types of guidelines for any type of fish.
For a 90, you could easily have room for 1 fish, or for 10--it just depends on the fish you're getting. For example, one queen trigger will happily claim the entire tank, and be a medium sized bio-load. 2 maroon clowns would be hardly any bio-load at all, but would claim the whole tank and beat the heck out of any additions. Or, you could have 2 perculas, a bicolor angel, 3 firefish, a scooter blenny and a jawfish quite comfortably.
So, the better route is to decide what single fish you must have, and then plan around that fish. Always use the adult size--not length, but total size and mass-- for your determinations. The fish activity level and territory needs are also crucial to consider.
For a 90, you could easily have room for 1 fish, or for 10--it just depends on the fish you're getting. For example, one queen trigger will happily claim the entire tank, and be a medium sized bio-load. 2 maroon clowns would be hardly any bio-load at all, but would claim the whole tank and beat the heck out of any additions. Or, you could have 2 perculas, a bicolor angel, 3 firefish, a scooter blenny and a jawfish quite comfortably.
So, the better route is to decide what single fish you must have, and then plan around that fish. Always use the adult size--not length, but total size and mass-- for your determinations. The fish activity level and territory needs are also crucial to consider.