90 gallon Saltwater Aquarium, what Filter?

[Sir Guppy]

I am starting a public 90 gallon aquarium.
I am on a low budget.
I have a canister filter. Would this run a saltwater aquarium?
This tank would be viewable on sides, so I cannot use a HOB, or anything that blocks viewing, though I could probably hide a sponge filter or internal filter.
I feel like I am in a pickle!!

 

[MaloK]

Far from an expert.

It depends on how much live rock you have. Canister are good, also depending on bioload and water changes schedule, a protein skimmer could have a lot of benefits and is most of the time recommended.

A lot of the "Pro" also mention having a refugium is not to be frown upon. For a fish only tank, I don't think the skimmer and refugium are necessary.

But the skimmer is a maintenance saver, and keeps the water crystal clear.

 

[Sir Guppy]

Ok, thanks!

 

[Colin_T]

Can you afford to get a trickle filter (sump or refugium) for the tank?
You can have a couple of holes drilled in the base of the tank and pipes glued in. The water from the tank drains down one pipe and goes through a trickle filter located underneath the aquarium. The filtered water is pumped up into the aquarium from the other pipe.

If you can't afford this then a big external canister filter should be fine.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I am starting a public 90 gallon aquarium.
I am on a low budget.
I have a canister filter. Would this run a saltwater aquarium?
This tank would be viewable on sides, so I cannot use a HOB, or anything that blocks viewing, though I could probably hide a sponge filter or internal filter.
I feel like I am in a pickle!!

low budget? canister filter it is. just make sure you have tons of filter media in there.

if you could find a tank with a sump already set up that would be idea, but if you just have a regular 90g tank, trying to drill and plumb the tank would be an absolute hassle and definitely not low budget lol.

 

[MaloK]

Today, there is very reliable overflow box that enables the installation of sumps bigger than the tank without drilling anything... They are not cheap... In the short run... But in the long run, a sump seems to me the only way to thrive a salt water tank.

Canister + skimmer = quick cheap success that Might / Will need more maintenance and more and more...

I mentioned "far from expert" because I never really studied dealing with nitrate building in salt water. But I assume that it would be the first threshold that provokes a water change leading to add more $alt. A good overflow box and a sump full of live rocks in the dark is enough to bring Sparkling life to any tank.

There is also biopellets that contain bio available carbon that prompt bacteria to consume nitrate. but they last what they last.

Quantity of live rocks and water changes are determinant factors aiming to pure stability.