Just The Beginning

[LIflynn]

I have a 55 gallon tank with and im making it salt water. I have a fluval 305 on it and im running an aqueon circulation pump 950. Can you tell me what else in terms of equipment ill need. I know i need lights on the tank so i was looking for someone to help me with what type o should go with and i was also wondering if a protein skimmer is a necessity. I wanted to put a blue spot puffer, raccoon butterfly, dwarf lion fish and a niger trigger in the 55 gallon.

 

[lewiss]

I have a 55 gallon tank with and im making it salt water. I have a fluval 305 on it and im running an aqueon circulation pump 950. Can you tell me what else in terms of equipment ill need. I know i need lights on the tank so i was looking for someone to help me with what type o should go with and i was also wondering if a protein skimmer is a necessity. I wanted to put a blue spot puffer, raccoon butterfly, dwarf lion fish and a niger trigger in the 55 gallon.

Hi. Sorry I think we missed this one.
Well firstly I have a 55gal, with a fluval pump, running for about a year now. I'd say you def need a skimmer with that stock and size, are you planning on keeping coral? Anemones? Live Rock? Live sand?
T5 lights are good or metal halidates if you can afford them and want to keep hard corals and some anemone's.

As for your stock, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but ****** Trigger is too big to go in your tank, they need min 75gal, The rest should be ok, but hope you aren't wanting coral because it might get eaten with the raccoon (beautiful fish by the way - always wanted one!)

Also the dwarf lion fish really likes rock to hide on so it feels comfortable so LR would be good.

What's the plan then?

 

[ozzie2011]

Hi, I as Lewis has put above.

It all depends on what you want to keep.

I have a 240l tank with mixed reef with anemone, Lr and fish.
As for equipment this is a guide to what I have

Twin metal halides with 2x 54w actinics
Hang-on refugium (no space for a sump)
Skimmer
Phosphate reactor
Nitrate reactor
KH reactor
600 UV reactor
Fluval 350 for turnover, no media just rubble
3 x powerheads (3000lph, 1800lph and a 1200 lph)

Ro system - to make my own water

I am not saying you necessarily need all this equipment, I know I didnt think I would but In my opinion it helps provide a stable system.
Hope this gives a bit of a guide

 

[kj23502]

Sorry, this tank isn't big enough for the Raccoon either What kind of a dwarf lion? There are a lot.
http/www.wetwebmedia.com/dendrochirus.htm

If you could find a second hand 75g tank it would really open up your stocking options. It's only 6" wider and is the same length. Better would be a 120g. Still only 48" in length but 24" wide and a bit taller.