Please Help A Marine Newbie...

[screemer]

I have spent the afternoon in a not so local Aquatics shop getting some great advice on buying and setting up a marine system including fish, live rock and coral. i was looking at an Aqua One Regency tank and cabinet, 180litre, with an Aquasys external filter included with T5 lighting. They then suggested for a very good setup to add a second filter, an Eheim external wet/dry filter, a UV steriliser and a 4500ltr/hr powerhead, plus all the sand and live rock. They said there wouldn't be a need for a protein skimmer. Would this be a good setup? i am a little confused. I have seen things like the red sea aquariums and they have filters and skimmers. What would be best?? Cheers

 

[-Nemo-]

The external filters will really not be much use to you. I have never personally used an UV sterilizer, but there are good and bad things about them and they are no where near necessary and at this point in time I would suggest for you to not bother to get one. I would definitely recommend a protein skimmer for the size tank you're looking at. If possible, look into a sump with a refugium. A sump/refugium with a protein skimmer and live rock will be all the filtration you will need.

The T5 lighting and powerhead would be the only two things I would take that they offered.

 

[seffieuk]

Screemer to the salty side of TFF

Seffie x

 

[screemer]

aaaarrgghhhh, why wont the external filters be any good? whats the advantage of the other method?

 

[seffieuk]

Well, you could run live rock in the external do I take it you have bought one then? If it were me I would take it back and ask for a refund.

Seffie x
gawd, just reread your first post - they have suggested a second external, be afraid, be very afraid, they are just after your money!!

 

[screemer]

No no not bought anything yet. The Eheim filter comes with bio media to run in it. What would you go for? I want something as straight forward as poss but that works very well for my money.

 

[-Nemo-]

External Filters are basically a place for bacteria to hang out in, some flow, and if you had carbon etc.
Live rock will be the place for bacteria to hang
Powerhead/s will provide flow
A sump you could put carbon in

The benefits of a sump/refugium with protein skimmer are far too many.
It adds extra water volume to your system so that you could potentially stretch your stocking limit and also helps to keep down nitrates and in turn, water changes. It is also a place where you could put nearly all your equipment (heater, filter) to make the tank look more natural. A refugium inside your sump would provide your system with extra goodies like copepods and other nice little buggys. You can add macroalgae in there which could help reduce nitrates. A Protein skimmer could also be housed inside of the sump.

 

[seffieuk]

Ok, lets start from the top

Do you plan on having a sump or not?
What sort of fish would you like to keep?
What sort of corals if any?

Seffie x

 

[screemer]

So i am presuming all this is custom stuff, nothing out there comes like that as a system? The problem i am having is that i am starting out with it but everywhere i go, both online and real world, everyone has a different opinion.

 

[seffieuk]

Oh they do indeed, but here we tend to think the same - so, do you have some answers for me?

Seffie x

 

[screemer]

I've never even thought about a sump until you guys said it. I just went to my shop and got some advice. We want to have live rock, fish and corals, not sure of exacts yet. Clownfish obviously, tangs etc fairly regular stuff and hardy corals. Like i say, its my first adventure so wanna go easy.

 

[seffieuk]

Lets just think about a basic set-up for clowns

tank of approx 125 litres (maybe the juwel rio 125 or the orca 550)
power head x2
live rock, the heart and lungs of the system
aragonite sand
small skimmer
salty water
test kits - salifert
water container
phosphate remover
t5 lighting for soft corals and a few hard corals

seffie x
just read your post - tangs require a min of 75 gallons!

 

[-Nemo-]

I would definitely look into a sump, I don't know of any systems that would come with one, but if you are interested in doing a system like that, we're here to help! You do not even necessarily have to have one when you first set-up the tank, they can be added onto the system later.

Oh and clownfish good but tangs bad Tangs will get wayyyyy too big for a 180


Seffie's got the rest of it for you

 

[screemer]

Ok , so whats a good sump to get? If i didnt run a sump at first, would i just use an ordinary filter and skimmer?

 

[seffieuk]

If you learn the trade so to speak on a basic set-up then it would be as I mentioned above

seffie x

ps have you considered buying a second hand system, saves loads of money. Have a read of Harry's tank journel along with Simonas' journel