Need Help With SALTWATER Equipment!!

[iVgOnMaD]

HI, I HAVE JUST RECENTLY DECIDED TO CHANGE MY AFRICAN CICHLID TANK TO A CORAL REEF TANK AND FEEL LIKE A NEWBIE AT THIS.
I HAVE A 60g TANK WITH A SINGLE 47" HELIOS T5 DAYLIGHT BULB, A SKIMMER RATED FOR A 90g TANK, AND TWO H.O.T. MAGNUM 250g/h FILTERS FILLED WITH DE*NITRATE AT EACH SIDE TO PROVIDE WATER FLOW AND AMMONIA, NITRITE AND NITRATE REMOVAL. I ALSO HAVE AN OTTO 300g/h CANISTER FILTER THAT HAS CERAMIC BIO-MEDIA, A THIN SHEET OF MICRO-FOAM, CARBON, AND A LARGE MICRO-FOAM SPONGE AS AN ADDITIONAL BIO-MEDIA.

I DONT KNOW IF THIS IS TOO MUCH OR NOT ENOUGH...? I WENT TO ONE LFS AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS TOO MUCH AND ANOTHER LFS SAID YOU COULDN'T HAVE ENOUGH FILTRATION!!! WHAT DO I NEED TO GET THE BEST OF WHAT I HAVE AND WHAT CAN I REMOVE THAT IS JUST OVERKILL??

SUMP/REFUGE OR NO SUMP/REFUGE?

IS A 400W MH TOO MUCH FOR MY TANK?

RO OR DE-IONIZED?

I WANT TO HAVE A TANK LIKE THE ONES I SEE IN THESE FORUMS!!!

HELP!!


P.S. I HAVE ABOUT 30lbs OF LIVE ROCK AND ABOUT 60/40 MIX OF ARAGONITE\LIVE SAND (BAGGED KIND...50$!... HOPING IT WASN'T A WASTE...)

[ReefNeck]

Ok, First.....TURN OFF THE CAPS LOCK! That is considered yelling.

Second, Welcome to CaptiveReefing.

Lose all of the canister filters except maybe one for occasional use to polish if you wish. They are not good filtration for a saltwater system. You will want at LEAST a Wet/Dry filter and at best a nice sized Refugium.

A Single Metal Halide Light will not be enough for a 48 inch tank. You would need 2 of them. 2 250's would be cheaper or even 2 175's.

You want both RO & DI (RO/DI).

The sand you have will do fine.

Any more questions, Ask away.

Keri

HI, I HAVE JUST RECENTLY DECIDED TO CHANGE MY AFRICAN CICHLID TANK TO A CORAL REEF TANK AND FEEL LIKE A NEWBIE AT THIS.
I HAVE A 60g TANK WITH A SINGLE 47" HELIOS T5 DAYLIGHT BULB, A SKIMMER RATED FOR A 90g TANK, AND TWO H.O.T. MAGNUM 250g/h FILTERS FILLED WITH DE*NITRATE AT EACH SIDE TO PROVIDE WATER FLOW AND AMMONIA, NITRITE AND NITRATE REMOVAL. I ALSO HAVE AN OTTO 300g/h CANISTER FILTER THAT HAS CERAMIC BIO-MEDIA, A THIN SHEET OF MICRO-FOAM, CARBON, AND A LARGE MICRO-FOAM SPONGE AS AN ADDITIONAL BIO-MEDIA.

I DONT KNOW IF THIS IS TOO MUCH OR NOT ENOUGH...? I WENT TO ONE LFS AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS TOO MUCH AND ANOTHER LFS SAID YOU COULDN'T HAVE ENOUGH FILTRATION!!! WHAT DO I NEED TO GET THE BEST OF WHAT I HAVE AND WHAT CAN I REMOVE THAT IS JUST OVERKILL??

SUMP/REFUGE OR NO SUMP/REFUGE?

IS A 400W MH TOO MUCH FOR MY TANK?

RO OR DE-IONIZED?

I WANT TO HAVE A TANK LIKE THE ONES I SEE IN THESE FORUMS!!!

HELP!!


P.S. I HAVE ABOUT 30lbs OF LIVE ROCK AND ABOUT 60/40 MIX OF ARAGONITE\LIVE SAND (BAGGED KIND...50$!... HOPING IT WASN'T A WASTE...)

[Asher]

I have a single H.O.T. Magnum 250 on my 29 Gallon (along with a skimmer) and it has worked great for me.

[lReef lKeeper]

i agree with Keri, loose all the canisters. I say go WITH a sump/refugium, because you can never have to much water in a reef system.
RO/DI, DI is the next step after Ro in water purification (the best).
2x250w or 2x175w Halides will do the job.

[perpetual98]

You can always go with T5's too.

[iVgOnMaD]

WOW, so all the equipment that I have is un-necesary? I guess all the money is spent on these canister filters was a waste since all I needed was a sump and skimmer... Oh well, gives me an excuse to get another freshwater tank hehehe.

Can you sorta explain why canister filters are not good filtration for a reef aquarium?

I need as much knowledge as I can get from you guys because im new at saltwater.

[dsfdbutterfly]

There are many sides to canister filters in saltwater. Many people don't like them. That's not to say that they don't have their benefits in a saltwater tank. If I may ask a few questions about your set up and what you plan on keeping this will help determine the best way for you to use your canister filters in saltwater.

Are you planning on keeping a reef environment, a FOWLR tank (fish only with live rock), or swim tank (fish only with lace or dead rock)? These are the three basic tank set ups in saltwater.

With a reef tank a canister filter is best set up as only for water movement and to only place things like carbon in. They do have a place in saltwater because they can help the aquarist(?) maintain better water quaility and clearer water. However, especially in a reef tank, they have a tendancy to be bacteria magnets. This is why so many talk them down. Because they sit under the tank and are enclosed people tend to forget about them. Maintenance is never as important as when you have a canister filter.

If you use one on a FOWLR or swim tank then you can use your canister with a lot of other additions. I currently use two canisters on my 125 swim tank and I use carbon, the poly filters and some other stuff to help keep my stuff stable. Because of this I have to keep up on their maintance and keep them clean.

With a reef and FOWLR system there is honestly little need for a canister filter and they can create some headaches. The live rock is thought of as your filter and helps keep things balanced. In swim tanks this is harder to accomplish. There are other types of filters out there to do this (wet, dry and the such). Since you already have the canisters though you can put them to use for you. You just have to determine at which rate and be diligent!

I don't know if this clears up any confusion or makes it more difficult. I just don't think canisters are all evil and there can be positives found when used properly.

Angie

[iVgOnMaD]

Ok, well what im really trying to accomplish in the end is a reef tank but i was planning on doing it in steps. Im transitioning from freshwater and I wasnt sure if the equipment that i had worked the same way in saltwater. Thanks for clearing things up a bit.

What im thining is that im going to remove the large cannister filter that goes under my stand (OTTO PF300G) and leave the two HOT Magnum 250 filters filled with bio media and nothing else just to provide water movement and to remove large particles from the water and my skimmer to remove disolved organic waste.

Does this sound like an ok setup?

Or should I lose the Magnums and just add a sump?

Or should I keep the Magnums and also add a sump?

What would be the best media for my HOT Magnum 250 filters?

So many options and all my freshwater knowledge cant help me now...


Will my bio media become populated by pods? Because I was thinking that maybe my Magnum filters would become sort of a refugium for pods and I wouldnt need a sump?

Sorry I have so many questions, I just want to get it right the first time to avoid any losses.

[seahorsedreams]

How deep is your tank?

[iVgOnMaD]

My tank is a 48inX17inX15in it is a 60g.