I know there are a lot of sites on setting up saltwater aquariums, but they're so, "if you want ____ you will need ____... if you plan on ____ you will need ____" and there would be a lot of sifting through all the information to find out what I actually need to purchase.
I have a 40 gallon brackish tank I want to go salt with. I right now have 60 watts of fluorescent light over it... it is a relatively long and shallow tank (36" length by about 18" height) so the lighting is rather efficient I think, and I do not want to upgrade to a bajillion dollar lighting thing just yet. I have crushed coral substrate, and an aquaclear filter.
What are my possibilities with 1.5 wpg fluorescent lighting (if any) in terms of non-fish inhabitants? What will I require, equipment-wise? Will I need to add/change substrate? What about filtration? Decoration? I think I read there is a way in saltwater aquariums to get the nitrates down other than water changes, and this is appealing since the salt for all those water changes would get expensive. I am looking at coralife skimmers for like $85.... Should I get one? I also read though that the bacteria in filters breaks down the large particles that are usually removed by protein skimmers into smaller particles.... how would a protein skimmer work with my aquaclear filter?
I have a 40 gallon brackish tank I want to go salt with. I right now have 60 watts of fluorescent light over it... it is a relatively long and shallow tank (36" length by about 18" height) so the lighting is rather efficient I think, and I do not want to upgrade to a bajillion dollar lighting thing just yet. I have crushed coral substrate, and an aquaclear filter.
What are my possibilities with 1.5 wpg fluorescent lighting (if any) in terms of non-fish inhabitants? What will I require, equipment-wise? Will I need to add/change substrate? What about filtration? Decoration? I think I read there is a way in saltwater aquariums to get the nitrates down other than water changes, and this is appealing since the salt for all those water changes would get expensive. I am looking at coralife skimmers for like $85.... Should I get one? I also read though that the bacteria in filters breaks down the large particles that are usually removed by protein skimmers into smaller particles.... how would a protein skimmer work with my aquaclear filter?
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