Filtration??????

bigcoupebmw

Shark out of water
Dec 29, 2005
14
0
0
55
Upstate & Coastal South Carolina
OK, this may be long! I've searched the forum and didn't find the answer I was loking for so here I am.

First, a liitle on me and my experience with fish tanks. I've had a salt water tank for about 5 years now. Nothing grand, just an Eclipse 12. I had 20lbs of LS and about 15lbs of LR. I never had a problem with it until I moved. Fixed the problems and no more problems. Early winter 2005 I got bored and drove cross country. While in Utah I picked up the new 24gal Nano cube deluxe. Its been up and running for about 3 months now and it is great. Fish, corals, and inverts are all doing great. This tank has 2 clown fish, orange Anthias, yellow damsil, blue damsil, 3 stripe damsil, dominoe damsil, royal gramma, black damsil w/ neon blue stripes and yellow, emerald crab, 2 color feather dusters, mushroom coral, hairy mushroom coral, buttom poylop corals, hermit crabs, turbo snails, and an anemone.

I also have a 29gal freshwater planted tank w/ angel fish, tetras, and a 12in pleco: 55gal freshwater Cichlid tank w/ a 6in pleco: 55gal freshwater (cycling, fish yet to be determined): 12gal freshwater Eclipse w/ guppies, tetras, and platys: 30gal freshwater lighted from the bottom with multi colored sea glass substrate and slag glass drilled with artifical plants siliconed into the holes(very cool tank).

All my salt water tanks have had built in filtration. I've been told that 1 1/2 to 2lbs of LS per gal. Since the 60gal is only 3ft wide I was thinking about 90 lbs of LS and about 90 lbs of LR. I really need help with the filtration. Do I use a canasters (2-Magnum 350 pro with the bio wheels) or do I need to use a sump? I've heard that both will work. Taking purchase price out of the equation, which is better and why? What the draw backs? What about ease of use and maintance? Thanks in advance! :help:
 
If you're doing a reef, I personally would forget about mechanical filtration. Canisters will trap debris that will then break down and become algae food unlee you clean them religiously. Plus, any plankton generated by the life dwelling in the tank is filtered out, removing a good source of food.

My recipe for a reef tank is 1.5 to 2 lbs/gal live rock, a good skimmer, and about 15-20X turnover per hour. A sump will allow you more choices of skimmers, and you might be able to include a refugium as well.

This tank has 2 clown fish, orange Anthias, yellow damsil, blue damsil, 3 stripe damsil, dominoe damsil, royal gramma, black damsil w/ neon blue stripes and yellow, emerald crab, 2 color feather dusters, mushroom coral, hairy mushroom coral, buttom poylop corals, hermit crabs, turbo snails, and an anemone.
This is all in a 24 gallon tank? I would be comfortable with about half that number of fish. Is this all going to be moved to the 60 gallon?
 
mogurnda said:
This is all in a 24 gallon tank? I would be comfortable with about half that number of fish. Is this all going to be moved to the 60 gallon?

All in a 24gal! Actually had one more fish in the Eclipse 12, but not the corals or anenome. They all lived (for several years) until I moved, only a couple passed in transport. Water is checked every week and fish seem happy and healthy. And yes they will me moved when 60 gal is complete. Can't hardly wait!!!
 
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