Q about filters

[bloo1987]

Hi. I am new to this pretty new to this salt water stuff. I still have a lot of things to learn. So my resitdential fish store told me that I don't need a filter if I have live sand and live rock in my tank and as long as the water is cycling. And I was wonder if this is true that I don't need a filter? Was also wondering how much live rock should I have in this 55 gl. tank? I want to make this a reef tank with fish.

In tank:
Sailfin tang
5 snails (the white ones that go under sand)
est. 15 red legged hermit crabs

55 gl. tank
25-35 lbs. live rock
Seio powerhead
Romora skimmer
Pondmaster pump
Jebo canister filter
PC lighting
water heater

 

[fsn77]

Live rock will be your filter. It's generally recommended that you have 1 - 1.5lbs. / gallon, but different types of live rock have different densities. You want to have "enough," but not so much that it causes circulation problems.

I would definitely NOT recommend putting a sailfin tang in a 55g tank. Minimum recommended tank size for that fish is 125g+, depending where you look.

 

[bloo1987]

So I could just get rid of my Jebo canister filter? That is only if I have enough live rock in my tank? So what should I do with my sailfin tang then?

 

[BeelzeBob]

you can use the cannister for flow or a flower pot

but the more rock you have the better. a tank w/ 1.5lbs+ per gallon will be crystal clear. gotta be live rock, and the bummer is that LR is probably 2 of three on the most expensive things you'll have to spend money on.

lights and a skimmer are 1 and 3

and if you dont wanna get reemed by your fellow reefers, take the tang back...

plenty of other fish out there so, no real logical reason to keep a fish that is to big for your tank.

(unless your married and you need an excuse to buy another set up... then by all means, keep it

 

[bloo1987]

okay thanks alot!

 

[USCavalry19d]

Bloo1987 you dont have to buy rock that is live when you buy it. When we say live rock we dont mean that it is a rock that breathes. Rock is considered live because of all the organisms that grow on it. That is accually the color that you see on the rock other than coraline algae. If you can find a place that has rock that might not be live anymore (usually about $3 a pound cheaper) and place this stuff in your tank in about 4-6 months depending on tank conditions it will become live rock. Just like the stuff LFSs' are charging almost $8 a pound for.