hey guys, i'm still in debate with myself on how i should set up my tank... as of right now, i've got a 55gal tank, and stand... i say this is all i have because i want a reef tank, and i know i'll need much better lighting than what i have, and possibly better filtration... oh, i got offered 70 lbs of liverock for 50 bucks, so "HECK YEAH!"... ok, on to my questions..
wow, where to start... we all know i want a reef system. my question is if that's all i want, nothing but corals/polyps and the "cleaner crew", or do i want fish with it? i've tried thinking about what kind of fish i'd have, but not really any luck... everything i want is either too much or too little... too much would be an example such as this : yellow tang, ocellaris clown, 3 green chromis, diamond watchman goby... i would absolutely love to have these fish, but i've been told to immediately take the tang off because they get too big, and will run out of swimming space.. and as for the others, the bioload is too much for the berlin filter method that i plan on (i think its the berlin; liverock, lights, and protein skimmer as the main method of filtration??) my idea of "too little", would be a single fish... i'd like just a single fish because of simplicity, but i feel like it wouldn't be noticed in such a big tank. my ideas for a single fish is either a mandarin dragonet, or a dogface puffer...
so what do you guys think? if i do opt for the "too much" fish setup, could i get by with a canister filter? i'm stuck once again with a "too little/too much" delimma on filtration... what i want and what i've got is too little (either the berlin system or a HOB that i already have)... and too much is a sump, that everyone tells me i need... no matter how many people tell me that is what i need, i just don't think so... it just seems like too much of a setup hassle to be able to enjoy the rest of the tank... that's why i think a canister filter is a happy medium...
wow, where to start... we all know i want a reef system. my question is if that's all i want, nothing but corals/polyps and the "cleaner crew", or do i want fish with it? i've tried thinking about what kind of fish i'd have, but not really any luck... everything i want is either too much or too little... too much would be an example such as this : yellow tang, ocellaris clown, 3 green chromis, diamond watchman goby... i would absolutely love to have these fish, but i've been told to immediately take the tang off because they get too big, and will run out of swimming space.. and as for the others, the bioload is too much for the berlin filter method that i plan on (i think its the berlin; liverock, lights, and protein skimmer as the main method of filtration??) my idea of "too little", would be a single fish... i'd like just a single fish because of simplicity, but i feel like it wouldn't be noticed in such a big tank. my ideas for a single fish is either a mandarin dragonet, or a dogface puffer...
so what do you guys think? if i do opt for the "too much" fish setup, could i get by with a canister filter? i'm stuck once again with a "too little/too much" delimma on filtration... what i want and what i've got is too little (either the berlin system or a HOB that i already have)... and too much is a sump, that everyone tells me i need... no matter how many people tell me that is what i need, i just don't think so... it just seems like too much of a setup hassle to be able to enjoy the rest of the tank... that's why i think a canister filter is a happy medium...
