Filters

[Kent]

I want to start an all fish salt water, My question is,,, would A 350 magnum be enough for the biological filter or should I go with A wet\dry for this ? This will be A 55gal tank Thanks

[RayPollett]

I want to start an all fish salt water, My question is,,, would A 350 magnum be enough for the biological filter or should I go with A wet\dry for this ? This will be A 55gal tank Thanks

We would need to know more about how you plan to set up the tank and what fish you plan to keep.

Few people still use wet/dry filters on a new setup saltwater tank. Most now use sand( play sand from Lowe's or Home depot is cheap and works fine) and live rock (LR). Using these the 350 will probably be enough additional filter for a 55 gallon tank. Depending on what you keep it may not be adequate flow. Two emperor 400s will cost about the same and give greater flow and a better flow pattern. Remove the bio-wheels from the Emperor 400s.

The sand bed and LR work as a biological filter for you. When you add detrivores to the tank they help clean the tank also. Using bleached fake corals is not considered good anymore by most people. It does not allow for proper sleeping and hiding places for the fish. More and more hobbyist consider the sterile beach coral tanks cruel and inumane to the fish.

Let us know what fish you want and we may be able to give you better advice. Most people do things backward. They set up a tank and then buy fish. You should decide on the fish you want first and set up the tank for them.

Ray

[tvan]

I would go with some sort of sump(a 30gal long aquarium even). That way you can always expand with protein skimmers, live rock, Deep sand bed, and/or algae in the sump. You can even put a 350 on the side of the sump!! or the carbon.
HTH
Tom

[Kent]

Thanks for the input, Was planning to use A protein skimmer, sand bed,A couple live rocks to help cycle it, was not sure if the 350 mag was A good choice for the bio, filter. thinking on A wet\dry so I can have heater and skimmer in the sump. want A fish only tank to many pretty fish that like to eat on the live coral

[SeaMe]

I want to start an all fish salt water, My question is,,, would A 350 magnum be enough for the biological filter or should I go with A wet\dry for this ? This will be A 55gal tank Thanks

All the biological filtration in the main tank should be enough to handle the load; the canister will work well for mechanical and chemical wouldn't count on it for bio though. A sump will do for everything and save you money because you can put everything in it with no need for wet/dry or canister.