After alot of researching....

[niners]

I have come up with my "gameplan" for my first saltwater tank. After reading and researching I think its best to start with a FOWLR tank but I want to get good enough equipment where if I decide to get adventageous later I wont have to junk it all.

Tank - 29 gallon that I currently own (would like to go bigger but dont have the space right now.

Filter - Fluval 304 - figure that if in the future I decide to go big then I can keep this in use

Skimmer - Aqua C Remora w/Max Jet1200 (this is the only piece I am still not sold on. I had trouble finding alot of threads/articles on these. If anyone has an idea or can point me in a better direction I would appreciate it)

Lighting - CustomSealife Power Compact - 2 65 watt bulbs (one is 10,000 k daylight ,one Actinic Blue

Powerhead - Marineland Penguin - 300 gph

Heater - Marineland Visi-Therm 200 watt submersible

Substrate - Live Sand, was thinking about going 1/2 and 1/2 with Southdown/Yardright play sand - probably somewhere around 40-45 lbs total

Live Rock - 45 lbs of Fiji Rock

I am planning on using the LS and LR to cycle the tank. I have read LOTS of people saying not to use fish to cycle and I will go with their words of wisdom.

Well thats about it for the setup. I hope that I will get a few responses if anyone sees something that I need to change. Thanks for taking the time to read and if you have any suggestions for fish once the tank is cycled please feel free to post.

thanks.

[Poseidon]

Personally I would drop the Canister Filter. They tend to become Nitrate factories and when you go to a reef it do more to frustrate you then help you. For now I would run it WITHOUT any media. Just use it for water movement.

Or if you haven't purchased the Fluval yet, you could use the money towards a BIGGER skimmer. Maybe go with the Remora PRO!!!

Hope that helps.

[niners]

I havent purchased anything yet. Just have the tank. Wanted to run it by some people with more experience before throwing the money around. So you are saying that I should go WITHOUT a filter and get a bigger skimmer instead?

[Reefland]

Hi niners and Welcome to Reefland!

That is what I would do. A good skimmer and live rock is the only filtration that is needed, canister filters and other types of mechanical filtration tend to lead to troubles if not properly maintained; maintenance that is not worth the efforts.

Regards,
Scott Z.

[niners]

thanks for the quick responses. Do you have any recommendations as far as the skimmer goes? And do you feel that the other specs seem the right way to go? Again I appreciate the help and this is exactly why I wanted to post and get some opinions BEFORE buying anything.

[SeaMe]

... Do you have any recommendations as far as the skimmer goes? ...

Get the best skimmer you can afford; it will remove waste, add oxygen, remove CO2, and raise the ORP of the system to natural seawater levels. If the skimmer is rated for a 100gal. cut that in half. All skimmers will make foam; the better ones will bring down the percentage of impurities lower and quicker. ;) Merry Christmas!

[Reefland]

Yup, the bigger the better! My decision wuld be strictly based on another decision; do I use a sump? If not, then I think an AquaC Remora Pro is the choice. If I do use a sump, a My Reef Creation or other beckett style skimmer is my choice.

Scott Z.

[Poseidon]

Yup once again Scott and I agree!! Drop the CAN get a BIG OL skimmer and you are ALL SET!!!!

You won't believe all the Nasty crap a good skimmer will pull out!!!

[niners]

Again I appreciate all the help. I think I am going to go with the Remora Pro based on everyones advise. My only other question would be is it worth the extra money to go from the Rio1400 to the Mag Drive 3? Its about a $20 difference.

[Poseidon]

ABSOLUTELY

Do a search on Rio.... Unfortunately alot of those pumps turned to crap...

[almostdiva]

ABSOLUTELY

Do a search on Rio.... Unfortunately alot of those pumps turned to crap...

Get the Mag. You'll be HAPPY. I pretty much agree w everything everyone else has said. Do you have a sump? You can always add a little carbon or PolyFilter there if you want from time to time. I throw a little media bag of carbon in the sump most of the time and I run a little polyfilter in the overflow.

[niners]

Is 40 lbs of live rock too much to add at once into a new 29 gallon setup? That seems to be the smallest amount that you can buy. I am going to just add the live rock, a bed of live sand and a raw shrimp to cycle the tank. thanks.

[Poseidon]

Nope that will be fine!!!

[niners]

thanks alot!

[niners]

I am back. I bought the Consciencous Marine Aquarist and am about 3/4 of the way through. Great book and I suggest it for anyone new with alot of questions. Lots of detail. A question I had after reading.....

I understand lightning it very important so with that in mind is it worth the money to upgrade from the CustomSeaLife Powercompact as opposed to the Smartlite?

Right now I am planning on a fowlr and cleaning crew but you never know....

[Reefland]

The Power Compact lighting will be great for your FOWLR and even some low light corals; mushrooms, button polyps, some leathers, etc. If you are not planning for other types of corals down the road, then this will be just fine.

Scott Z.