[stdreb27]

my tank
I have been a tank nut for a while all smaller freshwater tanks. Anyway my eyes got really big and I bought a 180 gallon tank. As someone totally new to salt water of course I listened to everything the LFS people told me. And really they didn't tell me anything wrong, just maybe not complete information. Like don't use Tap water, you are going to need more that 12 poinds of live rock. I'm 4 1/2 months since I filled it up and I'm still struggling with water quality. My ammonia is usually between .25 to 1. but it has occationally spiked. Nitrates and are usually between 0 and 5. And Nitrites are usually 0. Salinity is usually around 1.2.
The only filter I have is a Fluvial FX5. And in there is some carbon and a few of those bio-cylinder things. ( can't remember what they are called) I have argonite as substrate and about 35 pounds of live rock.
for fish I have 3 damsels, a lunar wrasse, a coral beauty and and an dogface.

So i've decided that I need a sump (that I'm going to build out of a 45 gallon tank.)
I also need some more live rock which I want to put into the tank,
And a protein skimmer
And I want a RO filter.
Well I'm a college student and so funds are not always there I'm going to have to spread this out over a couple of months. And well I want some advise other than from the lfs and since all the rest of my friends have fresh water I dont' have any buddies that have a swt. What do you think would be the good thing to do first? And I've looked around and everyone tells me to get a different skimmer. (I want to put it in sump) I'd like to know some of your favorites. And any other suggestions would be nice.

[The R/C Man]

Hey there!

Sump is a good idea as it will increase your water volume and give you a place to add a refugium. Your canister filter could be the cause of your water quality issues. I believe in order for them to be efficient they need to be cleaned regularly other wise they hold waste. Maybe your first purchase should be a good protein skimmer (remove the canister) as this will remove disovled organics from the water culumn and should solve a majority of your water quality issues. Since you are going to build a sump you can incorporate it into your design. Be sure buy a GOOD skimmer and one that will handle the potential bioload of the tank. (notice I didn't mention size of the tank although that is a starting point and then go larger) RO/DI water gives you a clean slate in the chemistry department. It will reduce the ammount of pollutents from entering your closed system.

Skimmers:
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Austin Oceans Home Page

[stdreb27]

Hey thanks, but I was looking those skimmers are 300+ dollars, would you have any recomendations for something cheaper than that? Between that live rock, an RO system I'm looking at quite a bit of money and I'm only a college student. So I'm trying to do it good but economical.