Setup question

[Saltie]

Hi all,

What basic equipment do i need for a fish only tank? Maybe live sand but no live rock? Can anyone tell me what I need?

[philolsen]

A good skimmer is #1, Lighting is also VERY important.what size is your tank?

[Reefland]

Lighting, a good protein skimmer, good liverock and frequent water changes.

[philolsen]

As a rule of thumb, I use 3-5 watts per gallon for light, 5-8 watts per for heat, 1 1/2-2 lbs rock per gallon and a 20% water change weekly, but dont use tap water, even with conditioner it will cause problems, either get a RO/DI and filter yourself or buy water already done. I buy mine from a LFS and pay .90 per gallon, it is run thru RO/DI, UV and mixed with salt.

[The R/C Man]

In case you don't already know; don't buy pre-packaged live sand as it is not really live and contains nothing benificial. Use carib sea oolitc sand wich is sugar sized. Any live rock you purchase from the LFS will contain critters that will seed your sand bed. You can also get a cup of sand from a fellow club member and or friend to add more diversity.

[Saltie]

Hi all, thanks for the help.

Do I really need a skimmer for fish only with out live rock? Will a canister with biowheel and water changes work?

[Reefland]

It would work, yes. But I strongly recommend the use of a good quality protein skimmer on any system.

[philolsen]

I ran my system for several months without a skimmer, I also had bio wheels and a Fluval 404 filter. The fish seemed healthy.....but as soon as I added a skimmer things really improved, the fish had much better color and they became more active as well, a skimmer made all the difference. I have since added 100 lbs of live rock, lost the bio wheels and removed all filter media from the Fluval and the water and fish are healthier than ever. My opinion is get a skimmer and get a decent one, it makes all the difference in the world.

[Reefland]

I couldn't agree more!