filtration and lighting for a shark tank?

[darklcd]

Hey all

As some may know I am slowly starting to get back into things and I need a little help. I am setting up a tank to hour one cat shark that I am hatching from an egg (at least thats the plan) and I am not sure what I should do for filtration and lighting.

I am not going to have much in it but the shark maybe some chromis and a couple other "show" fish along with maybe a few softies at most.

I have herd some people say that a plain t5 will do the job or that even t12's would be fine but I am used to seeing my tank under MH and I am not sure if I should go that far this time. I have also beed reading a little on LED lighting but I don't know if they are going to be worth the cash with this set u.

As for the filter I was thinking a couple good size fluval's but I have herd others tell me that a good wet dry is a better way to go. I know I will need a good skimmer and I have that covered no need to worry there.

I have not housed a shark before and I need a little help with the set up

Any thoughts would be great

Thanks

 

[Krish]

I have herd others tell me that a good wet dry is a better way to go.

On the wet/dry..
I would imagine a shark would produce quite a bit of waste so if you wanted something to make really quick work of the waste then a wet/dry is the best thing to go with. This is the reason most pet stores have wet/dry's plumbed into all of their fish only tanks because they are so efficient at breaking down waste quickly. The downside to using one though is excess nitrates so you'll have to determine if that is something you don't mind dealing with. Fish will tolerate nitrates to a fairly good extent, but some corals won't and then there is the likelyhood of nuicance algae resulting from the increased nitrates. You'd have to stay on top of water changes and skim heavily to help out a bit with things IMO. Something to consider if going the wet/dry route.

 

[keener1830]

I would do both a closed loop with some canister filters to pull the crud out and a sump so you could run a good skimmer. Just make sure you keep up with taking care of the canisters and clean them enough.

 

[BCT182]

First things first, what size is the tank?

Also, chromis do not belong in an aquarium with sharks, not even with even a cat shark. I WATCHED my banded cat shark eat a Clown tang slightly larger than the large "fiji chromis." Regular chromis even full sized are not safe. Angels will pick at his fins and eyes. Triggers and puffers will do the same. Eels and lion fish are about all that are truly compatible with a banded cat shark. By safe I mean the shark wont eat the fish, and the fish wont hurt the shark.

 

[returnofsid]

Brett did a whole lot of research, while setting up his shark tank. Brett, I don't know what your flow system was called, but, if I remember right, it was a very "healthy" flow, for sharks. Didn't it involve the water circulating, in one direction, around the tank? It seems, in this way, the shark can swim against the current, giving it more oxygen and creating the "feeling" of more swimming area? Was it a Gyre Flow? I remember, you put a lot of thought and work, into creating the right type of flow.

 

[darklcd]

Good to know about the fish that was something that I was thinking about. As for display fish I as mainly thinking a lion or maybe a larger tang or 2. As for tank size I found a 200 gal tank locally.

What would Brett's S/N be on here I would love to talk to him about this.

 

[returnofsid]

What would Brett's S/N be on here I would love to talk to him about this.

You're already talking to him...lol. BCT182 aka the guy who knows how to set up a great shark tank.

 

[Krish]

I agree! Brett had a shark tank. Take a look at his thread. You should find something useful in there

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33953

 

[darklcd]

lol sorry about that I did not know that was him its been a while since I have been on here and its going to take me a while before I get everyone straight again.

Ah yes my most fav thread on any forum ever lol. My tank is not going to be anywhere near that size lol but I know what you mean. I believe I talked to him before a little on this in the past guess its time once again. Too bad a 200 gal is too small for a black tip but I would never even think about that lol