Just starting out

[Kimber]

I am starting up a new tank. I have questions about filtration. I have heard that a tank can do very well with live rock and sand and a protin skimmer.
I am thinking if that does well the adding a wet dry filter would do even better. What do you think?

 

[DonW]

Not really there is more to it than that. Proximity of the two areas nitrification and denitrification need to be close together. Otherwise those nitrates produced by the bioballs will take to long to be taken up in the denitrification areas of the LR. It can be done but you need alot of lR and other ways to denitrify.

Make sense.
Don

 

[Krish]

Welcome to RF!!! If you plan on going with a reef setup eventually, I think the original plan of live rock, sand and a protein skimmer is the way to go. Wet/dry's can cause stress down the road if you are un-able to control the nitrates they produce as an end product and may get frustrated with nuicance algae problems which result partly from high nitrate levels as well as the fact that most corals don't do so well where nitrates are present. There are many people here that have switched from a wet/dry (myself included) because of this simple fact. Don't get me wrong, wet/dry's are great for applications where nitrates aren't an issue like fish only systems etc, but apart from that a lot of people tend to steer away from them.

Just a few thoughts. Hope you enjoy your time here

 

[Kimber]

So then just live rock and sand with a good protein skimmer (any sugestions on a brand) is enough? What about lights, I 've heard you have to have the compact fluorescents/ halides combo is better then just compact fluorescents...but i don't want to cook my fish either and I guses that can happen if you are not experinced with halides (eventualy I want claims) so I know I need good lighting, any suggestions?

 

[dailydriven911]

So then just live rock and sand with a good protein skimmer (any sugestions on a brand) is enough? What about lights, I 've heard you have to have the compact fluorescents/ halides combo is better then just compact fluorescents...but i don't want to cook my fish either and I guses that can happen if you are not experinced with halides (eventualy I want claims) so I know I need good lighting, any suggestions?

I think the only way you can cook your fish is if you put a 400watt halide over a 10 gallon or something...:lol: You should be fine. I would go with halides because eventually you will anyway. Also I'd look at doing a refugium to help reduce nitrates. Welcome to Reef Frontiers!

 

[dailydriven911]

What size tank do you have? That will help on skimmer choices...

 

[Kimber]

I was thinking like a 55 ( I know bigger is better but I don't want it to fall through the floor either ...I mean a tank can weigh a lot, cant it). Thanks for all the info, it's better to know this now, rather then spending thousands of dollars on equipment and not have the right stuff.