Tropical Fish Keeping banner

55 gallon

5K views 24 replies 8 participants last post by  rookie 
#1 ·
hello, im new to the forum. i have quite a few questions. right now i currently have a 10 gallon reef tank. i am upgrading to a 55 gallon. i am going to make it a fowlr tank. could anyone help me with the filteration, what type of salt would be best, how many power heads would be suffeceint, just pretty much all the basics. i am very fimilar with the live rock, live sand, fish everything like that. i am just curious on what kind of equipment i would need. thank you for all the help!
 
#3 ·
Welcome to the forum! While I cannot really suggest any equipment there are plenty here that can. You should check out some of the user written articles on the forum relating to saltwater tanks, I've been reading them, getting a little aquainted with saltwater setups and must say they are very informative.
 
#4 ·
a sump with a skimmer. http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/member-submitted-articles/understanding-sumps-15930/

atleast 2 hydor k #2 powerheads, if not #3s. salt brands are a personal preference.

55 gallon tanks are narrow and are alittle more tricky to place your live rock then in a wider tank. standard 75 gallon tanks are the same lenght but alittle wider then a 55. im not saying you cant use the 55 gallon as your tank, the extra width of the 75 makes aquascaping your rocks easier. can you post a stocking list of what you wish to keep?
 
#5 ·
i have not purchased the tank yet so i am highly considering the 75 now. would this size tank need a sump for sure or could i just get a good quality hang on skimmer? what about a 100 gallon? how hard are these to keep compared to a 55 or a 75 gallon? it will be a fish only with live rock so i am not really planning on any corals and as of the fish im not sure. it will just be a decision in the future. it will probably be more little fish and shrimp and such.
 
#9 ·
You can use the old wet dry to create a sump, but I would not use it as described. I would empty the bio balls and filter pads, then modify the unit to contain a protein skimmer, and possibly a refugium. Can you post pictures of this sump and the dimension of each section? Then we can get very specific.
 
#20 ·
Depends what water you take out of the tank, how much flow you have in the tank and where the flow is directed if you ask me. Most of the dissolved proteins (70-80% if memory serves) in the tank build a film on the surface with slower flow up top, so if you manually "skim" the surface with water changes you can effectively remove a huge amount of waste when compared to regular water changes.

Take that with a pinch of salt though and I would almost always recommend a protein skimmer. I'm just saying that tanks can thrive skimmer-less.
 
#21 ·
Depends what water you take out of the tank, how much flow you have in the tank and where the flow is directed if you ask me. Most of the dissolved proteins (70-80% if memory serves) in the tank build a film on the surface with slower flow up top, so if you manually "skim" the surface with water changes you can effectively remove a huge amount of waste when compared to regular water changes.

Take that with a pinch of salt though and I would almost always recommend a protein skimmer. I'm just saying that tanks can thrive skimmer-less.
I agree that tanks can survive skimmer-less, but I would use Activated Carbon in place of the skimmer. You are correct that a good portion of the organics find their way to the top of the suface of the water. This is why reef-ready tanks are more effective at protein skimming. They skim the water from the surface, and a good sump will have the skimmer right next to the inlet.

I still do not suggest water changes as a method of waste removal in a marine tank. Water changes, as I use them, are used primarily to replace ions and elements that keep your Calcium and Alkalinity in balance.
 
#23 ·
I love these conversations. One thing I am finding is that Wake and I approach this hobby almost identical. There is not much difference at all in how we care for our tanks, except that Wake changes water more than I do. I tend to lean on supplements and testing.
 
#24 · (Edited)
I love these conversations. One thing I am finding is that Wake and I approach this hobby almost identical. There is not much difference at all in how we care for our tanks, except that Wake changes water more than I do. I tend to lean on supplements and testing.
Water changes alone don't keep my alkalinity and calcium in check. I have noticed since I started regular water changes again that my test results are more stable, and I dose once a week instead of two or three times. This could all be in my head, because after my 46 bow was established, I gave up on weekly water changes and did small monthly changes. I still feel this is a better way to keep trace elements in check without testing...
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top