Saltwater Filtration/

[Mattymcscoopitup]

So I'm planning on turning my currently planted 60-P into a coral tank thanks to many people on here who keep showing off their nano reefs. I plan on keeping mostly Zoas, mushrooms, and maybe some Sps and a few fish later on.

For filtration i currently have a 2215, is there any way this will work if i just stuff it with sponges and carbon, and add 2 k nanos to the tank? or is a sump absolutely necessary. i want to try to keep it as clean looking as possible without paying a fortune.

And of course theirs the protein skimmer. is there anything that i could get away without having filtration wise?

Sorry thats alot of questions, i just dont wanna start and change my mind half way through. Any advice is welcome. thanks in advance, Matt

[myjohnson]

So I'm planning on turning my currently planted 60-P into a coral tank thanks to many people on here who keep showing off their nano reefs. I plan on keeping mostly Zoas, mushrooms, and maybe some Sps and a few fish later on.

Or you can sell the 60p to me. Very interested if it comes with an ADA stand or the look-a-like is fine too.

For filtration i currently have a 2215, is there any way this will work if i just stuff it with sponges and carbon

It can work. Stuff it with LR, carbon, purgien, etc. Just don't add sponges to it.

, and add 2 k nanos to the tank?

This will work fine.

or is a sump absolutely necessary.

Sump is good to have not not 100% need.

i want to try to keep it as clean looking as possible without paying a fortune.

And of course theirs the protein skimmer. is there anything that i could get away without having filtration wise?

From what list of things you want to keep. You can get away with only doing water changes with no skimmer.

Sorry thats alot of questions, i just dont wanna start and change my mind half way through. Any advice is welcome. thanks in advance, Matt

Hope that helped dude.

[Mattymcscoopitup]

HA, No not interested in selling it, but i wish i had the stand.
That Definitely helps, thanks man

would a 18g tank be big enough for a Mandrin fish?

and wheres the best place to get good Fiji LR at a decent price?

[soymilk]

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/inde...howtopic=74703
i use that as a guide to see what fish can fit where.


http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/inde...owtopic=161389
This is a faq about madrin fish.

Pretty hard to keep a madrin fish. Looks badass, but seems like its gonna be a big hassle.

I got my liverock at HAW, but i was just at city pets and they just got 3 big boxes of new fiji LR in yesturday afternoon.

[Mattymcscoopitup]

Good read! yeah definitely gonna start out with something else

[Darbex]

I agree with MJ. On your questions. I wouldnt mess with a Mandarin especially with that size tank unless your experienced because they are very picky.

[myjohnson]

HA, No not interested in selling it, but i wish i had the stand.
That Definitely helps, thanks man

would a 18g tank be big enough for a Mandrin fish?

and wheres the best place to get good Fiji LR at a decent price?

I think you can keep one mandrin fish if you find one that is already eating prepared food and not just living off the pods.

[h2oimports]

ORA mandarins eat prepared food. you can get by with a hang on back filter on that thank. your eheim will be fine.

[rxonco]

With Mandarins, you're going to need quite a bit of live rock to accomodate the pod needs of its diet. If you were to add a sump and a fuge, or a hang-on fuge, you could get away with it. Finding one that eats prepared foods are few and far between. It took a couple of years for mine to start eating frozen mysis. As for the ORA variety, I wouldn't expect to see them in the market for at least another 6 months to a year. When they do, the cost will surely be high initially.
As for the skimmer...If your intentions are softies and a very light fish load, weekly water changes can work. However, if you intend on keeping other coral variants like SPS, you're definitely going to need one. You'll thank yourself in the long run.