Trying to decide...

CAreefnoob · Mar 9, 2022

Hey everyone,

I'm a long time fresh water aquarist and after moving, I put all my fish in my parents tank and am starting all over. But the main decision is should I leave FW and try to do what I have always wanted and create a reef tank. The main thing that has been keeping me from going that route is I have no idea where to start, there is so much information and the sometimes conflict. If I were to start a salt water tank, could I do it with my cannister filter or do I need to modify the tank for a sump? If I run a canister filter, what else would I need? Are skimmers needed? I saw someone using a canister filter with a powerhead to create more of a current in the tank? Anyone else have success running a reeftank with a canister filtration system? I'm trying to build a reef tank with a 45 gallon tank.

Dbichler · Mar 9, 2022

You can use a canister filter it is just a lot more work than having a sump. Water changes would be enough on a 45 gallon tank. Skimmer would definitely be a benefit.

Mr. Mojo Rising · Mar 9, 2022

you will likely get a lot of conflicting info here too. There are so many ways to build a reef tank, and many of them are correct, it comes down to preference, availability of equipment and space in your home, and cost.

It seems like you are just starting your research, the best thing you can do is read, and understand why people chose their filtration methods, and then you make your decision what works best for you in your situation

for example, the proper question is not "is a skimmer needed", the correct question is "what does a skimmer do"

edd59 · Mar 9, 2022

LordofCinder said:
you will likely get a lot of conflicting info here too. There are so many ways to build a reef tank, and many of them are correct, it comes down to preference, availability of equipment and space in your home, and cost.

It seems like you are just starting your research, the best thing you can do is read, and understand why people chose their filtration methods, and then you make your decision what works best for you in your situation

for example, the proper question is not "is a skimmer needed", the correct question is "what does a skimmer do"

very good advise

shakacuz · Mar 9, 2022

welcome aboard the r2r board!

take the plunge and delve into SW. it is not as easy as FW, but definitely twice as rewarding, IMHO.

MaxTremors · Mar 9, 2022

I would recommend a HOB refugium over a HOB skimmer for a 45g tank (though both would be even better). The canister filter is fine, but you’ll want to clean it every few days (the filter floss/sponge part), in SW tanks we don’t really use the typical FW filter media for biological filtration, that all happens in the rock in your tank. You will need to get proper lighting if you want to keep corals. I would also strongly recommend that you use real live rock (anything sold dry is not real), or use dry rock and then seed the tank with a couple pounds of real live rock. It’s really not as complicated as a lot of people make it seem. Invest in quality test kits, do water changes, have proper nutrient export, proper lighting, lots of flow (some wave makers will be necessary), some quality porous (live) rock, and you’re good. I would recommend watching BRS’s 52 weeks of reeking series in Youtube, not all the info will be applicable to you, but it will give you a good overview of the fundamentals.

As others mentioned, sourcing quality fish can be difficult, because of this, QTing is recommended (personally, I’ve had about the same success with QTing as I have not QTing, but for someone just starting out, I would recommend that you do QT, or buy fish that have already been QTed).

Again, I’m sure it seems overwhelming from the outside looking in, but it’s really not that difficult. They are very different, but if you’ve been a successful FW aquarist, you can be a successful SW aquarist.

davidcalgary29 · Mar 9, 2022

And don't discount a "Fish only with live rock and some coral" build. It's often quite difficult to get a good balance of fish and healthy coral colonies in a new tank, and many people give up when they can't achieve a showstopping tank in a month (or year, for that matter). Some corals -- like Grube's gorgonian, mushrooms, and pagoda cup corals do well in these environments. Pagoda cups (turbinaria) are really undervalued, in my opinion.