125g empty tank

[Seepu]

I got a new 125g for Christmas! (yaaay!) and am undecided as to what to do with it.

I have had a 90 FOWLR tank, and wasn't too successful. Not UNSUCESSFUL, nothing died due to husbandry, crystal clear water, no algae breakouts, but I couldn't even get mushrooms to flourish, no coraline ect.

I'd like to try a TRUE fish only tank, only using ornate LR for hiding places. The advice we got from our LFS said that a skimmer was not needed at startup, but to get one when funds are available. 2 Emperor bio wheel filters, no fuge, no sump. I know most of you will have a mile long list of things I *need*... but really want to know the essentials. I don't want to over-complicate things (it has gotten me in trouble in the past) and I want to enjoy my tank, and not be a slave to it.

I want the tank to be as simple as possible, and still have nice sized fish.

What type of fish? I like triggers and tangs, and can't decide on which way to go, aggro or somewhat docile. Virtually the entire tank will be available swimming space, and would like good sized, active fish at maturity.

I love jawfish, and could set up a deeper sandbed for them to burrow in in part of the tank, and thought that they would be a good match for active swimming tangs.

Any thoughts, ideas? What other fish would be compatable with tangs? I am not opposed to a FW species or specimen tank, but kinda want to stick to marine fish.

[ellisz]

You don't need a skimmer or a sump but they are recommended as they add water volume and/or filtration. A skimmer is nice if you go to heavy on your fish load. Tangs can pretty much go with anything ...

[melosu58]

Originally Posted by ellisz

Tangs can pretty much go with anything ...

I agree with tangs can go with anything. My opinion is LR and a skimmer. You cant get anymore simple than that. Here is a good article on equipment you could use.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=76139

[Seepu]

I want to get away with as little LR as possible. My last FOWLR tank had so much LR, there wasn't much swimming room. It never colored up, and I had some decent PC lights.

Is there a problem just using LR as decoration, and rely on regular bio filters for the nitrogen cycle?

I see a skimmer in my future, no doubt about that, but money is tight before Christmas and with just moving back to the States. (the tank was our 2nd big purchase since getting back, a bed was the first! LOL)

Another question about substrate. How impractical is 'terraforming' the substrate to have 2 different depths of sand? My thoughts are to get a 4 - 5 inch wide piece of thin plexi, and block off a portion of the tank bottom, to provide a deep substrate for jawfish, and to leave the remainder of the bottom at about 2 inches deep or so, with eggcrate under it to support any LR I put in there.

Does this fall under the Murphy's Law, and the jawfish will likely NOT use the deeper area, or will the fish likely see it as a good spot to build a burrow, providing I supply the rubble, shells and such that they would need?