Decided on FOWLR Tank, Just for Clarification...

[sharkiegirl94]

Ok, so I've been stuck trying to decide on if I wanted corals in my tank or not (reef tank) and whilest reading up on it, I think I'm going to have fish/inverts/fake corals/live sand/live rock. My question is is there anything wrong with that setup? Would I have to monitor things differently or whatever (other kinds of algae since not having corals/plants)? I think it would be easier without corals/plants because it's one less thing that can die in my tank. Haha, just saying. I also read somewhere that some corals are somewhat endangered and that artificial is better (I know about the personal taste thing...)? I thought about getting a Ocellaris clownfish, but if I have a fake anemone, will he be okay with that? Also can anybody tell me where I can get a protein skimmer for a biocube at a good price? I heard the kit doesn't come with one? And one last question: I have a heater currently for my freshwater tank, can I use it in my biocube?

It's like one of these but I don't know the wattage (Marineland brand):

Thanks in advance! I'm so excited to start this project!

 

[dmolavi]

Re: Corals - Get aquacultured ones vs wild caught to preserve the reefs. They tend to be more tolerant of being in captivity as well. I also only get captive bred fish for my tanks.

Clowns don't need anemones to survive, so a fake one won't be a problem. I'd be hesitant with the fake corals, though, because over time, if the paint starts flaking off, it can present a potential problem in your tank.

A heater is a heater, so yours is fine, so long as it's rated for the tank size you will have it in. A good way to check, if it isn't on the heater itself, is to measure how long it is, then check against the product listing at MarineLand.

 

[sharkiegirl94]

I would only buy high quality fake corals, like Natures Image and stuff. I would never buy that cheap stuff from China.