Equipment list

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Mooney0086

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Jun 3, 2011
Messages
45
Hi,
Can anyone help me.
I was wondering if anyone could do me a list of the most important equipment to have right down to the least important.
Ie, filter
Skimmer.
Ect

Thanks
 
Ahh that's gonna be quite the list! LOL

You'll need the tank of course and stand. Then a sump, protein skimmer and most expensive, the lights. These are the major things and are needed.

other things you need with that size tank can include: an API liquid test kit, a refractometer to measure salinity, an ro/di machine unless you want to lug water back and forth from the pet store. Theres a bunch of things I probably missed but you can get the idea. Also will need a heater(s) and power heads. Not to mention Live rock and some base rock.

Hope that helps. :)
 
Definitely read Melosu's link for an exhaustive list :p

#1...a lot of 1.023-1.025 salinity saltwater. And a heater obviously. There are people who have several hundred gallon tanks with no filters or skimmers. Just a bunch of macroalgae, live rock/live sand and water changes.

#2 A sump to house all of your equipment, return pumps, etc. I would have a part of your sump dedicated to growing Chaeto, which helps keep down phosphates and keep algae out of your display.

#2 also: live rock/live sand. Biological filtration is key to stability, and with a lot of sand/rock there are lots of places for bacteria to colonize.

#3 filtration/aeration. Actually this is probably tied with #1. Surface agitation, be it from a return pump or powerhead is very vital to oxygenating the water and keeping livestock able to breathe.

#4 activated carbon to help reduce water changes and make water clearer.

#5 powerheads to prevent dead spots in the water.

#6/#2 protein skimmer. Helpful when perfect water quality is required, though goniopora, certain sps benefit from "dirty" water. In smaller tanks not really necessary as a several gallon water change weekly/biweekly is plenty. Very important in a larger tank to keep water clearer/nitrates down though.

Forgot to mention lights, which are way up there if you have corals or just want to be able to see your tank. Depending on what you have, you may need compact fluorescents, t5s or HQI. Aim for 2-5 watts per gallon in the 10k + range. You could probably go for some 250 watt T5s in a tank that size
 
I have a tank,
I've got external filter,
Skimmer, uv, ozone,

Is a calcium reactor a good thing to have?
 
It's not a must have item. With a 100g tank I would recommend a sump over a hang on filter, or do you have a canister? What kind of skimmer do you have, is it rated for over 100g?
 
I can't fit an under tank sump. Yeah have a canister filter
I was thinking of a hang on Refugium.
It's a 600l skimmer
 
Could work, how long is the tank? Is it a 4 footer and just tall? I know theres limited room under some 4 foot stands. I have the same issue with my 55g.
 
It's 5',
But has two cupboards on either side so can't fit anything under
 
yea my old shelf was like that on my last 55G had no room for anything underneath just cabinets
 
Back
Top Bottom