New 36 bow front need help!

[Surfergurl92]

So I want to get a 36 gallon to put my maroon clown in cause I have him in a 10 gallon and it's too small.. My last tank set up my bf and I rushed through it for set up and I had new tank syndrome and I don't want to do that with my new one.. I just want to know what filter I should get I want cheap but not too cheap and everything else anyone recommends like protein skimmer brands or sizes and I know I want metal halide lighting but not sure what kind of wattage for a 36 gallon please help me in the right direction!!

 

[Surfergurl92]

I was thinking a canister filter any thoughts??

 

[mr_X]

i would skip the protein skimmer for a 36 gallon tank. what do you intend to keep in this tank? why would you want metal halide lighting? 40 pounds of rock and a pair of power heads is a pretty good filter in itself.

 

[Surfergurl92]

Well I wanted to get coral and possibly a anemone for my maroon we had one before but it got sucked up my filter and I was saying the metal halide because I thought that's what you needed to keep coral alive and an anemone.. I heard this from my pet care manager I don't know of it's true cause she tends to pull [moderator edit] out of no where so that's why I was asking on here and really you don't need a filter just powerheads and LR??

 

[jsmith]

Well I wanted to get coral and possibly a anemone for my maroon we had one before but it got sucked up my filter and I was saying the metal halide because I thought that's what you needed to keep coral alive and an anemone.. I heard this from my pet care manager I don't know of it's true cause she tends to pull [moderator edit] out of no where so that's why I was asking on here and really you don't need a filter just powerheads and LR??

I would run a hob. for anemone I would wait close you a year your parameters need to be steady and your tank established...

 

[mr_X]

yes, live rock is a filter in that it it has an extremely porous surface area to house a bacteria colony, and aerobic and ananaerobic zones to convert nitrate.
you could keep a closed system with just that and a decent export component like weekly partial water changes.

 

[tdwright1971]

I have a 36 bowfront with a maroon for almost 4 years now, I was running the power compacts but found the aquarium was too deep, When I moved I took the opportunity and drilled it and installed a gl*******s overflow, and hung a 250 watt mh, sadly I lost the anemone a couple of weeks ago, while battling a bad dino problem. After 3 days with lights out it never came back but the dinos did... My derasa clam seems to be growing well and is now hosting the maroon. As for a skimmer I would recommend a deltec mc500.

 

[mr_X]

dinoflagellates won't kill an anemone. i've had an anemone in a tank with dinos for over a year now. turning the lights out is not a solution for much of anything, as you've learned.

 

[Ricksreef]

I have a 36 bowfront with a maroon for almost 4 years now, I was running the power compacts but found the aquarium was too deep, When I moved I took the opportunity and drilled it and installed a gl*******s overflow, and hung a 250 watt mh, sadly I lost the anemone a couple of weeks ago, while battling a bad dino problem. After 3 days with lights out it never came back but the dinos did... My derasa clam seems to be growing well and is now hosting the maroon. As for a skimmer I would recommend a deltec mc500.

Your clam is hosting your clownfish? That I have never heard of before.You aren't worried about the clam?

 

[tdwright1971]

The clam doesnt seem to mind and even stays open a little for the clownfish to sleep. I was actually worried for the clownfish. The clam is the size of a small football.

 

[Ricksreef]

The clam doesnt seem to mind and even stays open a little for the clownfish to sleep. I was actually worried for the clownfish. The clam is the size of a small football.

Come on now,you gotta take and show us some pictures.

 

[tdwright1971]

 

[tdwright1971]

This one I just took

 

[tdwright1971]

dinoflagellates won't kill an anemone. i've had an anemone in a tank with dinos for over a year now. turning the lights out is not a solution for much of anything, as you've learned.

I wish i knew what killed everything, The anemone was fine till that or maybe it was the brs gfo? also lost all my xenia. My gsp and zoas closed up for over a month, just now coming back... anyway I dont want to hijack this thread.

 

[Surfergurl92]

What's a hob.? Sorry I'm still new... So lighting what kind should I do if I want an anemone??

 

[tdwright1971]

hob is a hang on back, the only problem is when your water level in your aquarium fluctuates then is changes how the skimmer skims.As for lighting I always wanted to try some led lighting out, a 36 is kinda deep so florescent don't seem to do so well, of course you could do metal halide but then you have a problem with the heat...

 

[tdwright1971]

as far as a canister filter, I ran a Marineland hot canister filter but it required weekly cleaning which was a pita. Even the cheap hang on filter that came with it would clog up within a week with pods and life. I took out the media for a while but eventually just removed it and just ran the protien skimmer with some Koralia ones for flow.

 

[Surfergurl92]

So I have actually decided on a 46 bow front.. So you think just a protein skimmer I'm still learning and I just don't want to crash and burn you know??

 

[tdwright1971]

a good protien skimmer, and lots of live rock and lots of flow, I think a 46 is a better choice.

 

[Ricksreef]

This one I just took

That is amazing to me,thanks for the pictures,never heard of that before.