Hey everyone... Ya I'm new. And craving SOUND advice... Just picked up a 44g corner aquarium and this will be my FIRST saltwater tank, so it will be F/O MAYBE with liverock. Getting rest of gear this weekend, so that brings me to first question...
1- I'm sold on the Red Sea Prism skimmer with upgrade kit... Will this be enough mechanical filtration for that size of tank? considering it'll be F/O and it is rated to handle a 100g tank?
2- The upgrade kit with this skimmer comes with media basket... What would you recommend would be the best bio media that will fit into this basket? Would that be adequate bio filtration for that size of tank? I'm then planning on a 300gal/hr pump running water through a seperate charcoal basket and back onto water surface to help with O2 and have a nice bit of current. DOES THIS SOUND LIKE A REALISTIC IDEA TO ALL OF YOU? How many of you rely souly on a protein skimmer for mechanical filtration? (with routine water changes of course)
3- I'm spending quite a wad on all the gear this payday so I'd like to hold off on the heater till next payday SO... Could I successfully start cycling the tank at room temp? or will the amonia/nitrite/nitrates only cycle properly with a heated tank?
THANKS FOR YOUR INPUT AND SUPPORT! take care.
1- I'm sold on the Red Sea Prism skimmer with upgrade kit... Will this be enough mechanical filtration for that size of tank? considering it'll be F/O and it is rated to handle a 100g tank?
2- The upgrade kit with this skimmer comes with media basket... What would you recommend would be the best bio media that will fit into this basket? Would that be adequate bio filtration for that size of tank? I'm then planning on a 300gal/hr pump running water through a seperate charcoal basket and back onto water surface to help with O2 and have a nice bit of current. DOES THIS SOUND LIKE A REALISTIC IDEA TO ALL OF YOU? How many of you rely souly on a protein skimmer for mechanical filtration? (with routine water changes of course)
3- I'm spending quite a wad on all the gear this payday so I'd like to hold off on the heater till next payday SO... Could I successfully start cycling the tank at room temp? or will the amonia/nitrite/nitrates only cycle properly with a heated tank?
THANKS FOR YOUR INPUT AND SUPPORT! take care.
I'm pretty new here myself so I can only comment regarding your cycling without a heater question. I don't see any problem with you cycling the tank at room temperature, PROVIDED your room temperature doesn't get too high - say over 82 degrees. If your room temps are high, then you can always cool things down with a clip on fan attached to your aquarium. I personally keep my home at 80 degrees in the summer, and I have a clip on fan attached to my aquarium that keeps my tank temp between 77-78 degrees. Definitely invest in the heater at some point, especially for those chilly winter months. Good luck. 8)
