sorting out filtration

[gregarlington]

I need help sorting through all this. I have a 44 gallon currently with a cannister filter and a power head powering a pair of bio-wheels. The back of the tank is getting crowded with all this setup, but from looking around i am wondering if my filtration is sufficient. I currently have a couple of damsels and one clown but hope to maybe add an anemone. I havent had any problems with water quality that i know of ( have done the basic tests ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, and ph). Can anyone suggest additional things i might need to make adding an annemone succesful. i have two fluorescent lighting strips, each with a 50/50 light 6500K.

 

[crazy4reefs]

welcome to the board.. i cant help you with the filtration but i just wanted to ask you if you have live rock and live sand.. also you will need to upgrade your lighting to keep and anonome. they also require a stable and mature tank. i am sure you will learn alot of information here. hth

 

[gregarlington]

I dont have any live rock or sand, tank is only two weeks old and was hoping that adding these few fish would help to cycle the tank, thinking about adding some live sand, but now i dont know if that will throw off the balance. If i add the live sand now will I have to add a protein skimmer immediately or is that just a neccesity in maintaining water quality for the inverts??

 

[sebae0]

definately wait on adding an anemone until your tank is mature enough, about 8 month's. your also gonna need to upgrade your lighting too, they require intense lighting. for filtration your probably gonna want to add alot of live rock to help. its beneficial because it adds in surface area for bacteria to colonize and break down waste in the tank. a deep sand bed would help also to naturally lower trates in the tank, about 4" of sand. good luck and welcome aboard!

 

[dreeves]

Remember one very important thing with keeping marine life in the home aqaurium...too fast is certain disaster.
Everything in the marine environment takes time to establish. Two weeks into the scene...you may consider adding some live rock to aid in the cycling.
As for your filtration...without knowing the particulars of your canister, make, type, gph, etc...no one can make suggestions or comments. The bio-wheels...once established...will perform well with the nitrogen cycle. They are very efficient.
Skimmers are not a requirement...they are strongly recommended as they remove dissolved organics which eventually end up as nitrates. A skimmer could be one of those soon to get things.
Anything which may cause water quality problems...LR and LS, etc...should be added now...get a good solid base in your tank, let it grow, settle in and your fruits will be many.

 

[gregarlington]

Thank you all for you tips. I had been hesitant about the rock but after hearing all of the praise i decided to take the plunge, starting off with about 7 lbs. and hoping to add more soon, also picked up some live sand. I like the more natural look it has given and am praying that the fish can make it through their ever changing habitat

 

[goldrush]

Welcome Greg, Wait till you are sure your tank has completely cycled before you add any other living things,O.K.?

 

[dreeves]

Goldrush...
You right next door to me... Windsor