stepping up my filtration...help please

[gio28]

i have a 36 bowfront im about to turn into a reef...and a very maxed out list of fish i've been wanting to add as well. right now i have an aquaclear 50...i want something more effective as my filtration...
what is the best type of biological filtration..or just filtration in general to help me get 0 nitrates and keep my tank as healthy as possible? skimmers? canisters? any input would be great..thanks

 

[the_bandit]

Deffinetly invest in a skimmer. It will help alot when you want to start getting corals. If you buy a canister filter and you are not good with keeping up on the maintence of it, you will get Nitrates like crazy. A strong HOB filter would be a good choice for mechanical. More live rock is also very good. I added 30lbs of LR to my tank and in a matter of hours my water was crystal clear. weekly water changes are your best bet at keeping Nitrates to a minimal. But this just a suggestion.

 

[gio28]

i do water changes every week...15%. i cant get those nitrates down...they are always at 20-40. im a neat freak so cleaning a canister is no problem for me...im used to cleaning obsessively. but i have nowhere to put a canister because my tank is on a dresser...not a stand. my bed is on one side and there is another dresser on the other side of my tank. i could put it beside the tank on the dresser if that will work..thats what i had in mind but i heard canisters intake and outake tubes need to be going totally vertical (so underneath the tank..which i cant do) so idk if i could have a canister.
i was gonna use my aquaclear as a mechanical filter/live rock rubble fuge sort of thing...and get an octopus skimmer (HOB w/ filter space as well) so help keep the trates down and give me more filtration. does this all sound good?

 

[the_bandit]

That sounds good to me. I would get some CUC if you don't already have some. They will help. And deffinetly get as much Live Rock as possible.

 

[teresaq]

if you dont have room for a lrg cansiter then look at Marineland Magnum 250 Hot Filter which is a hob canister filter.
T