# UV Sterilizer & not to pricey filter(Canister, Wet/Dry, Sump)



## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

I have a 55 gallon tank with 40lb of LR, Seaclone Protien Skimmer, and an Emperor 400. In this tank i have 2 perc clown, powder blue tang, Regal tang.
People say that my filtration is bad for this many fish and I was even thinking about more or some LL corals.

What is a good pick of these Filters/UV sterilizer...

Please give me names of brands or if you think DIY is the best please tell me where i can find out how to do it...


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## PerculaClown (Apr 25, 2006)

if your planing on a reef tank than why dont you try a refugium? Power filters dont do a good job and can end up as nitrate factories if not cleaned frequently.


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

PerculaClown said:


> if your planing on a reef tank than why dont you try a refugium? Power filters dont do a good job and can end up as nitrate factories if not cleaned frequently.


Good idea but I also want to kill all the parisites in my water so it needs at least a refugium and a UV sterilizer and what brand of Refugium is the best??


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

I personally think that refugiums are awesome... but I'd diy with an overflow, tank, a light, and some cheato or calerpa and a return pump. 

UV sterilizers only mask the problems in your tank... it won't kill all the parasites in the entire system, but it will control them some. 

I get the feeling that this sudden urge to get a UV sterilizer is in the interest of your lost fox face. I think your biggest problem is not realizing you are overstocked with two tangs in that small of a tank and not parasites (although with two tangs in the tank there are bound to be outbreaks when stress levels on them rise) Get rid of them, and you won't have to spend the $150 dollars on the UV sterilizer.


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

It will be hard to get rid of the tangs without killing them...the LFS is very picky. But I will try.

And also can you make a refugium in a sump??

Because that would be a lot easier if it is possible...


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

well yeah, if the sump is big enough or made for it... do you use bioballs?


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

I dont have one yet but the one that I am thinking on buying does.


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

what is cheato or calerpa??


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## cheseboy (Aug 5, 2005)

a type of macro algae that looks like spaghetti AKA: Spaghetti algae


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

If I have the sump with a refugium could i still have the two tangs??
If I had a refugium would that take the place of a sump??


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

its all about space. Tangs need a lot of space that a 55 gallon cannot provide.


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

Fishfirst said:


> its all about space. Tangs need a lot of space that a 55 gallon cannot provide.


what about untill they get bigger then sell them??


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

that would be Okay, not ideal but okay. especially with a delicate species like powder blue tangs... 55 gallon is definately pushing it...


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

what do you think about my anemone... u think my lighting is too low so what about a lunar light 4-56w + 1-56w is that enough it would come with a wet/dry filter. 

And what would you think about my bioload with the wet/dry (Proclear 150) + a refugium with mabey even more fish than I have now???


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

I would skip on the wet dry and just do a fuge. Although I think you are maxed out now, you could possibly add a few bottom dwelling fish to your system. No more tangs, foxfaces, puffers, triggers, angels, or anything like that.


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

In your 55 FOWLR what kind of filtration do you have on that??
I mean i was going to get a sump but if you think the refugium will be enough i would use that.

What size would you recomend?? A sump refugium?? Hang on back... 

Is this adaquate for reefs even without mechanical filtration??
Do i still need a Skimmer?


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

I would keep the skimmer and get a refugium... right now I just have about 75lbs of liverock in the 55 gallon FOWLR and a skimmer. It does the trick as long as I do water changes every two to three weeks.


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

would the amount of water changes be less if I had a wet/dry or would that even be a disadvantage??

Do you have a hang on back or a sump??

They say with these you can have mandarin fish??


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

I would say you would have to do more water changes with a wet dry because they create nitrates like crazy. I have a sump fuge. 
Mandarins are very specific in their diet. Fuges protect some of their diet's population by not letting the mandarin hunt for them in there. Sadly, sometimes fuges don't even keep up with the mandarins high demand for pods, and the mandarin starves. They need a lot of food... and usually will eat nothing but pods.


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

So you would NOT reccomend ME getting a mandarin fish yet. Would you recommned a sump fuge or hang on back fuge?? I have read that for mandarin fish they need a hang on back otherwise the return pump will chop the pods up... 

What other fish would you recomend gobies, blennies??


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

Hang on back would probably be more suitable for what you are trying to accomplish. 

Excellent Gobies
Clown Gobies
Watchmen Gobies
Neon Gobies

Blennies
Midas Blenny
Lawn Mower Blenny
Mimic blenny
horned blenny


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

It is more sutiable but does it have as good of filtration??

I can live with out a mandarin fish.


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

And what would you think about a hawkfish, wrasse, basslet, or a dartfish?
And also how many more and when to put in any new fish?


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

Would i ever need a calcium reactor??


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

both work equally well... its your choice. 

I am not a fan of hawkfish, they are somewhat aggressive, and eat a lot of invertebrates. As for the wrasses, I love all the fairy wrasses, reef safe and active. If by basslet you mean the black capped basslet, I am a fan, most others available in the hobby get too aggressive for my taste. Dartfish are wonderful, the only bad thing is firefish can have internal parasites, so treatment and qt is very very important to their long term survival. 

Right now, I think you could only add one or two very small fish. The tangs take up a lot of your bioload.


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

oh and no, you do not need a calcium reactor unless you have high demands for calcium, which would mean, you need it for clams, sps, lps corals.


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

Fishfirst said:


> Right now, I think you could only add one or two very small fish. The tangs take up a lot of your bioload.


Exatly what do you consider a very small fish 3"/4"?

You said you like the Fairy wrasses, what is your opinion on a six line or a flasher?

If you buy your fish online what site would you reccomend?


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

3-4" is about right, flashers work well, six lines and be aggressive to new tankmates. Liveaquaria.com and marinedepot.com are two very good sites.


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

would you have any ideas on where i could sell my fish?


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

local clubs... where are you from?


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

Kewanee, IL about 2 hours south from chicago, IL. 
An hour from peoria, IL if you are familiar with it. 
Its a small town about 13,000 people and there isnt a fish club here.


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

there is one in peoria --> http://www.cimaonline.us/


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

thanxs but that problem is over tonight read my wrasse post


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