55 Gallon Aggressive Tank

[spider2928]

Would a porcupine puffer, volatin or radiata (still deciding) lionfish and a barred moray eel be compatible in a 55 gallon tank? The tank has a Penguin Biowheel 350 (i am removing the biowheels) and a D&D Marine protein skimmer. I also have 60lbs of fiji live sand and 55lbs of fiji live rock. Would that be adequate filtration? I have heard that I could turn my HOB filter into a refugium would that be better than mechanical filtration? If so how would I go about doing that? I know these fish will outgrow this setup but I plan to upgrade my tank to 90-125 gallons in a year or so and would purchases these fish as juveniles.

Thanks,
Paul

 

[Lynden]

They would almost certainly be compatible. A fuge would be better than mechanical filtration. Just put some algae, sand and rock into back of the filter and add a light.

 

[Musho3210]

i would choose the mechanical filtration if you are willing to clean it every 1-3 days, especially if you have some messy fish.

 

[Lynden]

Why not get a second filter and have both?

 

[spider2928]

Would a protein skimmer act as mechanical filtration? The pump has a foam cover to collect debris...

 

[Lynden]

If you cleaned it every few days it would.

 

[STD]

Would a porcupine puffer, volatin or radiata (still deciding) lionfish and a barred moray eel be compatible in a 55 gallon tank? The tank has a Penguin Biowheel 350 (i am removing the biowheels) and a D&D Marine protein skimmer. I also have 60lbs of fiji live sand and 55lbs of fiji live rock. Would that be adequate filtration? I have heard that I could turn my HOB filter into a refugium would that be better than mechanical filtration? If so how would I go about doing that? I know these fish will outgrow this setup but I plan to upgrade my tank to 90-125 gallons in a year or so and would purchases these fish as juveniles.

Thanks,
Paul

You might have problems with the puffer and the lionfish - puffers can be fin nippers

 

[Lynden]

True enough - except that porcupine "puffers" are not really puffers at all, but "two tooths" or diodonts. They rarely become fin nippers but the occasional specimen can be.