Switching a 16g..

[bgraber]

I have a 16gallon bowfront that I'd like to turn into a small marine tank.. I'd like to keep a couple fish, maybe a gobie or two and everyones favorite the Clown fish What are my minimum requirements here? I have aragonite sand as a substrate as it is now inhabited by 5 shell dwelling tanganyikan cichlids(Hard water, some red sea salt).. What would you recommend? I'm not exactly ready to drop 150 on a protein skimmer(backpak?).. Any input? Not sure about coral or anything yet, just starting to put my feelers out. Looking for a low risk, semi-low maintenance.. Low cost

 

[FrankSlapperinni]

I'm afraid you will have to spend a lot of money on a skimmer, it is the only thing in your tank you cannot skimp on. Bak-Pak's are kind of chinsy, so I wouldn't buy one, especialy with a tank that small.
are you going to have a sump? or live rock?

 

[Landlocked]

Are you planning on putting in any invertebrates?

 

[bgraber]

Actually just got a used bakpak2 for $77 shipped.. Good deal? Says it does up to a 60 gal tank.. That wont be enough for a 16gal with liverock? Tryin to find a good deal on quality liverock.. inverts i dont know.. prolly some cleaners.. Small sponges? I want something to take care of the sand bed.. Just planning now.. Aquiring some equipment.. I want some nice liverock and I plan on using some of the dead and let the other colonize.. Good idea? We won't even touch on lighting yet I'm also wondering if my Red Sea salt is adequate.. ? Thanks for the input guys..

And I'm moving the old substrate and fish to an empty 20gal.. So I'll be starting this one from scratch..

 

[Landlocked]

What type of filter are you going to put in?

 

[bgraber]

Filter? Won't the bakpak and a bunch of live rock be sufficient? i read that traditional "sponge" or other filters can create nitrate problems unless changed regularly(weekly)..

 

[Landlocked]

The bakpak and the live rock will do most of your filtering, so long as the tank isn't overstocked. Also, if you have too many fish/inverts, the rock and skimmer won't be able to handle it. You have to be sure you don't have too much of a bioload on the tank.

No sump, then?

 

[bgraber]

Yeah no sump for right now.. I'm definitely not drilling holes in the botom of the tank. Space does not really permit a sump. This tank isn't going to be overstocked.. Just a few fish, some cleaners and some corals, polyps and the like..

 

[bgraber]

Is the Red Sea salt sufficient?

And seeing that the bakpak is rated up to 60 gal, I would think that it'd be More than sufficient on a 16gal.. ?