Hi all,
I recently lost my ~10yo axolotl and am left with a 40 breeder I plan to overhaul. Not totally decided yet, but saltwater really interests me. I have successfully kept freshwater for the past decade but have no experience with marine. I understand it is much more difficult and expensive, so I may be too ambitious here --- please do tell me if I should just avoid saltwater. I have some limitations but would love to make it work if possible.
Most importantly, I'm on a budget. It's flexible, and since I already have the tank and stand, that frees up money for other expenses. I have college to pay for though, so I want to save as much money as I can. Not a huge deal to me as even if I go freshwater, I'll still be doing some big spending on all-new equipment. I don't mind DIY projects or secondhand purchases where possible.
I also don't really want to install a sump right now. While I'm not opposed to the idea, it seems like a complicated and expensive undertaking. The tank had a "do not drill" sticker at the time of purchase, and my understanding is HOB overflows are A. costly and B. risky. My cabinet has plenty of room for a sump, and I would like to install one eventually, but not right away (unless it's absolutely necessary). I've read 40bs can do okay sumpless and I feel skipping it for now would allow me to spend more on other things, particularly an RO/DI unit.
I would love some input on whether what I want to do here is feasible, if possible. I don't mind the aesthetic drawbacks of a sumpless tank, nor some extra maintenance --- my freshwater tanks are demanding and I'm used to regular cleaning.
If doable, what should my filtration look like? I plan on an HOB skimmer, ideally dry, but if it does back up my floors have seen worse. I expect ~50lbs live rock. I can invest in a canister or a couple HOB power filters depending on which is better. Beyond that, I'm clueless and need some guidance.
Thanks!
Dan
I recently lost my ~10yo axolotl and am left with a 40 breeder I plan to overhaul. Not totally decided yet, but saltwater really interests me. I have successfully kept freshwater for the past decade but have no experience with marine. I understand it is much more difficult and expensive, so I may be too ambitious here --- please do tell me if I should just avoid saltwater. I have some limitations but would love to make it work if possible.
Most importantly, I'm on a budget. It's flexible, and since I already have the tank and stand, that frees up money for other expenses. I have college to pay for though, so I want to save as much money as I can. Not a huge deal to me as even if I go freshwater, I'll still be doing some big spending on all-new equipment. I don't mind DIY projects or secondhand purchases where possible.
I also don't really want to install a sump right now. While I'm not opposed to the idea, it seems like a complicated and expensive undertaking. The tank had a "do not drill" sticker at the time of purchase, and my understanding is HOB overflows are A. costly and B. risky. My cabinet has plenty of room for a sump, and I would like to install one eventually, but not right away (unless it's absolutely necessary). I've read 40bs can do okay sumpless and I feel skipping it for now would allow me to spend more on other things, particularly an RO/DI unit.
I would love some input on whether what I want to do here is feasible, if possible. I don't mind the aesthetic drawbacks of a sumpless tank, nor some extra maintenance --- my freshwater tanks are demanding and I'm used to regular cleaning.
If doable, what should my filtration look like? I plan on an HOB skimmer, ideally dry, but if it does back up my floors have seen worse. I expect ~50lbs live rock. I can invest in a canister or a couple HOB power filters depending on which is better. Beyond that, I'm clueless and need some guidance.
Thanks!
Dan