TMC First Wave filter question.

[rudi 51]

I am about to start my first saltwater aquarium and have ordered the TMC First Wave 78 litre. It comes with a built in filter and 650 LPH pump, small protein skimmer then the supplied media is 2 course sponges and a small bag of bio rings. The suggested order of media is sponge then rings then sponge.

I am using dry rocks and live sand. My stocking, after cycling, will be snails, then beginner soft corals and eventually 2 clown fish.

I am looking for some advice. Will the flow rate be enough for even a fairly basic set up? If not what should I add, I have a spare 1000 lph aquael powerhead. Would that be too much?

Second question is do I need double mechanical filtration with biological filtration sandwiched in between? If I was setting up a freshwater aquarium I’d use a small amount of sponge then a mixture of Seachem matrix and crushed coral. Would that be better or is there a reason that TMC suggest the media should be set up a particular way?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I would add the powerhead, my 15 gallon has 2 small powerheads, IMO flow is very important and often underestimated.

The biological filtration is provided by the rocks, no need for anything else.

Mechanical filtration traps detritus and food and can cause nitrates to increase, so clean out any mechanical filtration often. I don't use mechanical filtration, many people don't.

This is a good article which explains the basics of saltwater filtration, this is nothing like freshwater hobby. Good luck

The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium

The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium Introduction The marine environment is one of the most complex systems on the planet. The aquarium you are about to set up is only a tiny sliver of the vast ocean, but it is nowhere near simple. This task is going to take patience, a...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[rudi 51]

I would add the powerhead, my 15 gallon has 2 small powerheads, IMO flow is very important and often underestimated.

The biological filtration is provided by the rocks, no need for anything else.

Mechanical filtration traps detritus and food and can cause nitrates to increase, so clean out any mechanical filtration often. I don't use mechanical filtration, many people don't.

This is a good article which explains the basics of saltwater filtration, this is nothing like freshwater hobby. Good luck

The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium

The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium Introduction The marine environment is one of the most complex systems on the planet. The aquarium you are about to set up is only a tiny sliver of the vast ocean, but it is nowhere near simple. This task is going to take patience, a...

www.reef2reef.com

Thanks for the reply. Will carefully read through article. I did appreciate the rock had a big role in filtering the tank but not that it literally was the biological filtration. Difficult to let go of stuff learned in freshwater fish keeping but I’ll get there eventually.