# New Tank Help



## brando83 (Aug 24, 2007)

I am looking to purchase a new tank for the purposes of doing a salt water aquarium. I want to start out with a few fish..maybe some anemones. I may later on add more stuff but that is basically what I want. My LFS suggested either a 20 or 30 gal tank. I am wondering if I should go with the Penguin 200 bio wheel or the 350 bio wheel for this. Also, do I need a protein skimmer and if so what is a fairly inexpensive one that will work for this application.

Another question is should I use live sand? and how much substrate do I need for this?

One last question is kind of a moral question. I can purchase most of this stuff from the LFS, but I have a fish catalog that I can get it a lot cheaper. Sometimes half the price on some of it and it is the same exact stuff. Would it be wrong to purchase it from the catalog when the LFS has been so helpful with information?


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## jim21 (Jul 10, 2007)

I'm thinking about doing my first salt tank as well, and noticed this in my LFS:

http://www.petsolutions.com/Oceanic-BioCube+I97982051+C11.aspx

I think until I get my 'training wheels' off on salt, a all-n-one tank like that will be good for me.

As far the moral question - personally, I buy 95% of my livestock/plants/live food from my LFS, even if it does cost more. I buy filter replacements at a much hated chain pet store (sorry, but it's cheaper!), and if my LFS doesn't have what I want, I order the fish myself instead of going through the LFS so I can control shipping/returns/etc.

Hope that helps,
-jim


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## caferacermike (Oct 3, 2006)

I've never really cared for the Penguin line of filters only because they look horrible. In a small tank like that you could easily do a 5g water change every week without batting an eye. If you can do this you won't need any supplements or a protein skimmer. If cannot do this a skimmer will help in between water changes.


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