# 60gal saltwater tank first build need HELP



## Trinidadian ReefR (Feb 26, 2013)

i have a 60gal marineland tank with a 70gal fluval 306 canister filter and a heater also salt for water i was gona say ocean spray but thats juice lol its called instant ocean the stand i have doesnt have any space for a sump unfortunately where do i go from here cause the local fish store in my area are seriously ripoffs they quoted me at 1800$ on equipment but after investigating i found i can get most or more for about 1400$ can some1 please give me some advise for an intank setup my stand and kids wont allow for a sump setup 


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## wake49 (Jul 2, 2008)

Trinidadian ReefR said:


> i have a 60gal marineland tank with a 70gal fluval 306 canister filter and a heater also salt for water i was gona say ocean spray but thats juice lol its called instant ocean the stand i have doesnt have any space for a sump unfortunately where do i go from here cause the local fish store in my area are seriously ripoffs they quoted me at 1800$ on equipment but after investigating i found i can get most or more for about 1400$ can some1 please give me some advise for an intank setup my stand and kids wont allow for a sump setup


You don't need a sump. They are good to keep the equipment out of sight, but not absolutely necessary...

Get rid of the canister. Filters are bad for Saltwater tanks. In freshwater aquaria, the idea is to have areobic bacteria convert Ammonia to Nitrite to Nitrate, which is diluted to a number close to zero through regular water changes. That is not the case in Saltwater. Our goal in Saltwater aquaria is a consistent level of 0 ppm Nitrates all the time. While this might not seem achievable, an ample amount of Live Rock (in your case 80-90 lbs), a Deep Sand Bed of 4-6" and a Protein Skimmer will be all the filtration needed to achieve this. This method, known as the Berlin Method, utilizes the anaerobic bacteria that is seeded deep in the rock and underneath the sand to complete the nitrogen cycle; turning the nitrates into Nitrogen Gas that leaves the system naturally.

Start looking for a good protein skimmer and make sure you have enough Live Rock and Live Sand to harbor the anaerobic bacteria.


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## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/saltwater-aquarium-equipment/starting-out-114073/
Read the third post down. Its a what you need for satwater, and I give links to places that have good prices on items you will need.


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