Starting Out.. Questions..

[vannel]

Hi All,

I've just joined the forum and am a newbie at marine tanks with past experience in freshwater setups.

As I've just gotten my new home, I wanted to do something different and the initial plan was for a low maintenance reef with a dwarf fuzzy lionfish, perhaps as the only inhabitant. Tank size should be a 4ft standard (max).

With this in mind, I have been reading up on how to get started and have a lot of questions. Let's start with a few..

1. Is tank size suitable for a dwarf fuzzy lion as centerpiece? Too big? Too small? Should I consider medium sized lionfish instead?

2. Is a usual Eheim canister sufficient filtration or should I be looking at a sump?

3. I read that dwarf fuzzies are slightly more active than say, a Fu Man Chu. Is my tank going to end up being boring because the fish constantly hides?

4. Is it even clever to consider lionfish as a newbie to marine?

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[tofubox]

Hey bro, dont have expirence keeping lion fish, but i can offer a few advise.

Did a search on dwarf fuzzy lion, seems a 50gallon is the minimum, a 4ft tank will definitely be large enough. For 4ft u can consider maybe a medium sized lion if its gonna be your sole inhabitant.

Heres the thing with using canisters for filtration, many have done it will lots of success. Many choose not to use a canister as they find it may become a nitrate factory sooner or later when stuff starts getting clogged up. If u use a canister, just make sure u are doing regular maintainence.

So sump or canister? It depends on what u currently have. If u already have a 4ft tank, with no overflow system, no sump. U can consider using the canister as filtration. The canister size will also be important, but if only one fish, u wont be getting alot of bioload, so it should be fine.

If u are planning on building a new tank, and for 4ft, definately consider getting an internal overflow system with a sump system. This gives u more room and flexiblity later on when u consider putting in more equipments. i.e Reactors, a different skimmer, more bio media, a refugium etc. Also maintenance on a sump is easier and gives u extra water volume overall for the system. If some day u decide to go for corals or a mix reef with fishes, u will have a complete system ready to go.

I cant answer the rest of the questions as i have not owned a lion fish, maybe the other experts can help?

[BearishCat]

Do note that most lionfishes are pretty picky eaters that need some training for them to take dead food. If you are just going for 1 lionfish in a 4ft tank then i suggest you go for a volitans or any large size lionfish, looks much more spectacular in a big tank. You might need a skimmer too as they are big eaters as well.

[vannel]

Thanks for the replies thus far. A volitans would certainly look quite nice. I've read that they enjoy swimming in open areas as well. So that's great as a centerpiece.

Looks like I'll have to invest in an IOS w/ sump setup then.

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[domvonn]

Surely a sump filtration is the way to go .as ur tank mature, u will wanna add some colors' corals' to ur tank. Then u will realize u need to measure po4, no3 ..etc .since it's gonna be a new tank. Do it 1 shot and make it right. Sump can be used for freshwater also

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