hob filters for 150g

[grozier]

Im buying a 150g. tank for my 9yr old for x-mas and want to know if 2 emporer 400's will be enough filtration until I can get a sump going underneath couple months maybe?

Sometimes santa comes up with stupid things:-?. I'm not going crazy with live stock just whats in my tank now(see signature). I'm going to do a dsb as I get the money to buy the sand and stock it with live rock.

My other concern is that the tank goes where the other tank is now. how would you do the change out? I was planning on using the water from the tank then add mixed water until full i guess?

I hope the glass isn't tempered so I can drill for the overflows
Any other things I might need to think of that I'm not thinking on a tank this big?

 

[little_fish]

You are better off just waiting till you hook up the sump. Remember, in saltwater tank your rock is your primary and most important source of filtration. As for moving, lots of buckets and lots of friends makes it easy

 

[grozier]

So should I invest in live rock foremost?

 

[little_fish]

Just use the rock you already have in your tank and then add dry rock until you get to the 1-2 lbs gallon. Then you will have more money for the fun stuff. Check out marcorocks.com for good, cheap dry rock

 

[grozier]

thats pretty good pricing, I'm wanting a DSB do I have to add all the sand at once or can I add it as I buy it. he has a 160lbs for like $110

 

[little_fish]

DSB are ticking time bombs. There are much better and safer ways to deal with nitrates

 

[Bifferwine]

I wouldn't do a DSB unless you have it remotely -- like in a refugium or sump that you can disconnect from the main tank. If something goes wrong with the DSB in your display tank, there will be no way to save your tank inhabitants. And there have been too many instances of tank crashes associated with DSBs for them to be in the display tank, IMO. I ran a DSB on my old 240 gallon tank, but I made sure I could disconnect it if I wanted to.

The Emperor filters will work in the short term, but I recommend getting a protein skimmer instead. A protein skimmer is much more effective than an HOB filter.

Also, you can tell if your glass is tempered by looking at it through polarized sunglasses. Take a look at your car windows -- you'll see patterns in the glass. You'll see the same thing in your tank glass if it's tempered.

 

[grozier]

I will keep that in mind.