Filters and Protein Skimmers

So I plan on setting up my first saltwater tank, it is probably going to either be a 36gal bowfront or a 46gallon bowfront still not 100% sure. I plan on using lots of baserock and liverock since I can not afford 500 on liverock alone. Now to the filtration....

I have never used a canister fitler before and was thinking of it as a possibility but have sicne ruled it out due to their reputation as being nitrate factories. I love having HOB filters and am partial to biowheels since I had a ahrd time cycling a FW tank a long time ago and addign a biowheel is what finally kicked it into gear! I had high ammonia levels for a month without any sign of nitrites or nitrates before adding a penguin 350 and then within a week I was cycled! How do Emporer 400s and Penguin 350s with biowheels sound for SW do the biowheels still work just as well with SW as they do with FW? I have also always been a big believer in overfiltering your tank, so I was thinking of using 2 HOB filters for the tank either a n Emporer 400 and 280 for the 36 or a 400 and penguin 350 for the 46gal. Would this be too much if there is such a thing? I usually never use carbon and sponges but instead pack the fitlers with bio and chemical media and some fitler floss. What would be the ebst way to set up these filters for SW?

Im not sure if I want anythign else, I get confused with Protein skimmers and UV sterilizers since I have never used niether and I hear some people say use them and some say you dont need them.

Ill start with the UV Sterilizer, I was told it is a must to prevent disease. I do not have a quarintine tank so this will be important, should I waste my time with one or not?

Next is the Protein skimmer, I was told anything under 75gal or so I do not need a protein skimmer since the ones they make for small tanks are cheap and not really worth it. I also heard that they suck the calcium and magnesium in the tank out within 24 hours so you need to dose daily if you have one. Should I not worry about this at all and not get one or should I buy a small one for the tank. Should I go overkill and get one rated for a tank 3 or 4 times the size of the one it will be on? Can you over do a protein skimmer for a tank and what kind fo maintence would I have to do if I buy one?

Finally, on a 36 or 46 gallon tank do you need powerheads? Im thinking If I had 2 flarge HOB filters and either a UV sterilizer or a Protein skimmer this will be enough flow. Im afraid of having too much flow in the tank and making it a toilot bowl effect on the fish.

Lot of words and questions, bottom line is with a 36gallon or 46gallon, what lineup of equipment would you put on your tank? A sump is out of the question for now.

 

Go for the 46 gallon. Larger tank = easier to keep parameters stable. I would also just start with all base rock and maybe one piece of LR. Yes you will need some powerheads, especially if you are going to get any corals. Why is a sump out of the question? I think you will be kicking yourself when you realize how much happier you would have been with a sump. More water volume, put things such as heaters, skimmers, reactors, etc. If I were you I would get a 20 long or a 29 gallon get glass baffles from a glass shop.

This would be $20 for the tank and $30 for the baffles.
Skimmer- Look at the reef octopus skimmer they are great skimmers and reasonably priced.
You then just need a return pump. I would if you want to keep things inexpensive get mag drive pump. Get something around 500gph because it will be much lower when you calculate the head height.

 

I can not get a sump at this time because of the room I have for the tank and the stand is going to be open underneath, i may look into changing thsi setup in the future but for now Im kind of stuck

 

If that is the case look into a nice HOB skimmer such as Reef Octopus Hang-on-the-Back 1000 OCT-BH1000 - English

I would then get some kind oh HOB filter but only to run carbon. The LR or soon to be LR will be play the largest in filtration. A skimmer is much more important then a HOB filter in a saltwater/ reef tank IMO.