Need advice

[safario]

Hi to all the reefers here, am new to this hobby and this forum. Hope to learn from all the experts and gurus of marine tanks! Would need some advice on my current tank's situation. I am currently running a 2FT normal tank with a cannister as a filtering machine with just some basic bio rings as the media. The tank consists of only 2 corals currently with more fishes and live rocks. However, my Nitrate level is always around 40-80 and my PH is slightly on the lower side always. Hence I would like to seek advice if I should get some good media to add to the cannister or is it more adviceable to invest in a simple protein skimmer? Would it bring down the nitrate level to a low without so frequent water changes?

Much thanks in advance to everyone!

[FuEl]

Hi to all the reefers here, am new to this hobby and this forum. Hope to learn from all the experts and gurus of marine tanks! Would need some advice on my current tank's situation. I am currently running a 2FT normal tank with a cannister as a filtering machine with just some basic bio rings as the media. The tank consists of only 2 corals currently with more fishes and live rocks. However, my Nitrate level is always around 40-80 and my PH is slightly on the lower side always. Hence I would like to seek advice if I should get some good media to add to the cannister or is it more adviceable to invest in a simple protein skimmer? Would it bring down the nitrate level to a low without so frequent water changes?

Much thanks in advance to everyone!

You may wish to state your livestock. If you have too much livestock in the system no amount of normal filtration can bring down the nitrates.

[Harlequinmania]

Welcome to the club. Sooner or later when you get to know more about this hobby, you may begin to realize that a more complete system with sump tank / protein skimmer, chiller and wave maker ect would be more appropriated for a marine tank setup.

A simple tank with a canister filter may still work on a small tank with very little Bio-load and constant water change to keep the parameter in check. However, you would not be able to keep more delicate fish / coral in the longer run, and maybe the amount of money you spend to re-stock your live stock may as well pay for the equipment in the longer run.

At the present moment, you might want to consider better filter media like Bacteria King or Bio home with a simple hang on protein skimmer to aid in better water filtration.