What do you think of this set up for a bimac?

[Djm9288]

OK Im new to Ceph's but not to marine, so i decided i wanted to try an octopus, so here I am. Oh well, this is the tank I am planning:
A 29g tank, with tight fitting full hood, secured by silicone. 30 or so pounds of LR, 1.5" of south down sand. a 100w heater. Penguin Biowheel 125 filter. Aqua C Remora Skimmer. Some PVC elbows for hiding spaces.

So what do you think of my setup? PLMK thanks!
Daniel

 

[cephalopoder]

Sounds great. You may not need a heater though unless you get a tropical species.
Using ro/di water and a good salt is also very important. Read the back posts there is a lot of good info out there.

 

[Djm9288]

Yea. I am wanting a bimac, but i thought, i better be safe than sorry with a heater, b/c wut if my room all of a sudden gets really cold. and i dont want the temp to fluctuate too much. My room is usually around 72*F would that be a probem at all? and how sensitive are bimacs to nitrates?

 

[cephalopoder]

Bimaculoides will do fine at temps down to 60F. They are intertidal so they are used to temp fluctuations.
I never put a heater in with bimacs and I have never had any problems.
Nitrates are not as bad as ammonia or nitrite. You should try to keep them under 50 for best results.

 

[Djm9288]

would u reccommend me use a fluval canister filter or a penguin biowheel?

 

[cephalopoder]

With 30lbs of live rock and a remora skimmer why would you use either?
You could use a mechanical filter to run your water though carbon but putting any bio media in will only case it to spit nitrates into your tank. Instead , increase your southdown a little and you will be better off. You could also keep your sand at 1.5" and install a refugium on opposite light cycles too keep nitrates down and your tank stable at night.