Aggressive fish in a 55 gallon tank

[buzzyhive]

Considering a 55-gallon tank with a Penguin Biowheel 350 (biowheels will be removed) and a D&D Marine protein skimmer, I'm wondering if a porcupine puffer, volatin or radiata (haven't decided yet), lionfish, and a barred moray eel would get along. The tank's equipped with 60lbs of Fiji live sand and 55lbs of Fiji live rock. Would this setup provide sufficient filtration? I've heard converting my HOB filter into a refugium might be a better option than mechanical filtration. If so, what's the best way to go about it? I'm aware these fish will outgrow this setup, but I plan to upgrade to a 90-125 gallon tank in a year or so and would purchase them as juveniles.

[zenoxa]

I'd say those fish would likely get along just fine. A refugium setup would definitely be an improvement over mechanical filtration. You can easily convert your HOB filter into a fuge by adding some algae, sand, and rock to the back, and then just throw in a light.

[rusticore]

I would opt for mechanical filtration if you're up for regular maintenance, especially considering you'll have messy eaters in the tank.

[zenoxa]

Having both mechanical and biological filtration methods could be beneficial for your tank, especially considering the potential mess from the lionfish and moray eel. Adding a second filter, or converting the existing one to a refugium as zenoxa suggested, could provide a more comprehensive filtration system.

[buzzyhive]

Considering the equipment I already have, I'm wondering if my protein skimmer would serve as mechanical filtration. The pump on it has a foam cover that's designed to collect debris, so I'm thinking it might help with that aspect.

[zenoxa]

Cleaning it regularly would make it work, every few days is doable.

[dune9x]

Considering a 55-gallon tank with a Penguin Biowheel 350 (biowheels will be removed) and a D&D Marine protein skimmer, I'm wondering if a porcupine puffer, volatin or radiata (haven't decided yet), lionfish, and a barred moray eel would get along. The tank's equipped with 60lbs of Fiji live sand and 55lbs of Fiji live rock. Would this setup provide sufficient filtration? I've heard converting my HOB filter into a refugium might be a better option than mechanical filtration. If so, what's the best way to go about it? I'm aware these fish will outgrow this setup, but I plan to upgrade to a 90-125 gallon tank in a year or so and would purchase them as juveniles.

You might run into issues with the puffer and lionfish, puffers are known fin nippers.

[zenoxa]

While it's true that some puffers can be fin nippers, it's worth noting that porcupine puffers are actually diodonts, also known as two-tooths. These fish are generally less likely to exhibit fin nipping behavior, although as with any species, there's always a chance you might encounter an individual that does.