Is there any "unnecessary" components I should avoid?

The following are the components I would not use on a reef tank:

  1. Canister filters. (They are inefficient, difficult to regulate, and difficult to service regularly; they also trap and hold waste.)
  2. Plastic media. (They trap waste.)
  3. Hang-on-the-back prefilter boxes. (They provide insufficient water flow and rely on a self-starting siphon; the foam block accumulates unseen waste inside.)
  4. Hang-on-the-back protein skimmer. (It will provide insufficient performance unless the tank is smaller than 55 gallons.)
  5. Live rock exceeding 1.75 pounds per gallon. (This can cause serious problems from too much “stacking,” with the result that crevices will contain unseen waste and will be inaccessible for cleaning, and light will not get to some areas of the rock.)
  6. Foam block material. (This accumulates unseen nutrient waste inside.)
  7. Incorrect light bulbs.
  8. Incorrect substrate sand material. (Use only material commercially available for reef systems, or “live sand” from a retailer or wholesaler. Local “beach sand” or “home improvement” sand can introduce contaminants including “silica,” which would encourage algae growth.)
  9. Hang-on-the-back filters. (Unless the tank is “miniature,” these devices are insufficient and will cause more harm than good.)
  10. Small protein skimmer. (Have the proper size or a size larger than needed. Double the factory rating. For example, a skimmer rated for a 100-gallon tank would perform well on a 55-gallon tank).
  11. Ultraviolet sterilizers. (These are definitely not needed on a reef: they are unnatural, and they would kill desirable organisms and bacteria.)
  12. Medications. (Use the “natural” approach;)
  13. Ozone, CO2. (These are unnecessary, costly, unpredictable, and risky.)
  14. Submersible pumps. (Use only if absolutely necessary. They are inconvenient to maintain, they can clog, and they may provide restricted water flow.)
  15. Protein skimmers that do not come apart for complete cleaning.

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