75 Gallon Saltwater Filtration System

[mbbnola]

I have a 75 gallon saltwater tank. I am stocking it with over 60 lbs of live rock and 60 lbs of live sand. I'm staying away from a reef tank for now, however I might adapt to one in the future. What filtration equipment/system do I need for a non reef 75 gallon tank with 6 or 7 medium sized fish and over 120lbs of live rock/sand? If I upgrade to a reef tank in the future, what will I have to do to update the filtration to be able to handle the reef? Thanks so much for the help

[Wmich2008]

Is this tank drilled? A good skimmer would be a good starting point.

[TimeConsumer]

All of the biological filtration will be handled by the rock and sand. For chemical filtration carbon is the best option. For mechanical filtration you can go with some sort of a filter pad or filter sock. A skimmer doesn't really fit in any of the three categories, but it is an excellent addition and makes maintaining lower nutrient levels a lot easier. A drilled tank and sump is the best option for your tank. It will allow you a big stable skimmer, filter socks, and reactors for carbon and GFO. If a sump is absolutely out of the question, I would get a HOB skimmer and a small powerfilter like an aquaclear. Use the powerfilter just as a place to run filter floss and bags of carbon.