20 gal long tank build

[Nate9292]

Hi,

Here are pictures of my first saltwater tank I set up. It’s a 20 gal long tank with a Fluval aquaclear hang on filter. I used 20lbs each of Caribsea rock and live sand. Will post more once tank is cycled and stocked.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Best of luck with the tank!

 

[Nate9292]

Best of luck with the tank!

Thanks!

 

[dansyr]

Welcome fellow 20-longer! like the look already, what are your plans for it?

 

[Nate9292]

Thanks dansyr. I’m going to stock 2 Clown fish and a Royal Gramma Basslet then focus on corals. I’m thinking Pulsing Xenia , GSP, and Duncans to start.

 

[Nate9292]

The first fish have been added!

 

[jmoney7]

Great first corals! I do not have gsp in my tank but my pulsing Xenia and Duncan have had significant growth in just the 5-6 months I’ve had them!

 

[kevgib67]

The first fish have been added!

It’s alive! Great looking rock, live?

 

[Nate9292]

It’s alive! Great looking rock, live?

It’s Caribsea life rock, I think it’s just painted dry rock seeded with bacteria, but its nice stuff. Got 20lbs of it on sale at petsmart. Great selection of different sizes to build with

 

[Nate9292]

Great first corals! I do not have gsp in my tank but my pulsing Xenia and Duncan have had significant growth in just the 5-6 months I’ve had them!

Nice, I’m going to start adding them soon. Xenia looks awesome. Glad to hear yours did good.

 

[CrimsonTide]

Tank looks good! I essentially have your tank but in the tall version with a 29gallon. Duncans are a great starter coral I think they're my favorite coral. I also suggest you get some zoas mushrooms and toadstool leathers. They're all forgiving for the most part of newbies. If you get GSP put it on an island rock away from the rest of your rock work or it will take over everything. I also have two clowns and a royal gramma in my tank. I will probably add another fish some day but I have enjoyed my three. The royal gramma was very shy for about a year but in the last 6months since I remodeled a new house and moved my tank and set it back up the fish has been much more social.

Good luck! I'll keep watching your thread to see how it goes. You might want to get a HOB skimmer sometime soon. Frequent waterchanges will be your friend until you have one.

 

[Nate9292]

Tank looks good! I essentially have your tank but in the tall version with a 29gallon. Duncans are a great starter coral I think they're my favorite coral. I also suggest you get some zoas mushrooms and toadstool leathers. They're all forgiving for the most part of newbies. If you get GSP put it on an island rock away from the rest of your rock work or it will take over everything. I also have two clowns and a royal gramma in my tank. I will probably add another fish some day but I have enjoyed my three. The royal gramma was very shy for about a year but in the last 6months since I remodeled a new house and moved my tank and set it back up the fish has been much more social.

Good luck! I'll keep watching your thread to see how it goes. You might want to get a HOB skimmer sometime soon. Frequent waterchanges will be your friend until you have one.

Thanks for the tip about the skimmer. That will have to be my next purchase.

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Everything looks great! Just like everyone else said, Xenia and GSP will take over a tank in what seems like a blink if an eye if given the opportunity.

 

[lil sumpin]

How goes the build? I'm itching to switch my current tank into a 20 long

 

[Nate9292]

Well I’m in the ugly stage now, I’ll post some pictures. I added a cleaner shrimp and Firefish goby since my last post. As for coral I now got a hairy mushroom coral, rose tip bubble anemone, and I think the other one is a montipora. Also added a HOB protein skimmer. Overall I’m loving the tank.

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Well I’m in the ugly stage now, I’ll post some pictures. I added a cleaner shrimp and Firefish goby since my last post. As for coral I now got a hairy mushroom coral, rose tip bubble anemone, and I think the other one is a montipora. Also added a HOB protein skimmer. Overall I’m loving the tank.

Cool addition to the tank! I have a firefish, and I love him! Just be super careful, because he will definitely jump. I had my lid off for 2 minutes because I was doing maintenance, and when I turned my back he jumped out and got behind the stand... But don't worry, because I was able to get him.

I don't know if you already have a lid or not, but if you don't you need one with this guy.

I love the shrimp! I can't wait to get one for my tank, but I have to wait for my tank to stabilize first...

Everything is looking nice, and my tank is also starting the uglies, and it's not fun.

I had some diatoms on my sand bed, so I added 6 hermits, and it's nearly gone now.

I would just start adding CUC slowly, to your tanks needs.

Best of luck!

 

[lil sumpin]

I'm 7 months in, still ugly staging and loving it. Diatoms, GHA, dinoflagellates and all that good stuff! I'm not a part of the "nuke your tank with X chemical" camp, I've kinda taken a sit back and watch it unfold approach.

 

[Nate9292]

Cool addition to the tank! I have a firefish, and I love him! Just be super careful, because he will definitely jump. I had my lid off for 2 minutes because I was doing maintenance, and when I turned my back he jumped out and got behind the stand... But don't worry, because I was able to get him.

I don't know if you already have a lid or not, but if you don't you need one with this guy.

I love the shrimp! I can't wait to get one for my tank, but I have to wait for my tank to stabilize first...

Everything is looking nice, and my tank is also starting the uglies, and it's not fun.

I had some diatoms on my sand bed, so I added 6 hermits, and it's nearly gone now.

I would just start adding CUC slowly, to your tanks needs.

Best of luck!

Glad your Firefish was Ok. Yeah I got a cover on my tank, I do leave it open often when I do maintenance so I’ll have to be careful going forward.

The cleaner shrimp is pretty cool, anytime I put my hand in the tank he swims over to try and clean it. He never leaves me alone when I’m trying to do something lol.

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Glad your Firefish was Ok. Yeah I got a cover on my tank, I do leave it open often when I do maintenance so I’ll have to be careful going forward.

The cleaner shrimp is pretty cool, anytime I put my hand in the tank he swims over to try and clean it. He never leaves me alone when I’m trying to do something lol.

Lol, I can't wait to get mine!!

 

[Nate9292]

I'm 7 months in, still ugly staging and loving it. Diatoms, GHA, dinoflagellates and all that good stuff! I'm not a part of the "nuke your tank with X chemical" camp, I've kinda taken a sit back and watch it unfold approach.

That’s what I’m trying to do. Just ride it out. You can’t see them in the pictures but I did get some snails in there to help out. Besides the snails, I’m not going to add any chemicals or anything else to fight it.