Finally, the 20 gallon nano reef plan complete (still a question left thooo.)

[L0L_Z]

After about 2 months of planning, I did it, I completed my plan. I know this is only a quarter of my learing about reefing but still, feels like an accomplishment.

Equipment
Macro aqua m -50 skimmer (questions about this)
heater
cheap amazon powerhead
lominie /Lumini pixie 30
cheap water bottle ato

Doses, salts, foods and test kits
red sea nopox
red sea salt (blue bucket)
Red Sea major elements (cal, alk, mag) (dosing this later on)
Phytoplankton dose
calcium test kit (api)
tetra easy strips
Salifert phosphate test kit

Sand and rock
5 pounds sand
5kg live rock

corals (planned)
Darth maul zoas
ricordea
utter chaos zoas
blastos
trachys
torches
hammers
heliofungia
sun coral
Micromussa lordhowensis
acan garden
frogspawn
toadstools

Fish
a clown
midas blenny
flame or longnose hawk
black cap basslet

Questions
My skimmer is 3x the size of the tank. Is it alright?
cheap Amazon powerheads work, right?
Jebao dosers should do the trick for dosing, right?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I would suggest a lot more rock, closer to 15 or 20 lbs. I would get more sand too, but that’s just me.

No need to think about a dosing pump for at least 6 months. You’re a long way from that.

I would not even bother with a skimmer for now. It’s a small tank and probably can be managed with water changes, save some cash for now.

Cheap Amazon powerheads work, but they need to be cleaned very often or else the performance slows down. It’s a bit frustrating. Look at sicce nano powerhead they are cheap and can go for months without cleaning.

finally I would add not to get caught up with lists and plans , they rarely work out IME.

 

[Mr Fishface]

I would agree a bit with the other post. Skimmers are great but I usually start my tanks without one for a bit. It really helps my tank get a good start, in my opinion of course. If I start to notice bubbles in my sump I add the skimmer. Or, if not, after a month or two I add the skimmer.

Same for dosers - I will manual dose for a while before moving to a doser. Reason is I can more carefully track my parameters until I get to a point that I need a steady dose each day. Then, at that point, I begin to use my dosers.

Hope this helps!

 

[Pkunk35]

Very much agree with others esp on skimmer, I have a 2.5 yr old 32g skimmerless system chock full of coral. I think it could help later on, but weekly water changes imo good enough for a small tank.
agree, buy better power head (or any part that has electrical wire that comes into contact with the water)
Kalkwasser for saving money. 0 need to go elsewhere for calc and alk. Save the money for magnesium.
instead of phyto, I’d personally put in a mix of pods to start. Phyto is expensive if you use it so grow your own. Imo you don’t need it with that stock list.
For phosphate testing, splurge on Hannah phosphate test. It’s worth it (same for alk). Imo these are the two tests you really need.
GL! Biocubes are awesome!

 

[L0L_Z]

I would suggest a lot more rock, closer to 15 or 20 lbs. I would get more sand too, but that’s just me.

No need to think about a dosing pump for at least 6 months. You’re a long way from that.

I would not even bother with a skimmer for now. It’s a small tank and probably can be managed with water changes, save some cash for now.

Cheap Amazon powerheads work, but they need to be cleaned very often or else the performance slows down. It’s a bit frustrating. Look at sicce nano powerhead they are cheap and can go for months without cleaning.

finally I would add not to get caught up with lists and plans , they rarely work out IME.

15 to 20 pounds is roighly 9kg. Plan to add rock slowly. I need a skimmer because no other mechancal filter. Alright ill check the sicce out.

I would agree a bit with the other post. Skimmers are great but I usually start my tanks without one for a bit. It really helps my tank get a good start, in my opinion of course. If I start to notice bubbles in my sump I add the skimmer. Or, if not, after a month or two I add the skimmer.

Same for dosers - I will manual dose for a while before moving to a doser. Reason is I can more carefully track my parameters until I get to a point that I need a steady dose each day. Then, at that point, I begin to use my dosers.

Hope this helps!

Ill wwait for the doser but i do need one to add ferts to my FW 55g planted so im getting it earlier. Probably wont dose tho.

Very much agree with others esp on skimmer, I have a 2.5 yr old 32g skimmerless system chock full of coral. I think it could help later on, but weekly water changes imo good enough for a small tank.
agree, buy better power head (or any part that has electrical wire that comes into contact with the water)
Kalkwasser for saving money. 0 need to go elsewhere for calc and alk. Save the money for magnesium.
instead of phyto, I’d personally put in a mix of pods to start. Phyto is expensive if you use it so grow your own. Imo you don’t need it with that stock list.
For phosphate testing, splurge on Hannah phosphate test. It’s worth it (same for alk). Imo these are the two tests you really need.
GL! Biocubes are awesome!

Ill buy better powerheads and ill try to find the hannah checkers but idk if i find it as they are rare.


BTW I don’t have a sump just to clarify.

 

[Mr Fishface]

That's really nice you'll be able to get a doser for the planted tank. Let you figure out how to use it and all. That way you'll be set when your reef needs it! I got two of this doser with my tank and I'm excited to try it out. Never had so many bluetooth tools but I will say I love getting to use my Phone for these tools.

 

[L0L_Z]

Just curious, i will still dose phyto, just to starve nuisance algae. Is this true?

And I’m still gonna keep the skimmer but since it’s triple the size can I just turn it off at night?

 

[L0L_Z]

vump

 

[L0L_Z]

Bump

 

[CoastalTownLayabout]

I’d get a feel for your systems needs before you jump to conclusions about the requirement to add phyto. In a new 20g system regular weekly or bi weekly 10 -20% water changes is the sensible option.

If you’re going to skim periodically probably best doing it during lights off. Rather than turning it off just dial down the air intake.

 

[blaxsun]

As has been mentioned, I would hold off on the dosing, supplements and skimmer until you need them. Regular water changes will take care of most of this until your reef is established (and may be all you need depending on your bio load).

 

[L0L_Z]

I think I’ll just build an aio with a filter sock, filter floss, Heater and a return pump that will double for flow. Cheaper imo.