Hello, I am a new member

[nickr2012]

Hello All,

My name is Nick and I am 22 years old. I recently got into this hobby and have been doing a lot of reading online. I asked a question on yahoo answers and was directed to this forum. If anyone could help me set up a 20 gallon saltwater tank correctly, it would be much appreciated. I have wanted one for awhile, and decided now is the best time before I start law school. Im thinking of using a 20 gallon tank, with either real rock and/or coral and then after my tank is safe enough, to put two clown fish into it. As I don't know much yet, and hope to learn a lot from you all I only want to do this the right way. Please any suggestions and advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you all so much

Nick

 

[3Twinklets]

Hi Nick. Welcome to R2R :clap2:

 

[wysiwyg]

hi nick and welcome to r2r. are you gonna have a place where the tank can stay setup and are you gonna hae time to maintain your tank with the 20g your gonna need to do water changes weekly.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Welcome to R2R!

We appreciate your membership!

Thanks for joining and please make sure and post often!

 

[Juicycoral]

Hi Nick, Welcome to R2R

 

[Pappy]

Welcome to a great forum with lots of knowledgable people!

 

[ladysea]

live sand live rock pumps prime salt i use instant ocean if you can get water from someone with tank already setup you wont have to wait as long for it tocycle are setting up reef or fish only reef you will need good lights fish only not so much light

 

[nickr2012]

hi nick and welcome to r2r. are you gonna have a place where the tank can stay setup and are you gonna hae time to maintain your tank with the 20g your gonna need to do water changes weekly.

Not a problem, but is this usually required for a bigger tank also, like a 30 gallon? Im sure I would have to change the water frequently, but weekly as well?

 

[nickr2012]

and thank you all for the warm welcome, glad to be here!

 

[wysiwyg]

the smaller the tank the more frequent your water changes need to be

 

[illdoya]

Hey Nick! do you have any equipment yet?

my honest nooby opinion of things to start planning (if you havent already):
Lights - T5, LED etc
filtration - HOB filter like a bigger Aquaclear (can later be made into refugium)
flow - powerheads
rock & substrate - Live rock and sand.

eventual livestock?

the classified sections here and craigslist are good places (IMO) to get used equipment at good prices.

welcome to forum from one noob to another!!

 

[nickr2012]

the smaller the tank the more frequent your water changes need to be

could you list for me what exactly I need beside a tank obviously. I want to price everything and then begin to start my tank up. I know it takes a while for the tank to be cycled in properly and etc, but I don't really know what I need and don't need. I have read about gravel filters and some other types, but don't really know which is best and at an affordable price.

Advices? List of things I could find at the local pet store to begin my start up.

 

[nickr2012]

Hey Nick! do you have any equipment yet?

my honest nooby opinion of things to start planning (if you havent already):
Lights - T5, LED etc
filtration - HOB filter like a bigger Aquaclear (can later be made into refugium)
flow - powerheads
rock & substrate - Live rock and sand.

eventual livestock?

the classified sections here and craigslist are good places (IMO) to get used equipment at good prices.

welcome to forum from one noob to another!!

Hey thanks illdoya,

could you kindly give me a specific list of what exactly I would need. Would your list above be really the main things I would need and ask for if I were to go to a pet store?

 

[Loki]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[skinz78]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

If you already haven't done so please be sure to enter in our August 2012 Membership Drive contest!
https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/me...ef2reef-membership-drive-win.html#post1026392

 

[illdoya]

hey buddy no problem! I've only been doing SW for a bit less than a yr but here goes! Those 4 things are what I focused on to get going

Lighting - i have T5s - brand is coralife. Do you have a tank yet? It's dimensions will determine your light fixture to a certain extent. you said 20g - 20 gallon long, tall or standard?
Filter - I would say HOB (hang-on-back) Aquaclear 70
flow - powerheads - Koralia nano - 2 of them - maybe one 425gph (gallon-per-hour) and koralia nano 240 (a bit less flow)
sand - live sand - 20-30lbs
live rock - I'd say maybe 20lbs or more - make your scape

so the list:

-filter - aquaclear 70
-Powerheads - Koralia nano will need 2 of these for good flow
-Live rock and sand - I got from my LFS. for a 20g tank - 20-30lbs; for rock - 20lbs? **both sand and rocks are natural filters**
-initial water - got from my LFS - it was from their display tank and I seeded my tank with it
-Light - depends on your budget - I would say a 4bulb T5 would be a god way to start. they sell some that have LED's embedded into them, not the greatest but a good start

anyone with a bit more experience - please feel free to jump in with anything I may have missed!

 

[nickr2012]

hey buddy no problem! I've only been doing SW for a bit less than a yr but here goes! Those 4 things are what I focused on to get going

Lighting - i have T5s - brand is coralife. Do you have a tank yet? It's dimensions will determine your light fixture to a certain extent. you said 20g - 20 gallon long, tall or standard?
Filter - I would say HOB (hang-on-back) Aquaclear 70
flow - powerheads - Koralia nano - 2 of them - maybe one 425gph (gallon-per-hour) and koralia nano 240 (a bit less flow)
sand - live sand - 20-30lbs
live rock - I'd say maybe 20lbs or more - make your scape

so the list:

-filter - aquaclear 70
-Powerheads - Koralia nano will need 2 of these for good flow
-Live rock and sand - I got from my LFS. for a 20g tank - 20-30lbs; for rock - 20lbs? **both sand and rocks are natural filters**
-initial water - got from my LFS - it was from their display tank and I seeded my tank with it
-Light - depends on your budget - I would say a 4bulb T5 would be a god way to start. they sell some that have LED's embedded into them, not the greatest but a good start

anyone with a bit more experience - please feel free to jump in with anything I may have missed!

illdoya thanks alot! Could ask you something else, and more of your advice is needed. I have been looking at 20 gallon aquarium that comes with a start up kit. If you could take a look at it and let me know what you think. Here is the link. Again I am looking at the 20 gallon.

Marineland® BioWheel® LED Aquarium Kit - Specialty Pet Month - Featured Products - PetSmart

Thanks!

 

[illdoya]

so the starter kit is ok on some areas and not on some others. The lights in the hood wont be strong enough to keep corals unfortunately from my understanding. the filter should be ok, but i've never used the biowheel filters. I'd still say get the aquaclear

aside from that kit you'll need a few things to get started

-lighting
-powerheads
-hydrometer - to check salinity

I started with a 10g starter kit but replaced almost everything but the actual tank. I'd get that kit b/c it has heater and everything, but you'll definitely need more equipment to get it going

does that help?

 

[nickr2012]

so the starter kit is ok on some areas and not on some others. The lights in the hood wont be strong enough to keep corals unfortunately from my understanding. the filter should be ok, but i've never used the biowheel filters. I'd still say get the aquaclear

aside from that kit you'll need a few things to get started

-lighting
-powerheads
-hydrometer - to check salinity

I started with a 10g starter kit but replaced almost everything but the actual tank. I'd get that kit b/c it has heater and everything, but you'll definitely need more equipment to get it going

does that help?

ya i wrote it down, ill check it out at the pet store when get some free time. Could you explain when you mentioned you got your initial water from "initial water - got from my LFS - it was from their display tank and I seeded my tank with it", didn't really understand that. I was just gonna get some regular distalled water, and then buy some ocean salt from the pet store. And then ofcourse treat it properly and cycle it until its ready.... I can't do this?

 

[revsgirl]

Hi there Nick!! Welcome to R2R!! I'm sure you will find every thing you need to know right here! Please feel free to ask any specific questions you have by starting a new thread, everyone around here loves to help! Oh, and start a build thread too, so we can go on the journey with you!!