New Tank Setup Questions

[brandymichele]

Hi I just recently purchased a 20 gallon hexagon acrylic tank. With an older Fission skimmer (in tank) and a 30-50gallon whisper HOB filter, It came with a light hood but it holds to small of a light to be modified, so I will be needing a new light. It also has an under gravel filter? and a Rio 400 powerhead is this strong enough? It also has something called an aquarium laser? I went to a friends and got some RODI water and about 3 gallons of her tank water. Currently thats all thats in it running for past week. I am looking to put about 30 lbs? of LR and was curious how much sand? Also I was wanting a pretty simple tank with some inverts (shrimp, crabs, anemone) and a clown, maybe a goby... New to this hobby after 10 years any advice would be welcomed thanks!

 

[returnofsid]

Welcome to Reef Frontiers!! Nice to have another Spokane member!!

To start with, I'd ditch the HOB filter and under gravel filter. These will both produce nitrates. You'll eventually need to upgrade the skimmer and powerheads. I wouldn't advise getting an anemone until you have quite a bit of experience and a mature tank, 6-12 months. Because it's a hex tank, lighting it will be a pain, especially getting lighting for the anemone. Halides will create too much light, in such a small tank, unless you were to hang a 150watt MH pendant over the tank. T5HO is hard to find in a short enough length. Any other lighting won't be sufficient for anemones.

30 lbs of live rock will be great. You want about an inch of sand. Don't use Crushed Coral. Make sure it's a fine, aragonite sand.

Your plans for a clownfish and goby will work out just fine, but that's about all I'd put in a 20 gallon. There are some clown species that grow rather large, that you'll want to stay away from. I'd keep it to an Occellaris or Percula.

To be honest, you'd be much better off with a different tank. Hex tanks are difficult, for several reasons. Also, 20 gallons is pretty small. Smaller tanks are much more sensitive to chemistry and temperature changes. Because of this, for beginners, smaller tanks are actually much more difficult to maintain, than a larger tank.

 

[brandymichele]

Thanks for the info, yes I have been recommended to get a larger tank for stability reasons, but unfortunately I have been waiting a year to move so I would have somewhere to put one and that hasn't happened I am really just wanting as simple as possible for this tank and want to get it well established before adding much of anything. Thanks for your input on crushed coral, I was wondering the difference between that and sand. What kind of filter would you put on it? I am hoping to make this just a "tide me over" tank until I have the room to set up my 55 gallon. Thanks

 

[jake65]

welcome to RF Great advice from Michael^^^^^ You should try and make it to our next meeting in August you would learn alot from some great people

 

[returnofsid]

Crushed coral, because of it's larger particle size, doesn't create an anaerobic (low or no oxygen) environment, that's needed for denitrification (reducing nitrates). CC can be used to create an anaerobic environment, but would need to be 6" deep, or more.

As for filtration, an adequate amount of quality live rock, live sand, and quality flow, is all the filtration you'll need. In marine aquariums, as apposed to freshwater aquariums, your live rock makes up the majority of your filtration. A good protein skimmer will also help.

I agree with Jake, about August's meeting, especially since it'll be at our home...lol. Here's a couple of links, to the club meeting.

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55293
http://spcdareefs.org/forum/index.php?topic=219.0

 

[dtd87]

welcome! lots of helpful people here!

 

[brandymichele]

Thank you! I hope to make a tank as decent as some of the ones I have seen on here, lol. I will try to make it to that meeting, it would be great to talk to real people about what can and cant be done without always being "sold" at the stores...

returnofsid: So on this tank as long as I get it established I wont need a filter? So should I take this off and just cycle my tank with LR, sand, and protein skimmer?

 

[returnofsid]

returnofsid: So on this tank as long as I get it established I wont need a filter? So should I take this off and just cycle my tank with LR, sand, and protein skimmer?

Absolutely!! Live rock, live sand, a protein skimmer (optional, but a good idea) and good flow, IS your filter. To achieve good flow, you want "random flow," as apposed to "linear" flow. In other words, you want the water to move chaoticely (is that a word?) and not in a straight flow pattern. You can achieve this by pointing a couple power heads, in ways that the flow bounces off of glass, rock, or even so the flow of each power head hits each other. This will make the water "swirl around." In your tank, a couple Maxijet 1200s or even Maxijet 900s would be great. Another option would be a couple Koralia 2s or 3s. You can never have too much flow, as long as it's not creating a sand storm.

 

[brandymichele]

Thanks for the great advice I will pull the back filter off then, and I was wondering what kind of light should I be looking for? The depth of the tank is about 20? or so inches the widest part of the hex is 16 inches and the depth at the widest is 12 inches... I am hoping to build a taller aquascape of rock, would that help me out if later I did get an anemone putting it closer to the light?

 

[returnofsid]

The tank dimensions are going to make it difficult to light. There are "clamp on" Viper Metal Halide fixtures, in 70 watt and 150 watt, that would work. There are hanging Metal Halide pendants in 70 and 150 watt that would also work. Unfortunately, you won't find any Fluorescent lighting, such as T5HO, that will work, because of the 16" width. Depending on how "DIY Capable" you are, another option would be to build your own LED system.

As for an anemone, it'll depend on the species. Some species of anemones are naturally "rock dwellers," such as Entacmaea quadricolor (Bubble Tipped Anemone), while other anemones are naturally sand dwellers. Fortunately, Bubble Tipped anemones are a species that a little more forgiving, so better suited for newer or less experienced hobbyists. I'd still not recommend one, until your tank is at least 6 months mature.

Also, do NOT get a Condylactis anemone. Box pet stores, such as Petco, sell them a lot. In nature, these anemone are found in the Atlantic ocean, where there are NO clownfish, so these anemone are not a natural host for any clownfish.. A Condy anemone is more likely to eat your fish, than host them.

 

[Crack31]

Couldn't you remove the bio media from the HOB and use other media in it (i.e. carbon)?

 

[returnofsid]

Couldn't you remove the bio media from the HOB and use other media in it (i.e. carbon)?

Yes, you could do this. Others, including myself, have modified them to be a mini-refugium, as well.

 

[brandymichele]

Here is my tank all wet with the new LR and cured base rock. I dont have quite enough LR i only have about 16 pounds with 6 pounds of base. I want a taller piece of LR to help me get closer to top of tank This LR is about half way up the tank. I added about 20lbs sand. Sorry about pics will take better ones as the water clears. How long should I run the water/sand and LR for before testing and adding supplements like calcium/iodine/ and magnesium? I think those are the 3 the LFS recommended... Thanks again for the input and help on getting this going

 

[brandymichele]

Oh forgot to mention right now I ended up with a 12" light hood with 2 50/50 Coralife lights in them, will this be ok for a bit? They are 10,000K and 10 or 15watts each? Thanks

 

[returnofsid]

So far, the tank is looking great!

Be careful what advise you get from various LFS. There are LFS that will give you lots of great advice and there are LFS that will give you really bad advice. Here in Spokane, there's 2 really good LFS, that I'd recommend. Aquarium Solutions, owned by Barbie, and Aquatic Dreams, owned by Kevin, (Aquatic Dreams recently moved to Post Falls). Both are sponsors, here on RF and both owners are very helpful members, here on RF.

You don't need iodine, at all. The elements that will become important, in the future, are Calcium, Alkalinity and Magnesium. However, none of those will be important for awhile. Actually, all 3 of these elements will be replaced, with regular water changes, unless you have such a stony coral load that the corals are consuming them faster than your water changes replace them.

To start with, you'll need to test for Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates. These 3 tests will help you follow your cycle.

You'll also want a test kit for pH and phosphates. There are "all in one" master test kits, that are alright, but not all that great. You'll be much better off buying Salifert or Elos test kits. They are individual test kits for each element. They're a little more expensive, but much more accurate and well worth the investment. Each test kit will last you about a year, with regular weekly testing.

Are you light bulbs the Compact Fluorescent bulbs that screw into a regular mogul base, or are they fluorescent strips with 2 or 4 pins on one end?

 

[brandymichele]

So just to clarify I have 2 screw in type coralife 50/50 lights they say 10,000 k each 10 watts each, one white one blue atinic in each bulb. Also I want to clarify for myself that I should buy salifert individual tests for Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates only for now. Also silly question probably but what is my ideal salinity before adding anything? Thanks again for all the great advice on here

 

[OldFishMan]

Well, UGF and any filter okay. It is the waste that breaks down into Nitrates. Areas around the UGF and under the substrate --- in ceramic, good live rock, or other fine porus material will have a thriving anaerobic colony.

Substrate is substrate keep it clean. Watch what you drop in the tank --- #1 rule --- if it's dead and organic ---> Nitrate.

Let it cycle --- feed it while it cycles --- a little. A tablespoon of white vinegar a week for a few weeks helps too.

Keep the Magnesium around 1300-ppm and the rest can be controlled. If if says sulfate in the name --- find another approach.

Kalkwasser --- great --- baking soda for infrequent PH and KH moves help keep it simple.

Enjoy

OFM

 

[OldFishMan]

Salinity --- here pick one --- keep it steady

http://www.livestockusa.org/SALINITY.html

If you have a lot of money to throw around those are nice kits --- you won't use them after the tank cycles -- I would use a Reef kit that has something you can use after the tank cycles.

A cycled tank will have zero Ammonia, zero Nitrite, and generally some Nitrates --- or your filter / whatever you use is not working.

Spend the extra money on a Phosphate test kit if you want anything that looks like a reef --- check your local water --- online or call. Use RO or what ever you want, salt mix is your call --- some have more Calcium, Magnesium, Buffers ---> Borate, etc.,

I doubt your lights are 10-watt -- I could be wrong --- buy a good electronic ballast that will run more than two lights -- they are one wire to each end of the bulb now --- easy.


Enjoy

OFM

 

[brandymichele]

I did go look at the light boxes and checked online my lights are 10 watts each this is what coralife says about them:
"Energy Savers Unlimited 10 watt 50/50 Mini-Compact Fluorescent Lamps are designed to be used where space is limited and powerful lighting is desired. Fits into standard, medium-base lamp sockets. 50% 10,000K Daylight, 50% Actinic 03 Blue Low operating temperature 6,000 hour life"

Is this not going to work for my small tank? The box says recommended for saltwater? I appreciate the help

 

[brandymichele]

Also I had a question about the temp of of my tank... I had a floating thermometer and it kept reading 76 (without having a heater in the tank), I wanted to make sure this was accurate and bought a new sucton cup thermometer i placed this one lower in the tank about halfway down that ones reads almost 80. I took both thermometers and put them in ice water they both equally dropped to 50 degrees and when i placed them back in my tank they both went back to 76 at top of tank and 80 in middle of tank? Any reason for this? There is no heater in the tank and the powerheads and HOB filter are all that was running today, Light was off for 2-3 hours before I checked the temp...

Thanks again everyone for sharing your established knowledge