new tank setup... help!

hello all. this is my first post, even though i have been reading threads for a couple of days now. my friend gave me his 20 gal tank, prizm skimmer, penguin bio wheel 150, aqualight t5 24" 14W 10,000K daylight & 14W true actinic 03 blue t5 flourescent lamps (timed @ 4hrs/day), and a jet power head (480). nice of him, huh...

anyway, we set it up with 20 lbs of live sand and 18 lbs of live rock. my ammonia and nitrite levels are (0), while my pH is about 8.7 and my salinity is steady @ 1.020 for 2 weeks now.

i have decided to go with corals (definately a clam at some point), and think i should double my light source before placing anything into the tank.

what does everyone think? also, any suggestions on what i should get first as a beginner?

 

Welcome

Your pH is 8.7? Seems very high. I would double check this first

 

what should it be?

 

Natural sea water is around 8.4 so this is a good starting point to shoot for. I would not go above 8.6 though. JMO

 

thanks a lot. do you have an opinion on the lighting issue?

 

Finnex 23" HO T5 Fixture - 4 Bulb x 24w Complete: Premium Aquatics
With this lighting setup you could keep just about any type of coral you would want

Jim

 

I would also get your SG up to 1.024 to 1.026. IMO 1.020 is low even for fish only


J