starting a 20g

My hubby decided to change his 20g to saltwater. He only plans on keeping small fish, some shrooms and rics. He has 15lbs of caribsea substrate and so far one piece of liverock. He is taking it very slow, thinking to cure LR in it for my tank and then starting to add critters.

Do we need a skimmer for a 20g or will a filter suffice?

 

So, you got him hooked too didja?

I personally wouldn't run a reef tank without a skimmer, especially a small one like a 20.

 

I have a 20 high and it's great. See my signature for all the details. I started my real slow...just rocks and sand for a month or so. I bought the best skimmer I could (a Remora) and ran it from the start. The tank cycled fairly quickly and I brought in the clean up crew once I started to see some diatoms and algae. Becareful with the fish...I've only got 3 and sometimes I worry that's pushing it.
Good luck and please let us know if he has any questions!

 

One more thing (to start with). If you have the ability and space to set up a sump, even a small one, from the start I'd definitely do it. I just got a cabinet that can old a 10 gallon below my tank and the idea of having to make the move of the tank and the rock and the corals and the fish and the inverts is giving me night terrors...but once I switch over I'll have all the ugly gear (powerheads, skimmer, heater, etc) out of the main display and I'll be psyched with things...until I get the bigger tank itch...

 

You could use a small canister filter or even a bio wheel but make sure all your sand / rock and filter is fully cured and the bio load is very small. Plus keep up with the water changes. I did one of these on a 45 sucessfully and did my water changes just by changing 10% of the water with my larger tank on a weekly basis.

Just a cheap way to do it until this addiction brings you back to the next level again

 

Great stocking plan nemo. That is what got me into trouble with my 20 long. Try to stick to it.

I'm with jt on the water change routine and Pisces23 on the sump. EDIT - and getting a skimmer. Good luck!

 

Oh I told him just get a skimmer, it's less hassle than weekly water changes and dealing with the filters. We will be running a filter till we get the skimmer.
My hubby came up with the idea of putting LR in the 20g, cycle it, and then add some of the rocks to my tank, then add his clean up crew. We are in no rush with this tank as we have to save up a bit for the skimmer. Is 15lbs of substrate enough or should there be more? Also how many powerheads do you think is enough for a 20g. right now we have a maxi jet 1200 in there. We used some of my water to fill it part way, use tap for the rest but will start using ro through the cycle. I am also giving him some of my substrate to seed his tank.
I think he wants only cleaner shrimp, a goby, black clown, and clean up crew for this tank and some shrooms so we will have to upgrade lighting, unfortunately because he has only a regular no fluorescent. I wish we could utilize my old 48" pc fixture but I 'm not sure about that.

Yes I got him good and hooked.

 

I have a 20 high... Get a skimmer (although i'm not running one right now but thats another story). Like Pisces said, if you can get a sump on there go for it, i'm running a 10gal sump / fuge. Please keep your bioload low. (I only have one fish in there). And FWIW i dont believe in regular water changes so i dont do them, i change 5 gallons about twice a year.

Marc.

 

Here's the ticket:

Buy yourself another 20 gallon, glass only, and make that your sump. The more water you can carry, the better. I've got a 29 nano I started up a couple of months ago after being out of the game for a little over a decade.

As far as skimmers go, go out and get yourself a SeaClone 100. It's not a top of the line skimmer, but it does a fine job...especially on a small tank like mine and yours. It's powered by a Maxi 1200 and is more than enough to take care of your 20 gallon...and it's only 100 bucks...pump and all. You can't beat it with a stick.

If you can't do the sump thing, any hang on filter will work. In the end, once you get your live rock in and cured, you don't really need the filters in the hang on anyway, it's just that the sump gives you a lot more water (a good thing) and more versatility later on as to what and how much you can add to your tank.

Good luck!

Tom

p.s. Get yourself an RO/DI unit for water or find a good supplier of it. Tap water dechlorinated isn't going to do for corals on down the road.

 

Oh I already buy my ro water, can't put in a unit in my apartment or else I'd already have one, it would make my life alot easier if I had one. We only filled the tank with tap water but from now on it's ro only. How many pounds of sand would be good for a 20g. We currently have 15lbs but will add more if needed. Also how many lbs of LR for a 20g?