Starting a 20gal

[skabooya]

Yea thats what ive been reading about PC's. Theyre not very energy efficient either. Im gonna need to look around for a 2-24w T5 with individual reflectors then. Anyone else with opinions on 2x24 being okay for a 20 gal High. and yes its just the standard 20 gal L24xW12xH16.5.

[skabooya]

Well i just found it went to ocean aquatics and found the nova extreme 4x24w HO T5 with taxes and everything it will come out to $209.43
Comes with bulbs and 2 moonlights, etc.
Aparently this fixture is the same as having 130watt PC over a 20gal but with the MH shimmer. So even though it does not have individual reflectors that makes me happy.
I think this is what i will go for. Im gonna talk to my hubby again when he gets home.

Let me know what you think about this fixture. I am both excited i found something and excited at the prospect of putting in an order, but i am also freaked out because of the negative stuff ive read about it and just starting saltwater all together. *bites nails*

[skabooya]

So shopping list would be:
nova extreme 2x24 24" T5 HO fixture
25lbs LR (Fiji, Tonga, Jakarta, Vantau ? HELP i have no idea)
15lbs sand (Caribsea Aragamax Suger sand for a shallow sandbed)
2 Koralia 1's
1 hydrometer (i know refractometer is better but i cant afford one right now)
1 bucket of Instant ocean salt
I have a few heaters from previous fw setups so i will use one of them.
I will also invest in a glass lid to cut down on evaporation, stabalize temps, keep stuff from jumping out, keeping salt creep/spray to a minimum, and from stuff getting into the tank.


2 gal water change weekly or maybe biweekly? because i plan on having a low bioload (mostly inverts and 1 or 2 fish max)
Should i think about getting an HOB fuge with a skimmer attachment? Or maybe just a cheap skimmer.

Let me know how this sounds and if i am forgetting anything or if i should change anything.

Thank you in advance.

[Kronk]

-I would get a single 150w MH there are some decent priced ones online sunpod?
-Fiji is going to be the best in terms of porosity
--2 koralia 1's would be 800gph of flow might want to look into the koralia nanos at -240gph
-hydrometer works fine for me
-i would go with better salt, kent or even tropic marin with a 20g it will last a long time
-reusing heater is a good idea
-the glass lid i would recommend against, it will rise your temperature evaporation is really the only way the water can cool down
-I do a weekly 3 gallon water change in my 20g
definatly get a skimmer, seriously
i know it complicates things but i would look at setting it up with a 10g sump you wont regret it just google it and you will see its not that much more work to setup and it will make things a lot easier in the long run

Best of Luck

[skabooya]

Kronk: Thank you for your very informative post. It really helped me out.

In response, I cant afford MH. And i was going for PC's until i found out that t5 is more energy efficient, runs cooler, has better light output, and the colour just looks awsome.
So im going for 4x24 T5 HO nova extreme fixture. I will only have softies like zoas and shrooms and maybe a couple lps but really im not a fan of them.

I did more reading about the koralia's and i agree 2 k1's would be too much flow so now im looking at just getting 1 k1 and placing it at the back of the tank so if there are any dead spots it will be at the front of the tank where i can clean any build up easier. And having 1 less thing in the tank will help it to look a bit cleaner.

As for salt i have no selection unless i order online in which case then i am also paying double. We have instant ocean here and so thats why im going for that. I figure i can get a bag instead of a bucket since salt lasts a while and a bag is easier to hide than a big 160gal bucket.

As for a skimmer i was looking at the rio nano skimmer for $30. Ive read for a cheap skimmer it works pretty good after it breaks in. For larger tanks or for tanks that have more lps or sps a better skimmer is needed but if you have a low bioload with mainly softies and just a couple of fish and your tank is 20gal or under than a rio is pretty good. A remora is better but again thats too rich for my blood at this time.

I wouldnt mind setting up a sump but i have no room for it. This tank will be going into my office on my bookself. I have tons and tons of books from teaching and as a teacher i am always adding more.

3 gals sounds good. I was thinking of doing 2 gals a week for starters until i get more stuff in the tank then i would move up to 3 gals a week. Although i see a lot of people doing 2 or 3 gals every other week.

and yes im getting 25lbs of fiji LR and 20lbs of caribsea live sand. Its what most people seem to be using.

Im going to have baking soda on hand for each water change because our tap water here is perfect for saltwater or any tank. And i mean its awsome water. But we have soft water with either a neutral PH or a ph of 6 depending on the season. So i will need the baking soda to raise alk so the ph is right on.

[skabooya]

Alright new order form
2x24 T5 HO nova extreme
25lbs fiji live Rock
20lbs of caribsea live sand
Bag of instant ocean salt
1 hydrometer
1 Koralia 1
rio nano skimmer
no lid for clowns (yup decided on clowns) Will buy once cycle is well over and i dont mean a week.

Corals i def want are mainly blue/purple shrooms, and some red shrooms. Lots of zoas such as 'green eyed sally', 'man of steel', 'mean green', 'iceberg', 'devils armor', 'red delight', 'safecrackers', 'blue eyed girl', fire and ice, 'polar ice', 'true joker', 'whami'n watermelon', 'royal thunder', and i dunno but i love zoas.
I also like pulsing xeina and i saw some electric blue cloves that i MUST have.
I also love feather duster worms and macro algae.
Rics are also cool but the only ones that turn me on are blue or Pink Yumas.... and of course rainbow aussie acans but thats for another tank with more lighting... and when i win the lottery

[skabooya]

I am so confused. I just got a response on another reef forum and this person basically told me i need to rethink my entire plan.
Do i have to have a 4" deep sand bed?
Do i need to have 2 powerheads? I thought i K1 would be enough since flow is dispersed everywhere.
Is the rio that bad where i shouldnt bother at all? I thought something was better than nothing. I cant in any way afford a remora.
A bucket of salt will last me more than a year. Is this true?
Is instant ocean really that crappy? Its all my lfs supplies. Aparently it has low alk buffering capacity is that true. That worries me because i have very soft neutral to acidic water out of my tap. (The tap water he is amazing lots of people do salt where i live and use tap)

Please help me out. Im getting discouraged again.