20-30g SW tank setup ideas, few Q's!

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

absolutrebel28

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Mar 21, 2006
Messages
5
Hi all, this is my first post here and I work at the only local LFS in Kirksville, MO, and about a month ago my employer had me research and set up a 46g Saltwater display tank with a large sump filtering system. I may from time to time post questions about any problems we encounter, so fall we have had no fatalities other than species that were extremely risky to begin with, and ordered without my real okay (ie. octopus and sea horse, starfish) We used CaribSea live rock for that application, i think 40 or 60lbs.

Now that I have fully caught the sea-life craze, i am definetely wanting to setup a SW tank. Since i'm a college student, it will have to be realistically sized and funded. Thus far I have ordered,

*20lb Tidal Marina -- Gray Coast Calcite
*2lbs live sand -- Source: CaribSea Aragamax
***I love the look of dark sand, and have Tahitian Moon Sand in my Malawi cichlid tank. My question however is, how will the white and dark gray substrates mix? Can I put the live sand on the bottom with the gray calcite over it? How should I go about arranging that substrate? Also what exactly is calcite, and does it effect any water levels?

*Second, I have a Oddysea 65w Daylight 12000k with a 65w blue Actinic Bulb, is this a good combination for a saltwater tank? Is it even better for a coral tank? I am almost as interested in live coral as i am in the fish and invertebrates, but I still am in the process of learning what coral actually is, and how the organisms that live on them (polyps and others) actually function.

*I will be probably running a HOB Hagen 20g filter that I have new, with a powerhead for extra water movement, and I will have an appropriate and effective heater. A protein skimmer may lie in future.

**As far as fauna, I am looking for just a few showcase fish, I really like puffers, especially the ones with the huge blue eyes, I would love to house one of those. I am anxious to find something creative and fun to do a good job of maintaining, and I have a lot of options to choose from as I can pick right off of the order sheet for incoming fish. Well, any insight would be greatly welcomed, and once again great site, hope to talk toyou early and often .
 
What size tank are you referring to? It sounds like your talking about 2 diff. tanks.

*Second, I have a Oddysea 65w Daylight 12000k with a 65w blue Actinic Bulb, is this a good combination for a saltwater tank? Is it even better for a coral tank?
The rule of thumb is for corals you should run 4-7 watts/gal. You need to do a lot of research on what corals you like and their requirements where lighting is just one of the considerations you have to make.
* I really like puffers
These fish require a larger tank. Know what your getting before you get it.

Research, research and more research will help a lot and will help you avoid problems down the road.

Oh yeah welcome to AA!
 
I am assuming that you are asking about setting up a 20-30g and not the 46g that you mentioned earlier.

If this is the case, I have a 20g lit by a 65 watt Current fixture with a Valentini Puffer and a Fridmani Pseudochromis. I have a HOB filter just like yours that I use occasionally for surface agitation, but the main filtration comes from a Coralife Super Skimmer 65 and the LR. I also run 2 penguin 550 PHs.

I recently added a green striped mushroom, and am waiting to see if the light and Puffer will be OK with it. So far the mushroom has been very open and nothing seems to be bothering it. I might try a brain coral in a few months if the mushroom is thriving.

Research the Canthigastar puffer species, and consider the limitations that they may impose on your corals and inverts. IMO my puffer is the best addition to my tank, but it is a limiting factor for a reef tank.
 
Back
Top Bottom