20 gal nano tank build

[Miss.TMRC]

Hello! My name is amber and I am tmrc exotics wife. I am beginning a salt water 20 gal journey. I want to begin with live rock and reef safe fish and eventually add low light corals. I am over a month away from actually setting the tank up. I'm looking for advice on lighting and will inquire on stock options when I have a more specific stock list.

The plan is to add sand and rock and fishless cycle the tank. Then I will add my initial stock. I'm looking mainly at reef safe fish and inverts. I'm looking for suggestions on a light for low light corals.

For filtration I will be using an aqua clear hob running purigen and a power head. 20 lbs. of sand and 20 lbs of rock. I'm open to any suggestions and input. Thank you!

 

[Nils]

Welcome! Glad to have you here! I have no idea about saltwater but there are lots of pros here who can help you! Following!

 

[ImACoolguy]

Hello!

I'm not going to advertise my thread but if you want I'll give you the link. I just set up my 10g nano reef and it is cycling with an Aquaclear 30 HOB and a Hydor powerhead along with 11 pounds of sand and about 12 pounds of live/dry/aquacultured rock.

I would get a good light that is dimmable in case you want to go above low light corals. Or else you could be upgrading down the road anyway.

Softies like mushrooms and some Zoas I believe are pretty low light.

Throw a cocktail shrimp inside a pantyhose in your tank and leave it for a while and it will cycle. This is what was recommended to me and it didn't take long before my tank shot up to 8.0ppm of ammonia.

EDIT: I plan on a skunk/cleaner shrimp, a sexy shrimp, and a scarlet hermit crab. Fish is still undecided but thinking a single ocellaris.
Caleb

 

[Miss.TMRC]

Thanks for the advice! I am super excited about getting this tank going but I'm trying to research reef safe fish and invert options. I just really want to build a good foundation to later turn into a little reef

 

[TMRC Exotics]

OK everyone, the time is here. The 20 high is in place, we have 15 lbs of dry base rock.
I just got 20 pounds of caribsea aragonite sand, is this decent substrate?
I picked up a 225 gal/hr powerhead to accompany the ac 30, will this be enough flow?

We got instant ocean reef crystals salt, I'm under the impression this is pretty good. Were getting ready to set up, just wanted to double check.

 

[coralbandit]

Sounds like you are ready to fill it up!
Rinse the aragonite well and place a plate on it before pouring water to reduce time the tank will take to settle.
What are you using for water source?

 

[TMRC Exotics]

Were currently planning to run a 50/50 tap/distilled mix, does that sound feasible? I know R/O is ideal but we don't have a unit. Mixing distilled and tap would certainly make fill up easier.

Were also wanting to add 5 lbs. Of live rock near the end of cycle to get to 20 to even 23-25 lbs of live rock.

 

[coralbandit]

Tap may introduce elements that are not coral or invert friendly.
When water evaporates it leaves behind all dissolved solids.
Eventually the levels may cause trouble down the road if not right away.
For fish only the tap should work ok.

 

[TMRC Exotics]

Thanks a ton, that's something I've been wondering. What about a strategy of a 50/50 or even 75(distilled)/25(tap) mix for cycling but then conducting all top off and water changes with distilled? It wouldn't be too long before we were at all distilled.

 

[Sniperhank]

Just go all distilled if that's the route you are going with the tank. Distilled or all ro/di. Tap isn't to be trusted.

 

[TMRC Exotics]

You guys are right. It means not filling up tonight but we've been extremely patient thus far, no need to rush now. We will get the distilled needed tomorrow.

On to cycling, need advice... I'm thinking of going the cocktail shrimp route. What size and type shrimp and I'm guessing obviously the not boiled type. How long are we looking?

 

[Sniperhank]

Whatever you can get your hands on. Toss it in some panty hose for easy clean up. Should take about a month.

 

[keegster803]

Go to the local grocery store, I'd get a jumbo cocktail shrimp and put it in there. Just get the cooked or raw. I used cooked, but it's up to you. And it does take about a month. I'd suggest just popping the shrimp in and just test weekly. I let the whole shrimp dissolve.


Sent via echolocation

 

[TMRC Exotics]

So being cooked isn't an issue? Just want to be sure. I was planning to use raw but if it doesn't matter...

 

[keegster803]

I used cooked and it worked out fine


Sent via echolocation

 

[TMRC Exotics]

OK, what about filtration? Were going to be using 20 lbs sand, 20 lbs rock, aqua clear 30 flowing 150 gph and power head flowing 225 gph, is this sufficient or what should we be shooting for?

 

[Sniperhank]

That depends on what the goal of the tank is. I would personally want some more flow in there. I don't think the flow in a HOB filter is anything special at all and would want a second power head in there.

 

[coralbandit]

That depends on what the goal of the tank is. I would personally want some more flow in there. I don't think the flow in a HOB filter is anything special at all and would want a second power head in there.

^THIS^
IMO
With just an hob(even double your size) I would not count filter in on tank flow.
Another power head will help to have the most circulation for the whole tank.
Reef tanks can easily have 20 times tank volume for circulation(not counting filter)!

 

[TMRC Exotics]

That depends on what the goal of the tank is. I would personally want some more flow in there. I don't think the flow in a HOB filter is anything special at all and would want a second power head in there.

The goal of the tank is a thriving reef tank with softies and some LPs. Possibly a maroon clown and goby and a few inverts. But were taking our time with things. The first step is a stable tank with some reef safe life. That is our current goal. I'm not looking to run a sump or anything on this tank so what would you suggest to increase filtration? Ive been told a skimmer wasn't really necessary on a tank of this size, is this correct?

 

[TMRC Exotics]

OK, so another power head, got it. Should have some pics to report soon. Thanks for everything and keep the tips rolling.