New to salt with a 20L

[Bandicoot]

Hey guys/gals I have an empty 20 gal long and wanted to start a salt tank . This is what I have before hitting the store ..

20 Long

AAC 70 ( spare from big tank )

Marine land led lights

Glass top

Maxi jet ( I believe it's the 450 )

Heater


Corals - I just want to do some easy starters ( Zoas , mushrooms , ect..

Fish - sand sifting goby , some chromis (3) , and maybe a clown if there is room.

I'm open to opinions I have 25 years in FW and been wanting to jump in salt for some time..

I know I need at least 15-20 lbs of rock and sand ..

Question - do I need a skimmer , where is best place to order corals from ( my LFS , has corals but they want twice the amount I've seen online .. ) thanks for reading ..

 

[bribo12]

All that equipment will work. I'd take the glass top off for better O2 exchange. The aquaclear can be converted into a DIY fuge if you want. As far as rock and sand you want about a lb per gallon. The lights will probably be ok for softies depending on which marineland lights they're. Um salt I'd use instant ocean reef crystals. Cheap and effective. Look into using rodi, will save you a lot of headache. As far as stock I'd look at 3 maybe 4 fish max in a tank that size. Chromis are odd fish. They tend to kill each other off or just dwindle down over time.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Bandicoot]

All that equipment will work. I'd take the glass top off for better O2 exchange. The aquaclear can be converted into a DIY fuge if you want. As far as rock and sand you want about a lb per gallon. The lights will probably be ok for softies depending on which marineland lights they're. Um salt I'd use instant ocean reef crystals. Cheap and effective. Look into using rodi, will save you a lot of headache. As far as stock I'd look at 3 maybe 4 fish max in a tank that size. Chromis are odd fish. They tend to kill each other off or just dwindle down over time.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

Ok so no chromis , how about pair of clowns and a goby ??

I have an RO/DI unit I use for my FW tanks . It's definitely worth the $$ .


Thanks for the input .

 

[bribo12]

Ok so no chromis , how about pair of clowns and a goby ??

I have an RO/DI unit I use for my FW tanks . It's definitely worth the $$ .


Thanks for the input .

Awesome! I think that stocks fine. You could add a cleaner shrimp or some other interesting inverts as well


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Bandicoot]

Peppermint shrimp and maybe a hermit ? My wife loves the bumblebee snail .. So maybe one of those guys ...

 

[bribo12]

Peppermint shrimp and maybe a hermit ? My wife loves the bumblebee snail .. So maybe one of those guys ...

They'd definitely work. LooK at Halloween hermit crabs they're very cool


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Bandicoot]

They'd definitely work. LooK at Halloween hermit crabs they're very cool


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

I like those ... I'm starting tonight cleaning tank and old filter , should have enough room to hide heater in filter .. Thurs-Friday I'm gonna hit store and get base rock - sand , salt .. From what I've read I'm gonna mix salt with a spare pump and heater in a fish safe container .. Then I'll build rest of tank .. Am I missing anything ?? To cycle just going to get a raw shrimp in a pantyhose and toss in there .. Test regularly . If I get live rock/ sand shouldn't take as long if I use all base;..

Now correct me if I'm wrong but I want to leave lights off and pumps on while cycling ??




55 gal FW community
20 gal soon to be nano reef
10 gal Betta

 

[gboduszek]

Welcome to the 20L club brotha. For the cycle definately leave pumps on but lights don't matter. No live stock so no need for light but if you're like me even an empty cycling tank I like to look at some so a few hours a day won't hurt anything if you so choose.

Sent from my SM-G925V using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Bandicoot]

Welcome to the 20L club brotha. For the cycle definately leave pumps on but lights don't matter. No live stock so no need for light but if you're like me even an empty cycling tank I like to look at some so a few hours a day won't hurt anything if you so choose.

Sent from my SM-G925V using Aquarium Advice mobile app

Yeah man I'm stoked .. I have been wanting todo SW for ever lol .. I have tank all cleaned out I'm going tomorrow after work to get base rock and Caribbean sand , someone said to splurge and get Fiji live rock . So I'm going to check on prices .. But only ?. I have now is when I'm ready to corals , where is best place online to get them. My LFS has some but they don't look too healthy and they are twice as much than I've seen around online .


55 gal FW community
20 gal soon to be nano reef
10 gal Betta

 

[Bandicoot]

Update work got hectic and I never got to set up tank .. Now I'm back on it , I have 20lbs of live sand and 10lb of reg marine sand . 15 lbs of Fiji rock - gonna get some live rock from a buddies tank . I still have reg equipment as original post .. Just picked up a 100w heater ( marine land ) .
As for stock . More than likely going with what was posted previously. So with all that said jumping in with both feet !!


55 gal FW community
20 gal soon to be nano reef
10 gal Betta