20L or 29 gal reef?

[SeeDemTails]

I have a 30 inch Current reef light that gives me two 65 wt lights and moon lights.

I want to get a tank that is 30 inches like a 20L or 29 gal.

The main reason I want a little bigger tank is so I can keep more fish, but I understand my lightings capacity goes way down. I have been told I would get 6.5 wts per gallon with the 20L and 4 wts with the 29. I dont know how to do the math, so I may be wrong.

Would I be able to keep more fish with a little bit larger tank? Or would the better lighting be worth going with the 20L?

I mainly want to keep xenia, shrooms, and maybe some other soft corals, and a couple small fish, maybe a pygmy angel, and a couple percula's, and a six line wrasse.


Thanks,

Billy

 

[fishfreek]

For what you want a 29 gal tank would be better IMO. The angel is a question as I feel a 29 is to small for a dwarf angel.

The corals will be at various levels in the tank so the lighting will be adiquate.

 

[tbonem91]

... I dont know how to do the math, so I may be wrong...

2 x 65 watts = 130 watts

130 watts / 20 gallons = 6.5 watts / gallon

130 watts / 29 gallons ~= 4.5 watts/gallon

I know with sw tanks the height has to be figured in as well though...

 

[Jermz79]

I have a 29gal. with the Orbit CF lights 2x65watt ... I'm keeping various softies, and some LPS .... Candy Canes and Open Brain in the tank!

I agree with Fishfreek saying that either tank is too small for a Dwarf Angel, I had a Coral Beaut. in my 29 and felt bad for him. So I would stick with the traditional "Nano" type fish! Clowns, Gramma's, FireFish ... etc.

 

[ntswift]

I have a 29 gal as well. I have softies and lps in there with 130watt JBJ PC's. They are all doing just fine. I do however have a flame angel in there but so far so good! You might also consider a 37 gal. I saw them at petsmart for like $89. same dimentions as the 29 but its a little bit taller. Just another option for you. HTH

 

[SeeDemTails]

I am refering to the Pygmy or Cherub Angel, and I was told that they dont get much bigger than an inch or two and would be ok in a smaller tank. Little guys with yellow noses and blue bodys.

Is this not the case?

I had no plans on getting a larger "dwarf" angel like a coral beauty.

All the Cherubs I have seen are much smaller than almost any other nano fish I have seen! Most are around the size of a quarter.

You guys think some percs and a sixline wrasse would be good fish to plan on puttin in the tank for "sure"? Some "maybe" fish would of course be the cherub, and I had been loking at shrimp gobies...how hard are they to get to pair up with a shrimp?

Are there any other cool little warsses other than a sixline I can put in a smaller tank?

 

[ntswift]

I had a couple of false perculas and a six line wrasse in my 29 and they did just fine. I think you would be okay. The real answer to your question relies on your tank and if it will sustain more fish. If you are going to get a cherub angel or pygmy angel i wouldnt get any corals. I've heard they like to chow down on them. Would they be fine in your tank though? I think so but like i said it depends on your tank. Each tank is different. HTH

P.S. If you get a six line wrasse or any type of wrasse, make sure you have a some sort of lid so they dont jump out. Mine went just went carpet surfing.

 

[20 20]

Here's my 29 gallon reef:

Here's a list of the corals I've got in it, under 130watts PC lighting:

Hammer
galaxia
Green richordia
feather duster
Open maze brain
orange sand polyps
green zoa's
green star polyps
Red mushrooms
Green favia (moon coral)
neon green claustrea
claustrea
red lobo
Pulsing xenia
tooth coral
Pink zoa's
mint green zoa's


All doing well.

 

[ntswift]

Nice tank!

 

[20 20]

Thanks! I'm in the process of converting a 125 gallon African cichlid tank into a reef, where all the inhabitants of the 29 gallon will go. But you can definately have a nice reef with a 29 gallon!

 

[TeenReefer]

Yes, i agree, nice tank. Hopefully my 29 will look like that someday!

 

[Brenden]

Hummm...... scratches head. Do I really need 3-29 gallon QT tanks. Very nice tank 20 20. Good thing you are upgrading. You will be in trouble when things have a growth spirt.