20 Gallon SW what do i need to start?

[patrickriley2010]

I want a sw tank freshwater is still cool but I want the crazy awesome colors of a sw tank like some firefish.


What supplies will I need to start this journey?

Also if a fish only eats shrimp or frozen shrimp how do I feed while I'm out of town ?

[G1203]

Your gonna need

Sump/filter of some sort (preferably a sump or canister)

Thermometer

Powerheads

Salt mix or premixed saltwater

Airline tubing (for acclimating)

Syphon for water changes

5 gal bucket (it'll come in handy)

T5s or led lights depending on if you want a reef

Live Sand

Live/dry rock (live rock speeds up cycle I personally think but it is more expensive than dry/base rock)

And a decent test kit

That's what you need to get on your way!!! Good luck!!!!!

[dmolavi]

This is what I bought for mine:

• RO/DI system
• Pump for SW storage – MaxiJet 400 powerhead
• SW storage heater (use any heater big enough for your SW storage bucket)
• 5 gallon bucket (for RO water)
• 20 gallon bucket (for the initial SW "loads", unused since)
• 20 lbs live rock
• 30 lbs Fiji pink live sand
• BioSpira (not really needed)
• Refractometer
• Two Hydor Koralia 425 pumps
• Hydor SmartWave (not needed, but I like the effect)
• High Range pH, calcium, carbonate hardness, nitrite, nitrate, ammonia, phosphate test kits (most are in the "master" kits from API

The most expensive was the RO system, but it will pay for itself in time soon enough. The rest was bought in the span of about 3 months while the live rock and sand were curing and the tank was cycling.

[Bectan01]

For firefish (or most small SW fish) they can eat flakes, I use a auto feeder when I go away. Just check individual fishes requirements before buying, some fish of course won't eat flakes.

[patrickriley2010]

Thanks guys geeze that's alot of crap need to start saving up! Haha I didn't realize a sump was needed for a small aquarium guess I was wrong ! Anyways thanks

[Bectan01]

You don't need a sump on a tank that size, but they are very beneficial! Have a good read about the different types of filtration, there are many ways to do it...

[dmolavi]

Originally Posted by patrickriley2010

Thanks guys geeze that's alot of crap need to start saving up! Haha I didn't realize a sump was needed for a small aquarium guess I was wrong ! Anyways thanks

I don't have a sump on mine..just an extra HOB with Purigen and filter floss.

The RO/DI is the biggest investment, but worth it.

[patrickriley2010]

Originally Posted by Bectan01

For firefish (or most small SW fish) they can eat flakes, I use a auto feeder when I go away. Just check individual fishes requirements before buying, some fish of course won't eat flakes.

On live aquaria it said they need like live or frozen brine shrimp? But if they are tank raised I'd assume they would just eat what ever floated around.

[patrickriley2010]

Originally Posted by dmolavi

This is what I bought for mine:

• RO/DI system
• Pump for SW storage – MaxiJet 400 powerhead
• SW storage heater (use any heater big enough for your SW storage bucket)
• 5 gallon bucket (for RO water)
• 20 gallon bucket (for the initial SW "loads", unused since)
• 20 lbs live rock
• 30 lbs Fiji pink live sand
• BioSpira (not really needed)
• Refractometer
• Two Hydor Koralia 425 pumps
• Hydor SmartWave (not needed, but I like the effect)
• High Range pH, calcium, carbonate hardness, nitrite, nitrate, ammonia, phosphate test kits (most are in the "master" kits from API

The most expensive was the RO system, but it will pay for itself in time soon enough. The rest was bought in the span of about 3 months while the live rock and sand were curing and the tank was cycling.

For the storage do you have it sitting in your closet and pump it in? What kind of pump ? Do I need that many water blowers with no coral ?

[Bectan01]

I have a fire fish and he eats flakes (or anything really) but if you mean FILE fish, then that's a different story, they can be fussy eaters...

[dmolavi]

Originally Posted by patrickriley2010

For the storage do you have it sitting in your closet and pump it in? What kind of pump ? Do I need that many water blowers with no coral ?

The RO/DI storage is in my laundry room. For a 20 gallon tank, it's just a 5 gallon bucket. See this video I put up on YouTube: My laundry room RO/DI installation - YouTube

When I do water changes, I just siphon it out into another 5 gallon bucket (about 2 1/2 gallons of water per change, as there is only about 15 gallons in the tank..rock and sand take up the rest of the volume). I typically mix the salt in the fresh water the day before so it aerates and completely mixes in, then add it.

For the initial saltwater "load" of 15-20 gallons, I bought a 20 gallon Brute can w/ lid. I keep it around, just in case.

You do want good flow, to keep dead spots from forming. I use the two Hydors in the tank, connected to a SmartWave controller to vary the flow. The Marineland pump is only used to mix the saltwater.

[patrickriley2010]

Originally Posted by dmolavi

The RO/DI storage is in my laundry room. For a 20 gallon tank, it's just a 5 gallon bucket. See this video I put up on YouTube: My laundry room RO/DI installation - YouTube

When I do water changes, I just siphon it out into another 5 gallon bucket (about 2 1/2 gallons of water per change, as there is only about 15 gallons in the tank..rock and sand take up the rest of the volume). I typically mix the salt in the fresh water the day before so it aerates and completely mixes in, then add it.

For the initial saltwater "load" of 15-20 gallons, I bought a 20 gallon Brute can w/ lid. I keep it around, just in case.

You do want good flow, to keep dead spots from forming. I use the two Hydors in the tank, connected to a SmartWave controller to vary the flow. The Marineland pump is only used to mix the saltwater.

I take it you took the filter cartridge out of the pump so it just circulates water ? Also can an RO/DI system work for freshwater tanks ? Or does it take too much out of the water ? JW as I will still have my 20 fresh and 10 fresh

Also I live in an apartment it's a bummer my UNit has a closet in the kitchen too bad it's not in my living room where then tanks are and my apartment is pretty word down :/ but I'm sure I could make room in my camera gear closet

[patrickriley2010]

Originally Posted by Bectan01

I have a fire fish and he eats flakes (or anything really) but if you mean FILE fish, then that's a different story, they can be fussy eaters...

I meant fire

[dmolavi]

Originally Posted by patrickriley2010

I take it you took the filter cartridge out of the pump so it just circulates water ? Also can an RO/DI system work for freshwater tanks ? Or does it take too much out of the water ? JW as I will still have my 20 fresh and 10 fresh

Also I live in an apartment it's a bummer my UNit has a closet in the kitchen too bad it's not in my living room where then tanks are and my apartment is pretty word down :/ but I'm sure I could make room in my camera gear closet

The pump in the SW mix bucket is just a powerhead pump, not a filter.

You can use RO water in a FW tank, but you will need to remineralize it with something like Seachem Replenish, or your FW fish will die. IMHO, it's not worth it, since you're just replacing one additive (Prime, or whatever dechlorinator you use) with another to remineralize the water.

[JumperGirl117]

Originally Posted by dmolavi

The RO/DI storage is in my laundry room. For a 20 gallon tank, it's just a 5 gallon bucket. See this video I put up on YouTube: My laundry room RO/DI installation - YouTube
.

Question. You can't keep the RO/DI running? I could see it being pointless if your only doing once a week changes but you it to where it will stop producing water in the bucket so why do you turn the water to the system off?

[dmolavi]

I turn it off because when I run the washer, I get a water hammer effect in the line (rapid changing of pressure as the washer fills). I don't want to damage the canisters, so I shut off the feed to the RO when I do the wash.

[JumperGirl117]

Originally Posted by dmolavi

I turn it off because when I run the washer, I get a water hammer effect in the line (rapid changing of pressure as the washer fills). I don't want to damage the canisters, so I shut off the feed to the RO when I do the wash.

Gotcha. And thanks for the explanation it wouldn't have occurred to me until I sat there all day and watched after breaking a fee of the canisters lol

[dmolavi]

I don't know if it would have cracked them, but I didn't want to take the chance. I actually have two shutoff valves in the system, the one I show in the video, and then the one included by BRS with the RO unit (I leave that one 'on' all the time, but put it there in case the other one fails for some reason).