starting a 20G...

[i2ik]

Hey everyone
I am a noob and there is a few things that i would like to know ...

I wonder which one is better: a 20 gallons long or simply a 20 gallons. does it have a difference for the fishes? more place in a long?

I am having an aquaclear 300. Is it good enough or should i get an external one? like ehiem...

My heater is 50 watts and can keep up to 27 degrees celcius... it is enough or should i get a 100 watts?

For the protein skimmer, which one should i buy? will it be better if i put a strong one? will it change something? waht is the purpose of a protein skimmer anyways..?

For the lights, i have a single one so i will buy one with 2 lights (fluorescent, 1 white light, the other will be blue) will it be enough? it will cost me 120 CAN, but there is only the light and no canopy...

How many fishes can i get in a 20 gallons tank?
what is the best reef packages that i should get? is it expensive?

alright thats all... thanks a lot, i know, my questions might sound stupid but its ok

 

[reefrunner69]

I wonder which one is better: a 20 gallons long or simply a 20 gallons. does it have a difference for the fishes? more place in a long?

IMO, a 20L is better than a 20T, simply because there is more surface area. More surface area means there is more usable space for the fish to swim, better gas exchange etc..

In your climate, I would go with 100W, I recommend 3-5 watts per gallon on heaters, and that far north...I would go with the max. However, rather than buy 1 large heater, I prefer 2 undersized heaters, because if one stops working, there is still another to provide heat, even if not enough, and if one sticks on, the other will shut off and there won't be enough to boil your fish

For a 20g aquarium, I use a remora skimmer by Aqua-C, I also used a bak pak 2R and was happy with the results. There is an article in the articles section on skimmers and what they do.

As for lights...how much light depends on what your gonna do with the tank, Reef, FOWLR or FO.

How many fish...depends on the species. I have three small fish in my 20L and it is probably overcrowded.

I'm not sure what you mean by reef package.

 

[i2ik]

For the reef package i mean like:
scarlet Hermit Crabs
blueleg hermit crabs
turno/astreal snail
nassarius snail
brittle star
coral banded shrimp
emerald crabs
...

Like how many should i get...

For the fishes, i am plainning on having percula clown fishes (2: 1 male, 1 female...whats the difference by the way)

For others, i dont know yet, having suggestion for a 20G? maybe buttlefly?

I would like to have corals and anemones (only a few small ones) so i dont know about the lights for that...

 

[jackdp]

My lighting setup for my 20 Long is 1x175 watt metal halide 10k with 2X55 watt PC actinics. You could just use the MH and get a color temperature that would be a little bluer, but I like being able to have the actinics on without the MH. That setup would cover about all the bases and allow you to keep just about any light demanding invert. Its just got to be cooled well with that MH over a 20 gallon tank, I don't have much of a problem with mine yet....