Jump to content
Cultivated Reef

Starting 20G Long


thegoldenboymike

Recommended Posts

thegoldenboymike

So I really love the look of the 20 gallon long aquarium so I've decided to try to make a successful reef tank. I have had this tank running for about a month and a half now. Im new to the hobby and hoping I can create a halfway decent tank compared to the majority of the community on this forum. I am mostly going to be doing updates to document everything and see the progression. If any one has any tips or suggestions please feel free to do so because I'm sure I need them!

 

Equipment

20G Long Glass Tank

24in Marineland Coral Reef LED

10-20G Heater

Rio+ 50 Pump

Marineland 200 HOB Filter

Livestock

Vivid Ocellaris Clown

Caramel Clown

Bicolor Blenny

Neon Dottyback

[11/09/14]



Im curious if anyone knows why i have the coloration on my rocks a brownish color. Should I be worried? Idk if maybe its like that because the tank is still very new. I just went to the LFS today and did my weekly test on my water which all came out perfect (or close to it).

post-85123-0-98792400-1415571383_thumb.jpg

post-85123-0-24168700-1415571385_thumb.jpg

post-85123-0-39675400-1415571386_thumb.jpg

post-85123-0-70591400-1415571387_thumb.jpg

post-85123-0-18001100-1415571389_thumb.jpg

Link to comment

Can't tell by the picture, probably diatoms most new tanks get them should go away after a few weeks.

What kind of water are you using for water changes and top off???

Welcome to the site and good luck.

Link to comment
thegoldenboymike

For water changed i get saltwater from a LFS. i talked to the guy for a while a couple months ago and he lets me get free saltwater whenever i want. Obviously i want to get a ro/di unit but I'm in college so have to budget my money. As far as top off distilled water is what i use and thanks!

Link to comment
thegoldenboymike

Just be patient. And read a lot.

 

Also, no clean up crew? That could help with the diatoms. But the bloom you're experiencing is normal.

I do have a clean up crew about 5 snails 5 crabs and a turbo snail.

Link to comment
thegoldenboymike

Quick question for anyone that can answer. Im wondering if I'm doing water changes too often. Currently I'm doing about a 4G water change every week. Also wasn't sure i should use the gravel vacuum i have to go into the sand to clean it up a bit each time i do a water change. I know there is good bacteria in the sand i want to keep so I'm a little confused on the best way to keep my sand clean or if i should leave it alone all together?

Link to comment
thegoldenboymike

Technically you can do a 100% water change daily if the paremeters and everything are the same.

Thanks for the quick answer. What would you say about cleaning the sand?

Link to comment
aquariumlover10

I would get a CUC, not sure about all the sw inverts but blue leg hermits, ceriths, naursuis(not right spelling) and a brittle or serpent star is good from what I've read, also emerald crabs are great if you get bubbles algae, and peppermint and skunk cleaner shrimp are great.

Link to comment

Cleaning the sand is controversial only because there are two types of bacterial living in the sand. Areobic (likes oxygen) Anerobic (does not like the sand) both are benificial. I personally do vacume. It looks a thousand times better and the anerobic bacteria can still grow in the sand you cannot reach under the rock. Totally up to you as to which way you want to go.

 

HTH

-pinner

Link to comment
Thanks for the quick answer. What would you say about cleaning the sand?

 

Sand collects poop.

 

Do you want to collect poop, or get it out of your tank?

Link to comment
thegoldenboymike

thanks for all the replies guys! right now i have some snails and crabs but ill take a look at the link for a CUC. Also just an update. I got 2 frags - GSP & Zoas. So far there doing well. GSP is opening up and Zoas are looking a little better then they did in the store. Will post pictures soon.

Link to comment

thanks for all the replies guys! right now i have some snails and crabs but ill take a look at the link for a CUC. Also just an update. I got 2 frags - GSP & Zoas. So far there doing well. GSP is opening up and Zoas are looking a little better then they did in the store. Will post pictures soon.

Sounds like your off to a great start, can't wait for pictures!

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...
thegoldenboymike

UPDATE

[11-28-14]

The tank is going well so far. The corals are also doing pretty well. The green stars are finally starting to fully come out and teh zoas as well (just added water so there retracted in the pic) Xenias still taking time to get settle since my crab keeps pushing them off the rock at night :(

 

Just recently got an Orbit Mariene LED. I love the control the the specrturm is better then what i had before. Testing has shown water quality to be really good. Next things im planning are maybe a small HOB refugium and maybe some more easy corals. So if you guys have any suggestions or thoughts please let me know!

 

Thanks in advance :P

 

 

post-85123-0-09935200-1417212416_thumb.jpg

post-85123-0-82100600-1417212416_thumb.jpg

post-85123-0-54907400-1417212417_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
thegoldenboymike

Just got an awesome hammer from ORA and also some candy cane along with two small zoo frags. Will post pictures soon.

 

Quick question for anyone who can help. I was looking to get the CRP HOB refugium for my tank but i can actually take the glass shelf out of my stand on the bottom and put a refugium/sump on the there...... BUT it has to be about 11in or shorter in height :( any suggestions on where i could find something this short??

Link to comment

Sump it instead of the CPR. I wish I had as well... Will look much cleaner and will be easier to maintian also.

 

That and I had emailed CPR previously with a simple question not once but four times and they never once responded to me... For that alone I will never recomend CPR nor would I ever buy their products again in the future. Side note, I am not one to complain about companies as I hate it when people do and jump the gun about these kind of things... Just my experience and two cents...

Link to comment
thegoldenboymike

I was thinking about a sump but i don't know how to drill holes in my tank and I'm not really that handy to make like an overflow or some sort so idk how i would get the water down to the sump.

 

I do like the conversions people are doing to the aquaclear filters but I'm not sure if that is big enough to work effectively. I saw some information saying that you want your refugium to be 20% of your tank volume to be an adequate filtration option. That would be 4 gallons for my. I also am waiting on a portion skimmer i just ordered so idk if i can get away with a smaller refugium since i will have both?

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...
thegoldenboymike

UPDATE

[12/12/14]

 

So i have moved the rocks a bit and added some new corals. Trumpets, hammer, frogspawn, and a branching leather. Water parameters still good except for nitrates seem to be hanging around 5ppm. Everything seems to be doing decent besides my leather. I just got it today. I acclimated the coral put in and put it on a rock and it started to come out and then all of sudden started drooping down. I read that this is normal for them at first but it just seems to really just be laying on my rock. Does it just need to get used to the tank or should i be worried??? :(

 

post-85123-0-97350600-1418428393_thumb.jpg post-85123-0-52809400-1418428398_thumb.jpg

 

post-85123-0-46829600-1418428402_thumb.jpg post-85123-0-56425600-1418428514_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
thegoldenboymike

No worries. It just might take a couple days to settle in. Leathers can be moody but over all are very hardy.

Ok thanks for the reply.....3 days later and its still slumped. The polyps seem to be coming out nicely but the stem just seems to not want to stand up. I didnt think about it until yesterday i looked at this leather in the store for about a week before buying it. The lfs had it in a piece of PVC I'm thinking because it did the same with them. Idk if i have a bad leather or if I'm thinking too much into it.

Link to comment

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recommended Discussions

×
×
  • Create New...