20gal Freshie to Reef Tank!

[yoshii]

[note: more pics on page 6]

 

Hello everyone! I'm new to this site, so first, I'd like to say hi and introduce myself

I'm Christina, I'm a 16 year old high school student with 3 tanks (55gal&20gal&10gal) who is already planning for what tanks I will have when I grow up and get a house of my own XD

Anyways, ever since I was little, I have always had freshwater fish, but when my dad bought the neighbor's old 55gal tank and gave it to me for Christmas a few years ago, that's when I dove into saltwater. Until more recently, I still had my 20gal freshwater community in my room, but then I got the (crazy) idea of turning it into a reef tank! (since my 55gal was FOWLR) Surprisingly, my dad said it was ok and here I am! There have been TONS of delays along the way, probably(mostly) due to my procrastination. Right now, this is how my tank is:

 

-20gal tank(doh) standard size

-30lbs Marco Rocks(dry weight) + a few pounds tonga branch(dry weight)

-20lbs Oolite Agranite Sand (Bag said 30, only got 20 )

-Emperor 400 HOB filter(one side will be a fuge)

-Hydor something-watt heater

-Odyssea 65watt PC fixture (If your ever considering this fixture, don't buy it, trust me)

-ummmm water

-no money

 

Stock(wish) List:

Fish: Note: See alternatives on pg 10

1x Yellow Clown Goby(In my 55 currently)

1x Ocellaris Clown

1x Black and White Ocellaris Clown

 

CUC:

4x Astrea/Turbo Snails (would have been 5 but a hermit crab snuck in as a snail!)

5x Nass Snails

Any suggestions?

 

Coral:

-Zoas/Palys

-Blue Xenia

-Maybe Acans? (sooo expensive !)

-Frogspawn

-Kenya Tree

-Ok, I'm basically making these up on the spot xD I had a coral stock list written out, but my dad just gave me permission to upgrade my 55gal to a reef tank, so now idk if I want to put so many of the same corals in both tanks..This post is getting really long, so I think I'll stop writing now and post some pics

 

BEFORE:

 

CURRENT FTS:

[Lalani]

to NR.com!

Sounds cool except for the 'no money' part, lol.

[yoshii]

Haha thanks!

 

Ok, the picture I tried to post didn't work..

[Lalani]

Easiest way to embed pics is to create an account at photobucket.com, upload the pics there, and copy and paste the IMG files into your posts here.

[yoshii]

Thanks, I do have a photobucket account already, but it's always kinda slow so I've been trying to find other ways to upload the pics

Oh well, I'm off to photobucket, be back with pictures soon(hopefully)

[Jacobnano]

 

Try uploading the photo to photobucket then linking it here

 

Edit: Well my response was a little late....woops.

[yoshii]

 

Try uploading the photo to photobucket then linking it here

 

Edit: Well my response was a little late....woops.

 

haha that's ok

 

Ok, this is why I don't really like photobucket anymore..it says it's 100% done, but also says it's STILL uploading.

[yoshii]

I'll try to put these in somewhat of an order

And yes, I know I need a background. I have one, in fact, it's right next to the tank, I've been to lazy to cut it and put it on

[Jacobnano]

Mose people paint the back of the tank black, using Krylon Fusion spray paint. An actual background can look kinda tacky if you know what I mean...

[yoshii]

Mose people paint the back of the tank black, using Krylon Fusion spray paint. An actual background can look kinda tacky if you know what I mean...

 

Yeah, I know but I like being able to change the background, I know if I paint it I'll want to change it later and hate myself

The background I have is double sided, so one side is black, one is blue. I've been thinking about getting some of that "seaview gel" stuff, haven't really heard much about it

[Jacobnano]

Oh good. Black and blue are both fine, I was thinking you were planning on having one of those fakey "reef scenes" on it, nevermind haha.

 

So you plan on keeping mostly softies and some LPS?

[yoshii]

Oh good. Black and blue are both fine, I was thinking you were planning on having one of those fakey "reef scenes" on it, nevermind haha.

 

So you plan on keeping mostly softies and some LPS?

 

haha I used to have one of those on my first tank, the moment I put it on I thought it was ugly. lol

 

IF I keep any SPS in here, (which I probably won't because they would be happier in my other tank) would be a monti cap. maybe. probably, most likely not.

 

So yeah, I think it will soon become a zoa/paly garden with some xenia/other softies and maybe a chalice or frogspawn. Still brainstorming

 

Ok, noob question, how do you change the little title under your avatar?

Like right now mine says "nano reefer" I've been scanning the CP but can't find it lol

[Jacobnano]

haha I used to have one of those on my first tank, the moment I put it on I thought it was ugly. lol

 

IF I keep any SPS in here, (which I probably won't because they would be happier in my other tank) would be a monti cap. maybe. probably, most likely not.

 

So yeah, I think it will soon become a zoa/paly garden with some xenia/other softies and maybe a chalice or frogspawn. Still brainstorming

 

Ok, noob question, how do you change the little title under your avatar?

Like right now mine says "nano reefer" I've been scanning the CP but can't find it lol

 

Exactly, not a good choice for reef tanks, you should be looking at the tank not the back haha.

 

A monti cap would be a good addition, they are pretty easy to keep.

 

Nice nice. You could add some ricordea in there too, they are easy to keep as well

 

You may want to upgrade your lighting though, what you have now isn't the best.

[yoshii]

Exactly, not a good choice for reef tanks, you should be looking at the tank not the back haha.

 

A monti cap would be a good addition, they are pretty easy to keep.

 

Nice nice. You could add some ricordea in there too, they are easy to keep as well

 

You may want to upgrade your lighting though, what you have now isn't the best.

 

Haha if I had the money to spare, I would take a mallet and beat up the fixture I have right now, smash it to bits and burn it xD I just upgraded the lighting in my 55gal, so I'm broke now(actually, I owe my dad $15 to pay for the rest of the ballast..) So I can't really upgrade my lighting on this tank yet I'm thinking of going with t5s in the future, but I don't really get much of an income, and working at my LFS just makes me want to buy more coral lol

[Jacobnano]

Ahhh. What kind of lighting is on your 55g? T5s are nice, but so are halides. It is really up to you though, the point is you need a new fixture

 

Nice, working at a LFS would be fun.

[captainbastard]

Sweet another Bay Area reefer! Welcome to the club

[yoshii]

Ahhh. What kind of lighting is on your 55g? T5s are nice, but so are halides. It is really up to you though, the point is you need a new fixture

 

Nice, working at a LFS would be fun.

 

Well, I haven't got it installed yet but I have currently 2x 110wat T12 VHOs(1 actinic white and 1 super actinic) and in the future I'm going to install a 3rd bulb (probably another actinic white)

Halides are out of my budget Plus, the chiller I would need is definitely waaay out of my budget

 

I love working at my LFS! Plus, my LFS happens to be ATL, so it's kinda like having all those ATL corals with out paying for them lol

[Jacobnano]

Halides aren't that pricey. Check out fishneedit.com

 

I have 3 tanks with halides, and they don't need chillers. Halides aren't that hot IMO, plus a fan will resolve any problems.

 

Wow awesome! I bet you could get good deals on those corals too, lucky

[yoshii]

Thanks for the site

But I really think I would need a chiller because the tank is in my room, which is ALWAYS warm and it gets really hot in the summer. My 55 got up to 83-84F last week because we had a slight heat wave for a few days. And, the light was off :/

 

Actually, I just realized I don't think there's room above my tank for MH D: There's a shelf thing there

 

Hehehe come to California some time and check out the store!

[Jacobnano]

Ahhh. Yea I guess that would make it tough. I think T5s would be the best option for ya!

 

Haha maybe, I like Cali, I haven't been to any of the fish stores there. I wish I had an awesome LFS! (or one at all)

[yoshii]

You don't have an LFS? D: That stinks, well I guess that's kinda my opinion cause I don't like ordering live stuff online. Shipping is too expensive for me lol xD it's not that I don't trust companies shipping techniques(at my LFS, the packing is insane, with like 5 layers of bags lol) but I like being able to see what I'm getting in person

 

Yay! 2nd page

[Jacobnano]

Yea it really does suck. I like seeing things in person too, but there are a lot of great companies, I have had awesome orders from many sponsors here on NR. Yea though, you have a point, and it seems like I always buy something when I go over by Seattle and see the fish stores there.

[yoshii]

Well, if you order online you have more stores and variety to chose from, so that's a plus.

 

I think it's also nice to go to your LFS and talk with the people there, find other people who live in your area who are also in the hobby. I don't really know anyone(in person) who is in the hobby except people are the LFS. I've been trying to convince Kraylen to come up to the store so I can meet someone from one of these boards xD

[Jacobnano]

Yup, that is def a plus.

 

That is true. There really aren't that many local people that have tanks near me, only a couple.

 

Hahahaha meeting Kraylen in person would be an experience, I kinda doubt he will though, he wants to keep who he is a secret I think

[yoshii]

haha I kinda thought that So mysterious! lol