New setup, need your opinions (X-post)

[Darold]

OK, here is what I just bought today. I need your opinions on each of these products if they are bad, and opinions for good replacements. Also, let me know if there is anything important I forgot. Thanks so much, I am sure that by checking with you before I open anything, I can assure I have good basic equipment to start with.

 

Book: The New Marine Aquarium - I plan on using this as reference.

 

TANK: 20G long

 

Lighting: 24" 20watt Coral life 50/50

(Will do for now - FOWLR, but am sure I will upgrade to higher quality lighting a year down the road)

 

Protien Skimmer: Sea Clone 100 (New design)

Is this too powerfull?

 

 

Filter: Tetra-tecPF 150 w/Heater

Will this heater be enough?

 

Live sand: 20 pounds Natures Ocean (The one in the bag W/water)

 

SW Mix: 15 pounds Instant Ocean

 

MISC:

 

Red Sea Testing kit

2 nets

Surge Protector (7 outlets)

2 timers (two for $2 )

Deap six hydrometer

Thermometer

Mag Float

Cycle

Syphon

2 x 5 gallon buckets

 

 

Did I forget anything?

 

 

I will be leaving college for a one month vacation during Christmass break, so I do not plan on adding any fish untill then. However is it safe for me to set up the tank with the live sand, and get some live rock for things to get started? I plan on purchasing pre-cured LR. I might be setting up/testing the equipment as early as tonight if I can find some time. Thanks in advance for your info.

[Acoustic]

The only comment I have is that a skimmer can never be big enough. I have a skimmer rated for 100 gallons on my 10. Looks like good stuff to me!

[bri7795]

Sounds good so far, I would just change two items:

 

1.) You can never have a skimmer too big. Never skimp on a skimmer either. The seaclone is okay, but sometimes requires modification. If you have a chance down the road, look into an Aqua C Remora for your size tank. No adjusting and very efficent. Get the one with the Maxi-Jet PH too.

 

2.) I had the Tetra-Tec PF and had to dump the thing because it was nothing but trouble. Do a yahoo search and read some stories. The "wave" feature is not reliable and sometimes will quit when water level changes, plus it is loud, you heard this "kerplunk" that can get to you after a while. My entire filter would stop working for no reason from time to time until I banged it. It has a reputation about doing that. Go for an AquaClear 200. Also the think it is HUGE and consumes way too much space. Here is something I found out the hard way. I had mine when I upgraded my lights to PC for the reef and then guess what. The PF and the new hood arrangment would not both fit on the tank at the same time. The PF is so large it comsumes a ton of back tank area!!!! This will make it hard to properly fit a good hood later. Trust me. The Pf is too tall and sticks so far into the tank it will interfere with your PC lights and you will have no choice but to replace it. Sadly, I too was sucked in by the products techo-jargon and gizmos. I mean look at the thing, at the time it just screamed super filter space age. STay simple and effective and take the future into account and get an AquaClear 200. Cheap, low profile, easy to maintain, and reliable.

[Darold]

Well, the Tetra-tec IS too big for my top, so it looks like its going back to the store later today. Someone told me a mechanical filter is not nesessary, is this true? Should I get a quality powerhead instead? They made it sounds like the filter only helps to move water.

[bri7795]

I have a 20G nano reef myself and here is what I have on it.

 

1 Aquaclear 200 PF

2 Aquaclear 200 Power Heads

1 Aqua C Remora Protien Skimmer

 

I would use a hang on the back (HOB) filter and powerheads. You get some nice water flow from the PF, but also you get an area where you can introduce some media later on like carbon or a phosphate absorbing material like SeaChem's Phosgaurd. You can buy media bags made just for the Aquaclear from Hagen and some other manufactures. Also, every time I stir up the tank, like during a cleaning, I think that the filter helps remove some of the junk floating around. Also, what is good is you can use the filter for other things too. For example, I have seen some people turn them into mini-fuges. All you need is a little light to keep it going and some LR fragments in it.

 

As for the phosgaurd, it is something that I like to use right off the bat to combat certain algae before it has a chance to take over my tank. Since I have a 20G nano too, below is a list of some things that I learned the hard way that may help you out:

 

1.) Make sure you use good water. Becuase you have a 20G nano you can afford to use Distilled water from say Wal-Mart or a food store. Evaporation will consume about 1 gallon a week during the winter with your protien skimmer going. Do not use TAP water if you can help it. If you go to Wal-Mart at night when they stock you can buy it by the case.

2.) Take a good look at your rock and remove any dieoff that you see before it is placed in your tank. It may say "pre-cured" but you never really know. When I get new LR, I dip mine in some salt water first to remove any loose dirt and dead mater before introducing it to the tank.

3.) During cylcing, do not do any water changes until after about 30 days. Just let the tank do it bussiness. Water changes too early will draw out the process.

4.) Get some good water movement around your LR. For your tank I would use a HOB filter and 2 power heads. Adjust thier outtake to get good flow around and thru your LR. Also during aqauscaping do not stack your rock too tightly. What I mean is do not build a brick wall. Leave some gaps for water to move around the rock.

[Darold]

Thanks for the great advice. I was up in the air about getting the powerheads if i had a filter. Looks like I am going to go ahead and get it all.