Saltwater Tank

[fishwatcher]

Here's the 20g salty tank that I'm setting up. I just got the LR and lace rock today. The live rock is absolutely gorgeous... greens, reds, purples, even some leather coral! Too bad my camera doesn't do it justice.
I have 6 lbs LR and 10 lbs various base rock. I'm not good at arranging rock, so please give your advice on how you think it looks. I may still add another couple of pounds the end of this week.
Also, the substrate is aragonite, and a few misc shells scattered about.
Thanks for looking!

 

[paul_219]

NIce tank looks gr8/

 

[backtotropical]

Nice tank. I would advise more LR though. I stocked my 55gal with 40kg (88lbs) and i would consider this a good stocking of LR. You could try with what you have but i think you might be taking a risk if the LR is going to be your main biological filtration. Might be ok if you stock it sparingly.

V.nice though. Keep up the good work.

 

[fishwatcher]

I wasn't planning on the lr being my filtration, but after I found out it could be it's has piqued my curiosity about it. I have a HOB filter that will turnover my water about 7 times an hour.
As for stocking I am planning:
1 clownfish
1 blenny (scooter or lawnmower probably)
1 firefish
possibly one wrasse (fairy or carpenter flasher)
hermits
snails
urchin
maybe small starfish
maybe emerald crab

 

[ox5477]

be careful with the urchin. Like turbos, they are grazers and need a constant supply of algae on the lr/glass to nibble on so the 20G might be a little small to sustain the urchin (depending on species, I have no clue hos many species there are or how many smaller species there might be). I am reluctant to keep one in my 30G because of this even with a huge amount of algae growing.... i hear starvation is usually the #1 cause of death for urchins in home aquaria

otherwise, looks good

 

[fishwatcher]

Thanks for the heads up about the urchin. I wonder if there is an algae pellet or something similar that they'll eat... I"ll have to look in to that.
By the way, I looked at your salt tank, and am wondering how you turned one of your HOB into a refugium? And how is the other removing phosphates?
Thanks!

 

[FastestFishy]

nice tank. looks really pretty with all the sand and rocks

 

[PRW1988]

I wasn't planning on the lr being my filtration, but after I found out it could be it's has piqued my curiosity about it. I have a HOB filter that will turnover my water about 7 times an hour.
As for stocking I am planning:
1 clownfish
1 blenny (scooter or lawnmower probably)
1 firefish
possibly one wrasse (fairy or carpenter flasher)
hermits
snails
urchin
maybe small starfish
maybe emerald crab

Personally that seems a bit overstocked to me, I've got a 29gallon nano tank that has only 1 Yellow tailed blue damsel, 1 mandrin fish, and 1 velvet blue damsel.

For inverts I've got a lobster, 3 hermits and an emerald crab.

 

[ox5477]

For inverts I've got a lobster, 3 hermits and an emerald crab

a lobster huh? talk about overstocking and possibly getting your fish eaten... haha

By the way, I looked at your salt tank, and am wondering how you turned one of your HOB into a refugium? And how is the other removing phosphates?
Thanks

The one HOB i have running with no media in it at all. I just let it sit for 3 monthes when I had my 10G and tons of filter feeders like sponges and such grew on the inside walls of the filter. Its perfect for them: dark, adequate flow, and no worry of a hungry fish coming to nibble on them

The other i use filter sponges to assist the lr with filtration along with phosphate remover pads to remove the phosphate and nitrate. The pads I have to replace every 3 to 5 weeks

 

[fishwatcher]

Ox, so the hob that's empty just started growing sponges and stuff??? Did you have to seed it somehow, or did it just happen to come from some LR you have? I am thinking I may add a filter I have just for more water current... I'm afraid I'll have dead spots that will cause problems, esp since my filter actually had media in it. Without the media it will turn over the water 7 times an hour, plus the power head that also does 7x an hour. But with media in it I'm sure it takes it down at least a little.
What do you think? Would you add another filter to this?
If it will fit, do you think it would be good to put my heater in there, or could it cause a problem/be dangerous?
Oh, and the tap water I have has 0 nitrates, although I initially filled the tank with distilled water. Do you think it would be better to continue to use distilled or could I use tap?
Thanks!!

 

[joecoral]

4 small fish in a 20g i personally wouldnt say is overstocked. it probably the max acceptable stock but not overstocked

 

[adamgreen240]

tank looks great:

love the stack of live rock!

 

[ox5477]

Ox, so the hob that's empty just started growing sponges and stuff??? Did you have to seed it somehow, or did it just happen to come from some LR you have? I am thinking I may add a filter I have just for more water current... I'm afraid I'll have dead spots that will cause problems, esp since my filter actually had media in it. Without the media it will turn over the water 7 times an hour, plus the power head that also does 7x an hour. But with media in it I'm sure it takes it down at least a little.
What do you think? Would you add another filter to this?
If it will fit, do you think it would be good to put my heater in there, or could it cause a problem/be dangerous?
Oh, and the tap water I have has 0 nitrates, although I initially filled the tank with distilled water. Do you think it would be better to continue to use distilled or could I use tap?
Thanks!!

It just seeded itself from the lr I had.

If you want to add more flow, then go with another powerhead I would say. Its gonna give you more flow for your money than a filter would.

With media in the filter, it will lower the flowrate through the filter as most of the water will be impeded by passing through the media.

I wouldn't put the heater inside of the filter honestly, it could cause cold spots in your tank and might just lead to more problem is your filter broke or somehow sucked your heater in and borke that... so just better to deal with the ugliness of it in your tank. I would only move it out of your main tank if you had a sump/refugium

You can't use tap with marine, well if your gonna stock corals you def can't. the minerals in the tap water will cause problems along with the fact that most supply lines in the world are copper and marine organisms cannot handle copper at all so not a good idea. ro/di water is used because it gives you water that you can selectivly choose what to add to... ie, calcium (from salt, coral substrates, and supplements), iodine (from your salt), ect.

 

[PRW1988]

Ox, in regards to the lobster...

I'm not 100% sure exactly what species, however I know from the man who sold it to me that it needs a cave, it'll eat most things, and that it grows to a maximum of 4.5", so I should be fine, however the guy said if there's ever any problems I can return him, no matter how long I've had him for, I can even get my money back, or I can exchange it for something(s) of equal value

 

[ox5477]

Well Im not 100% sure what kind species there are for lobster but all I thought about was the big 5 to 6 pounders that lobstermen catch... haha

It is true that they will eat anything so thats why I would just worry about it being in my marine tank, no matter what size it is.... don't want it to start chomping on a fish I just payed $40.00 and upwards for....