Finally ready to make the order/Last minute questions...

[Taqpol]

Well, after visiting a local reefer in Spokane I am finally ready to make all the purchases. Heres a list of what I plan on getting (Comments still very much welcome):

20G High AGA (owned)
15-20lbs live sand
20-25lbs live rock
Current USA Sundial (4x24w T5)
Hydor Koralia 1
Maxi Jet 1200
CPR Small AquaFuge 2 (~3 gallons)
Double switch auto top off from www.autotopoff.com

I think thats about it. Any comments on my set up? I plan on doing weekly 20% water changes but after looking at the price of the refugium, what do you think would be more worthwhile: A Tunze 9002 nano skimmer and no fuge, or the fuge with lots of chaeto and no skimmer. Remember its a 20 gallon and I always have the possibility to pop on a skimmer later.

I know this has been answered before, but when I put the live rock and sand in my tank do i need to be lighting it? What about feeding it? At what point should I get livestock/inverts and without fish could the tank be self sustaining without food (For at least a week or two)?

Also, www.liveaquaria.com sells 45lbs of Fiji live rock for 89.99 ($2.00 a pound!). What are shipping costs like from these guys, would it be worth it to get it from them?

Thank you for all your help!

 

[SnowManSnow]

IMO 42 lbs of LR is going to be a LOT of LR in a 20g thank.

I realize that ppl recommend so many lbs /g, but keep in mind that added corals and so forth will also add to the structure.

In my limited exp. a more open structure is much more friendly to the tank environment than just a big hunk of piled up rocks.

I have a 65g display tank, and I normally keep about 40 lbs of rock in there at most.

Also, consider buying another MJ1200 witha max flo mod kit instead of the Hydor.

IMO a good skimmer will do more good than a fuge that small. I'd definitly go with the skimmer.

Just my 2 cents.

B

 

[Taqpol]

Thank you for your quick reply, any one have other oppinions/experiences to share before I make a ~$400 purchase on Monday or Tuesday?

 

[camaroracer214]

i love koralias...for their price, they are the best propeller/fan design pumps on the market. they sip electricity and put out a lot of gentle flow. for a 20 gallon tank, i'd go with two koralia #1's. in my 20 mini fowlr, i have one #1 and it's not enough. in my 24 nano-cube high end reef i have a #2, which is barely enough for me...but i'm a flow freak.

 

[Taqpol]

Another Question:

In my first post here I was fairly unread and asked if a DSB would be good for my nano, and immediately got the DSB idea nixed because it just causes a trap for detritus on that scale. Is this different for my refugium, should it have a DSB?

Also, I actually got the tank set up with water and live rock/sand yesterday! I will admit, I had no idea how difficult it would be to mix the salt and get accurate salinity. I had four five gallon buckets and as per instant oceans reccomendations I added 2.5 cups of salt to each (.5 cup per gallon). When everything was said and done my salinity was way high (1.028). What is your guys' prefferred method of mixing salt?

 

[Anonymous]

To mix I use one big (special use only for mixing SW) container, usually a rubbermaid tub or garbage can. Throw in a heater and a powerhead for movement and go from there. I then use a powerhead with some tubing stuck in it to move the water from there to the buckets, or just dip and go.

 

[SnowManSnow]

I use a few old Instant Ocean buckets to mix in. To get things heated up and mixed I use a MJ1200 with a HYDOR extension on it. The I let it mix overnight most times.

I also use 2cups of salt / 5g.

I would also suggest going ahead and purchasing a good refractometer. Don't bother with those plastic things you get from the LFS.

B

 

[Taqpol]

Well I made all my purchases last night. Personally I think fuges look really neat so i odered that CPR HOB fuge. That being said, everyone I asked was adamant about getting a skimmer, and I do want my reef to be able to "sort of" take care of itself, so I broke and shelled out the money for the Tunze 9002 in tank skimmer.

Also, I went ahead and made a build thread in the members forum! Please follow the link and tell me what you think of my aquascaping!

http://www.reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=121765

 

[cindre2000]

Rather than getting a 1200 w/ the max flow kit, I would get a 600 w/ the kit. I had a 600 w/ the mod in a 10g, and I had to go bare bottom. Get the Algae-Free brand though, it is the best one.