20 Gallon Build

[jwagne267]

Hey everybody, I have been saking as much info on this site as I possible have been and I built my own tank started about a month ago and I am currently just about finished my cycle. Would have posted pictures of the build earlier but lost my camera. I will post pics eventually as I will get the gf's camera and take them.
Equipment
20 Gallon DT
10 Gallon Refugium
2-2x24Watt T5 Ho Nova Extreme (96 Watts Total)
But Now comes the fun part after all of my waiting.
Planning the stock list. I want to have a lot of corals and inverts.This will be my first try with anything coral wise except for a xenia.
I want(This may be alot but it is just ideas so I can get suggestions)
1 maybe 2 False Perculas
1 Yellow Watchman Goby
2 Peppermint shrimp
1 Cleaner shrimp
2 Camelback shrimp
Maybe other shrimp like sexy if I can find them at the LFS
Any other shrimp ideas?
I want to eventually have a clam blue/purple one figured it would be a maxima or crocrea?
Maybe Feather Dusters?
As for Corals I need suggestions and maybe even small how to take care of them pointers with suggestions.
I know I want a frogspawn and some different zoanthids.
Should I get a Bubble tip anemone eventually?? I will obviously wait to get it but just wondering people's opinions

 

[jwagne267]

Ok Well here are some long awaited picture, now hiopefully you guys can post some comments and tell me what you think. Have a few more Rocks for Putting in the tank but I was leaving some openings for me to put some frags in there. Leaving a few open spaces in case any come on some bigger rocks.
Second one is what you see when you walk into my room.
As of now all I have is 1 Clown Goby Which I am trying to figure out exactly what he is see my post in the fish forum.
And I have 2 peppermint Shrimp and 1 Cleaner Shrimp
Also have snails and sea hare....will take out sea hare when he finishes eating the little bit of hair algae left...he has done a great job on that so far.

 

[jwagne267]

How do you guys like the tank, stand etc everything that I built. Did it all feel free to give constructive criticism....but be nice please I have put alot of work into this thing.

 

[gatorwpb]

that is a great looking system. looks like you listened to the advice you read. not many 20g that you see that are designed as well as yours. Good job!

I lvoe the cleaner shrimp. The only advice based on the livestock list is to skip the camelback shrimp. they can be aggressive and predatory. You certainly can still add 2 clowns and 1 more small fish. Royal gramma, blenny, something like that.

 

[rebelprettyboy]

Heck its a mess.. Really should send the whole tank/stand/sump and everything to me for free. Ill show u what to do with it!

 

[rebelprettyboy]

But really u did a great job. U built the stand? U did a really good job on it if u did! The sump design looks like it will work great for the tank! The aquascaping is pretty sweet IMO. I like it a lot. What kind of lights u runnin?
Great job so far! Keep it up!

 

[jwagne267]

Yes, I built the stand....I think I have the carpenter genetics form my dad....he's been building stuff since he was a boy and just passed it down to me. He has a very big workshop that I built the stand in and just transported it to my room here at college.
T5 HO Nova Extreme 2x24Watts. One actinic bulb and one 10K bulb. I have 2 of those untis. And I also put in LED lights form that Cyron unit everyone was talking about a while ago.
Here are some picture of it with the moon lighting.
Sorry for all the pictures I am excited to be able to share it with everyone. I feel like I am 10 haha

 

[jwagne267]

bump

 

[jleet]

Everything looks great to me! Is that a 20 long? I was just thinking about throwing one together once i get some extra cash. Is it drilled, and if it is, did you do it yourself? This is almost the exact same setup i was thinking about doing. like i said, looks great!
-Jason

 

[jwagne267]

It's a 20 long and I drilled it myself. Wasn't really that hard when you have the right stuff. I Find this as the best because it is smalll enough where it won't bankrupt me(college student) and also it is big eough and lighting strong enouigh to keep what ever I want basicly.

 

[jleet]

What size is your overflow drain? and what size/brand is your return pump? Did you put the fuge together yourself? Sorry for all the questions but this is like the exact same setup I was looking at putting together. And I'm in your shoes also, I'm 18 and just moved into my own place.
thanks,
-Jason

 

[mr_x]

that setup looks alot bigger than it is. looks great!

 

[jwagne267]

The drian is 1.5inch pipe....kinda overkill i think but thats what I had. The return pump is a maxijet 900. I had a 1200 but it was too strong, could have worked maybe but it was pushing too much water and making too much evaporation. I put the fuge together myself. Wasn't that hard and wasn't too expensive. Got everything but the tanks from home depot.
Thanks for the compliments guys and girls

 

[dplantz]

Just heads up, maximas and croceas demand higher PAR that the T-5 might not be able to deliver. A few people here will disagree with me saying no clams under T-5s, but for the lasting health of the clam, metal halide is a must.

 

[chroniccoral35]

Your set-up and rockwork looks really good man, like mentioned above not many 20g's look half as good as yours. I can't wait to see it stocked up with some nice coral

 

[cedarreef]

you're going to have that tank in a magazine soon! that looks better than any other 20gal I've ever seen. Can't wait to see some more pics.

 

[arlene1995]

That is an awesome looking set-up! If you wouldn't have said that it was 20 gallons, I would have thought for sure that it was a 55! Also, you did a really good job on the rockwork!

 

[jwagne267]

So, I didn't have power nor anything fo,r hurricane gustav(a little late on the reply as life and school are crazy busy), 5 days and amazingly my braqnd new watchman goby(early birthday present 3 days b4 we knew about the hurricane), cleaner shrimp, and snails all survived. Did one water change about half way through. My mushroom coral is all shriveled up pretty bad but it may be coming back. What do ya'll think?? I will post pics later. The lack of circulation made for a huge hair algae bloom though so I may be getting a permanent sea hare. Just looking for a smaller one so it can live as a permamnet resident and not eat its way out of house and home in a few days. What do ya'll think I should get next thinking about maybe a few coral additions maybe a frogspawn and a clown fish? I like inverts though just don;t know what I should get.

 

[rael]

Originally Posted by jwagne267
http:///forum/post/2714815
Yes, I built the stand....I think I have the carpenter genetics form my dad....he's been building stuff since he was a boy and just passed it down to me.

I want to upgrade to a 150 and I thought if I built the stand I could save money but I am so scared that a stand that I build won't stand up to the weight of the 150 when it is full. Any suggestions?

 

[viv2me]

you have a beautiful aquarium, i fancy ricordea mushrooms myself, my frogspawn almost died and is now looking somewhat ok... button polyps are pretty easy too