advice for starting 20 gal tank

[pinanomanda]

can anyone give me some advice for starting a 20 gallon saltwater tank? i'm totally new and i've been reading up on the subject and i'd like some input from you fine lovely people! how many fish should i have? what do i need to start out with? thanks to anyone who helps me out 8 )

 

[j-cal]

IMO you can easily house 2-3 small fish like firefish, chromis, gobies etc etc. just go slow, dont get over zealous, and u might as well start saving for the upgrade now

 

[pinanomanda]

thanks j-cal i appreciate it. i was having a hard time finding info on how many will like to live in my tank 8 )

 

[007]

I have a 22 gallon tank (same size as a 20H only 2 inches taller) and have run it for about 18 months now.
Here is what I have for hardware:
2x Maxi-Jet 400 powerheads aimed in opposition for water circulation.
1x 150w Ebo Jager heater
1x CPR Bak Pak 2R Protein Skimmer
2x 75w VHO URI (1x 50/50, and 1x 03 Super Actinic)
~40# LS
~30# LR
Current livestock:
2x TR Ocellaris Clowns (Mated Pair)
5x Scarlet Hermits
2x Hawaiian Zebra Hermits
1x Serpent Star
Frogspawn
Pocillopora
Hydnophora
Green Open Brain
Alveopora
PomPom Xenia
Pachyseris
Zoanthids
Button Polyps
Astrangia
Green Striped Mushrooms
This tank has been a fantastic set up for me and has worked uot quite well for me. Very little maintenance involved onse you get the "formula" down.

 

[jaffonso]

I have a 26 gallon tank set up for 4 weeks now..and I started off with the Aragonite sand and live rock for a week with the lights on. Then I slowly added five pieces of soft coral over the last three weeks. I started adding DTI Phytoplankton and Calcium with RO water and Instant Ocean. In the past two weeks all kinds of copepods, snails, ornamental algae, (no hair algae to mention), a litle pink algae on the side glass have appeared....this in just one month..I credit the good qualty cured rock with it and th skimmer..bakpak 2

 

[fireo1o]

my 20g is also around 4 weeks old and awesome. i have a starfish anenome featherduster 2 pheads turned on low for a better circulation, around 21 punds of lr and im adding a lil more and sum hermits and snails along with a cleaner shrimp i will buy today. i think 20s are rather easy to take care of and to start out ull need the filters pumps heaters and all that but i think you know that. ull also need cc or live sand. i have cc in my 20 and i thinks its pretty easy to take care of and i like it but ls is always better just depends on your budget. i currently have 3 fish in mine. 2 clowns and a very small b. hippo. once i get a bigger tank the b hippo will go in there, but if you like tangs like me, id start thinkin about n upgrade if possible but if u want a small tank go for it.

 

[007]

In response to the comment about small tanks being difficult . . . . this is a true statment but as with eerything in life, there are limitations.
A 20 gallon tank IMO is a good tank size. It is going to be more challenging in some aspects and easier in others. For example, you have to pay much more attention to water quality, but you should do this regardless of the tank size. On the other hand, water changes are easier because they are a smaller volume of water. just as an example.
I do say to get the largest tank that you can afford, but a 20 is a great place to start IMO. It really "trains" you in many aspects of detailed reefkeeping and can lead to a more "aware" hobbiest. Once you get then hang of running a small tank then going larger is MUCH easier. However starting large and going smaller is a much more difficult transition.

 

[pinanomanda]

thx so much everyone who posted so far.. i've learned a lot more from you guys than i have from all of my literature! 8 )

 

[aarone]

Fireo1o what do you mean you started adding instant ocean after you put you corals in? did you not start it with the salt water?
aaron

 

[fireo1o]

aaron..whwere did u get enthing about instant ocean or corals?if you read my post u will see that there is nothing mentioned on the topic.
and squishy, my tank is running vary smoothly, i test around everyother day and occationaly have my lfs check it and every thing has been prefect for about 3 weeks now.
i have very good lighting for a 20, as my lfs told me i have one of the best you can put on it, im not sure the stats of it as i bought it off a friend but it is a power compact i think and the anenmoie has been awesome. its only a 10 dollar i think long tip but its still awesome. it and the feather duster are doing great with no sighns of trouble, and yes i no about the tang, im planning on a bigger tank in a few months around a 85 gallon hopefully