My 20 Gallon fully stocked Reef

[mskillerreef]

Originally Posted by Jeanclaude
http:///forum/post/3271117
your tank is beautiful, i have a 20 gallon but it looks nothing like yours.. my goal is to get it like yours.. but i feel like thats an impossible goal to acheive... what kind of equpiment do you have in the tank?
Jeanclaude it seems it was just yesterday (2 yrs ago) when I was staring at my 20 gallon with 5 pieces of rock and some button polyps, thinking how freaking awesome it was.. haha. It takes time, but as long as you are consistent with your care (water changes, etc) your tank will do great! I kinda went overboard and literally filled my tank to the brim with fish and corals, but doing a water change every 2-3 weeks keeps the bioload down. I also dose Fuel (like coral vitamins), Calcification, and 8.4 to keep the pH and calcium level right. It doesn't hurt to feed something like DTs or marine snow every couple days, your corals will love that!
I don't use anything major, I have an aqueon 20 filter, a prism protein skimmer, 3 koralia nanos for flow, and 2 T5 fixtures, four bulbs total. What equipment are you using in your tank Jeanclaude? How long has it been set up?

 

[jeanclaude]

Originally Posted by MsKillerReef
http:///forum/post/3271267
Jeanclaude it seems it was just yesterday (2 yrs ago) when I was staring at my 20 gallon with 5 pieces of rock and some button polyps, thinking how freaking awesome it was.. haha. It takes time, but as long as you are consistent with your care (water changes, etc) your tank will do great! I kinda went overboard and literally filled my tank to the brim with fish and corals, but doing a water change every 2-3 weeks keeps the bioload down. I also dose Fuel (like coral vitamins), Calcification, and 8.4 to keep the pH and calcium level right. It doesn't hurt to feed something like DTs or marine snow every couple days, your corals will love that!
I don't use anything major, I have an aqueon 20 filter, a prism protein skimmer, 3 koralia nanos for flow, and 2 T5 fixtures, four bulbs total. What equipment are you using in your tank Jeanclaude? How long has it been set up?
for lighting i have the 24 inch glo T5 HO double fixture 2 light bulbs a blueish and white, penguin 250 hang on, 2 koralia 425.... im iffy about a protein skimmer because the tank is in my room and that poop cup my not be a favorable thing for a bedroom.. ive had my tank running since january, however im sad to say that my whole tank crashed for no reason abotu a week ago, i lost everything even bristolworms.. so now im starting over, i did notice when i use to have corals in there that there were changing colors.. i.e. freen frog spawn turn whiteish... i think the light had something to do with it cuz its a powerful light, so i decided to move it up in height and i took off the glass top.. and the filter is in the back rightside of the tank, heater next to it as well, on the back left facing towards the front of the tank is 1 of the koralias and the other is on the leftside of the glass facing the rightside... do you think that should be good enough for flow? and my tank reads 80. degrees F.. if you have any pointers for me please share..
Thanks!!
Jeanclaude

 

[mskillerreef]

Well, your light should suffice for some things, but it's half the light I have on mine. There are many, many things that could have led to the tank crash. First, if you do not have 20-30 lbs of rock in the tank, you need to do so. You can even use base rock (dry live rock) and seed it by putting it in with live rock. Let that cycle, of course. Second, GET a protein skimmer, you need one. My tank is in the kitchen and you don't notice the skimmer cup. Get a Red Sea prism skimmer, they're around $100. Some people don't like them, but they are slim, easy to use, and make a difference. Just follow the directions, keep it clean, and it'll work. Third, make sure you replace/rinse your penguin cartridge every 2-3 weeks. Also, have a quality heater, you do have it in a good spot. For the powerheads, your koralia 425s are 1's, correct? As long as they are positioned to move water across the sand and surface of the rock (but not too strong), but it's hard to describe exactly because it all depends on the corals location, etc. You should have atleast one snail for every 2 lbs of rock, and the same for hermit crabs. They are essential in keeping your sand/rock clean and should be added about 2 weeks after the rock. Do not keep your lights on for more than 8-10 hours for now since most new tanks are more susceptible to algae blooms.
That was alot but, I think, some good pointers and guidelines for your twenty gallon!! Let me know how it's going Kelli

 

[jeanclaude]

Originally Posted by MsKillerReef
http:///forum/post/3271400
Well, your light should suffice for some things, but it's half the light I have on mine. There are many, many things that could have led to the tank crash. First, if you do not have 20-30 lbs of rock in the tank, you need to do so. You can even use base rock (dry live rock) and seed it by putting it in with live rock. Let that cycle, of course. Second, GET a protein skimmer, you need one. My tank is in the kitchen and you don't notice the skimmer cup. Get a Red Sea prism skimmer, they're around $100. Some people don't like them, but they are slim, easy to use, and make a difference. Just follow the directions, keep it clean, and it'll work. Third, make sure you replace/rinse your penguin cartridge every 2-3 weeks. Also, have a quality heater, you do have it in a good spot. For the powerheads, your koralia 425s are 1's, correct? As long as they are positioned to move water across the sand and surface of the rock (but not too strong), but it's hard to describe exactly because it all depends on the corals location, etc. You should have atleast one snail for every 2 lbs of rock, and the same for hermit crabs. They are essential in keeping your sand/rock clean and should be added about 2 weeks after the rock. Do not keep your lights on for more than 8-10 hours for now since most new tanks are more susceptible to algae blooms.
That was alot but, I think, some good pointers and guidelines for your twenty gallon!! Let me know how it's going Kelli
i have about 22lbs of rock, my light is on a timer for about 10 hours a day, my koralia arent blowing the same, should i point them more downwards?.. and my tank has been recycling for about 9 days, should i put some snails and hermits in there? there are about 4 snails that survived from the first crash taht are in their now.. ill look into the skimmer and take your word for it.. i just wnat my corals to look like yours.. that tank is amazing!!

 

[mskillerreef]

Hope reefing is going well, I see your tank has been cycling for about 2 weeks now, you should get atleast 4 or 5 more snails and have atleast 10 hermits. As for the skimmer, try to find a quality used one for a good deal if you can, maybe you have already found one? Unfortunately my tank is almost no longer.. today I sold a great bit of it and stuff from our 40 gallon. I'm missing it already but happy it went to an aquaintance who really has a passion for the reef. Of course, in a few years I will re-setup and get back into everything. But for now, my boyfriend has gotten a new job at the GA Aquarium so we are still moving, just not to Colorado.

 

[mskillerreef]

Originally Posted by Cranberry
http:///forum/post/3271136
Oh! The pressure's on you now to keep it alive..... this is a rare gorg now that it has thrived so long.

Cran, I'm getting nervous, the tank is dwindling down to the fish, a few pieces of rock, and the blueberry. How am I going to find someone who is willing to just feed it often and keep good water? AHH! Do you have any advice?