New tank

[jwagne267]

Now that I have basicly realized my tank(12 gallon eclipse) is not good for reefs I am thinking about starting a new tank. Possibly a 20 gallon long. What do you guys think? It will be a reef tank for sure. What equipment do you think I should get etc. Also include price if you know it so I know where I stand with all of that.

 

[jwagne267]

Also I don't really know what a sump is and I was wondering if I should have one with a 20 gallon tank.

 

[billabonk]

i don't recomended 20 gallon for a reef tank because it wont be enough and sure you will wanted some thing bigger and you will regret it ... i started with 30 gallon thought it might be enough for me but it didn't and now i upgraded to 90 gallon and still not enough.. i'm thinking 250 gallon for a change... i recomended 55/75 gallon to start and start with fish only tank

 

[thehorndaddy]

I agree with billabonk. 20 gallons for a reef isn't that much. I started with a 40 gallon for a reef a year ago and recently upgraded to a 100 gallon long. Wish I could have gone bigger, but my living room is on the 2nd story and don't want to risk it.
A sump is usually contained below your normal (DT) display tank and includes your filtering, possibly refugium, skimmer, among other things. But sumps usually start around the size of 20 gallons depending on the size of the DT. I wouldn't get a sump with a 20 gallon DT.
You can certainly start a reef with a 20 gallon, but you won't be able to enjoy it as much as something larger. Just MHO...

 

[jwagne267]

Right now I have a fish only tank. Been having it for about 6 months now and getting ready to upgrade its lighting so I can get my clowns an anemone. I'm thinking about the 20 for a reef tank only because I am still currently in college and will be for the next 3 years.

 

[thehorndaddy]

Gotcha! You can certainly have a reef setup at 20 gallons. As long as you get the correct lighting, you'll need to keep the water conditions in excellent condition to keep an anemone. With 20 gallons, that might mean a lot of water changes and a small fluctuation in water parameters could put a lot of stress on a reef environment. Make sure you have good filtering and a protein skimmer if you can afford it.
It was hard keeping my 40 gallon's water conditions up to par, but I did keep an anemone just fine and I didn't even have the best lights. I say go for it.

 

[brandan]

If you are going to do a 20gallon, I recommend doing a 20gal. long, not a 20gallon high. This will give your fish a few more inches to swim. Also, since it is shallower, it will allow more usable light to your coral/inverts.

 

[thehorndaddy]

Originally Posted by Brandan
http:///forum/post/2596452
If you are going to do a 20gallon, I recommend doing a 20gal. long, not a 20gallon high. This will give your fish a few more inches to swim. Also, since it is shallower, it will allow more usable light to your coral/inverts.
^ Agreed. The more surface light the better for reef setups.
That's what jwagne267 is looking into, a 20 long.

 

[jwagne267]

If I have a sump does that mean I will have more water per the whole system and it is just being filtered around from the sump to the tank and then back down to the sump again? If so wouldn't that be better so I can have more water and more stable water conditions.

 

[thehorndaddy]

Yes, exactly.
If you have the room, go for it. You can also put your heater and protein skimmer in the sump as well keeping more room for your DT.

 

[nvsbandit]

i have a 10g reef setup...so i think a 20 long is definitely doable.
get a koralia nano
and the biocube 14/29 gallon protien skimmer
def best two items ive bought for my tank.

 

[jwagne267]

Thanks NVSbandit anyone else got any other suggestion on good equipment for the 20 gallon long? I plan on have a sump/fuge on it too just so I can have more water. Probably do that with a 10 or 15 galloon tank I already have those two aquariums sitting in my closet collecting dust.

 

[atrialfib22]

I am running a 20g high without a sump and I use a Koralia #2 and a #1 for my tank flow. If you have the room for a sump I would definitely go with one...like they said above, at least to increase the water stability/total volume and to hide some of your equipment.
It will be easier to do your water changes and your topoffs that way too...

As fas as other equipment for a 20g...I also run an AquaC Remora skimmer w/MJ 1200 and I've had no problems with it, it does a good job at pulling the gunk out of the water and it adds to the water flow.