Ready to get started!

cayman isl

cayman isl

Member
Hi folks,
I've been lurking for awhile trying to decide if I want to turn my 20 gallon tank into a reef. I think I'm ready to get it started!
Here's what I have so far:
The tank - 20 gallon glass
Two powerhead 301's
A hang-on-back Top-fin 20 filter
A 100 watt heater
The standard light canopy, I think just the one 15 watt regular flouresent bulb (suggestions needed here)
I have 35 pounds of live sand for a DSB (20 pounds of the bagged stuff plus 15 pounds of playsand)
13 pounds of live rock (will add to this gradually to get up to 20 or 25 pounds)
I would like to get to: 2 clowns, a small cleanup crew and easy-to-care-for corals. (and anything else that may be beneficial, starfish, shrimp, etc. whatever you experts might suggest)
My goal is to get everything in line and operating without my wife freaking out about the cost and also to keep everything alive!
Thanks in advance for all your help.
 
overanalyzer

overanalyzer

Active Member
Cayman - welcome!!! :jumping:
Glad to see a new face. Check out my Thread entitled Overanalyzer's 20 Gal. Nano. The tank I have is basically engineered and set-up to be exactly what you describe wanting. Seems to me like the most expensive part for you will be the lighting.
You could look on-line for some PC lighting to fit or some VHO - I have been toying with the idea of going T5. For what you describe you can set-up the VHO package I have for around $150 then buy your lightbulbs elsewhere.
Is it a 20 long or a 20 tall??
POst an e-mail and I can give you some sites for lights.
HTH
 
cayman isl

cayman isl

Member
Thanks Overanalyzer, I did copy and paste your post for future reference.
I am looking at building my own canopy and maybe getting the Workhorse 7 balast, some of the water proof end-caps, and two 75 watt bulbs. The one I have now is 18 inches, is that the size I should shoot for or do I need to get to the 24 inch size? Also, with 150 watts of lighting will I need fans to keep it cool?
The tank is a 20 gallon tall.
Thanks again
Also, what is the T5 you mentioned?
 
007

007

Active Member
Cayman . . . take a look at my tank that I just posted. It sounds EXACTLY like what you want to run . . .
I also have plans to build a canopy for a 20H tank, built to house a workhorse 7 and 2x 75w VHO . . . . :thinking:
 
marvida

marvida

Member
Welcome!
About cost savings:
I've been haunting ---- for this past year and have gotten a skimmer, lighting systems, lighting components, books & base rock there. I've saved a ton of $.
Good luck!
Ken
 
cayman isl

cayman isl

Member
Thanks for the help,
007, Did you mean you have actual plans for a canopy? If so I'd like to see them if I may. I have an idea on what I want to do, but if there is a proven method that works I'd rather go that route. (then again if you are saying you are "planning" to build a canopy, then I guess we are in the same boat)
Your tank looks great BTW!
Marvida,
I check ---- everday, just got a couple of AquaClear powerheads from there for half of what I would have paid elsewhere.
I'll keep checking back here for more ideas/suggestions.
Thanks again
 
007

007

Active Member
Yes, I do have the actual plans. I built it about a year ago and it works out quite well.
millerj24 at yahoo.com
 
overanalyzer

overanalyzer

Active Member
Looks good - nice start!! Can I make one suggestion before you get too far along?? I would suggest putting a background up - I use heavy black felt on the back of the tank. I have also done a purple color on the back of hte tank it looks good as well. If you do it now it will be easier then when you have a ton of stuff in there!
 
overanalyzer

overanalyzer

Active Member

Originally posted by Cayman Isl
Thanks OverAnalyzer,
I do have a piece of black matt board velcroed onto the back.
Cool - I thought I saw something hanging down the back - like a cord or tube or something ..... oh well - my eyesight must be going!!
Also - the T5's I mentioned are a HO similar to a VHO style bulb - they are very poular in europe .... do a yahoo search ....
 
cayman isl

cayman isl

Member

Originally posted by overanalyzer
Cool - I thought I saw something hanging down the back - like a cord or tube or something ..... oh well - my eyesight must be going!!
Also - the T5's I mentioned are a HO similar to a VHO style bulb - they are very poular in europe .... do a yahoo search ....
Your eyesight is fine!! That tube is the inlet to the filter. There is a heater back there also.
Thanks again, I will check out the T5s.
Chris
 
cayman isl

cayman isl

Member

Originally posted by overanalyzer
Cool - I thought I saw something hanging down the back - like a cord or tube or something ..... oh well - my eyesight must be going!!
Also - the T5's I mentioned are a HO similar to a VHO style bulb - they are very poular in europe .... do a yahoo search ....
Your eyesight is fine!! That tube is the inlet to the filter. There is a heater back there also.
Thanks again, I will check out the T5s.
Chris
 
cayman isl

cayman isl

Member
Thanks to 007's help, the canopy is assembled (will be painted flat black)
It's made out of an old coffee table I had in the garage!
 
007

007

Active Member
NICELY DONE!!!! I LOVE the idea of the old coffee table to use as a lid. Its already finished, and its already rounded on the leading edge. i say leave it stained, but hey thats just me. Did you have any problems with the plans? Any comments, concerns, suggestions for the revision that is in the works? Did you do anything different?
Nice work though! :yes:
I also really like the arched rockwork . . . well on its way to a great reef!
 
cayman isl

cayman isl

Member
Thanks 007,
Instead of making the top section 2" and the bottom section 3", I just made the full frame 6" and put on the lid. Also on the back I put a full 6" X 26" piece and then cut out the slot with a jigsaw for the filter and room for the electrical cords.
And as for the coffee table, the whole thing is from the table top! Just started slicing away at the top for the pieces I needed! The lid lip is rounded and the bottom edges of the frames are rounded as well. (I never throw anything away, eventually it gets built into something)
I might just stain it again instead of black, problem is I hate the way stain looks over the wood filler in the screw holes.
 
cayman isl

cayman isl

Member
Here's an update:
I added another 10 pounds of live rock and have been just filtering and moving the water around with the two 301 powerheads and the HOT filter. I am doing a 3 gallon water change tomorrow.
I have added some "workers", 12 red-leg hermits, 4 turbo snails and one emerald crab (picture attached).
I am shopping for lights now and should have the 150 watt system in by next weekend.
I will also be starting a kalk drip since it seems that is what I need to boost the coraline spread.
Right now the parameters are:
Nh3 - 0.0
PH - 8.2
No2 - 0.0
No3 - 10.0
SG - 1.023
How am I doing so far?
Thanks!!
 
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