starting up a 20gal, i need sum advice

[anthony17]

hey, i have a 55gal with a 30gal sump/fuge and its been up and running successfully for 3 years. so i think i know the basics of getting a fish tank started and keeping it healthy. i just realized the other day i have a 20gal long fish tank out in the garage and was thinking about putting it in my room and making it a reef tank with maybe a few fish in it. if i do do this im gunna get a 10gal tank to use a sump tank. so my questions are
1. what kind of over flow do you guys use for your small tank? all i can find are overflows for tanks that are over 50gallons.
2. what is a good skimmer that you like and would reccomend to use for a 20gal tank? and what size pump to use to pump the water back up to my DT.
thx for your help im thinking about starting to save up so i can get about 20 lbs of lr and 20 lbs of ls for this tank

 

[happitylogan]

You dont need a skimmer on a nano tank, just keep up with regular water changes and everything will be fine. That being said, Im not saying to not get one. Im sure it would be beneficial. As for the other questions, Idk, I dont have a sump or overflow box. Most of the nanos here are all inclusive models, ie, biocubes, aquapods, solana...etc...

 

[anthony17]

im gunna have alot of corals in it, i thought if you had corals you had to have a protien skimmer because of the junk corals produce, im not for sure but i thought a protien skimmer was a must if you have corals

 

[subielover]

Negative. If it was my 20 gallon, I would get a aquaclear 110 and mod it into a HOB refugium. You can get a nice metal halide or individually reflected t-5 set-up and that will take care of the lighting. About 30-35 pounds of live rock and a 1 inch sandbed. In the fuge, I would suggest about a 5 inch sandbed and a nice big wad of chaeto.

 

[snakeblitz33]

protein skimmers aren't must haves to begin with. A lot of people overpopulate their aquariums with fish and then the system requires one. Get one or two very small fish that you like and don't put any more in there. Your tank is so small, you don't even really need an overflow box either. Just get an emperor 280, a maxijet 1200, 20lbs live sand and 20lbs live rock. Don't forget about lighting - go with some cheapo power compact bulb/ballast retrofit kit and Whala your done!
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/showthread.php?t=347609

 

[snakeblitz33]

Originally Posted by subielover
http:///forum/post/2922083
Negative. If it was my 20 gallon, I would get a aquaclear 110 and mod it into a HOB refugium. You can get a nice metal halide or individually reflected t-5 set-up and that will take care of the lighting. About 30-35 pounds of live rock and a 1 inch sandbed. In the fuge, I would suggest about a 5 inch sandbed and a nice big wad of chaeto.
This is also a great idea - aquaclear filters modded for hang on back refugiums work great for nitrate removal, even better on small tanks.
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/showthread.php?t=347609

 

[happitylogan]

yeah, ditch the sump, do a HOB fuge.

 

[anthony17]

i dont want to do a HOB im wanting to get like a 10gallon tank to use as a sump im not gunna do a fuge im just gunnna use the 10 gallon to put the heater and protien skimmer in and to add a little bit more water volume can i use like a maxi jet power head to pump water from my DT to the sump?

 

[subielover]

Aren't you still going to be using a HOB overflow? You do not need a 10 gallon sump on a 20 gallon tank, but whatever floats your boat.

 

[anthony17]

im asking for your opinion do you think i should get and overflow box? i know i dont need a sump but i would like to have a place for the heater and protien skimmer to go and it adds more water volume is there a overflow box that is small enough and has a low gph rate for this use? and if not should i use a powerhead to make a way for my water to get down to the sump