20 gallon long build

footballdude2k3

footballdude2k3

Active member
So I decided that I did not want to wait anymore, I took the plunge today and bought a tank. This will end up being my QT tank when I move but I did not want to wait 14 more months to have a tank. There is about 20-25 lbs of rock, please let me know what you think of the rockwork.

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softies, going with t5 lighting, a koralia 1 powerhead, 100 watt heater, fire shrimp, cleaner shrimp, pair of clows, maybe one other fish, open to suggestions.
 
I have had this running overnight, it is a lot clearer so far, i have one question, the powerhead is pointing somewhat down, but it is making a path in the sand should i angle it different or let it be?
 
deffinately angle your powerhead away from your sand!!
should look into leveling your tank and stand a bit better to!!
 
yea unfortunately the apartment/house i live in is completely slanted, thats the best i could do. just angled the powerhead to point up from the bottom now, going to get a piece of shrimp right now to help the cycling process.
 
No seriously you need to level whatever that tank is sitting on or the side getting all the weight could very well crack or blow out. Speaking from experience. If your floor is the problem you can buy furniture shims at home depot/lowes. Buy the composite (not woood) shims.
 
yeah deffinately level it out...i also live in a apartment and started a 29gallon tank and i couldnt imagine how bad it would be if my tank broke and water went everywhere specially since im on the 2 floor so that should be first for you to do..lol you and me are kinda on the same page but mine had been up and running for like 7 months or so but im still gettin everything goin on the tank..fixin things and tweakin things...but i like what you got so far..looks cool...
 
nope trying this the natural way, the fish market was closed so i could not get shrimp, it has to be uncooked and never frozen to cycle correct?
 
My only suggestion is that with a tank as small as a 20, your going to want to add an overflow and say a 10G sump to hide all your equipment, get a skimmer, and add an ATO. Get an ATO, you won't regret it. Topping off every single day can really take the joy out of a fish tank.
 
about 40 hours into the life of my tank, the ammonia is at .5ppm, am i on track? this is what the reading was yesterday too. Do I need to add something for the ammonia to go up? As of right now I have dead sand and mostly dead rock, with 1lb of live rock.
 
I have a 20 holding all my livestock after a move. It is a pain to top off fresh everyday, so I am definitely for the ato idea. I have 2 koralia 1's set at mid level ion the back at either side. Both are pointing upwards toward the surface. I have a couple years under my belt bit this is by far the hardest tank to keep stable. My parameters will be fine, and rhen totally out of wack, but I think alot of that has to do with the move, and changing some things. Cycling is not a big deal, throw a shrimp in there and wait like 2 weeks and test for ammonia etc, and see where you fall. Just move slow. Somebody mentioned a sump, that would be good too. Above all though move slow, slow, slow. There is nothing more defeating than a failed attempt at this hobby, good luck, and happy reefing.
 
Thanks rob, question, if I wait 2 weeks am I going to see the ammonia spike or presume that it has already happened? I am not going to add a sump because this is going to be my tank for a little over a year, then I will be moving and setting up a bigger tank, when that happens, this will become my QT tank. I am not in a rush to get everything done, althought I will admit that I want to breakdown and order 3 fish and all of my inverts right now, but I know I would feel horrible if/when they died.
 
I don't know that you'll see a spike, but the bacteria should definitely have been jump started. I would personally take the shrimp out at week 2 and then wait another 2 weeks and test. If you see Nitrite going up then you should see ammonia go down etc. Start with making sure your temp and salinity stay constant through that time. After about six weeks, you can get your 1st fish. Then wait 3 weeks and get another. The slower you go, and the more you read, the better your chance of success. In this hobby patience, and stability are golden. That along with a little research and cold hard cash...
 
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