20 Gallon Reef Plan

[bigfish14]

I will be setting up a 20 gallon tall reef tank in the next couple months. I have have experience with saltwater tanks, but none this small. I would like to run my set up by you guys and hopefully get some input about it. If something doesn't seem like it will work, by all means tell me.

20 gallon tall aquarium
20 pounds live rock
1 inch of new sand
Eheim 125W Jager heater
Kessil A150W 10K light
Koralia 240 and 425 (665gph = about 30x flow)
2 Ocellaris Clown fish
1 Royal Gramma
1 Lawnmower Blenny
1 Fire Shrimp
CUC
LPS and Softies
Possible 10 gallon sump, but I am not sure if it is worth it to add to a tank this size

**All my live rock and livestock will be coming from my currently set up 40B reef tank.

Here are my questions:

Is it worth it to add a sump to a 20 gallon tank?

How much evaporation can I expect from a tank this size? Will I need to top off daily? Would an ATO be a good investment for this tank?

Thanks for all of your help guys! I build thread will be coming soon

 

[schneidergarret]

i have a 24 gallon nanocube that i top off every day so i am guessing the same with a 20

 

[tommer725]

Do a sump, you will not regret.

I get about 1/2 to 1 cup per day on my 20 high.

 

[ReelBadmind]

I had the same tank before I got my BC14. My setup had a 10 gallon sump. I highly suggest adding the sump. In a tank this small you could really use the extra water volume in the system. It will make the tank less susceptable to large swings in water parameters like temp if you have a heater fail or with topping off and also you will have some wiggle room for dosing. In a nano it is easy to overdose the system. For the same reasons I think it is a good idea to get the ATO as well. I got a cheap diy one works great. Forget where its from but im sure youll find it if you look around.

Im actually in the planning stages of setting the system back up. I miss the 20 H, ill be selling the BC14 when its complete. Maybe ill start a thread of the build.

 

[bigfish14]

Thanks for all the info guys. I'm in the process of building a stand for my 20 high that will be able to house a 24" tank underneath. Now I will be able to use a 15 gallon sump so I will have plenty of extra water volume

 

[footballdude2k3]

I personally would not do the lawnmower blenny in a tank that small

 

[Seaweed Brain]

I'd say go with the sump. Like the others said it'll add more water volume and it'll hide your heater and filtration.

 

[SushiGirl]

If you have the ability to add a sump, it's a great idea. Definitely not a requirement, though. We have a 20L sitting on the bar in the kitchen with no sump & it's doing very well.

The clowns are going to get very territorial with pretty much the entire tank once they pair up. Adding them last after other fish are well established may help, but be prepared!