20 Gallon Reef Tank

[Nanomaniac]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7690401#post7690401 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by aumfc

I'm wondering were the filter is? Is that what the AquaC Remora is? Meaning, I'm guessing, it filters and skims? (Sorry, I don't know much)

Also, I guess I would only need the one 1200 or maybe a 900?

Are the 2x65 PCs plenty for the 20 long?

I'm running a Remora which is the protein skimmer and I just added a AquaClear 30 with some carbon. How much flow you need depends on your setup but I have both Maxijet 1200's running and it is just the correct amount of flow for this tank. 130watt PC's is enough for softies and a few LPS which is all I plan to keep in this tank.

 

[Nanomaniac]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7726323#post7726323 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Secondgen
How much money did it take to put that canopy together? I have two brand new power compact bulbs sitting around. What kind of ballast setup did you buy, and where did you get it?

It cost me around $50 to build. I just took the ballast, wiring, bulbs, etc out of a Current USA fixture and mounted it into my canopy.

 

[Nanomaniac]

I recently purchased a small Capnella coral. Here are some pics of it:

 

[Chelsey]

Looks awesome! Make sure you keep us updated on your progress :thumbsup:

 

[madnav87]

how long has it taken for you to get good skimmate out of the remora? I put one on my 24, and after 1.5 months of adjusting, i still dont get anything but a few bubbles and clearish liquid (prob. conditioner)

 

[Nanomaniac]

It took 1-2 months for the skimmer to start producing some good skimmate. I have a pic of the collection cup after a few days of running if you wanted to see it?

 

[madnav87]

oh, ok...i was told that after 1 or 2 weeks it would start skimming, so i was getting kinda worried! Sure, pics would be great.

 

[Nanomaniac]

I changed the background to blue.

Now this is when the skimmer already went through its "break in" period. This is a few days worth of skimming.

Doesn't it look yummy?

 

[Nanomaniac]

Update: Well I have not posted an update of my tank for quite a while now mainly because not much as happened. The tank is still doing really well and many different critters have started appearing including Brittle Stars, Amphipods, Feather Dusters, and various worms.

Adding coral to my tank has been rather slow and infact the only coral the I added since the last update is a Kenya Tree. I have plans to add more coral to my tank but it will not be for 2-3 weeks. This tank will house Softies, LPS, and maybe a Montipora Digitata frag.

The coral that I just recently purchased is a Kenya Tree that is very healthy, and is about 4-5" high. It adjusted to my tank very well with full polyp extension and has a faint green color to it. When I was observing the coral in the fish store I noticed a small encrusting coral attached to the piece of rock that the Kenya Tree was on. I had a hunch that it might be an SPS coral but I wasn¡¦t sure of the exact species. After posting an ID thread on a couple forums I came to the conclusion that it is probably a Porites. It should do well in my tank as the local fish store had the coral under the same amount of light. The first day that I brought home the coral they were separate from one another but I noticed today that the Poriites moved right next to the Kenya and was actually touching it. The Kenya looked very stressed so I carefully removed the Porites and both are doing well. I wasn¡¦t charged for the second coral so it was nice to get a free coral. I hope the coral does well.

I have been using two Maxijet 1200's in my tank but with both running the flow seems a bit much for what I'm keeping. To solve my problem I shaved down the impellers on both powerheads and it work great. Now I can have them running at the same time and the flow is perfect. I'm still using 2x65watt PC's as my lighting but I may upgrade to a 150watt metal halide system sometime in the near future. I do need to replace my PC bulbs soon since I have been using them for quite awhile.

Here are the pictures I took of the Kenya Tree and the Porites. I have not taken a full tank shot lately but will soon and when I do I will post it.

Porites That Was Attached To Rock

 

[ReefDreams]

looking good, as the tank mature it should be really impressive

how long as it been running now ?

 

[Nanomaniac]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8061996#post8061996 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ReefDreams
looking good, as the tank mature it should be really impressive

how long as it been running now ?

Well everything except the corals was transferred to this tank from my 55 gallon. I've been running this tank for about 3 months.

 

[Nanomaniac]

Update: The tank is doing extremely well and the corals are growing like crazy. The first Capnella coral that I purchased has split into two seperate stalks and is beginning to split again. The recent Kenya Tree that I added has also grown significantly. I've been eyeing a Mushroom rock at the local fish store that I will probably pick up within the next week. There have been some major changes to the stocking as I have given my Clown Goby to a friend and the Fairy Wrasse was being way too agressive towards the Firefish to a point of not letting him eat. I've replaced the Fairy Wrasse with a Sixline which has been very peaceful towards the Fishfish and is very interesting to watch. You will also notice in the full tank shot that the lights are hanging above the tank. The reason for this is that the temp has been getting too high with the canopy. By having a open top tank with better air circulation the temp has stayed where I would like it. The lights have been this way for the last couple months. Here are some various pictures I've taken:

Full Tank Shot

Capnella Corals

Snails Eggs(Cerith)

Feather Duster

 

[c. dawg]

Is that a flasher wrasse I see in the second picture on this page?

 

[Nanomaniac]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8302923#post8302923 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by c. dawg
Is that a flasher wrasse I see in the second picture on this page?

It was my Fairy Wrass that I recently gave to a local fish store.

 

[reefaholic101]

Wow ....How soon before those snails hatch?