newbie reefer... setup questions

M

mwl76

New member
i have a 20 gallon tank (empty) that i would like to turn into a reef tank. i have experience helping out with a friends reef so i am good on most of the knowledge, but i would like some setup help. i wouldnt (if possible) like to have to plumb the tank as it is not drilled and an overflow box in a 20 gallon tank takes up WAY too much space. what exactly do i need and are there any options for not plumbing the tank and having a sump to be able to sustain a reef?
 
If your not going to drill or tank or use an overflow box, the only way is to make a diy overflow box out of pvc pipes. Search that up on google to check how to make one.
 
Are you asking if there is a way to have a sump without plumbing or is there a way to have a reef with out a sump?
 
i am asking if there is a way to have a reef without a sump. i know that sumps must be plumbed. i would not like to plumb as it is extra work and i am kinda of a newbie.
 
Agree i like having a sump. But search for sumpless tanks. There is a few here. Seems they use Hob the skimmers on this tanks. Being only a 20 gallon might be easy to do.
 
I run a 15gal, mostly with soft and LPS corals, one shrimp, one fish. 4 months old now. I have decent LED lighting, a HOB filter with Chemi-pure + carbon, and a Koralia nano to help move water around (directed slightly up at the surface for oxygen exchange). Works fine and is a lot of fun. No sump, no skimmer, and things are growing nicely.
 
you can do a saltwater tank without one. my 55 gallon runs with the an eheim canister. you have to know the work is alot more without a sump. i have to clean my canister once a week at least. and also you need to have LR in the tank if you do not have a sump. one other important thing is to have a very good protein skimmer. and another good thing to have is an in tank refugium with macro algees and crushed coral and live rock to act as another filteration system. my 55 gallon does very well with under 10 nitrates at all times. also i do not think a reef tank is a good idea with out a sump. my 55 gallon is a fowlr. one way to put it is the work installing a sump is well worth it becasue the time to clean a non-sump tank is alot more to keep it from crashing. and a big 180 gallon tank would end up being a mission without a sump and end you would end up spending a lot of money on it. **************************************
 
sczlars, what hob filter do you use?

my tank is about 24x12x14 or so inches. and what do you reccommend guys about lighting? i would like (if possible) to keep most corals including sps, but a metal halide system seems out of my budget. what is the most budget friendly lighting system that would still allow great, thriving corals?
 
its an AquaClear 30. Bigger would perhaps be better, but this seems to work fine.

For lighting, I use an LED lighting system that is modular; 2 EcoXotic panorama modules and one of their actinic stunner strips. I liked being able to start small and not too expensive on the lighting, then add to it gradually.

For now, for the corals, I dose by hand every night (alk & cal). I use a slow drip siphon for topoff. Eventually I'll need to automate some of that so I can go on vacation!

Just keep the bio-load low and take it slow. The tank has about 18lbs live rock in it, plus 20lbs argonite sand.

mwl76 said:
sczlars, what hob filter do you use?

my tank is about 24x12x14 or so inches. and what do you reccommend guys about lighting? i would like (if possible) to keep most corals including sps, but a metal halide system seems out of my budget. what is the most budget friendly lighting system that would still allow great, thriving corals?
Click to expand...
 
and what about one of these filters? i want to get the one for a 50 gallon tank as this is a reef. i have a small protein skimmer (that i dont use) that i will use in the 20g reef
 
oh well thats embarrassing i didnt see sczlars that u use that. i will get the 50 gallon rated one though just to increase filtration.
 
ok thank you guys so much for all the help. i am getting the LED marinland lighting as mentioned above and a aquaclear 50. now about the inhabitants of the tank. what fish do you reccomend as a hardy fish for the nitrogen cycle? i would like to end up having a blenny or some other algae eater, a schooling fish such as blue/green chromis OR a pair of ocellaris or percula clowns, and then maybe something wierd like a jawfish. i would like all of the fish to be able to eat flake foods on my automatic feeder when i am away
 
I would recommend something with a little more power. Like 4 bulb T5HO lighting. Even a cheap fish need it fixture with upgraded bulbs will allow for better growth and more variety of corals. Also I would get the biggest Aquaclear filter you can stick on the back of the tank. Which should be the 110. And modify it into a refugium where you can stick your heater and all the macro algae. So the display is cleaner looking. You can find info on aquaclear refugiums all over just have to google search this site or other reef sites.
 
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