Reef aquarium newbie

[ReefDude16]

Hi! I am looking into starting a reef aquarium but I need some tips! I've chosen out a tank with a heater and filter. I chose dry rock and live sand, a Condy anenome and two snowflake clownfish. Should I upgrade my filter or and put a protein skimmer in it? Or anything else in general? Thanks!

 

[Valentini89]

Hi! I am looking into starting a reef aquarium but I need some tips! I've chosen out a tank with a heater and filter. I chose dry rock and live sand, a Condy anenome and two snowflake clownfish. Should I upgrade my filter or and put a protein skimmer in it? Or anything else in general? Thanks!

What size is the tank?

 

[ReefDude16]

20 gallon

 

[ReefDude16]

What size is the tank?

20 gallon

 

[Valentini89]

20 gallon

HOB filter is fine.. you don't need a PSkimmer. You could benefit from a refugium even at that small of a tank but do u really want to set one up? An external reactor could help too.. carbon maybe- what lighting are you planning on using? And what do you plan on putting in the tank in the way of coral?

 

[ReefDude16]

HOB filter is fine.. you don't need a PSkimmer. You could benefit from a refugium even at that small of a tank but do u really want to set one up? An external reactor could help too.. carbon maybe- what lighting are you planning on using? And what do you plan on putting in the tank in the way of coral?

It's a hooded tank with LED lights, should I switch it out?


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[Pelagic_e36]

If you want to sustain a reef you will need some very powerful LED's not the one's that come in a kit from petsmart if that is what you have. I would go open top and look into lights like the AI hydra HD, Kessil a160 tuna blue, or a the chinese black box led as a less expensive alternative.

 

[ReefDude16]

If you want to sustain a reef you will need some very powerful LED's not the one's that come in a kit from petsmart if that is what you have. I would go open top and look into lights like the AI hydra HD, Kessil a160 tuna blue, or a the chinese black box led as a less expensive alternative.

Ok anything else I may need for the tank?


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[Pelagic_e36]

Skimmer is not necessary if you keep a consistent water change schedule. I recommend reading around some other build forums to get an idea on how to start a tank. I spent a few months doing research and collecting everything that I needed before I started my tank. Off the top of my head, other things you might need: RODI system and salt if you are mixing your own, refractometer to check salinity, good test kit, filter media I would use a light floss and clean it weekly or bi-weekly, maybe 2 powerheads/wavemakers.

 

[Pelagic_e36]

Also it is the AI prime led I meant to say.

 

[ReefDude16]

Thank you


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[ReefDude16]

What should I get for a Refugium?


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[ReefDude16]

If you want to sustain a reef you will need some very powerful LED's not the one's that come in a kit from petsmart if that is what you have. I would go open top and look into lights like the AI hydra HD, Kessil a160 tuna blue, or a the chinese black box led as a less expensive alternative.

Would the current USA orbit marine led light work?


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[Pelagic_e36]

Yea, I have the current USA orbit IC led, it just does enough to keep my lps corals alive with very little growth. I am already looking into getting a more powerful light and it hasn't even been 6 months since I got it.
This thread might be helpful:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2641667

 

[davehead86]

What should I get for a Refugium?


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Try and get your tank running before you try a FUGE hung on the back of the tank. My first tank was a 20 gallon and did great without a FUGE.

My statement to you would be to make sure you're not overfeeding the tank, make sure your lights are on too high when there aren't any demanding corals in the tank, change your HOB Filter FREQUENTLY. My biggest problems happened when I got lazy and didnt want to change the carbon out or wash the filter bags or suck out the crap in the bottom. Nitrates went up, algae bloomed, tank looked ugly.