trying to do it right this time

[lsvagabond]

Hello all,

I am new to this forum and re-entering reef keeping after a 5 year break. I snatched up a 20 gal long and all of it's goodies off of freecycle (a web link thing that lets locals give stuff away to other locals that want it) It came with the tank/stand well stocked with live rock, live sand, yellow pollops? TONS of red mushrooms, a bubble coral as the owner called it (i think it is an anemone though) a pajama cardinal and a smattering of snails and crabs. the hood is a make shift old plastic one that he fit two 32 w power compacts into. There is one tiny power head, a heater and a prizm protein skimmer. the thing was pretty sad looking over at his place. he was getting rid of it due to neglect and it showed. Once i got it home however i went and picked up 5 gallons of premade water at "ye old aquarium shop" downtownish and did a good water change. With a little work it has cleaned up very nicely and looks to be doing well. This however as we all know is just were it starts. Part of why i got out 5 years ago was that i did not have the space or resources to do a 55 gallon reef the way i wanted. Now with this 20 being on a much smaller scale and having a tiny bit of cash in my pocket I feel the urge to try it right. Ideally i would like to add a sump and refugium to the tank along with upgrading the lighting. A little looking has led me to think about the 130 watt lunar aqua with the lunar lights on it for around $135. I am guesing this would heat up my tank a bit especially come summer and am thinking i would need a chiller of some sorts... sound right or over cautious? Looking around online has found me the iceprobe chiller and temp controller for about $170. Then I am looking at the choice of refugium in sump or separate and exactly how to go about this. I dont need them to look pretty so will go the affordable route when i find it. My only big question here is regarding copepods. It seems logical to think that most of these little thriving buggers generated in the fug. would not survive the brutal journey through pumps to get back into the tank as i have heard others say.. are there any chicagoans out there who have the sump below the tank pump to a refugium above the tank that gravity feeds peacefully back down into the tank so as to facilitate live pods getting into the tank? or is that madness? I have no experience with the prizm as a skimmer so we will see if that is going to stay or not. A UV will most likely work its way into this somehow to. Any one with ideas, suggestions and so forth let me know, its been awhile and i can use all the help i can get.
mike

 

[Sk8r]

Don't worry about a chiller yet: I'm on the warm end of Washington state, got up to 90+ temp on a warm front, and haven't varied from 79-80 in the tank, even with mh 250 lighting and a minuscule sump. A fan blowing across the sump will probably do what you need. I have no lids on anything in the system except my skimmer.
Your sump can go in the stand, underneath. I saw a live amphipod spat out of my pump lately, and it scurried off safe. A handful of pods might get souped, but mostly they should make it through. I have cheato and a light below in the sump, and I think my pods are making it upstairs: my mandarin is looking prosperous and is constantly making finds, though I do still supplement pods via mail. The cheato arrangement is new. A refugium above on drip is nice if you can do it.
My 52 corner has a 10 gallon sump mostly taken up with pumps and an Urchin skimmer, has mh with actinic, aragonite bed, live rock, sps, lps, and no chiller, no uv, no reactor---though that would be my next extravagance if I could swing the cash. I have to add 2 tsp calcium a day for the critters. An autotopoff, I got from autotopoff.com for 75.00, and that automates my topoff of fresh water, which I lace with buffer to save myself one job. Tests and additives, a bit over 100.00, refractometer (the swing-arms are a pain) and your high-flow pumps, maybe a Sea Swirl, and you're golden.

 

[Larry Waughon]

[welcome]

Sounds like your off to a good start. I would add a sump , skip a chiller and use fans, and avoid a UV.

 

[Ladipyg]

If your interested I have a 110 watt Coralife with lunar lights-2 LED's- the bulbs are new, it has 2 fans to cool it, splash guard and clear adjustable legs. It's 24" long...don't know if that will fit on a 20 long. The bulbs are a month old, both 10,000 K's. straight pin. If your interested $60. Nina

 

[lsvagabond]

Wowwy.. that sounds great nina. My tank is 30" but for $80 less than the one i was looking at I dont know how much I'll miss the extra 6" and 20 watts. Has anyone had major mishaps using lights that dont go edge to edge?

 

[aurorafish]

Here is my 2 cents....Skip the chiller - you can always add it if you need it but most likely a fan will take care of it. The fuge below the tank is pretty standard, pods are small enough to make it thru the pump. UV is overrated IMO. The prizm will likely drive you nutz trying to make it produce. I would upgrade the lights and skimmer before anything else. A 150-250 MH light or t-5 setup would be my suggestion, if not you will always be second guessing. A great book thats up to date on modern aquariums is by Eric Borneman called
Aquarium Corals : Selection, Husbandry, and Natural History

 

[Ladipyg]

they may not sit on the tank right if it's that long...I wouldn't want you to waste your hard earned cash...they are set up to go from end to end, not sit front to back...are you going to have a cover on your tank. If you don't you could have some pieces of glass cut to fit both ends and go from there, but if you're getting back in to the hobby and wanting to do it right, don't start having to jury rig things...ya won't be happy. But I leave the final decision to you...