Things Needed For Soon-to-be 20g Salt Water Tank?

[JohnMichael]

Ok, im new to having salt water tanks, (not freshwater), and i have a 20g tank with nothing, so i was wondering if you guys/girls had any pointers and know what i need to have a successful salt water coral tank.


Thanks!

[Pennies2Cents]

Hi John,

1st let me say Welcome to MAAST. :)

Before we can give you any pointers/tips/ and or advice, you may want to think about which type of "saltwater" tank you want to have.

Reef or FOWLR (Fish Only With Live Rock)

Patience is definitely a key in having a successful tank. A good recommendation would be to read as much as you can about the type of setup you wish to have and maintain. :)

Please feel free to ask as many questions as you want. We are here to help you. :) And we share the same interest: Saltwater Aquariums. :)

[brewercm]

Welcome aboard, and like she's already told you. Read up on what you want, ask questions, and take your time.
One other small piece of advice. Don't skimp on equipment or you'll end up just paying more in the long run. Not that you can't get good deals on used quality stuff, just make it good from the beginning. Two things that comet to mind immediately are lights, and skimmer if you decide to use one.

[JohnMichael]

Well i really want a reef tank, because it will give it that extra kick! And i know i need a BRIGHT light for it,do you know what kind? And i have a filter that i used for a freshwater tank, will it be ok for saltwater? Or do i need a wet dry filter?

More questions coming soon, i have to got to school lol!

[hobogato]

if this is a 20g long tank, i would recommend going with t5 lights. one thing you will need to research first is filtration. there are many ways to do it and each has advantages/disadvantages. some of the things you might start researching are HOB skimmers, HOB refugium, sump, wet dry, canister filters, skimmers and refugium, will give you a starting point. these are the standard filtration components in many combinations...

[alton]

I would go to the Nano Section of MAAST and start reviewing all the post to see what types of filtration and lights others have used in the past year. I actually had a hang on the back fuge/sump and changed to a emperor 400. Like Ace stated T5HO is a good choice for lighting. For live rock try to find some coraline encrusted rock here in the for sale forum, it ill help your tank cycle much quicker. And of course welcome to MAAST

[Mr Cob]

Welcome to MAAST. I really like 20g long tanks. I also think T5 would be perfect for this size tank.

[Big_Pun]

welcome, is this tank going to have its own stand and have room in the bottom for a refugium, if you go that route you have to look into drilling for a over flow or a hang on over flow. if not buying a hob refugium or moding a hob filter such as a aquaclear is another option

[JohnMichael]

Well i decided to start with only live rock and fish, 20 gallon tank, will soon be on a stand, not made for tanks, like a bedside table....
how much would it cost to have a succesful salt water tanK?

[StevenSeas]

depends on ur definition of successful and what all that would entail. so if u do FOWLR is successful having x amount fish live in there happily and disease free?

[StevenSeas]

also what all do you have so we dont have to factor that in

[JohnMichael]

yup!

[Still Learning]

Welcome! There are lots of different ways to have a rockin' reef. Make sure you find the system that works with your schedule and your lifestyle.

[neogenix]

Hey!

So I've just finished cycling my tank, and I have (as of today) put in my first piece of coral. I've got a bit bigger of a tank (50) and, honestly, your biggest battle will be reading, learning, and waiting ;) Having a tank, with all the bits, and live rock in the garage is one of the hardest things to 'wait' on... but it's so worth it. Post the dimensions of your tank, and maybe some of the cool things you've seen at the stores you'd like to keep.

P.S. Welcome to MAAST!