setting up a 20 gal long reef tank

PWarren · 01/06/2015, 12:21 PM

Hey everyone. I set up a 20 gal long saltwater tank back in November, has about 20 pounds of rock both real reef and some Fiji with an aqueon filter. I've had some assorted damsels and crabs and stuff alive since the first week, but haven't had much luck with the few cheap corals I've had due to wrong lighting. Anway I added about 15 assorted corals, mostly soft corals on sunday, [/IMG]ong with the real reef rock, and some more crabs and snails. I have a 12"wave point super blue/white light and a hydor 425 gph circulation pump coming in the mail tomorrow. My real concern now is the light, and I'm not sure on where to set up my pump. Tia everyone. Here's a pic of everything in the tank now

ReefKeep66 · 01/07/2015, 10:12 AM

Probably shouldn't have had the damsels and crabs since week 1. Are all your paramters in check? That should be squared away before any livestock. Especially adding 15 corals at once. I'm not really sure about the light. You said it's wrong lighting, but still added the 15 corals? I would look into some cheaper, reef capable leds such as the reefbreeders or purhaps my personal favorite, Kessil which just came out with the A160 which would be good suited towards your tank.

PWarren · 01/07/2015, 11:15 AM

Thanks I will definitely check into those lights. The light I'm hopefully getting today is a reef light just not the best quality. I know it probably wasnt the best idea to add before getting the pump and light, but im in wyoming. All we have for saltwater here is petco. So I went to Colorado last weekend to get most of this for a Christmas present. Its mostly 2 or 5 dollar frags. I'm hoping a couple days with the light in the picture won't hurt too much, I've only been giving them about 4 to 6 hours under this light and about 4 hours under a blue light. I should have mentioned that I've checked alkalinity, ph, salinity, nitrates, and nitrites, and calcium. Everything was okay except calcium was about 500ppm. Also I did a water change a week ago today. Thanks again for the advice.

Here is a link to the light I have coming http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007ZK816S

AdamNC · 01/07/2015, 12:05 PM

That light will not be near enough for the length of your tank. A light that size is good for 2 things, a refugium or a 12x12x12 cube tank. Your tank is 30x12x12. That size tank with that light will have bad shadowing on the outsides of the corals. You would do best with a light of at least 24" or even better a 30" light.

PWarren · 01/07/2015, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AdamNC

That light will not be near enough for the length of your tank. A light that size is good for 2 things, a refugium or a 12x12x12 cube tank. Your tank is 30x12x12. That size tank with that light will have bad shadowing on the outsides of the corals. You would do best with a light of at least 24" or even better a 30" light.

Sounds good. I will definitely look into upgrading the light. Do you think that this light will be okay for a while until I can upgrade?

PWarren · 01/07/2015, 01:53 PM

Also, do you think having 2 of these would be enough light?

Reef Frog · 01/07/2015, 03:25 PM

I think I see some branching SPS corals on the left? If that's right, don't buy an underpowered light. Proper lighting is vital to success. What are you keeping?

Odysi · 01/07/2015, 03:39 PM

thats a faux piece lol. I only know cause i have itin my daughters guppy tank!

PWarren · 01/07/2015, 03:40 PM

Its hard to remember all the names, should have wrote them down. But yes I do have 2 sps in there I believe, and 4 mushrooms, 2 zoanthids, a brain, a frogspawn, and 2 hard corals, and a couple I'm forgetting. I was told the hard stuff and the brain would be the toughest to keep alive. I'm hoping the wavepoint will be enough until I can afford a better light. I'm really new to this hobby. My mom had a 90 gallon when i was a kid, but that was 15 years ago. Mostly just been trial and error up until now.

PWarren · 01/07/2015, 03:42 PM

Lol, yeah I wanna get rid of that fake piece but one of my fish loves the damn thing. Eventually I'll get some more live rock for over there

Reef Frog · 01/07/2015, 03:47 PM

What you have listed are fine under moderate light.

PWarren · 01/07/2015, 04:18 PM

Thanks good to know. I just got back from lunch and everything is looking really good today.

This is the guy I'm most worried about, he was pretty expensive and I can't remember for the life of me what its called.

edavis · 01/07/2015, 04:28 PM

I would look into marsaqua full spectrum lights or oceanrevive on ebay. They are great lights for the price

Reef Frog · 01/07/2015, 04:30 PM

cant be sure w polyps retracted. It looks like a branching SPS, so stronger lighting, but not too ast and best in a higher flow location. But there are branching soft corals that could look like that. Depending on the light you get it may be fine close to the bottom as your tank is shallow. Maybe someone else can ID it.

PWarren · 01/07/2015, 04:40 PM

Thanks for your help guys. I have it pretty much right under the flow of the filter right now, that's why he's on bottom. There's not much flow in there as of now with just the filter. The marsaqua lights look very reasonable. I may give the wavepoint a try for a couple weeks, but it sounds like I'll definitely be shopping for a better one soon.

edavis · 01/07/2015, 04:55 PM

np man. im surprised your fish lived thru your cycle lol

Teenreefer15 · 01/07/2015, 05:07 PM

This like isn't enough for a tank this size. Invest in some quality lights at first like a current USA orbit marine fixture. You will learn in this hobby that not paying a lot for quality up front will hurt you down the road. Wish you the best.

PWarren · 01/07/2015, 05:16 PM

Lol me too. I heard that some rock and cheap fish will help the tank cycle faster, but I didn't expect them all to live. I haven't lost a fish yet, just one zoa coral.

deptchief · 07/09/2015, 05:59 AM

im very happy with my current usa ramp pro leds....

01/06/2015, 12:21 PM	#1
PWarren Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 16	setting up a 20 gal long reef tank Hey everyone. I set up a 20 gal long saltwater tank back in November, has about 20 pounds of rock both real reef and some Fiji with an aqueon filter. I've had some assorted damsels and crabs and stuff alive since the first week, but haven't had much luck with the few cheap corals I've had due to wrong lighting. Anway I added about 15 assorted corals, mostly soft corals on sunday, [/IMG]ong with the real reef rock, and some more crabs and snails. I have a 12"wave point super blue/white light and a hydor 425 gph circulation pump coming in the mail tomorrow. My real concern now is the light, and I'm not sure on where to set up my pump. Tia everyone. Here's a pic of everything in the tank now Last edited by PWarren; 01/06/2015 at 01:20 PM.

01/07/2015, 11:15 AM	#3
PWarren Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 16	Thanks I will definitely check into those lights. The light I'm hopefully getting today is a reef light just not the best quality. I know it probably wasnt the best idea to add before getting the pump and light, but im in wyoming. All we have for saltwater here is petco. So I went to Colorado last weekend to get most of this for a Christmas present. Its mostly 2 or 5 dollar frags. I'm hoping a couple days with the light in the picture won't hurt too much, I've only been giving them about 4 to 6 hours under this light and about 4 hours under a blue light. I should have mentioned that I've checked alkalinity, ph, salinity, nitrates, and nitrites, and calcium. Everything was okay except calcium was about 500ppm. Also I did a water change a week ago today. Thanks again for the advice. Here is a link to the light I have coming http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007ZK816S Last edited by PWarren; 01/07/2015 at 11:24 AM.

01/07/2015, 10:12 AM	#2
ReefKeep66 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: The great state of Georgia Posts: 549	Probably shouldn't have had the damsels and crabs since week 1. Are all your paramters in check? That should be squared away before any livestock. Especially adding 15 corals at once. I'm not really sure about the light. You said it's wrong lighting, but still added the 15 corals? I would look into some cheaper, reef capable leds such as the reefbreeders or purhaps my personal favorite, Kessil which just came out with the A160 which would be good suited towards your tank.

01/07/2015, 12:05 PM	#4
AdamNC Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Winston Salem, NC Posts: 849	That light will not be near enough for the length of your tank. A light that size is good for 2 things, a refugium or a 12x12x12 cube tank. Your tank is 30x12x12. That size tank with that light will have bad shadowing on the outsides of the corals. You would do best with a light of at least 24" or even better a 30" light.

01/07/2015, 01:53 PM	#6
PWarren Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 16	Also, do you think having 2 of these would be enough light?

01/07/2015, 03:25 PM	#7
Reef Frog Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Maryland Posts: 3,121	I think I see some branching SPS corals on the left? If that's right, don't buy an underpowered light. Proper lighting is vital to success. What are you keeping?

01/07/2015, 03:39 PM	#8
Odysi Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 401	thats a faux piece lol. I only know cause i have itin my daughters guppy tank!

01/07/2015, 03:40 PM	#9
PWarren Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 16	Its hard to remember all the names, should have wrote them down. But yes I do have 2 sps in there I believe, and 4 mushrooms, 2 zoanthids, a brain, a frogspawn, and 2 hard corals, and a couple I'm forgetting. I was told the hard stuff and the brain would be the toughest to keep alive. I'm hoping the wavepoint will be enough until I can afford a better light. I'm really new to this hobby. My mom had a 90 gallon when i was a kid, but that was 15 years ago. Mostly just been trial and error up until now.

01/07/2015, 03:42 PM	#10
PWarren Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 16	Lol, yeah I wanna get rid of that fake piece but one of my fish loves the damn thing. Eventually I'll get some more live rock for over there

01/07/2015, 03:47 PM	#11
Reef Frog Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Maryland Posts: 3,121	What you have listed are fine under moderate light.

01/07/2015, 04:18 PM	#12
PWarren Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 16	Thanks good to know. I just got back from lunch and everything is looking really good today. This is the guy I'm most worried about, he was pretty expensive and I can't remember for the life of me what its called.

01/07/2015, 04:28 PM	#13
edavis Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Omaha, Ne Posts: 59	I would look into marsaqua full spectrum lights or oceanrevive on ebay. They are great lights for the price

01/07/2015, 04:30 PM	#14
Reef Frog Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Maryland Posts: 3,121	cant be sure w polyps retracted. It looks like a branching SPS, so stronger lighting, but not too ast and best in a higher flow location. But there are branching soft corals that could look like that. Depending on the light you get it may be fine close to the bottom as your tank is shallow. Maybe someone else can ID it.

01/07/2015, 04:40 PM	#15
PWarren Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 16	Thanks for your help guys. I have it pretty much right under the flow of the filter right now, that's why he's on bottom. There's not much flow in there as of now with just the filter. The marsaqua lights look very reasonable. I may give the wavepoint a try for a couple weeks, but it sounds like I'll definitely be shopping for a better one soon.

01/07/2015, 04:55 PM	#16
edavis Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Omaha, Ne Posts: 59	np man. im surprised your fish lived thru your cycle lol

01/07/2015, 05:07 PM	#17
Teenreefer15 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: New Jersey Posts: 479	This like isn't enough for a tank this size. Invest in some quality lights at first like a current USA orbit marine fixture. You will learn in this hobby that not paying a lot for quality up front will hurt you down the road. Wish you the best.

01/07/2015, 05:16 PM	#18
PWarren Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 16	Lol me too. I heard that some rock and cheap fish will help the tank cycle faster, but I didn't expect them all to live. I haven't lost a fish yet, just one zoa coral.