Just inherited a 20g reef (clownfish) tank. help?

dosercody · 09/15/2014, 10:50 AM

A family member passed and I'm left with this 20gal reef tank. He kept it up very well, and I managed to set it up with very little experience and have been researching my butt off to learn as much as I can. I have all the products I need to keep the reef up and going, but I'm not sure of a few things if anyone wants to help me out

I'd hate to see the reef fail due to my failure from suddenly gaining this beautiful reef tank. Feel free to correct any information I list, I'm just giving a general idea of my knowledge

I've been told to run my lights for 8-10 hours a day?

I have supplements for the reef that I'm supposed to mix into the water a couple time a week? Into the top off water?

I'm unclear on how to measure these supplements in the tank itself. test kit or..?

I was even told to use an eye dropper to drop down so mysis shrimp on the coral for them to gain nutrients. Seemed different to me, but good info or?

Any general advice or links to good information for a newb like me? I can use all the help I can get! I"m in the middle of my heavy part of the work week (11 hour days) so haven't had enough time to really test everything since set up on saturday. Thanks in advance guys!

wanted to add that I have a ten gal sump below the DT. Everything other than the power head is in there.

fishgate · 09/15/2014, 11:13 AM

What did you "set up"? Did you move it? If so, how? How many fish are in it? How many corals are in it? What about any other life in the tank? Pictures would help a lot!

toothybugs · 09/15/2014, 11:20 AM

First of all, sorry for your loss.

Second, so we can do our best to help you, put up as many pics of everything as you can. Equipment, chemicals, the aquarium itself, everything. We'll help you with as much as we can.

Sk8r · 09/15/2014, 11:38 AM

THere's a sticky up there ^ titled SETTING UP. A thorough read will answer things you don't know to ask yet.

dosercody · 09/15/2014, 10:14 PM

As for coral...
I have a large Duncan colony, candy canes, green star polyps, mushrooms, green montipora, pagoda cup coral

just one clown fish, one skunk cleaner fish. Everything still seems to be doing ok....

dosercody · 09/15/2014, 10:17 PM

What I meant by set up was I moved the tank across town and re set it up. I did a 20% water change after that. Everything was put into 5 gallon buckets, and then back into the tank.

As for coral...
I have a large Duncan colony, candy canes, green star polyps, mushrooms, green montipora, pagoda cup coral

just one clown fish, one skunk cleaner fish. Everything still seems to be doing ok....

09/15/2014, 10:50 AM	#1
dosercody Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 25	Just inherited a 20g reef (clownfish) tank. help? A family member passed and I'm left with this 20gal reef tank. He kept it up very well, and I managed to set it up with very little experience and have been researching my butt off to learn as much as I can. I have all the products I need to keep the reef up and going, but I'm not sure of a few things if anyone wants to help me out I'd hate to see the reef fail due to my failure from suddenly gaining this beautiful reef tank. Feel free to correct any information I list, I'm just giving a general idea of my knowledge I've been told to run my lights for 8-10 hours a day? I have supplements for the reef that I'm supposed to mix into the water a couple time a week? Into the top off water? I'm unclear on how to measure these supplements in the tank itself. test kit or..? I was even told to use an eye dropper to drop down so mysis shrimp on the coral for them to gain nutrients. Seemed different to me, but good info or? Any general advice or links to good information for a newb like me? I can use all the help I can get! I"m in the middle of my heavy part of the work week (11 hour days) so haven't had enough time to really test everything since set up on saturday. Thanks in advance guys! wanted to add that I have a ten gal sump below the DT. Everything other than the power head is in there. Last edited by dosercody; 09/15/2014 at 10:53 AM. Reason: added info

09/15/2014, 11:13 AM	#2
fishgate Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Damascus, MD Posts: 3,340	What did you "set up"? Did you move it? If so, how? How many fish are in it? How many corals are in it? What about any other life in the tank? Pictures would help a lot! __________________ 125RR in-wall, 40B Sump, CS180 BM Skimmer, ATI 4x80 watt, eheim 1262, custom wrap around rock wall, ReefKeeper Elite 120g in-wall, 40B Sump, PC 54wx4, Jabao DC-6000 (full siphon), future seahorse t Current Tank Info: 125g, 120g, 2x40b sumps, ATI 4x80 T5HO

09/15/2014, 11:38 AM	#4
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	THere's a sticky up there ^ titled SETTING UP. A thorough read will answer things you don't know to ask yet. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

09/15/2014, 10:14 PM	#5
dosercody Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 25	Hey guys. I'll try to post pics as soon as I can. As for coral... I have a large Duncan colony, candy canes, green star polyps, mushrooms, green montipora, pagoda cup coral just one clown fish, one skunk cleaner fish. Everything still seems to be doing ok....

09/15/2014, 10:17 PM	#6
dosercody Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 25	Hey guys. I'll try to post pics as soon as I can. What I meant by set up was I moved the tank across town and re set it up. I did a 20% water change after that. Everything was put into 5 gallon buckets, and then back into the tank. As for coral... I have a large Duncan colony, candy canes, green star polyps, mushrooms, green montipora, pagoda cup coral just one clown fish, one skunk cleaner fish. Everything still seems to be doing ok....

09/15/2014, 11:20 AM	#3
toothybugs In Memoriam Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: The smallest county in Illinois Posts: 1,986	First of all, sorry for your loss. Second, so we can do our best to help you, put up as many pics of everything as you can. Equipment, chemicals, the aquarium itself, everything. We'll help you with as much as we can.