My first reef

[YC77]

18 years after leaving the hobby, when I had a fish only saltwater tank and after many years of dreaming to return I started taking more of an active interest in setting up a reef tank.

Two months ago a friend moved away and left me his fish tank.. Not a big tank but a good start in the right direction .

The tank I was given is a simple 20 gallon long tank with a stand. 12"×24" and 16" deep. Since then I have been doing research and buying equipment. I could not start straight away since we were renovating our home and living in a short term rental. But now we have finally moved and the time to start setting up has nearly arrived.

The equipment I have bought so far:

* Tank with stand 12"*24", 16" depth.
* CaribSea Arag-Alive Special Grade Sand, 20 lbs.
* The Perfect Mix MR Coralline Rock (20lb Box) - MarcoRocks.
* E-Marco-400 Aquascaping Mortar Complete Kit - Coralline Color.
* 4 Stage Value 75GPD RO/DI System.
* Smart ATO Nano - Auto Top Off Kit.
* AquaClear 70 Power Filter.
* Instant Ocean Sea Salt (50 gal).
* Brightwell Aquatics MicroBacter Start. XLM.
* EHEIM Jager Aquarium Thermostat Heater 100W.
* DrTim’s Aquatics Ammonium Chloride.
* Hydor Koralia Nano Aquarium Circulation Pump.
* Imagitarium Aquatic Refractometer.
* Calibration fluid.
* Basic test kits.

How does my inventory look? Should I add or change anything?

Regarding lights I am not sure what to get.. I'm thinking or 2 AI prime 16 HD or 1 Radion xr15 blue or a kessil A360X What do you suggest?

My plan is to keep soft corals/lps and a few fish. Possibly later on some sps.. maybe after a possible upgrade later on down the line.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

You have a good list of equipment to get your tank going!

 

[YC77]

What about lighting?

 

[AlyciaMarie]

It looks like you are nearly ready to get things going!

What about lighting?

I'm afraid I'll be no help with light suggestions, but I'm sure someone else will jump on and give you some recommendations! In the meantime, we do have a few light giveaways happening over in the Giveaway and Contest Forum. You may win a free one.

 

[YC77]

Can anyone give me advice re lighting?

 

[YC77]

Is one circulation pump enough?

 

[YC77]

Update

Aquascape done.. joint effort with my wife.

Tonight or tomorrow adding sand and water.

 

[YC77]

Update

Aquascape done.. joint effort with my wife.

Tonight or tomorrow adding sand and water.

 

[YC77]

Cycling has started... Exciting!!

 

[1ocean]

looking good...

 

[YC77]

I am a little confused re adding first fish.. some say after a week, other after a month.. First fish i'm thinking of a snowflake occelaris..

What do you guys say?

 

[BristleWormHater]

I own an ai prime and honestly I wish I got something else. Nicrew and noopschye make great lights for a good price. There is a lot of discussion about the nosedive in quality of radions, I wouldn't buy one.

 

[BristleWormHater]

I am a little confused re adding first fish.. some say after a week, other after a month.. First fish i'm thinking of a snowflake occelaris..

What do you guys say?

Add fish when the cycle is done. Get a test kit, once your ammonia and nitrite falls to zero and you see nitrate the cycle is done.

 

[YC77]

I own an ai prime and honestly I wish I got something else. Nicrew and noopschye make great lights for a good price. There is a lot of discussion about the nosedive in quality of radions, I wouldn't buy one.

I have a 2nd hand ai prime.. why do you wish you had got something else?

 

[BristleWormHater]

I have a 2nd hand ai prime.. why do you wish you had got something else?

They have problems with lenses melting, but supposedly they fixed that with the new HD model, but that's what I have and mine already has burn marks on the lense. The fan us so loud even when I run the light at 60% it sounds like it's going to explode, you need to clean the fan every week.

 

[YC77]

I have a Hydor Koralia Nano Aquarium Circulation Pump 425 gph.

Where should I place it?

 

[BristleWormHater]

I have a Hydor Koralia Nano Aquarium Circulation Pump 425 gph.

Where should I place it?

Put it on the left or right side of the tank no more than 4 inches below the waterline.

 

[YC77]

Lights, Ato and pump setup.. I moved the aquascape a little further back.. don't need so much room behind... still plenty of room for maintenance.

Now the lights are going out until after the cycle is complete.

Is the pump in the right place? Lights a good distance above the water level?

 

[reneeL]

18 years after leaving the hobby, when I had a fish only saltwater tank and after many years of dreaming to return I started taking more of an active interest in setting up a reef tank.

Two months ago a friend moved away and left me his fish tank.. Not a big tank but a good start in the right direction .

The tank I was given is a simple 20 gallon long tank with a stand. 12"×24" and 16" deep. Since then I have been doing research and buying equipment. I could not start straight away since we were renovating our home and living in a short term rental. But now we have finally moved and the time to start setting up has nearly arrived.

The equipment I have bought so far:

* Tank with stand 12"*24", 16" depth.
* CaribSea Arag-Alive Special Grade Sand, 20 lbs.
* The Perfect Mix MR Coralline Rock (20lb Box) - MarcoRocks.
* E-Marco-400 Aquascaping Mortar Complete Kit - Coralline Color.
* 4 Stage Value 75GPD RO/DI System.
* Smart ATO Nano - Auto Top Off Kit.
* AquaClear 70 Power Filter.
* Instant Ocean Sea Salt (50 gal).
* Brightwell Aquatics MicroBacter Start. XLM.
* EHEIM Jager Aquarium Thermostat Heater 100W.
* DrTim’s Aquatics Ammonium Chloride.
* Hydor Koralia Nano Aquarium Circulation Pump.
* Imagitarium Aquatic Refractometer.
* Calibration fluid.
* Basic test kits.

How does my inventory look? Should I add or change anything?

Regarding lights I am not sure what to get.. I'm thinking or 2 AI prime 16 HD or 1 Radion xr15 blue or a kessil A360X What do you suggest?

My plan is to keep soft corals/lps and a few fish. Possibly later on some sps.. maybe after a possible upgrade later on down the line.

Congrats. I to have returned to something I enjoy. I had a reef tank 1994-2017 took it down after hurricane Harvey caused problems. First, my house needed major repair and all my favorite corals and critters were gone. Lack of electricity, also death of a spouse. I saved up so I could put my tank up and not have it a piece here and there.
Things have got so much simpler, lights mainly. The improvement in all the equipment is just wow.
I decided to go with a Red Sea set up, came across one in a LFS used a year old with most of the equipment. I am happy with it.
I also added to the dry rock some live rock and sand from Gulf Live Rock. I am very happy I did that to help the purple algae get started. It is most enjoyable to view all the critters swimming.

 

[YC77]

When the cycle ends how much % of the water should I change?

From then on how often and how much water should I change?