New 20gal fowlr.

Chaos1783

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 24, 2015
Messages
142
Reaction score
42
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hello here is my new 20gal fowlr tank. I am somewhat new to saltwater tanks. I've done freshwater cichlids for years. What do you guys think so far?
ImageUploadedByREEF2REEF1448451311.188155.jpg
ImageUploadedByREEF2REEF1448451319.070793.jpg
 

Dtackett

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 29, 2015
Messages
1,993
Reaction score
840
Location
Forest, OH
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
looks decent. what lights are on it? you may have a reef tank that's only missing some coral.
 
OP
OP
Chaos1783

Chaos1783

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 24, 2015
Messages
142
Reaction score
42
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So what all do you recommend I do to make it better.
 

Waters

"...in perfect isolation, here behind my wall."
View Badges
Joined
Nov 5, 2013
Messages
8,572
Reaction score
19,070
Location
Mentor, OH
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I personally would add a little bit more live rock....maybe stack it differently so it looks less like a pile of rubble...possibly having two small islands? I realize it will be tough in a 29, just trying to come up with ideas.
 
OP
OP
Chaos1783

Chaos1783

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 24, 2015
Messages
142
Reaction score
42
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Ok cool. Yea ill take any info you guys can give me. The more the better. Plus I am going thru and reading the different post on here to gain more knowledge
 

pondman

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 20, 2011
Messages
311
Reaction score
122
Location
davenport iowa
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Good start on your tank.yea some more rock would be good. Just remember to take it slow don't rush and you will be fine
 
OP
OP
Chaos1783

Chaos1783

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 24, 2015
Messages
142
Reaction score
42
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Yea I was thinking the same thing after putting it on. Lol. Could I still paint it while the tank is running
 

Brian Kim

Color My Reef
View Badges
Joined
Nov 24, 2015
Messages
1,451
Reaction score
816
Location
Whitestone, NY
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
Yea I was thinking the same thing after putting it on. Lol. Could I still paint it while the tank is running
I would strongly suggest using con-tact film instead, you can buy them at home depot for around 10 bucks. Try the one that looks like leather, it's pretty awesome and reversible, in case someday you decide to go back to clear tank
 

Dtackett

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 29, 2015
Messages
1,993
Reaction score
840
Location
Forest, OH
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
heres what I did with rock in my 29. seemed to work pretty well.

something youll learn about leds, not 10k kelvin leds are created equally. the real question becomes the par or the wattage of the leds.

20150730_145505.jpg


20150812_142340.jpg
 

Dtackett

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 29, 2015
Messages
1,993
Reaction score
840
Location
Forest, OH
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
that's a lot of power... very few led lights use 5w leds. but some do. I would look to be sure. most leds are 3watts, 1 watt, or less than 1 watt. ive seen lights use 5w, but not very many and they weren't designed for nanos.

most likely you can grow coral though. things like acans, most common zoas and palys, mushrooms, leathers, toadstools, xenia, anthelia, GSP, clove polyps. all of these will grow in low to moderate light setups. if your leds are 5 watts each and non dimmable, they may be too powerful.
 

cameronh

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 11, 2015
Messages
6,776
Reaction score
5,880
Location
GA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Cool tank man, I agree with the islands. And definitely put a few corals in if you can swing it. I ran a fluval edge 6 gallon with the power filter and kept corals just fine. But they were star polyps. Good start though man, nice tank
 
OP
OP
Chaos1783

Chaos1783

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 24, 2015
Messages
142
Reaction score
42
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Just looked and they are 3watts. Also they are not dimmable.
 

Dtackett

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 29, 2015
Messages
1,993
Reaction score
840
Location
Forest, OH
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
ill just tell you here instead of the other post.

canister filters are known as detritus traps and need frequent cleaning otherwise, in time, they can cause big issues. that's why in general people stray away from canister filters in saltwater. remember, filters in saltwater aren't really needed. your rock houses your bacteria. the filters just remove the solids. ive ran several tanks with 0 mechanical filtration that were successful.

hang on back filters are great to use for sumpless tanks but you don't need polishing material in it such as the sponges that come with them. any old HOB filter will work, but the more water it holds the better. I actually built one for a 10 gallon tank out of a 5 gallon bucket. lol yeah, it was a little rednecked.

take everything out of the hob filter, put a piece of eggcrate or plastic screen in front of the outflow and place some chaeto in it. then put a light over the hob filter itself.

you can also buy HOB refugiums designed for nano reef tanks. check ebay or BRS.
 

Dtackett

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 29, 2015
Messages
1,993
Reaction score
840
Location
Forest, OH
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Just looked and they are 3watts. Also they are not dimmable.
that's a lot of power. they are probably operating at 2watts which is fine. but yes, you can grow coral. you may have to find a way to dim, or raise the light though. that can burn corals that don't want that much light and create so much light that its hard to create shadowy areas for low light corals.
 
OP
OP
Chaos1783

Chaos1783

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 24, 2015
Messages
142
Reaction score
42
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Oh ok cool. Thanks for the info. I will check out the hob Refugiums. Now does the chaeto need lights on constantly or I can turn it off in the evening when I do for my tank
 

Dtackett

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 29, 2015
Messages
1,993
Reaction score
840
Location
Forest, OH
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
preferably you want lights on the cheato 18-24 hours a day. the light helps stabilize the tanks ph, as well as keep the cheato growing. you can put a light guard around it made out of black plastic. ive never seen them for sale but seen a few made through DIY. basically 5 pieces of black plastic and some glue.
 

WHAT ARE THE TOP 3 FEELINGS YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR REEF? EXPLAIN YOUR ANSWERS IN THE COMMENTS!

  • Happy

    Votes: 76 46.1%
  • Excited

    Votes: 75 45.5%
  • Scared

    Votes: 16 9.7%
  • Confused

    Votes: 27 16.4%
  • Love

    Votes: 48 29.1%
  • Sad

    Votes: 10 6.1%
  • Anxious

    Votes: 63 38.2%
  • Calm

    Votes: 39 23.6%
  • Joy

    Votes: 45 27.3%
  • Shame

    Votes: 10 6.1%
  • Surprise

    Votes: 10 6.1%
  • Disappointed

    Votes: 21 12.7%
  • Content

    Votes: 21 12.7%
  • Disgust (maybe you need to start a thread on how to get rid of whatever is making you disgusted LOL)

    Votes: 6 3.6%
  • Other (Please explain)

    Votes: 9 5.5%
  • Proud

    Votes: 37 22.4%
Back
Top