Joseph C asked:
Im getting a free 20 gallon aquarium and since i have done very well with freshwater and have basically kept all fish including discus im ready to move on to saltwater. I think starting with a small tank would be a good test kit for me. Ive purchased a book which shows me lots of equipment but i would like to know what equipment is absolutely necessary to have a reef aquarium in a 20 gallon. I dont want equipment that i don’t really have to buy because anemones and fish are very expensive. Any answer would be great.
Im getting a free 20 gallon aquarium and since i have done very well with freshwater and have basically kept all fish including discus im ready to move on to saltwater. I think starting with a small tank would be a good test kit for me. Ive purchased a book which shows me lots of equipment but i would like to know what equipment is absolutely necessary to have a reef aquarium in a 20 gallon. I dont want equipment that i don’t really have to buy because anemones and fish are very expensive. Any answer would be great.
Well, it’s because anemones and fish, [and corals and other organisms] are very expensive that you want a little more equipment. You want the best chance of keeping them alive.
Since you’re just starting, I would suggest trying just a FOWLR tank for now. That’s Fish Only With Live Rock. It’s easier to keep, and doesn’t require as much equipment, but you can add to it later and convert it to a full reef. That way you can spread out any expense as well.
Besides the tank, what you would need is a filter, lights, heater, hydrometer, marine salt, bucket for mixing salt, aragonite sand, some carbonate rock, and water test kits for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH. I’ll assume you have a gravel vaccuum, water conditioner, and other supplies from your freshwater tanks.
* The lights will need to be upgraded to some type of very high output, either compact fluorescents or T-5s when you switch to a reef tank, but for a FOWLR, you can use normal output lighting if it comes with the tank. But you can put off an upgrade until you start adding corals or anemones that are photosynthetic.
* A powerhead would be a good idea, it helps to create more current in your tank to keep dead zones from forming where food and detritus can accumulate. It can also double as a mixing tool when you mix up new saltwater. But you may have extras of these from your other tanks. If you have a spare heater to bring the newly mixed water to the same temperature as your tank water before you do a water change, that’s a bonus. I use a powerhead, but not a heater as my water isn’t that different in temperature where I store it.
* Live rock has the bacteria necessary for cycling your tank. It’s expensive, but you don’t have to buy all live rock. Buy some cheaper dry carbonate rock and the live rock will seed it with bacteria, coralline algae, and other organisms. You want about 1 pound per gallon. Get this in your tank first, so anything on the rock that dies and produces ammonia will just contribute to your tank cycling, not killing your fish.
At this point that should be all you NEED. Other than the fish and non-photosynthetic animals and their food, of course.
When you change over to a reef tank, upgrade your lighting and add a protein skimmer. This will remove small particles of food and wastes that are too small for your regular filter to trap. It gets rid of these before they are completely broken down to ammonia and nitrite, so they are a real help with water quality. With just fish and live rock, you should be able to keep the water quality good enough just with regular water changes. But if you’ve kept discus, you’re no stranger to regular water changes.
There are lots of other bells and whistles you can get – UV units, overflows and trickle filters with a sump, LED lighting, calcium reactors – but this is mostly optional. The calcium reactor/dripper may be necessary if you keep specific corals that have a high calcium requirement, but if you do your research before you buy any corals, you might not need them at all.
Some will say that small tanks are not for novice but I think the opposite way. You have some good experience with fresh water and if you are willing to put the time to learn about saltwater, I am sure you will love it!
I could write you a book about what to do and what you need. There is so much to say!
My advice, start by reading the first link bellow. It will show you how to set up your tank and how to do the maintenance. You’ll see, this is quite easy.
Then, use the 2nd link to find suitable fish and inverts for your tank.
Finally, keep asking questions all the time!
Enjoy your new tank. Good luck!