New to the Game. Questions.

[cq28]

#ed_op#P#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT size=4#ed_cl#Hello,#ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#/P#ed_cl##ed_op#P#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT size=4#ed_cl# My name is Clement and I live in South Florida. I have been a fan of the natural coral reefs all my life, but until now I was only able to see them in action in the Florida Keys. I finally got the time and money to get into it. I went to a local fish store and started asking questions, I wanted to learn how to manage a tank so I wasn't for looking anything large. They told me 20 gallons was sufficient and pretty much set me up. I got a skilter 250, a rio 400 pump, a 75 watt vasi-therm and an Aqualight. I set the tank up early this week and everything has been good so far, but it's only been week one. The sand bed is about 1 to 1 and half inches. I purchased a few rocks today and was already wondering if I didn't get enough, and variety at that was slim (4 of the 5 rocks are the same). I posted some pictures so you guys can help me out. Do you think I should get more rock for the bottom (maybe 2 more, one with a bridge like arc to it)? They don't take up that much space, they dont come out to half way of the bottom of the tank. Height wise I think I'm okay, leaves me space for other things. I pushed the rocks deep into the sand, I think they are touching the bottom of the tank, is this a bad thing? The other thing was what temperature, what do you guys mostly use? I have it around 75 right now, it's been difficult since my house gets really cold. I put the temperature in my room to 74 and I have to make sure no one changes it or I'll be in trouble. I was reading alot of liveaquaria.com and much of it scared me. It seems as if I'm so behind in the game. Okay, here's my deal. I can't afford a hospital. I want to cure my rocks, but I threw the live sand in already and I missed the part on liveaquaria where it said you cure the rocks without the sand. The rocks were pre-cured (but it said you should do it again), however, I think the best thing for me to do is let them sit in the tank for a couple weeks without light and I'll change the water 50% weekly. I brushed them and rinsed them before I put them into my tank. What do you think, okay for a beginner? The other thing I wanted to ask for future reference is what would be the best set of live animals for a beginner as far as cleaners and regular old fish? What would you get for a 20 gallon tank, I'm thinking an eel is out of the question huh ;-)? Would you get the coral first slowly or fish slowly and than the coral? What else what else, I guess that's it so far I'm sure once I post this I'll think of something else. I'm not looking to kill my fish so I really need ideas on what are the best forgivers to us new guys and the same for coral. I want color, but I want life too.#ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#/P#ed_cl##ed_op#P#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT size=4#ed_cl##ed_op#IMG alt="image file name: 2k2e2648a56c.jpg" src="http://www.captivereefing.com/richedit/upload/2k2e2648a56c.jpg" border=0#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#/P#ed_cl##ed_op#P#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT size=4#ed_cl##ed_op#IMG style="WIDTH: 388px; HEIGHT: 506px" height=548 alt="image file name: 2kb356fe26c0.jpg" src="http://www.captivereefing.com/richedit/upload/2kb356fe26c0.jpg" width=416 border=0#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#/P#ed_cl##ed_op#P#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT size=4#ed_cl#Best Regards,#ed_op#BR#ed_cl#Clement#ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#/P#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Whoyah]

Looks like you have good start. Your temp should be around 78 degrees F. At this point I kind think your tank is has good start on being cycled since you purchased cured rock. I would throw in a raw cocktail shrimp and watch for your ammonia and nitrate to spike and fall to zero. Once that happens you will ready to add fish or corals. Just add them slowly. Each time you add something there will be a mini cycle. You will probably only want to have maybe three fish in there do to the size of the tank and low amount of rock/sand, and the skilter. I would recommend sticking to mushrooms and zoanthids due to your low lighting.

[Guido]

This might be a dumb question, but what is a skilter??

[cq28]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#It's the protein skimmer and filter.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[cq28]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Oh, one more thing....I don't have a canopy, the guy at the store told me it's better without it. If I need one I would have to order glass pieces because the aqualight stand gets in the way of normal canopies.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Clem#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Whoyah]

Does your light set on top of the tank with a canopy? If so I would probably hold off. Most folks don't use one but some do. You can always get one later if you decide it is needed.

[zoo-a-holic]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Welcome to reefing and to the board. Looks like you have a great start there.Your tempurature needs to go up a tad but it looks like you are off to the races. Another thing, watch your nitrait for a spike from your like rock. Best of luck to ya!#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[cq28]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Yea, my light is protected, but it's not a canaopy on top of the water...the light sits up a few inches and has a cover under it. The other thing I want to ask now that I see life, what do I do with the fancy star fish that are crawling out of the rock? Do I leave them in there until they grow a bit or try to remove them when I can. I'm really not sure, I haven't found any articles on what to do with creatures you didn't purchase.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#;-) thnks for your help!!!#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Clement#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[graphixx]

your stars are probably asternia stars, they are fine. what kind of light are you using????? also you do not want to put a cover on the tank. leave that open it helps with head and gas exchange on the water surface. but yeah you are off to a good start. do as stated above with the cocktail shrimp. Also ask your pet store guy is you can buy or most of the time they will give you a cup full of sand out of one of their tanks. this will speed the process up. the more sand you can get out of an established tank the better. But welcome aboard. best of luck to you :D

[cq28]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Alright, the stars are cool little guys. New question...I got someworm like creaturesthat look real clear walking around (all over one rock), should I worry, what should I do? I'm currently not running my lights, what I plan to do a beginner's two week cycle. I plan to change the water twice during that period 50% and leave the lights off. Any comments to that are more than welcomed.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Lighting:#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Lunar Aqualight#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#24 Inch 65 Watt 10000K Daytlight Compact Fluorescent Lamp #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#24 Inch 65 Watt True Actinic Blue Compact Fluorescent Lamp#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Lunar Blue Moon Glow LED Lamp X 2#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#130 Watt Output.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Thanks!?!?!#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Clement#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[dakar]

The critters are likely 'pods, they are good (most will become fish food later). Lighting is adequate for most any soft corals, at least what have been labeled beginner's coral, zoanthids, mushrooms and the like will do pretty well under that lighting, as will many others.

A suggestion on your rock, if you've got it pushed down into the sand, I'd consider moving it up and out of the sand, if you can get some small pieces of PVC (1.5" or so) that are just a but longer than your sandbed is deep to set the rock on you will be better off. This allows water to flow around the whole surface of the rock (increases the effective surface area for the good bacteria to live on). Drill some random holes in the PVC to allow water to flow thru it as well.

[cq28]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#It's amazing how much I've learned from you guys, but here's another one. As faras the PVC that seems kind of up in the air for me because I wouldn't know how to get the same stability. I'm still thinking about it, but for now I'll post some pictures and you tell me what you think. Another thing was how's the flow in the tank with a rio 400, should I get another one for the other side or maybe go with a 200? I'm going to go ahead and buy battery outage essentials as recommended by liveaquaria tomorrow morning. #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Clem#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[cq28]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Front View#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#IMG alt="image file name: 2k30da302065.jpg" src="http://www.captivereefing.com/richedit/upload/2k30da302065.jpg" border=0#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Side View#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#IMG alt="image file name: 2kaf2f2516ff.jpg" src="http://www.captivereefing.com/richedit/upload/2kaf2f2516ff.jpg" border=0#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Close Up#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#IMG alt="image file name: 2k7cebdb58ad.jpg" src="http://www.captivereefing.com/richedit/upload/2k7cebdb58ad.jpg" border=0#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Close Up#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#IMG alt="image file name: 2k3a16427ded.jpg" src="http://www.captivereefing.com/richedit/upload/2k3a16427ded.jpg" border=0#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Close Up#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#IMG alt="image file name: 2k7278a81124.jpg" src="http://www.captivereefing.com/richedit/upload/2k7278a81124.jpg" border=0#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#This is the flow I got going...#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#IMG alt="image file name: 2k392011c0a1.jpg" src="http://www.captivereefing.com/richedit/upload/2k392011c0a1.jpg" border=0#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Clem#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[zoo-a-holic]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Looks really good so far. One idea is that you would like to have the currents coliding in the middle, if you get what im saying. Just so everything doesnt flow the same way, just an idea#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[cq28]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Yea, I'm going to see if I can get another pump facing sorta into the other one.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[dakar]

The trend nowadays is to get your total turnover rate to 30-40 times the tank volume, so 600-800 gph would be great. The trick is to get it without real straight line flow, you want the water mixing up but not a whirl pool or blasting away at an area, diffused flow.

[Tom McKenna]

or just buy a zoomed powersweep power head they rotate to make wave motions an dnever in the same direction. If you can't get them let me know I have a pet shop and I will ship

[cq28]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#As far as not causing a whirlpool would it matter if the flow was going to one side of the tank instead of colliding in the middle from opposite sides? I would be able to get a 200 with sweepor another 400 with the sweep but it would be better on the same side of the one I got now. In addition I think it would push alot of stuff toward the filter.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Clement#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[graphixx]

you have got it. you want good current for feeding and good agitation on the surface for gas exchange. the power sweeps work well but you have to keep them very clean or they will stick and not sweep.

[cq28]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#30-40 times my 20 gallon tank. Wow. I was reading my pump box and it says the Rio 400 pumps out about 150 gal/hr so I am behind on that.This is really low to what you guys recommend. Should I leave the 400 and then get the 800 (200 gal/hr.) or do you guys have another powerhead that would work good in my 20 gallon tank along side the Rio 400. If you think I'm okay with just another 400 or 800 let me know, I don't mind having the same brand name for pumps.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Clement#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#