My 20 gallon tank thread with pictures

[lletellier]

Ok so here is the deal... after my 46 crashed horribly I decided to start everything over from the ground up and do this next tank the right way. This means taking advice from members from the very beginning and going from there. The new tank is a 20 gallon aga with a custom stand and a 10 gallon sump (thats the biggest I can fit under the stand). My plan is to do a clown anemone tank with some other assorted corals from my old tank that my friend is currenly holding in his 220. Here are the pictures of what I have so far and I will post things that I add along the way.

 

 

 

The stand was custom built by copps and I got it as well as the tank in a trade. Now I want to plan out ahead of time everything from this point on.

 

Since I don't have a lot of space in the sump (only 10 gal) I am thinking about either a HOB refugium or putting one on top of the canopy and lighting and having it gravity feed into the main tank. Need feedback on this as to what will work the best and what size I should use etc.

 

I have the overflow box from my 46 gallon that I will plumb into the sump but I am not sure how I should divide it up or what skimmer to use.

 

For flow I have a tunze 6100 with a single controller that I was planning putting on pulse which will make a very uneven flow and then depending on what I do for the refugium I was gonna make the return come through a spray bar. It is a small tank so I don't know if that would be the best idea.

 

Lighting is gonna be 4 24" T5's that I am going to build a custom canopy but before I do that I need to figure out where the refugium is going to be.

 

thanks,

Lance

[jason the filter freak]

Why not have a hob skimmer on your sump?

[bigJPDC]

that 10g is so small to be putting baffles and a pump in I don't know if you are really buying yourself anything.

[lletellier]

I was looking at tunze skimmers.. they have a pretty small footprint, I only need to skim ~40 gallons

 

I could put the skimmer on the back of the sump, but where should I put the refugium??

[Charlie97L]

I was looking at tunze skimmers.. they have a pretty small footprint, I only need to skim ~40 gallons

 

I could put the skimmer on the back of the sump, but where should I put the refugium??

 

i wouldn't bother with baffles in the sump... just run a filter sock or do the 90 deg elbow trick to prevent bubbles.

 

i think the fuge should HOB of the display, as then you won't have issues with your return pump chopping up any pods on their way back.

 

you could do either a remora and hang it on the sump, or an aquac urchin, in sump. i believe ASM also makes a "mini" skimmer, that would be in sump as well. having owned both, i would go with the urchin skimmer... even with 30ish gallons, i think the mj1200 version would be fine over the mag version.

 

also, wait wait wait on any anemones until the tank parameters are rock solid and you've figured out your maintenance schedule, especially if you haven't kept anemones before, or not had success.

 

i seem to recognize that stand and tank.

[lletellier]

If I go with a HOB fuge where would I get one??

 

so for the skimmer go with this?

http://www.fishtanksdirect.com/index.asp?P...amp;ProdID=1240

 

I was very happy with the performance of my aquac 120 once I got it hooked up so going with aquac again sounds good.

 

I'm in no rush on anything.. like I said I am going to take it very slow with this tank I just wanted to make it clear ahead of time what I'm going to be keeping since that can affect the type of equipment.

[lanman]

Why not have a hob skimmer on your sump?

That's what I have on my frag tank system. Aqua-c Remora hanging on the 'full' end of the sump, before the refugium.

 

bob

[lletellier]

bob do you have a picture of your sump?? trying to get different ideas

[jason the filter freak]

If you need it I have a CPR HOB skimmer for sale cheap.

[rrubberbandman]

I have a 20 with no sump or fuge and all is well in the tank........but i am definitely curious as to your finished product for some ideas for my own use.

Bryan

[lletellier]

ok... I've been looking at some stuff and had offers on different things so I need some feedback.

 

SKIMMERS

 

I have a bunch of different options

 

1. remora aquaC skimmer

2. Sapphire Aquatics BC 29 nanoskimmer

3. CPR Bak-Pak 2 Protein Skimmer

 

all would work in the sump or hanging on the back of the sump

 

or I could just plumb one of the skimmers I have... might be overkill though??

 

4. aquac ev 120

5. ASM G3

 

I am thinking about going with this for my fuge

 

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~idProduct~CR1721.html

 

I might be able to fit the medium sized one on there but I think I'd have to get a different overflow then. Would a gallon difference in my fuge be worth it??

[davelin315]

I would drill the tank instead. The amount of space you'll be taking up with an overflow box in a 20 gallon will cramp your style a bit unless you get a really low profile one (perhaps a very wide tubeless overflow). As far as a refugium, if you're going with a sump and are concerned about room, just make it a hang on back refugium built out of a hob filter. The Aquaclears have lots of room for a refugium and it will then be gravity fed back to the tank on top of being able to agitate the water surface and provide current and movement in the tank.

[jamesbuf]

Go with the Tunze 9010. It'll fit nicely in the 10gallon and you'll be covered if you ever want to upgrade.

[lletellier]

i do have a penguin biowheel that i could use as a temp fuge untill i get something better, as far as drilling the tank i don't have the tools to do that and I really wouldn't know where to begin anyways.

 

gonna see what i can do about getting a tunze nano skimmer i think with the small footprint that would work out the best

[Charlie97L]

i do have a penguin biowheel that i could use as a temp fuge untill i get something better, as far as drilling the tank i don't have the tools to do that and I really wouldn't know where to begin anyways.

 

gonna see what i can do about getting a tunze nano skimmer i think with the small footprint that would work out the best

 

tunze nano is the best, along with aquac.

 

cpr skimmers are generally not so great, and the sappire ones are just a rip off of the aquac design, but sold at a premium, because they fit in the BC/AP rear chambers. (just MO.)

 

as for a HOB fuge, any of the aquaclear or whisper filters should work fine with a little modification (see www.nano-reef.com)

 

if you want to run an overflow box, do it. WAMAS is drill crazy, but honestly, on a 20 (glass is getting to be thin), i'd prefer a lifereef overflow box to a possibly cracking 20. just remember, not all overflow boxes are created equal. some of them are horribly unreliable when the power goes out.

[rrubberbandman]

tunze nano is the best, along with aquac.

 

cpr skimmers are generally not so great, and the sappire ones are just a rip off of the aquac design, but sold at a premium, because they fit in the BC/AP rear chambers. (just MO.)

 

as for a HOB fuge, any of the aquaclear or whisper filters should work fine with a little modification (see www.nano-reef.com)

 

if you want to run an overflow box, do it. WAMAS is drill crazy, but honestly, on a 20 (glass is getting to be thin), i'd prefer a lifereef overflow box to a possibly cracking 20. just remember, not all overflow boxes are created equal. some of them are horribly unreliable when the power goes out.

Isnt drilling a 20 gallon overkill.......but then again having tubes hanging in the tank takes up some valuable space in a small setup.....i have the prizm skimmer and WOW it really gets some yucky stuff out of the water.......yeah i know ...prizm's suck....but it must be doing something right...i have no hair algae>?!

[martin]

CPR skimmers=junk, but the refugiums are good. I have one that I got used and its working out for me. I have a aquaC skimmer and it really skims, but is super sensitive to water level and chemistery (?) I would drill, overflows take up lots of space.

 

I used an old skilter for a refugium for a long time, it worked great in that capacity.

[WallyBackm]

can someone explain how an overflow could work back up in the event of a power failure?

 

In my case when there is a power failure the water simply flows into the sump until the display level is below the teeth of the overflow. since no water is returned to the display, once the display is below the teeth level of the overflow water cannot enter the overflow. How does a lifereef overflow deal with this? When the pump comes back on does it somehow restart the siphon? If so, how?

 

Sorry to hijack here.

[lletellier]

I've actually had the power go out and my U tubes keep the syphon and as soon as water starts to flow again it picks up. Just have to make sure there is no air in the U tubes.

 

I might try hooking up my aqua c since I really liked the performance I have to see. Gonna do some stuff this weekend (hopefully canopy and some plumbing) and then i'll post new picture.

[Charlie97L]

I've actually had the power go out and my U tubes keep the syphon and as soon as water starts to flow again it picks up. Just have to make sure there is no air in the U tubes.

 

I might try hooking up my aqua c since I really liked the performance I have to see. Gonna do some stuff this weekend (hopefully canopy and some plumbing) and then i'll post new picture.

 

pic pic pic

[lletellier]

ok guys, i've been going through some more stuff that I have lying around and I found these two items. The first is a red sea ozonizer aquazone plus 100. The second are two milwaukee PH testers one is the sms 122 the other is the sms 115. No idea if I should use either of these items on my 20 gallon set up, I don't even know what an ozonizer is! i'm guessing i don't need 2 ph meters but which one is better?? are they accurate?? lmk.

Lance

 

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_AquariumPage...ed_sea_aquazone

 

http://www.milwaukeetesters.com/

Edited September 25, 2007 by lletellier

[dandy7200]

How does a lifereef overflow deal with this? When the pump comes back on does it somehow restart the siphon? If so, how?

 

Sorry to hijack here.

 

Siphon is never lost in Jeff's design. There is a water lock section in the outside box that then drains to the main drain. The U-tube sits submerged in the siphon lock portion of the outer box.

 

Someone will surely drill your tank for you Lance. Go with a Tunze nano skimmer, baffle your sump and trade your tunze 6100 transformer for a 6000 transformer (someone will throw in cash too for that deal), that way you can pulse for a bit longer without blowing water on the floor

[lletellier]

I've been making slow progress and but i'm hoping to have the tank going in the next week or two. I ordered a current usa UV, a tunze nanoskimmer with the reef pack which should be here next week. I also bought a coralife MH/pc actinic light fixture instead of building a canopy and using my t-5's. I had to reverse the feet to fit it on the tank which you can see in the side picture, I think it looks ok. Getting a tunze 9045 nano powerhead from dan as well as an eheim 605 gph pump to use as a return and an ac jr. I have an auto top off that i'm going to use with a 5 gallon bucket and a maxi jet 600 and I am working on picking up a cpr medium sized hob refugium with mounted light. Once I get everything at the same place I just need to put it all together, I was going to wait to take pictures but I like this fixture so much that I had to post. Not sure if i'm going to keep the egg crate on the top... I saw it in another set up and liked the idea we'll see once I get water in it. In the pictures you can see how much space the overflow takes up so I am seriously considering drilling the tank... how do I know if the glass is tempered? If I do decide to drill I do not have the tools so any volunteers????

 

Any other suggestions welcome

Lance

front

top

Side

leds

actinics

halide

both actinic and halide

full shot

Edited October 6, 2007 by lletellier

[dandy7200]

Looks good, light fits nice. I like eggcrate tops. I usually cut a hole to feed through like 3"x3".

 

As far as tempering goes, a AGA 20 is not tempered on the back or sides. They don't start tempering until the 55 gallons. Pretty sure the bottoms not tempered either on that tank or any other up to the 50 breeder. You can search for AGA website though, they have the tank specs listed with tempering info.

[lletellier]

was that an offe to drill