Converting 20 gallon FW to FOWLR

disclaimer: this is the tank I have, 20 gallon, using it for FOWLR with 3 fish absolute max, maybe 2 (clown, firefish, goby, mix of these maybe) I cannot buy a bigger tank, because I already have the led lighting and stand for this tank.

so with that said, 2 questions I have for doing this

1: I have read numorous times that for a 20 gallon FOWLR tank, I don't need a skimmer (right away at least) I have an aquaclear 30 HOB for my Freshwater setup, can that be used as a filter for a a 20 gallon FOWLR? what kind of media would I put in it? the white sponge and chemi-pure? black carbon sack?

2: for starting out, what size of the instant ocean salt mix do I need? can I get away with a "50 gallon" container? or do I absolutely need the huge 160 gallon bucket? would the 50 gallon container last a few months? say with 10% weekly water changes.

I am soon dismantling the tank and clearing out my fw fish and plants, and in the process of pricing stuff that I need, because I am on kind of a budget, but I already have:

heater (might replace, not sure)
aquaclear 30
stand
24inch LED light with day/night lighting
nets and stuff
glass top
FW apI master test kit (I know, getting Saltwater kit lol)

so any ideas?

 

Not really sure if you need the skimmer right away or not but it is going to get more expensive than you had originally planned. Here are a few other considerations to add into your budget. Live rock, substrate, a Powerhead, Refractometer for testing Salinity of your salt mix, salt water test kit, thermometer, bucket for mixing salt water. Those are just to name a few off the top of my head

 

Yeah I know about all that I calculated it all today at my LFS, trying to see if I can get it all cheaper online lol (canada) only difference is I'll be using a hydrometer instead for a while because of the big price difference.

My main concern is this, a ro DI unit is out of the question right now, it's just a 20 gallon tank, and as long as I'm living where I am right now it will be my 1 tank. BUT I will be buying ro water at my LFS. 50 cents a gallon. Thing is transporting it lol, I need 20 gallons to start, and not sure how much for water changes (10% weekly?)

 

I'm in Canada to and my lfs (big als) is about an hour and a half drive away. I've been ordering everything online because the price difference is a ton in savings. Like $20 cheaper on power heads, $30 cheaper on my Refractometer. Everything I've found cheaper online. The only thing I didn't get online was my 160 salt pail, tank, stand, and lights. I'm not sure how much I woulda saved had I had to pay for shipping but I haven't payed for shipping for anything at all for my setup. All I have left to get is substrate and a few pounds of LR to seed my 50lbs of Marco dry rock which I also got free shipping on. This site I've ordered everything has a free shipping for any orders of dry goods over $100 so what I did planned my orders. I made a list of everything I needed and just started to strategically place orders that always totalled enough to qualify for free shipping. All my orders I would get in like 5 business days and I'm not in a hurry to set up so it all worked out. That and I love getting packages in the mail lol. More than I like coming home with new stuff. If you want I can give you the site I ordered everything. Just let me know and I'll get u a link. I'm extremely happy where I place my orders so I didn't really even shop around. Just know that everything was way cheaper than big als.

 

yeah my lfs used to be a big als, but they brandched off on their own on a different name. but same cocept. I found a place online in bc (I'm in quebec lol) that a few things are way cheaper. live sand is 12$ cheaper, salt is a few dollars cheaper, and the apI test kit is way cheaper. its j&l actually.

problem is they didnt have everything I need, few things I couldn't find.

edit: ok I found a place in canada that has every single thing the same or better than my LFS (better live sand) and grand total came to about 20$ cheaper than my LFS because of the shipping for sand and salt (2 of the things that were cheaper online) after the shipping the sand comes to a bit more than the lfs lol.

what makes a difference is the apI salt water master test kit, 39.99 at the lfs, 28.99 online, live sand is about a 10$ difference also but after shipping its the same.

so confused lol

 

J&L is where I order. Everything is cheaper lol. And not just a little. Powerhead are like 15-20 cheaper, my Refractometer was like $30 cheaper. The only thing I found that wasn't really was like sand and salt because they don't count under the free shipping policy and you gotta pay extra shipping on them actually. I did see a place in Quebec or Montreal but never used them. I'm about an hour east of Toronto. J&L is fast tho. I'm sure I still have more to get. Gloves etc but I could setup now if I wanted. I gotta use big als tho for livestock and a few pounds of live rock