Starting up my first SW tank

Hi,
so I have this empty 20 gallon tank and I was thinking of turning it into a reef tank. I have only had Freshwater aquariums before, so Saltwater is very new to me.

I was wondering if I can use liverock and a HOB filter as only filtration or if I need something else.
I am only planning to have easy to keep soft corals, some inverts and two clownfish.
I would also like to know what lighting I should use.

Thanks for the help

 

Hello. Welcome to fish lore I have only been keeping saltwater for a few years now, so I am not all that knowledgeable or experienced, but I can give you a bit of information.

From what I know, you can use live rock and a HOB as your only filtration. There is debate over HOB filters though. Some people say they are useful while others say they don't add anything. Make sure you get at least 1-1.75lbs per gallon of rock, as your live rock will provide most of your filtration. You should also look for nano powerheads to avoid deadspots and aid in filtration. Protein skimmers and sumps/refugium are also something to look into. A side note, while a 20 gallon is not a bad pace to start, if you can, I would go for something 29 gallons or over. I started saltwater with nanos and they take a lot of maintenance.

For lighting, since the corals you want are most likely low light corals, lighting should not be too difficult or expensive. I currently have fluval marine and reef lights. They are not the best lights, but they are okay for the coral I currently have. I have also heard current us orbit lights are good for low light coral, but I have never had them myself. If you look at lights on a site like amazon, then you can read reviews. Many people will update their review so that if they liked it at first, then something went wrong, they will state what happened. Someone more experienced with lighting may be able to steer you in a more specific direction though. If you need any more info, just ask. Also, there are some stickies in the saltwater beginners section and a lot of good information in the Saltwater Aquarium information tab on top of the home screen, that you may find helpful and may want to check out if you have not already

 

Thanks for the reply!Maintenance won't really be that much of a problem for me. I can manage weekly water changes, even more if necessary. I have been thinking about a little larger Saltwater tank, but I will start with this 20 gallon tank first though, and then I will most likely convert one of my larger Freshwater tanks to a Saltwater tank.I am not sure what media I should use in the HOB filter. I am thinking of bio balls and a poly filter pad. Should I have anything else in the filter?

 

I found an aquael fan filter lying around. Could I modify it for use in a Saltwater tank, and if so then how do I do it?

 

Live rock, power head(s), heater and a protein skimmer or be ready to do frequent partial water changes. The filter could be used to run activated carbon or phosban or similar if needed. The beneficial bacteria will be in/on the live rock. An RO filter is highly recommended as well.

Lights depend on the corals you want to keep. After figuring out the corals you want look into Power Compacts, T5HO's or LEDs.

 

Can't beat the advice already given so I'll give some new thoughts, my thoughts. SLOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW. Slow wins the race here I promise you. Things in a Saltwater tank will progress twice as slow, or should IMO, as a Freshwater tank but the results will be 10x better!! Take it slow and be patient I've never had more fun with my Saltwater nano than when I've taken my time and done it right.

You can do that WC regime but let your tank tell you what it likes. Some algae, ok feed a bit less, adjust the light cycle and keep doing the WCs. Find the balance. Some soft coral don't like ultra clean water, but we're not talking dirty water to the point it particles floating all around in it either.

I ran my Saltwater nano for close to a year with an HOB filter (though since I had SPS I also used a protein skimmer)


RO water is a must, keep those phosphates/silicates down! And I personally wouldn't run any media except poly pad to start. Let your tank tell you what you have in it water wise and what you need to remove before adding media. Let it establish itself first.

If it were me I'd be looking past power compacts. They are cheap but technology has advanced so far past them that I find them to not be worth using to be honest, and I find they grow algae very easily. T5 (if you can find a fixture to fit) or LED would be my choice. If you know you will be keeping the tank a while and won't be upgrading soon then put your money here. Even so, some of the fixtures can transition to larger tanks just fine and it would be an upgrade proof piece of equipment.

Lights, Skimmer (eventually), and Powerheads I personally find these to be your best investments especially as far as Nanos go. Everything else you can get away with doing fairly cheap, dry rock, hob filter and media compartments, etc....but those 3 things are the life blood of a reef.