# 20G reef build with 10G sump



## Splinter492 (Aug 24, 2009)

well getting started on my 20 gallon build or would i call it a thirty gallon build?? anyways i built a diy stand already and started the plumbing for the sump. ill post pics if you guys want. the light i plan on getting is here http://www.oceanicsystems.com/products/lunar-aqualight-deluxe-series---double-linear-strip.php#
and i plan on getting a coralife super skimmer 65 with the needle wheel technology.

any questions or comments?


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

after 150 posts you should know we are PIX junkies!!!!!!! come on make this a real build thread and do the pic / update blurb so we can watch as it grows with you!!!!

i so excited LOL


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## onefish2fish (Jul 22, 2008)

i personally would go with an ASM mini G over the coralife, but thats just me. im interested in pics


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## Splinter492 (Aug 24, 2009)

okay give me a second to take some pics and ill upload them


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

onefish2fish said:


> i personally would go with an ASM mini G over the coralife, but thats just me. im interested in pics



i can not say i have tried a lot of skimmers but i have been running the 65 for a few months and i love it.. it pulls a ton of junk out (price does not hurt either LOL)


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## Splinter492 (Aug 24, 2009)

dang i cant figure out how to post an image every time i try to attach one my computer freezes and i have to restart


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## Splinter492 (Aug 24, 2009)

well i finnished building everything and i bought the skimmer and 10 lbs of live rock and the tank water is clear but im having problems with this skimmer... it keeps overfloving with just water no mater what setting its on anybody know what i should do??


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## onefish2fish (Jul 22, 2008)

raise the skimmer up higher out of the water


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## Splinter492 (Aug 24, 2009)

im not too sure how... should i set something underneath it? like maybe a rock?


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## onefish2fish (Jul 22, 2008)

a rock would create an un-even surface.. maybe build a basic plexi-glass box as a riser or using something food/tank safe to get it up higher.


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## Splinter492 (Aug 24, 2009)

you are my savyor one fish!!!! hahahahaha its workin now i just real quick grabbed some of my left over acrylic and heated it up over my stove and bent it into a box and it works perfictly!! thank you so much!!


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

food storage container with a hole on each end to keep water flowing will work really good...


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## Splinter492 (Aug 24, 2009)

well the skimmer seems to be working, the reason i say this is because i see dried skimmate on the inside of the skimmer cup. and the cycleing process seems to be comming to a close so hopefully i can get more money and start buying some lil critters


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

sweet!!! what are your thoughts on a CUC????


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## Splinter492 (Aug 24, 2009)

i want snails but idk what kind. i do know i want:
3-5 hermits of various types def dwarf hermits tho there so cute.
either a skunk cleaner shrimp or a fire shrimp or both
a sand sifting star fish or other starfish recommendations are welcome
maybe a sexy shrimp but i do know they are kinda high maintenance
and probably an arrow crab
any other suggestions??


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## trukgirl (Jan 28, 2010)

For your pics, get an account at Photobucket (photobucket.com)
Upload them there....
then copy and paste the IMG code here on the forum....
and Voila! Pics!


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## trukgirl (Jan 28, 2010)

As far as your CUC... are you planning on making the tank a reef? If so there are only certain starfish that are reef compatible... common ones like the chocolate chip are not reef safe.

Also beware having hermit crabs and snails together... every snail I had in my 65g got killed by the crabs. I had 2 large turbos and 4 narcissus snails. In my 10g there are 2 crabs and 1 GIANT turbo snail so this isnt the case 100% of the time, but keep an eye out! IMO Turbo's clean REALLY well and get around fast. The narcissus snails were pretty lazy.


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

i like what you are thinking personally .. i have heard many issues with crabs but have not had any issues myself so be careful and buy cheep so you dont waist money LOL 
as for stars i would let things mature for awhile before getting one... i made that mistake and it did not end well.... but i do like sand sifters and brittles when the time comes.....


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## onefish2fish (Jul 22, 2008)

i would avoid linkia and green brittle starfish in this size tank. the sand sifter may not do to well either as its only 20 gallons. a few nassariuos (sp?) snails would do a fine job keeping the sand stirred. i think a trio ( 3 ) sexy shrimp would be great. i would also pick only one of the cleaners, either a skunk or a fire, not one of each.


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## Splinter492 (Aug 24, 2009)

okay i love the seggustions as for the cleaner shrimp i love the fire shrimp. but i want one that will do the job the best and wont cause any tank problems. the crab situation my local reef store has tons of HUGE snails and tons of itty bitty tiny dwarf crabs and there both cheap so i think ill be fine with those. and tank gurl thanks for the help with the pics ill try uploading them tonight once my drugs wear off ( getting my wisdom teeth removed today DX) oh and i do plan on making it a reef tank i only want to keep softies and lps for the time being maybe like 4 years later ill attempt some sps in a diff tank


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## trukgirl (Jan 28, 2010)

OOOH! Sorry about getting the wisdom teeth done, yikes!


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## onefish2fish (Jul 22, 2008)

a "cleaner" shrimp wont really clean much in the tank, despite its name. i find them more ornamental then helpful. they will go after a clump of food when you feed the tank, and i have seen them pick parasites off fish, but thats about it for "cleaning" 
i suggested one cleaner over the other type of cleaner because im not sure if they would fight or not. i have seen both in larger tanks before but never something smaller. when i had a 46gallon i had both at one time until my fire shrimp turned up dead one day.. never was sure of the cause. 
for alittle more detail on the stars, the linkia will flat out starve, if not right away in a short time, the green brittle likes to eat fish, and the sand shifter star prob. would deplete any food source to quickly in just the 20 gallon. the nassarious snails are interesting enough ( atleast to me ) with their little snorkle like hoses that come out of their shells. i love how they stick them up out of the sandbed. 
the base of your cleaning crew will be snails and hermits ( i personally hate the hermits for already stated reasons ) and prefer a mixture of different kinds of snails. avoid bumble bees as ive heard they can be predatory and are meat eating snails.


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## Splinter492 (Aug 24, 2009)

dang my face and mouth hurt alott... I think ill go with the fire shrimp and i know the only real purpose they seerve is to remove parasites off fish and thats why i want one cuz im not ever gonna use meds unless its threatening the whole tank and is the only option. and as for stars i saw one that stays less than 2 inches or something like that but that can wait for my tank to mature more. whats your guys/girls opinion on purple lobsters iv always wanted one but idk if it would be too much on my reef or cause probs with anything in the tank.


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## Splinter492 (Aug 24, 2009)

well i went to my lfs today and picked up two dwarf blue legged hermits and two zebra turbos some chaeto algae and some sand. also had my water tested and the guy asked if the tank had been set up a long time and i told him it was only a few weeks old and he said everything was perfect so right now I'm just waiting on the sand to settle and the skimmer to help clear up the water b4 i add the lil CUC. i also ordered the light fixture i stated in the first post and along with that bought some test kits and a power-head so i think I'm set for fish and corals soon!! anything i forgot?? comments or suggestions??


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## onefish2fish (Jul 22, 2008)

im glad you purchased your own test kit. sadly, but true some stores will tell you your water is "fine" only for you to impulse buy fish, only for them to die, for you to be back. ofcourse not every store has this thinking but they do exist. to make things worse, the minimum wage store employee may just not be as careful when testing as you would yourself, or its late in their shift and theyve been doing it for customers all day.
i personally would wait until i got my test kits. ph, temp, alk, mag, cal, amm, nitite, nitrate, and a refractometer ( look on ebay ) at the minimum so i could check myself. your also going to need something to dose for alk, cal and mag too.
have you had a diatom bloom yet?


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## Splinter492 (Aug 24, 2009)

yes iv had the diatom bloom. is a hydrometer okay rather than a refractometer? and my local reef stoor seems like they want my tank to be successfull everything they have told me was true so far, they told me to holf off on fish for another two weeks and getting a test kit was a good idea to make sure the cycle was complete. the only thing they told me that wasnt true was that fire shrimp get 5 in and might prey on fish so i should get a skunk and a peperment shrimp but he may have also gotten confused with the coral banded shrimp which was right next to it so idk what do you guys think?


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## onefish2fish (Jul 22, 2008)

a hydrometer is ok, but i prefer a refractometer personally. i find them much more accurate then a piece of plastic with a floating arm. 
ive never heard fire shrimp issues like that but i have heard people complain about coral bandeds so who knows.


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## badxgillen (Aug 20, 2010)

i used egg crate to elevate a skimmer with the same problem....you could always bipass the pump with a T valve..good luck and adios.....


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## Splinter492 (Aug 24, 2009)

yeah i guess he was confused about the two. anywho i ordered some key largo rock insted of buying 15 more lbs of live rock (keepin the wallet from dying) hopefully everything will be here within the next week so i can get started putting everything together. im still trying to figure out this photo bucket thing what do i do after uploading the pic to photobucket?


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## Splinter492 (Aug 24, 2009)

well i think you guys are deserving of some pics i finally got my light in today and i just set it up and might i say its siiiicccckkkk. its 130 wats on a 20 G idk if thats over killin it or if thats okay or good or what whats your guys/gals opinion??


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