Kyle's 20 Gallon Long

[kbuser92]

20 gallon long tank slowly being transformed into a reef tank. I plan on changing out my lights to ReefBreeders, and adding an ATO system. As far as corals go, I plan on adding some various zoas, a frogspawn, and possibly mushrooms, in addition to a couple SPS pieces. At some point, I may add a clown and a sebae anemone or a green mandarin.

Thanks for looking!20 gallon long tank (30x12x12)
Odyssea 20" T5HO
Koralia 425 x2
Aqueon 30 gallon powerfilter with rubble
50 watt & 100 watt (adjustable) heatersLots of live rock/sand
Scarlet Skunk
Peppermint Shrimp
Yellow Clown Goby
Florida Ceriths x~10
Dwarf Ceriths x~30-40
Antillean Nerites x~6
Nassarius x4
Astrea x1
Hammer (Euphyllia parancora)
Frogspawn (E. paradivisa)
Green Star Polyps
Zoanthus sp.
Palythoa so.
Montipora capricornis (Red)
Seriatapora sp. (Green Polyp)

 

[MitchReef]

I love 20Long reefs....

....My very first reef tank was a 20Long....back then the didn't call them nano-reefs, they called them impossible to keep....mine only flourished for about 6 years before I broke it down....

....keep it in mind that 6 lines can be real buttholes.....aggressive little guys....

 

[kbuser92]

I think it'll be perfect for the clowns for that reason. Im gonna get some (dry) rock with tons of holes and try to cover my base rock. Plan B if its noticeable is to just get some more base rock lol

I think next step is a 6-line and then a cleanup crew from ReefCleaners. Wont worry about the powerhead for a couple weeks when I start adding corals again. Gonna be hard not to jump the gun, though. Oh, and I'll probably cut that glass at work tommorow. It just splashes everywhere so I want a little protection, but not a whole lid to mess with temp and gas exchange. I'll probably eventually screen the rest in.

 

[kbuser92]

Okay, I got some decent pictures this afternoon. So here they are!

FTS:

 

[kbuser92]

Actinics Only:




Roughly 1.5 pounds of rubble in my Aqueon HOB:

 

[MitchReef]

Looking like a sweet start brudda....

 

[kbuser92]

Hopefully. It needs action and colour, though.

 

[MitchReef]

anthias and firefish....

 

[kbuser92]

Noooo...probably a 6-line in 2 weeks. Payday. : ) And by then, whatever cycle I have should be done.

 

[kbuser92]

Well, after a bit of reading, a 6-line may not go in. If it does, it'll be last. My othe f2 choices are a longnose hawkfish or a green mandarin, unless I can think of something I'd rather have. And of course my wife likes the sand-sifters, specifically the spotted orange guys. So not sure whats gonna happen, maybe a goby, hawkfish and clowns, but that seems like a steep stock for 20 gallons...

 

[MitchReef]

Hawks are really cool fish. I love the way they constantly perch on the rocks but that also brings up a concern...their perching can stress some reef inhabitants (corals and nems) by perching on them....but they ARE really cool fish...

I wondered about a 6 line first....he would OWN that tank...

 

[kbuser92]

Yeah, idk...I really like them, but I dont want problems. Maybe a I'll just force myself to wait and go get a couple of Ocellaris to pair up, let them get established for a couple months (and get some corals) then add a devilfish, erm...wrasse. I'll get some more rock in the mean time also.

 

[AnthonyTheNewbie]

From what I keep hearing, I wouldn't put a Mandarin in a 20g tank unless it was trained on pellets or frozen. I'd def do the ocellaris clowns though :). Love mine! (Misbar Onyx Ocellaris). A sand sifting goby would be a good addition later on, my Diamond Watchman does work in my 55. Spotless sand bed all day, every day. Sixline would be a horrible bully, but it could work :p. Good luck man, subscribed and excited to watch it explode with color! :)

 

[kbuser92]

Plan is a picture perfect ocellaris and a picture perfect misbar. My LFS has both frequentl, and tank raised. Then a CUC from ReefBreeders and a Sixline a few weeks later.

As for corals, zoas are a must, some mushrooms, gsp, an open brain, frogspawn, hammer, bubble and a red plating monti. Possibly a sebae down the road, but we'll see.

 

[AnthonyTheNewbie]

Sounds awesome :)

 

[ErinCahir]

I wouldn't put a sixline in a 20 gallon tank. Minimum size for them is 30 gallons, and the smaller space is only going to exacerbate his aggression.

 

[kbuser92]

Erin, I saw that, but thought that it was possible if added after the clowns established the tank as "their's" and that being damsels, they would hold their own. If you really think it's a bad idea, I was also considering the somewhat smaller and very much more passive Pinkstreak Wrasse (P. ataenia). It's as similar look, just not quite the colour that I wanted. And I think that one would be better added first.

What else do you think would be similar in colour and personality that's compatable with clowns in a nano tank? Is the Fourline Wrasse (P. tetrataenia) an option?

 

[ErinCahir]

I'd go with the pinkstreak, honestly. I believe the fourlines are just as active as the sixlines.

 

[kbuser92]

Long story short, guy at work cut the glass Friday, but didnt tell me so I brought it home today when he mentioned it. Not much of anything, but it counts as something, right? It's a piece of 1/4" plate glass, 29 1/4 x 3", edges sanded round(ish) and it fits perfect. Bob's been doing it for 55 years...sorry, enough talking!

 

[MitchReef]

beautiful....watch your temperatures for a few days....do you have a sump on this tank? Can't remember.....