Saltwater 20 high

fishboy

Superstar Fish
Oct 22, 2002
1,565
0
36
34
Cincinnati, Ohio
#1
I was thinking of converting my 20 high into a saltwatertank with some fish and inverts.How do u set up a SW aquarium? what is the stockig rule? how much light do u need?What are easy fish besides damsels?Could i keeep a anemone even though i'm a begginer in SW?Could a put a couple of catclina gobies in the tank? ;D ;) :)
 

ryanp15

Superstar Fish
Oct 22, 2002
1,130
0
0
36
Kentucky
#2
I've never kept a SW tank but I know some things you'll need. One thing is a protein skimmer. Two a skilter maybe just for safe keeping. Three no anemones. Four clown fish are some of the easiest of SW fish to keep. That's about it for me. HTH ;D
 

Ovrclckd

Large Fish
Oct 22, 2002
150
0
0
#5
[quote author=fishboy link=board=saltwater&num=991662427&start=0#0 date=06/04/01 at 06:47:07]
I was thinking of converting my 20 high into a saltwatertank with some fish and inverts.How do u set up a SW aquarium? what is the stockig rule? how much light do u need?What are easy fish besides damsels?Could i keeep a anemone even though i'm a begginer in SW?Could a put a couple of catclina gobies in the tank? ;D ;) :)
[/quote]

Set up guide:

1. Substrate, get a bag of aragonite sand or silica sand, aragonite will be more expensive, its worth it  overall tho.

2. Buy marine salt, a hydrometer to measure salinity and a Red Sea prizm skimmer. A skilter does not filter much... its garbage. Skimmer will be more than enough. Add a powerhead for circulation.

3. Get 10 lbs of live base rock, its cheaper, and 5 -10 lbs of good live rock. Buy a couple cocktail shrimp. Use them to cycle the tank.

4. Once the tank is cycled, get a percula, ocellaris, cinnomon, or maroon clown... easy to keep. Gain some experience with that, then read about everything you want to do first. Theres not too many fish that can go into a 20g, but lots of interesting inverts.
 

Ovrclckd

Large Fish
Oct 22, 2002
150
0
0
#6
Hmmm stock rule, for a beginner with a immature tank, keep it at 1" to 5 gallons, not including tail. Once the tank matures, 1" to 3 gallons is possible.
 

Ovrclckd

Large Fish
Oct 22, 2002
150
0
0
#8
[quote author=fishboy link=board=saltwater&num=991662427&start=0#6 date=06/07/01 at 17:28:08]
What kind of inverts could i keep?  ;D
[/quote]

Start out with a cleaner crew. Id keep 10 astrea snails, or 5 turbos. Nextly, get a shrimp. I have a coral banded shrimp I love, he molts all the time. Stay away from crabs of any sort, they are mostly trouble. I work at my lfs... this weekend im going to pick up a bunch of mobile inverts for my tank. Sea cucumbers are bad, so are anemones, and corals too for now. Most other things, ask me, and ill tell you.
 

Ovrclckd

Large Fish
Oct 22, 2002
150
0
0
#11
Sea stars (starfish is a very incorrect term) can be added once the tank has established. The easiest and cheapest one to find will be the chocolate chip sea star... they are great little sea star, but they will go after anything smaller than them for food, even sleeping fish.

Good sea stars for a 20 would be:

White Burrowing/Sand Sifting Star - Great for keeping the sandbed mixed up.

Small Fromia (Red) Species

Small Linckia Star (blue or red, will out grow the tank)

Any brittle star except for green ones (very bad...).