tank setup what I need

[bulldawgs1]

can anyone help me with my tank setup. I am going to start a reef tank with a 20gl long tank I have. I will do about 30 to 40lb of live rock and 20lb of live sand. The tank is only 1ft 1in tall so what kend of lighting would be best. I also need help with filtration what will be the best way to go with it. I do have a 20gl long tank I made into a sump refugium but I don't know what to put in it, if I could use it.

thanks for the help

[sir_dudeguy]

One way that i already see that you could save a little bit of money is the live sand...you could either just get aragonite only (which in time will turn live from the rock) or you could get something like aragonite and just put a couple scoops of live sand from someone elses tank right on top...theres always local people that will give you a scoop (i've got a little bit of live sand from a few different tanks now). If it were me, i'd just go w/the aragonite or something similar and let it turn live, becuase you're gonna have around 2lb per gallon of rock, which will be plenty of filtration.

lighting
I also have a tank that is only 1 ft tall that i was gonna set up a while ago..never did, but i was told that pc's would be fine. I'd shoot for around the the 5 watt per gallon area at least, depending on what you wanna keep.

Filtration.
Well, if you mean what kind of filter (as in canister/hob/etc..) i'd say dont even bother with one...The live rock is the best filter you can do for a tank. Thats the point of getting live rock...the "live" stuff breaks down all the amonia and nitrites (amonia to nitrites, nitrites to nitrates, if you didnt know) You generally want anywhere from 1 to 2 pounds per gallon, wich you definately have, so imo, i wouldnt even worry about a filter.

You could do the sump, however. The main thing i would put in it would be a protein skimmer. I'd stay away from any skimmer that pestmart/petco sell...they usually only have the seaclones and the prizm skimmers, which arent too good usually, but since its such a small tank, you might be fine.
Also, did you make seperat compartments in the sump? if you did, i'd make one part a fuge. Make it in the compartment AFTER the skimmer, and put some live sand, live rock rubble, and some chaeto algae in there. On the live sand, get it from someone elses fuge if possible, tht way you get a lot of pods (a fuge is to grow pods...they're just little tiny bug/crustations that help out the tank and the fish eat them) The chaeto algae not only serves as a good place for the pods to breed, but it also can lower nitrates since it feeds off that.

the reason i say to put that AFTER the skimmer is because you want as many pods as possible going back into your main tank, and if you have the skimmer after, it will basically make your fuge useless because it will suck up all your pods. (skimmers just take out all the crud floating around in the water.)

well, i'll end there, but if you have more questions do ask!
HTH

[bulldawgs1]

thanks for all the info. I will look at this. And I will have more questions.

Thanks

[sir_dudeguy]

yep no problem. and srry for writing a novel too lol. just ask when you get more questions...you can never ask too many, but too little can easily be done...just look at the peoples tanks who take petcos advice lol.