20L new so advice needed

[bruminsw]

Ok guys here i go. SO i have been reading about this for about 2 week already. my gf is getitng jealous cause its all i have been doing . So this is what i want to start with.

THIS IS WHAT I HAVE IN MIND:

-20L tank with stand and (2 X65) PC light fixture( will have this set up on wednesday night)

-I have a Whisper Power Filter 60 (left over from another tank but i still havent seen anyone do a DIY refugium with this or if its even posible) OR else i will get a AC110 to build the mini refugium for the tank.

-I have a 50W heater ( Should i get a 100W heater instead? )

- Just got a maxi jet 1200 (but im taking it back to the LFS because i found them on MD half the price) SO i will get 2 maxi jets 1200's.

- I already got a Deep Six Hydrometer from Coralife ( to start of with but planning on getting a Refractometer in a few weeks)

- Now on test kits I NEED HELP ( i almost got a Aquarium Pharmaceuticals test kit that test for Amnonia, Nitrites, Nitrates, pH and Alkalinty at petco for $45 but was skeptical on the price so want to know waht u guys think and get some advice on that)

-I have about 55# of rock that needs to be cured (They are in 2 buckets with no water for about 2 weeks now its going to be 3 weeks )
SO I NEED HELP here . what should i do and how should i do it so the rocks come back to life?

- planning on getting 20# of live sand (Nature's Ocean Bio-Activ Live Aragonite Reef Sand from petsmart or petco).

This is were i stand as of today. so comments good or bad are more then welcomed. I need suggestions on how to start cycling my tank. (LR and LS together or LS then later LR ) HELP on this please want to start cycling my tank ASAP

AND IF IM MISSING ANYTHING from the things please let me know. THANKS and wish me luck on this great hobby.

[flinka]

I also have a 20G long setup.

I have two (2) 50W titanium heaters in my HOB refugium controlled by an external temperature controller.

I use two MicroJet 450s for flow. Seems like more than enough.

I also have a Remora HOB protein skimmer with a Maxijet 1200.

I definitely recommend a refractometer. Easy to use and read.

Test kit - I have the Seachem kit - ammonia is easy to use and read. Nitrites and nitrates are difficult to read. Not enough variation in the colors for the range of results. pH test ok - alkalinity test is not consistent so I use test strips to verify/backup these readings.

Good luck.

[Poorcollegereef]

I have a 20L with a 20 gal sump)with a remora skimmer as well. I have a 150w MH (aqualight clampon)

Ok, I will start from the top

- i guess there are ways to retro a wisper into a fuge but you will have to look at the AC page and then be creative with the tetra

- I would get 2 50w

-keep the MJ, and support you LFS if it is a good one

-i have the deep6 and it works well, but I keep in mind that it may be +/-.001

-API released a reef test kit for 30 bucks, NO3, Phosphate, dKH, and Cal, all are more useful than the kit you mentioned.

well you rock is practially dead, sorry. there really is no way to revive it but cure it anyways (it should take less time) and go to your LFS and buy a few peices of fresh cured LR with lots of Coraline algae, this should begin to cover your dead rock in a few months

-you might need more sand but buting the base, dry sand is cheaper and then i got but a few pounds of live sand to charge it with life

-Cycling, fill tank with ROand/or DI water, add quality salt (Instant Ocean/ReefCrystals or up) add uncured material and let it cycle, when cycleded add cured LF from LFS, wait and check water for a few days, add cleanup crew, wait, slowly add a fish at a time starting with the least aggressive. One fish per month is a safe rule with small tanks, and only keep small few and the bioload light add corals in a few months when water is stable.

PS I have a Hagen 502 and a newer 20 , viaquia 450, and a 500gph return pump/jet coming from my sump... yeah a lot of flow for sps.

Keep asking questions and look into getting the best skimmer aka no skilters, prisms, seaclones, or bakpaks... and maybe Coralife superskimmer would work, but Remoras are awesome beyond belief

[mister crabs]

any sand that they sell in a bag at the store that says "live" is bs.....without proper temperature among other things, whgat you have is a bag of dirty sand. best bet is to get the dry sand and after cleaning it thoroughly see if your LFS or another local reefer will give youa jar of sand from thier established tank. Live sand in a bag has no beneficial bacteria left and will cause major spikes in the tank during cycle.

[wav3form]

Don't keep the MJ if you can get two online for the same price. I don't support any LFS that gouges on dry goods.