new tank questions

[krb]

I am setting up my first saltwater tank. I am wanting to do a reef with several species of coral and a couple of fish. This is what I have already:

20 gallon tank - glass
Aquafuge 4.5 gallon with built in skimmer
Coralife lunar light w/ 1-65W 10K, 1-65W actinic, and 2 3/4W LEDs
75 GPD RO/DI filter

Here are my questions:

How many pounds of live rock should I get and is it better to cycle a new tank with uncured rock or get cured and cycle some other way?

Should I purchase live sand or just use regular sand?

Is the lighting I have strong enough for clams?

What corals will this lighting support?

How many and what kinds of inverts should I get for cleanup?

I know this is a lot to ask all at once. So, let me say thanks in advance to all that help me out. I will definitely return the knowledge to future newbies as I obtain it.

Thanks again
Kirk

 

[cameron]

I will leave the livestock/lighting questions to someone who can answer with certainty.

Pounds of live rock depends on the type of rock since some are denser than others and in the end it is how much you want in your tank. A reasonable rule of thumb is 1 pound per gallon a bit more if your rock selection is particularly heavy.

Curing isn't hard, but it can be a smelly affair while you scrub off the dieing material and some live rocks are more difficult to cleanse than others. If you want the least hassle, cured rock is the way to go. Since you are probably buying 20 or so pounds you can factor in about $2 per pound extra for cured rock.

I wouldn't bother with the live sand if you are getting live rocks. Any sand you put in your tank will eventually become live. Just grab a little sand from a good established member aquarium and seed your sand. I am sure someone will donate enough live sand to seed your 20 gallon sand bed.

I would get a dozen turbo snails, dozen dwarf hermits and a handful of scarlet crabs. However, there are lots of choices out there.

 

[vettesarebest]

The lighting you have is not strong enough for clams. You can get away with all the soft corals and some of the LPS corals. I wouldn't put and sps coral in the tank. As far as the clean up crew goes I always like to have abuunch of cleaners. I would start with 20 blue leg hermits and 20 snails of some sort. Also I like to have Nassarius snails in my tanks to keep the sand bed stirred up. You might also want a Emerald crab in the eventually to take care of algea but I don't think you need one unless you actually have an algae problem.

 

[gwen_o_lyn]

20 gallon tank - glass
Aquafuge 4.5 gallon with built in skimmer
Coralife lunar light w/ 1-65W 10K, 1-65W actinic, and 2 3/4W LEDs
75 GPD RO/DI filter

Sounds like a good setup, but just keep in mind that nano's aren't best for beginners. They are less forgiving and water chemistry is harder to maintain. Just pay extra attention to your reef and you will be ok. And because you know enuff to buy an RODI this early in the game, then I am confident you have what it takes to be a nano reefer.

How many pounds of live rock should I get and is it better to cycle a new tank with uncured rock or get cured and cycle some other way?

There is nothing specific here and it really depends on the type of rock you buy. I have Marshall Island and it's very porous so I don't have to use as much. If you buy uncured rock, plan for about a 3-6 month cycle. If you buy "mostly" cured rock, then you may only have to wait about 6-8 weeks before it's ready for the cleanup crew.

Is the lighting I have strong enough for clams?

Wait til your tank is about a year old before you consider this. It *may* be possible with your lighting like a squamie, but you have plenty of time to wait on tank maturity and learning how to consistently maintain CA.

What corals will this lighting support?

zoas, mushrooms, leathers, hammer, galaxia, ricordeas, green star polyps, kenya tree

How many and what kinds of inverts should I get for cleanup?

I like a heavier cleanup crew. Maybe start with 10 hermits and 10 snails, but work up to one snail and one crab per gallon once your system is established and food is readily available.

I will definitely return the knowledge to future newbies as I obtain it.

That rocks!!!