20G High First Ever Saltwater Build

[NewGuy8899]

Hello all,

It’s a pretty funny story how this 20G build came to be. My GF and I were at uncle bills to get her a Beta fish, one thing led to another and we were stuck on the gorgeous saltwater fish. We both always loved aquariums and I’ve always wanted a tank. Well we decided to go with a saltwater tank instead of the Beta and we were gathering everything we needed from Uncle Bills, to create this tank. Thankfully the employee at UB’s told me to first do research on saltwater tanks before getting fish and the supplies. Saved me some money and the depression that would come if I lost fish had I bought the fish and supplies the same day. Did some research and found a BudgetBuild by YouTuber/Company SaltwaterAquarium. Followed the steps(somewhat closely) and now I have the following:

Aqueon 20G high tank
Aqueon Glasstop(PIA to cut the plastic to fit HOB filter
Tidal 35 HOB Filter with carbon matrix
PopBloom 60W LED light
HITOP 75W Heater(have a EHEIM Jager 100w coming in the mail that I will swap out)
CaribSea Arag-Alive Fiji Pink 20Lbs
CaribSea Live Dry Rock 10lbs
Dry Rock about 10lbs
Instant Ocean Sea Salt
Reegugu 800GPH Wavemaker
2 Clownfish and 4 hermits(might have been a little early for the CUC?)
Used the whole 2oz bottle(maybe 4oz) of Dr Tims one and only when I put the Clowns in
Test Kits: API(Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate and Phosphate) Salifert Alkalinity(I’d like to get into corals
Imagitarium Refractometer

This is a very addicting hobby and unfortunately I’m a very impatient being lol. So I know this will be a very hard hobby for me. I’m based out of Fort Wayne Indiana and I’m constantly going to different LFS here and I’m sure they’ve had enough of me as I’ve been in daily since I’ve started the tank on Monday July 5th.

I did a 3 gallon water change yesterday as my nitrates were at 10-20PPM. Theyre at 5 PPM as of today July 10.

When would be a good time to try a soft coral? Here are the parameters for today:
Ammonia .25
Nitrite .50-1ppm
Nitrate 5ppm
Phosphate .25ppm
Salinity 1.025

Attached are some pictures of the build and the PAR distribution of the light.

 

[Reefing_addiction]

Awesome job of UB telling you to do your homework.


What test kit are you using?

Generally speaking you want to see you ammonia and nitrites go up and then down to 0 with you only having nitrates detectable.

How did you cycle your tank?

 

[MartinM]

Awesome! My first ever saltwater build was a 20H in 1993 ! I can’t recommend enough that you start with at least some quality live rock though. I highly recommend getting about 20lbs from one of the gulf aquaculture rock places in Florida and swapping out the dry rock.

 

[Gedxin]

Seems like you're doing a fish-in cycle? Assuming you started your tank last week, it's likely your cycle isn't complete yet. I'd hold off on adding any additional bioload until you have 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite.

 

[NewGuy8899]

Thanks everyone for your feedback.

I am doing a fish-in cycle with Dr Tim’s one and only. I’m thinking about getting a bottle of TurboStart in case I get some weird spikes.

The waiting game is killing me! I want to add coral and another fish. My goal is to get a 75-100g tank in my living room when I get a house.

 

[Reefing_addiction]

Thanks everyone for your feedback.

I am doing a fish-in cycle with Dr Tim’s one and only. I’m thinking about getting a bottle of TurboStart in case I get some weird spikes.

The waiting game is killing me! I want to add coral and another fish. My goal is to get a 75-100g tank in my living room when I get a house.

Fishies cycles are preferred

All good thinks in reefing happen slow

Bad things happen super fast


Please take your time

If your tank is not ready you’ll kill things and then get frustrated and you’ll be throwing money away plus killing live animals (corals and fish)

 

[NewGuy8899]

Thanks everyone. I think my original dry rock is getting coralline algae? Here’s a video.

edit: video was not working here are some pictures.

 

[NewGuy8899]

I found out by my LFS that it is already on the rock to mimic coralline algae.

 

[Ulm_nano_diybudgetreef]

Do some more research, as it normally takes a few months to get coraline algae growing. Being new In the hobby with my first salt water tank it took me 10 months to get corals in the tank. Others have done it faster, but not in a couple of weeks.

 

[Ulm_nano_diybudgetreef]

Best thing to watch for a beginner is a youtube series called 52 weeks of reefing by brstv. Once you've seen this, it will open up ur eyes to what ur in for

 

[NewGuy8899]

Best thing to watch for a beginner is a youtube series called 52 weeks of reefing by brstv. Once you've seen this, it will open up ur eyes to what ur in for

Thanks, I’m hitting the nasty diatom bloom and I hate it. I read somewhere to blast whites and reds and I guess this made the diatoms go by quick? Idk, maybe it makes them eat the silicates faster?