Shopping List!

[joycerino]

Hi everyone.

I am currently considering starting a marine FOWLR tank. I have been keeping various cichlids for 11 years. I am considering A) changing my large hexagonal tank to a marine tank or B) starting fresh (pun intended) with a new smaller tank system 10-20 gal.

Could someone out there just lay it down flat and tell me what I need to go to the store and buy to start a 20 gal. tank, start to finish (excluding fish).

Do I need a sump? Will live rock serve as a filter or should I get a power/canister? Appropriate heating/lighting?

I'm sure this has been asked several times but I thought I'd give the experts a little break from our 9 to 5's.

I just need a shopping list. (more like a birthday list for the Mrs.!!!!)

[skiffalope]

Get a nano cube.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=10677&N=2004+62761

This, with regular water changes (can buy at store) will be all you need except for Live Sand and LR plus your livestock.

Good luck.

[Sonicblast12]

Could someone out there just lay it down flat and tell me what I need to go to the store and buy to start a 20 gal. tank, start to finish (excluding fish).

Essentials to start:
Salt Mix
Sand Substrate, probably 20 pounds would do it
Saltwater test kit
hyrdometer
themometer
Circulation such as HOB filters without media, or powerheads enough to circulate 10x
Heater

Highly recommened:
20-30 lbs of live rock, this is the best filter. The other types can cause high nitrates.
Protein skimmer rated for a larger tank

If you plan on corals, at 3 watts of lighting per gallon.

You don't need a sump, but what you can do is put sand and some live rock rubble into an empty hob filter.

Temp should be somewhere between 75-85 degrees.

If you get all of that, you are pretty much set.