Starting my first 20 Gal FOWLR tank - advice needed please

hello everybody

a 20 gal is all i have room for and is as big as i can afford now for a saltwater setup. i've wanted one forever and i'm finally gonna do it. i know about the downsides of starting a marine tank of this size but i'm confident with my years of freshwater fishkeeping and maintaining, and the research i've done here and abroad i can do it. i've seen many others do the same. i know the basics of saltwater and the cycling process etc, i've looked at the stickies several times and done some searching. but as is typical of newbies, i have more questions!

i'll be setting it up this weekend. all i want is no less than 20lbs of live rock with a couple common clowns and a couple damsels and maybe a hermit crab and a few snails with carib-sea live sand. i think that works? no corals. low cost and as cheap yet sufficient as possible is my goal.

so here are my questions:

1) can you recommend a skimmer (by make and model #) for this tank and what i plan on keeping in it? also do i need a separate HOB power filter as well? i have one rated for a 40-60 gallon freshwater with dual cartridge that would make good current flow but was told elsewhere i don't need it with a skimmer and the live rock, plus i was planning on getting some powerheads.

2) generally speaking...is using activated carbon in saltwater a no no? i heard it was.

ty

ty very much. i'll heed your advice. i guess i might as well use my big dual cartrige HOB filter then since with it's current flow i might only need one powerhead, and the extra filtering.

also. this filter was meant for freshwater - will it also be ok for saltwater use?
this is basiclly what it looks like. someone once said some of these HOB's won't work in saltwater is why i ask.
http://images.google.ca/imgres?imgu...er+aquarium&start=105&ndsp=21&um=1&hl=en&sa=N


and i understand there is no need for airstones in a saltwater setup?

much appreciated.:headbang2:

BToast said:

Yup, an airstone is not at all necessary. The h.o.b is just a box with a pump attached, so salt or fresh water wont make a differance. I've used one on my qt tank for years with no issues. Only change I made was to remove the bio wheel which is'nt necessary as it is'nt being relied on for bio filtration.

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hey ty again BToast. :headbang2:

about that HOB of mine....i saved some old cartridges after i cleaned them and they've been dry as a bone just sitting in a box for at least a year. i was hoping to rinse them off and use them instead of buying new since i mainly just want the wool/material to catch larger debris in this salt setup. any chance of anything still living on those old cartridges? (not that the tank they came from had any problems). also after doing some research i think the bak pak 2 or the aquaC looks good. will phone around
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_viewitem.aspx?idproduct=AC3431&productid=AC3431&channelid=NEXTA

can anyone comment on this skimmer?
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~idProduct~CU08100.html

going to get some supplies tomorrow, ty for all your help

BToast said:

I can comment on the AquaC as I have thier larger one on my 55 right now. These rate as one of the best for a hang on the back. Thier are a few reasons I would go with this instead of the other one you listed.
-Setup is a no braainer, just hang on the back and plug in.
-As close to maintenance free as you can get.
-Effective skimming
Many on the market do little more than move water around, and you usually get what you pay for in regards to skimmers. If you can afford to spend a bit more to get a higher quality skimmer I would recommend it. I went through a few before I threw down extra for the Remora. The money I waisted on the others would have more than payed for it.
Do not use the old cartridges as thier may be some chemicals you may not know about that might have been introduced through meds containing such things as copper. I assure you it's better to have the piece of mind. Some basic floss pads that can be cut to size is worth the couple of bucks. Also if they contain old carbon you would'nt be able to remove it anyway.
One more thing about skimmers. I have seen a few consistantly recommended on this site so keep asking around or look through old posts. None of them will be cheap, but many here have personal experience with them and can help you narrow your options down to the top few on the market.

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excellent, ty again. yeah i'm leaning towards the aquaC now it seems. but i may have to buy it online. seems only the larger models i can find around here. any canadian retailers web sites you can suggest for buying aquarium supplies?
and about the cartridges, what i'll do then is cut off the pads, dump the carbon, wash and silicone new material. my wife is a sewing guru and she gave me a giant bag of this white material that is identical to the stuff on there - i've been using it in other filters and it works great. ty for the help, once i get started i'll take pics and post them as the tank gets built - might be a couple more weeks till i get the rest of the equipment and rock, plus i'm putting new floors here so i have to shuffle tanks around.

cheers :headbang2:

BToast said:

Sounds like a plan Nemo. I bought my aquac on ebay. People are often upgrading to larger tanks which require larger skimmers. I picked mine up for $100, and am very pleased with it. Hope the next few weeks go smoothly for ya, and I look forward to pics of your progress.

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cool. well, after making calls - lots of calls and looking, then searching....i might go with an octopus skimmer for $70, since i can't find aquac and it's cheaper and in stock. all the other ones they sell are very expensive - too expensive for a 20g imo. the guy said it will do with just a few fish and the live rock. anyway...there will be pics as it happens, soon as i can. ty for all the help. hope you don't mind if i have other follow up questions.

:headbang2: