First SW with a 20 gallon?

Hmm. I have 2 K2s in my 40 breeder and I sometimes wish I had one K2 and one K3. BUT if you are in a position to get a MP20 go ahead and get it because you are going to want one! There is the middle option too. Two Tunze 6025 nanostreams would be about $140 for the pair. A lot more flow than the K's will give you (and a smaller pump) but not too much. You can also cut the inner deflector plate to increase the flow significantly.

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_viewi..._campaign=mdcsegooglebase2&utm_content=TZ1211

The 50/50 will be fine. LR doesn't need any light to be live. Doubt you will see any coraline growth.
 
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Yes, I've been over at RC a ton, but there are sooo many options for everything *laugh*....

Guess I just need to keep readin/readin/readin

Thanks again for the tips.
 
<> Picasso

Completed a test paint of my 20g long: 2 coats of latex int/ext paint. Overall I'm sort of happy with it...one major lesson learned is that I need to do the taping so that removal doesn't peel back the paint. I didn't have any problems with that on the sides, but the top and bottom got real ragged....

Painting in progress:
painting.JPG

Painted.....but looking strange empty, so....
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Planted :)
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Overall I'm not sure if I really like this versus a shower curtain background -- if I do go ahead with paint for my 40g I think I'll do a few more coats to make it darker.

Thoughts?

painting.JPG painted.JPG planted.JPG
 
I would not worry about the rough edges. By the time you add your rock and a sandbed you will not be able to see that. I have never brushed on a background but have spray painted a couple of tanks with Krylon Fusion. It comes in a variety of colors. It worked great and both times and I was very happy with the results. I never had any issues with paint peeling off but you will need to do it outside.

I tried the tape on backgrounds and the main problem I had was water getting between it and the back glass. Not a big deal with freshwater but after the SW dries you end up with salt creep which just gets to be ugly and pain to deal with. I have also seen where others go out and get a piece of colored acrylic (or they paint it) and cut it to fit the size they need. This seems to work a little better than the prefab backgrounds if you don;t want to piant the tank itself.

BTW - I like the blue!
 
Hey thanks man! I've gotten better with my taping technique through practice -- on my latest effort, I used duct (duck?) tape along every inch of the border to create a super tight seal. I think that would prevent water from dripping in, although I guess if the backing rips somewhere that might be an issue...I guess no harm in giving spray paint a try, though. I have a spare 10g tank I could use as a test....
 
No problem at all, hope it helps. The spray paint worked well for me and from what I gather has worked well for many others. You just need to make sure you cover whatever part of the tank you don't want painted. Duck tape may have been part of the peeling problem. Get yourself some painters masking tape. Much easer to deal with and remove quickly. Good luck with it.
 
ahhh duct tape, mans best friend and cars too. Great job love the color and the plant lol.
 
If you try to paint it again, this time remove the tape while the paint is still wet, that will prevent it from ripping up. Latex paint in its dried form has similar properties as rubber, but in its wet form can be edged easily....OR>.. you can score the paint with a ruler and razor blade to remove part of it, adn make a neat line. the bottom will be covered by the sand bed, Id just worry about the top personally.

As far as lights go. On that size tank, you can do just about anything you want. T5s are great lights, they are more energy efficient and heat efficient than Metal Halide. High initial cost, moderate maintenance(annually), low energy use.

Metal halide produce more heat, adn suck more power, but they give you a shimmering effect(like sunlight underwater in a pool) that no other type gives you. Moderate initial cost, high maintenance(6 months), high energy use. Best shimmer.


LEDs are the new wave and are still very expensive, but they give off virtually no heat, and use very little energy, and if you DIY you can customize your color. You can even put a controler on them, so you can cycle through the light spectrum to simulate cloud movement, and overcast, or blue bird days. High initial cost, low maintenance(no replacement unless a failure), lowest energy bill, highly customizeable.

Personally I run two 400w 20k metal halides, and two 48" T5 actinics on a 6 foot 125 gallon, and I love the combination. The T5s come on first, adn go off last to simulate dusk and dawn, adn the MHs are super bright for growth and color.
 
Painting Test #2

Progress! I just did a test paint of my 10g using "Rust-oleum Painter's Touch Ultra Cover 2x Coverage Gloss" black spay paint (that's a mouthful :) ). It was easier to do than roller painting and I think came out nicer. I think I'll use this for my actual tank....see pics below.

I also found a stand that looks perfect for my tank and has a big open area underneath. So I'll try to pick that up tomorrow, then measure and see if I want to go for a sump.

spray painting.JPG

spray painted.JPG

spray painting.JPG spray painted.JPG
 
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