Good for a twenty gallon?

captmicha

captmicha

Le tired.
Dec 6, 2006
2,052
0
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Maryland, USA
I don't have one, I'm thinking about it.

Say I have perfect water quality and filtration, cycling, etc. What and how many fish would you suggest for a twenty gallon?

If I'm careful and diligent, can't it be done since you can have 5 gallon nanos? I'm not shelling out the cash for a nano though.
 
To be completely honest any tank smaller than 30 gallons is considered a Nano tank. Your best bet would be to do research on smaller fish such as clowns, chromis, damsels, Etc. Etc. Etc. With a small 20 gal tank your really not going to be able to keep a whole lot. You can however create a really beautiful show tank with a 20 gal with only a few fish and A LOT of coral. It all basically comes down to what you would want to have coral and fish or just one or the other. Hope this helps.
Greg
 
Technically a 20g is a nano, but I'm assuming you are talking about the all-inclusive nano cubes that are on the market now.

How much you spend will depend on what type of tank you are going to set up. Reef would be the most expensive, followed by FOWLR ( Fish only with live rock), and finally Fish Only.

With a FOWLR your greatest expense will be the Live Rock as this will be the majority, if not all, of your filtration. With Fish Only you won't have the filtration capabilities of Live Rock so you will want to focus on your filtration. Depending on what you intend on stocking will determine whether or not you will need a protein skimmer.

Like was said in your other post, Water quality is the key to keeping a healthy aquarium.

Personally I have had great success with Live Rock filtration. My 10 gallon doesn't even have a filter on it (no skimmer either). I only keep one fish in it at the moment, but I had two in there for about six years.
 
2 fire fish, 2 gobies/ blennies, and a clown or sumthin +/- 1 or 2 fish?
 
I like Greg's idea. That's exactly what I wanted to do. If I have coral, I won't need a filter at all? Would I then have to get a powerhead for a current? Coral is palps and things, right? Not just live rock. Can I have live sand, live rock and a bit of coral?

And of course I want some fish in there, even if only a few could be supported. Would some little hermit crabs or shrimp be okay also?

I know it can't hold much so I don't want to sound like I'm trying to overstock it b/c I'm not trying to.
 
so i responded to your other post about the filter,. but here are my suggestions, which are to be elaborated or shot down by other reefers.

20 gal tank

20-25lbs LR

30 lbs live sand

10-20 hermits

5-10 snails

cleaner shrimp, peppermint shrimp

1-2 bottom dwelling fish

2-3 water colomn fish

and a lot of corals, species depending on light and flow.

id do the DIY fuge with the aquaclear, 2-4 power heads, maybe a lil skimmer (see my other post for you)

lighting wise, um $$ is a factor if you want to keep all types of coral id say MH pendant with 200-250 watts. spectrum wise id suggest 14k-20k cause the blue makes all the colors pop

if you aren't concerned w/ SPS and such, id look for maybe PCs or sumthin in the 150watt range
 
well i like this combo 1 damselfish 1 clownfish 1 flame angelfish and a longnose hawkfish

or heres a nother combo 1 Benny 1 goby 1 or 2 cardinalfish 1 royal gramma

or 1 mandarin fish 1 swiss guard basslet 1 firefish 1 saddle toby 1 domino damselfish

all stay around 4 inches
 
20 gal tank

20-25lbs LR LR means Live Rock

30 lbs live sand sand that has beneficial living bacteria and other organisms you need to help you tank cycle

10-20 hermits

5-10 snails

cleaner shrimp, peppermint shrimp

1-2 bottom dwelling fish gobies, blennies etc

2-3 water colomn fish fire fish, angels, cardinals, damsels (DO NOT BUY DAMSELS

and a lot of corals, species depending on light and flow.

id do the DIY (DO IT YOUR SELF)fuge with the aquaclear, 2-4 power heads, maybe a lil skimmer (see my other post for you)

lighting wise, um $$ is a factor if you want to keep all types of coral id say MH Metal Hallides, are a type of light commonly used for reefspendant with 200-250 watts. spectrum wise id suggest 14k-20k ...k is for the light spectrum 6500 k being yellow, 10-12 white, 14-20k that nice blue hue im soo envious ofcause the blue makes all the colors pop

if you aren't concerned w/ SPS small polyp stoney, one type of coral, and the most light and flow demandingand such, id look for maybe PCs compact pholrescents lights, a cheaper, less intense type of lightor sumthin in the 150watt range
 
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