Small Marine Tank filtration

[Dionysus]

Looks like my daughter finally caught the aquarium bug. She would like to set up her own saltwater tank in her room. Ive been keeping fish for around 15yrs, but last 5yrs just have 2 large fresh.
I run mainly wet/dry on all tanks, with exception of hang-on for quarantine tanks. My daughter just wants something small (nano fish only), which ive found to be almost more work sometimes, so we decided on a 20g long. Ive been trying to decide on a filtration setup. An extern wet/dry would be too much for this, would almost double the water cap. Been looking at some canister filters w/ built in UV sterl. Has anyone tried these with their marine setups?
She just wants a clownfish and maybe some firefish, no inverts. Any suggestions on filters without spending an arm and a leg?

 

[Dionysus]

Looking at one of the eheim small 3-stage canister filters, seem versatile and effective. They run around $100, otherwise I found a hang on canister for nano reefs at this link. Its cheap, so don't know if any good. Check it out if you have some time....
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3579+3580+16742&pcatid=16742

 

[Squawkbert]

I'd probably go with an Eheim Classic 2215, LR rubble, nylon potscrubbers or lava rock, then a coarse pad, a little more rock, fine pad - done. Pull & rinse the coarse & fine pads at each water change (2213) or every other wate change (2215). If you go w/ 2215, you may have to shorten the output tube and bore out the holes slightly to get the current down to a reasonable level if you mount it vertically. UV could be done in-line using a pair of Ts and a ball valve to restrict flow through the UV a bit.

 

[Sploke]

I would probably just stick with a bunch of decent liverock and a few powerheads for flow.

 

[Dionysus]

The other one I'm looking at is the Fluval 105, allows you to turn down current with a lever. Didn't know the eheim 2215 didn't have adjustability, so thanks for the heads up.
I must have 4-5 penguin 550 powerheads laying around, so that would be simple.
I don't have a skimmer yet, and thought you needed one for liverock, at least seeded rock. Is this true?

 

[Sploke]

with a lightly stocked 20gal, especially a fish-only tank (as opposed to reef) you could get away with no skimmer and just keep up with water changes.

 

[Dionysus]

Do you think maybe instead of spending the money on the canister filter, just get a skimmer and throw a powerhead in there. I have used large external skimmers in past, but any idea if the small hang-on skimmers work ok? Just want to keep filters to minimum for such a small tank.

 

[Squawkbert]

My reading indicates, that when it comes to skimmers, you get what you pay for. The CPR Bak-Pak line of skimmers *may* be worth a look (I think they have mixed reviews).

http://www.marinedepot.com/protein_skimmers_cpr_bak-pak_sr_dx-ap.html

 

[Dionysus]

Id say thats true with most filters, but seems the more money you spend, the bigger the filter and higher flow, which isn't need for small 20g fishonly. I like that hang-on in your link, looks like it has a skimmer/wetdry combo. I had something like this on a Sea Horse tank of mine years back, and worked very well.