PLZ Help on a 20 gallon FOWLR

Stingray81

And i just bought a wavemaker aswell
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Caligirl330

A skimmer is defiantly going to help keep the nitrates down. You don't have to have a skimmer in the beginning of your cycling process though, in fact some recommend not using one until the tank is cycled and you have fish so that the skimmer has bio load to skim. I would recommend getting a skimmer especially because you have crushed coral which it can be a breeding ground for nitrates. Also I wouldn't consider your true cycling process started until you have put the live rock in because that needs to cure for 3-6 weeks before the water quality to be stable to add livestock. You are also bound to have a nitrate or ammonia spikes during the cycling process, just get your filter running and maintain the salinity by topping off the water and then watch the nitrite, nitrates, ammonia, and PH and the hardest part I know but be patient that is the key to this hobby

Reefing Madness

Ok cool, your getting set here. Scrap the filter. its going to be a Nitrate trap for you. you'll have issues with it. Buy a skimmer rated at twice the size of your tank. That with the Live Rock your getting and your all set. You don't need a filter. Look at my tank, I have 240 gallons, and no filter, just the skimmer. Oh, but you will need a couple of powerheads to move the wate raround in the tank. Couple of 200gph powerheads should do ya nicely.

Stingray81

k thanks guys your really helping me out here.... i really had know idea what i had to get or do bcuz people where just trying to get me to buy stuff that i obviously DON'T NEED

Caligirl330

If you are still going to get the HOB filter I would suggest getting a AquaClear filter instead of the marineland, I have both types of filters and the AquaClear is better. You can add Chemi Pure in the Aqua clear which will help stabilize your water chemistry by balancing the PH and keeping bacteria from building up. The Mairneland is noisier too... I have read not to add carbon/Chemi-pure in the very beginning of the cycling process. I would suggest to add carbon (or Chemi-Pure if you decide to get the AquaClear HOB Filter) about 2-3 weeks after you have added your live rock. The reason is, in the beginning you want the beneficial bacteria to build up but then you have to control it and that is where the carbon or media filter (chemi-pure) comes in. One more thing have you tested the freshwater you use to mix the salt? It might be loaded with ammonia or nitrates and if so you can treat it with AmQuel which help remove the toxins. I would highly recommend, If it possible, for you to use RO/DI water instead of well water. I am supper careful about the water I use now because I have learned the hard way before.

Here is a link to a website explaining the benefits to Chemi- pure

Chemi-Pure filters organic particulates from your tank.

Reefing Madness

Stingray81

i just orderd some fiji premium live rock about 25LB's what do i do when it gets here do i have to cure it? do i have to add anything in the water to start the cycle?

Stingray81

And wait so i don't need a filter not even a little one? Because if i don't i can send mine back and get a protein skimmer cuz the one i got is rated up to 60 gallons i thought the bigger the filter the better? Plus it has two bio wheels if tht even does anything?
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Reefing Madness

Send it back and get a skimmer rated at twice your water volume.

Caligirl330

The bio wheels are mainly for fresh water I removed them for my tank. It is good to have a filter for adding media (carbon) to the tank but a skimmer is more effective at removing organic waste that will eventually break down into ammonia. A filter will remove the larger floating particles in the water and sometimes those particles will build up and clog the filter and create nitrates, that is why you have to clean your filter every once in a while. A skimmer will collect all the waste in a cup and it is easy to dump.

Personally I use a AquaClear filter (with Chemi-Pure) and a Remora skimmer in my 37 gallon reef and my nitrates/ammonia (knock on wood) are always at zero. In my 75 gallon Fish only I have 2 skimmers (Remora and a Coralife Super Skimmer) and a Marineland filter (with just carbon) and I have a really hard time with keeping my nitrates down. I think that the Chemi-Pure in my AquaClear filter stabilizes the water quality in my 37 gallon. Every tank will have it's own specific needs and in the beginning that is a part of the process to try and figure it out.

You can put the live rock in your tank, run the filter or skimmer, keep the water circulating and maintain the salinity by topping off the water with RO/DI and eventually the nitrates/ammonia from the live rock will decrease. You don't have to do a water change for the first 2-3 weeks. If your nitrates and ammonia are high after 2-3 wks you can do a % water change then. Once the Parameters stabilize without anymore spikes then it is cycled and safe to start adding livestock.

Is your tank going to be a Fish only with Live Rock (FOWLR) or a reef? Snails and hermit crabs are an excellent clean up crew to eat algae and excess food that doesn't get eaten and they keep the ammonia and nitrates down but if you plan on having a FOWLR with a trigger/puffer then you can't have the snails and crabs because the trigger/puffers will eat them...