Questions about reef/SW tank

[lachupacabra]

I really want to try out SW before I go to college this following fall but I'm a bit intimidated. I was planning on using my 20L with 2x 36w 6500K Croralife lights. I have a couple of questions and i'm sure there's more i just can't think of them.

Is it possible to have just the basics and the tank run "smoothly" (tank, light, heater, filter, circulation, LR, fish, macros, zoas, sps)
If i do not have a sump or refugium will it really affect the tank.
Can i use a canister filter in any way as a filtration device? what about HOB?
do i have to change my lighting to actinics and a different K range?
what's better, crushed coral or sand (and what type of sand)?
I already have an RODI system but am puzzled about the process of taking away and adding new water mixture


TIA

[rage]

New tank

A 2x36W 6500K light will not be enough for SPS. A 20L is shallow so you might be able to keep zoas and some softies. Most people don't keep macros in the main tank, they might be invasive. Actinics do not do anything for you except make your tank look good. If you can upgrade, get Metal Halides or T5.

A sump, refugium is great but you don't have to have it. A HOB skimmer is better than a sump that has nothing and does nothing. Other freshwater filtering devices are ok, they do part of the job for you, turning Ammonia to Nitrite, Nitrite to Nitrate. A little Nitrate is ok, a lot is not good. The mechanial filter can trap detritus, you need to clean it out more often than you would normally do with freshwater before the waste breaks down. If you have a lot of live rocks, you don't need any other filtering device, just make water change a little more often.

Crushed coral will trap detritus, it's better to use sand. Don't use the cheap Home Depot sand. Some said they do fine with pool filter sand but the one I tried was too fine, my pump blew them all over the tank. I have to use the medium coarse sand. Look for people selling live sand especially aragonite. Mostly 50c/ lb.

For water, you have to mix salt water in a container of some kind. Most use a trash can. You remove tank water with a siphon, scoop it out or pump it out then pour the new salt water in. Make sure the new water is close in temp and salanity.

When you top off the tank, use fresh RO water because only the pure water evaporates.

[Darbex]

+1 that is a good and simple answer to most questions and issues

[myjohnson]

Is it possible to have just the basics and the tank run "smoothly" (tank, light, heater, filter, circulation, LR, fish, macros, zoas, sps)

With CF and that amount of wattage you will have no problems with marcos, zoas, or shrooms. But SPS will need LEDs, t5, or HM/HQI.

If i do not have a sump or refugium will it really affect the tank.

You can run a SW tank without a refugium. But there are a lot of benefits to having one.

Can i use a canister filter in any way as a filtration device? what about HOB?

You can use a canister. Some put LR in there as media. Some only put chemical filtration media in it, ie. carbon, purigen, etc. You can mod a HOB to become a refigium. I can post links if you need.

do i have to change my lighting to actinics and a different K range?

You don't HAVE to but it's going to be a lot better if you do. The 10k and actinics really enhance how the corals look.

what's better, crushed coral or sand (and what type of sand)?

Don't use crush coral. Almost any kind of sand will work.

I already have an RODI system but am puzzled about the process of taking away and adding new water mixture

I have a link that will also help with this if you need. But in short, you get the RO water in a bucket, add salt, heat the water to right temp, and do a w/c like you would in a FW tank.

TIA

There are some good advice already posted above. Hope you enjoy this side of the hobby!

[lachupacabra]

any links would be more than appreciated
thanks for answering my questions, i'm sure i'll have more to come

[paranoid1123]

Re: Questions about reef/SW tank

This forum is a great place to learn but saltmarsh.com is more of saltwater only forum also 3reef.com is good but not local.

[gotticgs]

understood everything except for the last part