My 20 gallon Nano reef build
 

This is my first reef tank ever, this is just one shot for now, until the water clears up a bit more.

7 weeks, waters a little clowdy today from aragamilk, the ph was a little low from topping up from a salinity spike, luckily everything is back stable again. This was my first hiccup, and it was pretty stressful, lol

http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCN1534.jpg

super cloudy I know.. I'm working on it lol

Allister our Ocellaris Clown Fish
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCN1540.jpg
Ricordea, and some of the Zoo's
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCN1537.jpg
Candy cane/Trumpet?
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCN1536.jpg
Mexican Turbo and Tectus Turbo best buds lol
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCN1535.jpg
one of our gsp, and on the right our dying Xenia?
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCN1538.jpg

Again sorry for the milky water! its usually clear but a lot of stuff going on in there this weekend

Are you running a sump? And what skimmer are you using?

Lookin good! You might want to move that GSP onto a little rock island of its own as it will creep all over the rock and take over corals. I have GSP growing up the back wall of my tank, but my rock doesn't touch the side/back glass at all so the GSP can't get on the rock.

I was told there is no use having a skimmer on a tank this size however I have thought about it. and yes its a 20 gallon sump. Also I have some gsp I'm trying to grow on the glass and this other one I have thought about moving

There is "always" a use for a skimmer. It will help keep your tank clean, can't argue that! The SWC and Skimz skimmers have the pump built inside the skimmer so they have a tiny footprint. I have one of the SWC skimmers for my 20 gallon tank, but I still have to drill the tank for a sump!

Yeah I might get one eventually but will do water changes for the time being... Can't afford one at the moment

You dont have to necessarily drill the tank, heres a cool diy project that I'm planning to use for my sump
http://dramaticaquascapes.com/PVC_Overflow_11.html
Here it is being tested.
http://www.youtube.com/user/lanman80...11/ATzHjtFKMNs

if you've just got the one clown and dont overfeed your tank will be just fine skimmerless.

when you up your bioload, then it may be time to think about a skimmer.
You dont need to break the bank.
even a rio skilter which retail for about 20$ or so would make a difference.

thanks for the advice! I'd like to do a new sump though cause mine is leaking, and put an in sump nano skimmer (once I add a few more fish)

Nanomano, I like to drill the tanks. I do not like undrilled overflows...I've seen them fail too many times. Fail means wet floors, and I hate wet floors.

Cheap skimmers are crap, and don't do a darn thing imo. You're better off spending that money on waterchanges.

I'm sure they have, I just know a bunch of guys who have tried this diy pvc overflow, and love it, but with a few modifications, like a syphon breaker, so if power goes out the syphon stops and there is no overflowing... I'm not sure what type of skimmer I'd like to get I'd love either a small in sump or good Hang on Skimmer. I've seen a few on kijiji, but they get snatched up so fast

The wet floors that I have seen have all been from the siphon breaking (with power on) and the return pump overflowing the tank.

If you connect an airline from the top of your syphon to the intake of your pump, that will never happen.

Thanks for the tip. :)

http://96.31.76.198/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=78317

This 20g is skimmerless. Just runs on a AC 500 or whatever its called now. Run carbon & GFo, plus change a few gallons of water once a week.

Just thought to show you an option perhaps. If skimming I would go with something like the Deltec MCE 600. I would prefer Tunze but it takes up take room but so much more fool proof.

If you decide to sump it, {lots of nice 20g nano type tanks with sumps out there}, then would for sure I would drill it.

Nice start!

I'd personally want a sump and skimmer as well... drilled for sure.

As for aragamilk I used it in my first tank as well and while I wasn't exactly testing very often I suspected it wasn't doing much for me. I'd suggest dosing 2-part if your tests reveal you need to.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2023311

Heres Some better pictures now that I'm figuring out my camera settings a little better! lol.

My Ricordea
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCN1956.jpg
Small Zoa Frags.
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCN1957.jpg
These are 3 of my cichlids I just thought they were decent pics haha
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCN1854.jpg
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCN1874.jpg
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCN1907.jpg
Tank Shot (20 gallon reef)
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCN1935.jpg

Another Tank Shot
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCN1936.jpg
Shrooms
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCN1938.jpg
Another Shot of the Ric
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCN1942.jpg

Kenya Tree.. I think? lol
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCN1949.jpg
Kenya tree & Cleaner "Jacque"(finding Nemo rip)
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCN1950.jpg
Another Shroom Shot
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCN1952.jpg

GSP
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCN1966.jpg
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCN1965.jpg

This picture of my Ricordea, was taken with my cell phone, I wish I could figure out the settings on my nikon p500 to get shots with this much color at night!
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...a/ricordea.jpgnot bad for a cell phone

The emerald crab, up to no good as usual.
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCN2076.jpg

Our clown back in good health! He's decided to host the empty shells I left for the hermits
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCN2079.jpg
Branching Hammer (one head)
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCN2082.jpg

We thought the xenia was dead, but then I started using reef roids! Now they are making a comeback
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCN2083.jpg
A shot of some of the Zoa's
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCN2084.jpg
Feather duster or coco worm? not sure but it was cheap cheap cheap
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCN2072.jpg

The best part is I'm keeping everything alive! well except a $5 zoa frag, that mysteriously started to die.. no nudis or pox that I could see, there were small little worms on it but i dipped it, I guess maybe a bit too late. damn. you win some you lose some