[LeeS]

Hey, I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice. I am very new to saltwater aquariums. I have a couple of 20 gallon tanks an one 10 gallon. I am wondering if the 20 gallon would suffice for a fish-only tank and if a protien skimmer is necessary. I have talked with several associates at large chain stores. I'm pretty sure they know what they are talking about. I have also talked with a couple of guys at a local shop but it seems all they are interested in is selling me 120 gallon tank for about $1200. with so much contridictary information out there I really don't know what to believe. I have read a couple of good books that make sense. Don't know if I can mention the names of them but they are highly recommended and have received excellent reviews. I know I will be limited on the number of fish I will be able to keep in such a small setup, but I am ot going to spend thousands of dollars If I cannot be successful at this. I feel pretty confident If I know I can get good reliable information. Also, would an all-inclusive hood would be accepptable. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I want to get this right the first time.

[teriyakithunder]

if you are starting a 20 gal fish only, i think it would be fine in my opinion. but you will be limited as to the selection of fish you can have. and for a skimmer, i personally would perfer to have a skimmer instead of a cannister. i have a 60 gal tank with live rock and fish and i use a skimmer good for 125 gal.
as for the guys trying to selling you a 120gal for $1000plus range. i would definitely do more research before you invest in something like that. that way you know exactly what you are getting yourself into. just my opinion though.

[teriyakithunder]

you can also log into the chat room and get advice from the other experts here. i'm sure they will be able to help you more than i can.

[IceMan]

yes you will want a protien skimmer in any SW tank be it FOWLR or Reef, if i'm understanding your question right.

[IceMan]

don't be afraid to mention books here.... there are no nazi's on here that i know of... lol

as to the size there are people who keep salt tanks in 5g tanks. but bare in mind the smaller your water column the easier it is to crash the tank. i'm not pushing you toward a 120g but i would suggest going larger, just for the fact that a larger column is safer and easier to handle. if you go with a smaller tank remember everything will happen faster is water quality falls... as in if you lose a fish (say a small clown) in a 55g you will notice lil diff. but in a 10g it will nuke the tank, assumeing you didn't notice and the fish decayed in water.

[REEFMASTER]

Not to knock any "FISH STORE", these guys are in the business to sell. bottom line.
Now if you have a small fish store, that depends on your repeat business to survive day to day, these I trust a little bit more, but you must use your instincts, and of course ask alot of questions.
Some will tell you that if you have enough LR(Live Rock) and good flow you do not need a skimmer, I will have to disagree to the extreme. A skimmer is for more than just removal of waste, it also helps with the removal of gasses in the water. For example yor suface water in the tank holds all gases from livestock waste. If you turn off all your flow and let tank sit over nite, when the lite come back on in the morning, you will see a film at the surface-GASES. that is why most reefers have their surface water agitated by a power head I myself included. It pushes all the gases from tank down to skimmer which acts like a filter of sorts, removes waste and gases.
IMO YOU MUST HAVE A SKIMMER IF YOUR RUNNING A REEF TANK!

[IceMan]

Originally Posted by REEFMASTER

Not to knock any "FISH STORE", these guys are in the business to sell. bottom line.
Now if you have a small fish store, that depends on your repeat business to survive day to day, these I trust a little bit more, but you must use your instincts, and of course ask alot of questions.
Some will tell you that if you have enough LR(Live Rock) and good flow you do not need a skimmer, I will have to disagree to the extreme. A skimmer is for more than just removal of waste, it also helps with the removal of gasses in the water. For example yor suface water in the tank holds all gases from livestock waste. If you turn off all your flow and let tank sit over nite, when the lite come back on in the morning, you will see a film at the surface-GASES. that is why most reefers have their surface water agitated by a power head I myself included. It pushes all the gases from tank down to skimmer which acts like a filter of sorts, removes waste and gases.
IMO YOU MUST HAVE A SKIMMER IF YOUR RUNNING A REEF TANK!

well said.

[Mr_X]

i know more than a handfull of people who sucessfully keep small reef tanks without protein skimmers.
you are talking fish only. i think it can be easily done, utilizing regular waterchanges as excess nutrient removal.

gases are gases. they are not a film on the surface. the film on the surface is what restricts the gases from leaving the tank. a powerhead towards the surface is a good way to fix that.

a larger tank is always easier to maintain than a small tank, but i wouldn't suggest you jump into a large complete setup without knowing if you are going to stick with it. unless you have money to burn. then i say- go with a 500 gallon display!