new here

[mike2350]

i everybody:
i just joined you folks a couple days back, and have a few questions for you all.

i have a 20 high tank diamensions are 13 inches wide, 24 inches long, and 16 inches deep, a perfecto deluxe full hood with a 15 w freshwater grow bulb(will be changing out to a coralife 50/50 bulb shortly, 15 w ,18 inch t8 50% 6000 degree k natural daylight 50% actinic 03 blue and a all glass top), marineland biowheel 150, sub heater, keeping the temp at 74 degrees, 8lb live rock ( i know this is not enough and will be adding more soon,),carib sea sand substraight with the black speckes in it, reef crystals salt mix, 1 bule damsel( will be switching out damsel for sea horses in near furture)red sae hydrometer, 1 red plant not sure what it is, 1 red mushroom coral i think, 1 nassarius snail, 1 collenista snail( what do i need snail wise for this size tank and how many), chemicals i have are kent marine liquid calcuim, ammonia detox, sea chem 8.3 buffer for ph?, and reef builder, carib sea purple up, marine snow plant food?, medicine i have is sea chem para guard, api melafix(what do i need to add to this?), test kits are api calcuim, ammonia, no3 nitrate, no2 nitrite, high range ph, and saltwater biozyme ( what do i need here?).
things i will be adding on a slow scale is equipment a continuous hatch and feed brine shrimp hatcher, what does everyone think of a red sea berlin airlift 90 skimer?, i do not know about using hermit crabs as seahorse.org and stated that they would not put more then 1 per 10 gallons in a tank, as for as corals go i am looking about doing the following set up all are seahorse safe according their tank mate guide, a blue sponge, feather duster, tiger tail cuke, red sea fan, kenya tree?, clove polyp?, yellow polyp?, sun coral?, fox coral?, sea hare, and a peppermint shrimp.
as for as the seahorses go i am thinking dwarfs(hippocampus zestaraes).
i have been a member of sea horse .org for a couple years now and have printed every thing off and read tough it a couple dozon times and have read tough the sea horse book from tfh publication about as many times, my parameters for this tank are specific gravity 1.024, ammonia is .25?, nitrate is .25?, ph 8.3, calcuim 380-420?.
if any body has any ideas as to what i need to do here , add or remove from my list of items i wanting to keep, light issues, ect, please advise me as to what i need to do everything as of right now will need to be done a slow time frame as for as getting items, if any one has something to get rid of on a extra cheap or free please let me know, every thing will have to be shipped to me as i will not be able to pick up.
thanks to all in advance
mike 2350

 

[afboundguy]

Welcome! Only thing I'd suggest is swapping out the bio-wheel filter for a skimmer if you're planning on keeping seahorses. They require pristine conditions and bio-wheels tanks tend to have higher nitrates. Seahorses also aren't the best inhabitant for a new tank because of the need for pristine conditions which usually requires an established tank and experience. I know it took me over 6 months to figure out how to keep my tank perfect...

Also I wouldn't add any fish or corals until the ammonia is zero. How old is the tank? Having noticeable ammonia makes me think you might still be cycling the tank...

 

[mike2350]

this tank is 2 months into a setup .

 

[tigerslacrosse4]

your probably just ending the cycle if the ammonia is just about nothing if not you still have a short while to go before you can add much of anything... patients is a virtue and it is def needed in this hobby. keep us posted...

 

[Blueflu1]

I am assuming that your light is a power compact. If so, you won't be able to have alot of corals. Most require higher light. There are some lower light corals you could get. If its not a power compact, disregard. lol

 

[jayman10134]

perfecto deluxe full hood with a 15 w freshwater grow bulb(will be changing out to a coralife 50/50 bulb shortly, 15 w ,18 inch t8 50% 6000 degree k natural daylight 50% actinic 03 blue and a all glass top)

I am assuming that your light is a power compact. If so, you won't be able to have alot of corals. Most require higher light. There are some lower light corals you could get. If its not a power compact, disregard. lol

i am pretty sure it is a normal flourescent strip. 15 watt 18" bulb is standard on a 20 gallon i am pretty sure

 

[Blueflu1]

i am pretty sure it is a normal flourescent strip. 15 watt 18" bulb is standard on a 20 gallon i am pretty sure

Your right. I didn't see the T8 in his post.