New 20g Reef Tank

[crazyboutnemo]

Yesterday I decided to set up a new tank and dedicate it to just corals. It is a 20g with 20lbs of live rock and branch; and 20 lbs of live sand. I currently have a whisper 280 cycling the tank until it is ready to expand on. I also have a twin strip lighting set up that puts out 40 watts of 50/50 total. The tank is a 20 long so the light doesn't have to reach very deep. Does anyone have any helpful hints or problems that are unforseen to me. Also if anyone has a step by step of what I should do or buy that would be very helpful. I not trying to have difficult coral in the tank just some simple low light corals (mushrooms, etc...)and maybe some simple anemones with some reef safe small fish.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/1/101555DSC01701.JPG

[Steven Pro]

Even though it is a shallow aquarium, I would probably still upgrade the lights. Adding a full spectrum 65 watt PC lamp while changing the two 20 watt NO lamps you have now to actinic would provide plenty of intensity for low light corals.

The Whisper filter would be good for activated carbon use, but you are still going to need a few powerheads to porvide additional circulation. Maxi-Jets or Hagen are my preference.

A protein skimmer would also be useful. On the low end, a Red Sea Prizm would work. Better options though are the Excalibur HV-1, CPR Bak-Pak, or Aqua-C Remora.