liverock

[fish boy2]

i hace a 20 gallon tank with nothing in it if i put fully cured live rock init with out any fish or corals
will i need a protien skimmer right away and also how much light should i give it a day

[Pomacanthus1]

Well if the live rock is really cured then you won't have much of a die off, and won't need a skimmer. A skimmer is a great piece of equipment and a good one is one of the best things you could ever buy for a tank IMO, and i would recommend you buy one before you get any fish or corals.

As for the lighting, if you start to have algae problems, then i would turn the lights on for 9-10 hours a day, and if you're having no problems at all, turn them on 10-14 hours a day. Most people have theirs turned on for about that long.

[jersey]

Hi fish boy2. A skimmer is a good thing to have for nutrient export. Frequent water changes will work until you get one. You may not even need one depending on your bioload.