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Good new/ bad news. My wife is pregnant, and we just found out is with triplets! The bad news is that this will require extended bedrest for her. So we've decided to move in with my in-laws temporarily so my mother-in-law can help with our 2 year old before, and with the triplets right after they're born.

 

I'm currently running a 100 gal tank--no room in their house for this. Eventually I'll be selling most of my stuff off, but I don't want to leave the hobby. So I picked up a 20 gal. today that is big enough for all that I can't stand to let go. My question is, how should I set up this tank. Space will be limited, so I'm not sure I'll be able to get too fancy. While this is temporary, it does still have to last for a year to year in a half. Can I get by without a sump? How should I handle a skimmer? I'll need to think about lighting as well. What would be the easiest and most cost-effective way to set up a 20 gal? I'll be keeping a few smaller fish, soft and LPS coral. Also does anyone have any equipment for a smaller tank they are looking to get rid of?

 

Thank you for any help.

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For a 20g - I think you could fit an AC110 on the back and convert that into a refugium of sorts, and still have room for something like a Bak-Pak skimmer If you don't want to use the AC110 as a refugium - it would probably be plenty big enough supply all the flow you would need. I'm thinking you could probably fit a heater in the back of that to keep it out of your display area as well. Lots of things you can do there really.

 

I have several AC70's that I would be more than willing to part with. I also have a 70w MH ballast that might work for ya. Those are a bit smaller than the AC110 but I see people using them as refugiums on nano-reef.com all the time. I had actually started converting one myself.

 

p.s. congrats on the big news

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Wow...not much help on the smaller set-up other than to say you are going to be super-busy in a few months! We have twins, born when their big sister was 22 months old and it was all that I could do to keep up with my FW tank at the time (in other words, lucky that my fish survived months without water changes and tank top-offs). Your wife is really going to need you. In all honesty, be sure to make the smaller tank as easy to maintain as possible (or even consider putting it on hold). Hope that I don't sound too discouraging, but I've been through the newborn phase with multiples and it's going to be hectic, sleepless, and you may not have time to spend with your wife, much less keep your SW tank as nice as you'd like. The first year of twin motherhood was a blur for me, sleep deprivation will do that. Keep life as simple as possible for now, the babies will liven it up plenty. ;)

 

Congrats and best wishes! Keep us posted on the babies and mom. I'm guessing she must be about 8-10 weeks along? What's the EDD?

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For an easy fail-safe tank with softies and lps, I would probably skip any kind of hang on equipment. Water changes can take care of nutrients in a smaller tank. The best advice I would give though, is to frag anything you absolutely cannot stand to lose. With so much going on it is quite possible that this tank might crash, in which case you will be very glad that your prized corals are still alive and you can get frags back. Btw, if it were me, I would give these corals to someone you know and trust (avoid selling them so that you will hopefully not have to pay for frags back).

 

Congrats on the babies! Sounds like you've got some priceless frags on the way.

 

-Kevin

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That is a very good idea posted above. Frag those suckers up and give them to someone you trust. Then if the main colony dies you essentially have a "backup". Even better if you can do it in time to make sure the frag does alright in their tank before making the move.

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Although I don't know you other than your name, I will post any colonies I'll depart with. I'm going to frag a few and set them up in the smaller tank in the mean-time. We still have to sell our house, so something tells me I have a little time here. Not that it wouldn't be great if it sold right away, but I'm not holding my breath. Thanks for all the advice

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They are really easy, the best way is to take a razor blade and cut/pry them from the rock. Try to cut in between the actual polyps if possible. Start on an edge and then try to cut the top layer of the live rock off with the mat of zoos on it. Then use that thin layer of rock as your base for you to superglue them to a plug or rubble. Be careful because they do have a toxin in them.

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