Taking The Dive Into The Nano World!

FishForums.net Pet of the Month
🐶 POTM Poll is Open! 🦎 Click here to Vote! 🐰

xwake4lifex

New Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2009
Messages
11
Reaction score
0
Hey guys. I used to be a member on here quite a while back, but I don't remember any of my login information and I'm sure the email it was attached to was cancelled. Any who, I'm certainly no stranger to keeping fresh water fish. I used to have a 20 gallon and 60 gallon running, but I moved back to CA for college and they're still at home with my parents. My mom will be bringing my brother to visit in a week or 2 so I'm having her bring my 20 gallon and stand. I've been reading up on here a little (articles, FAQs, etc.) and am trying to learn all I can about keeping a nano reef. I kinda wanna see if I've got this idea straight:

20 G (high) tank - okay size?
live sand
live rock
sea water

Then I cycle it like a normal FW tank? What kind of lighting should I be looking for? At first I'll just have some fish and little critters, but would like to get some corals or anemone in the soon future when the tank is more matured. I used to buy some of my stuff from this website: Fish Supplies Here!

So if someone could link a recommended light fixture or bulbs that would be appreciated.

As for fish I think I'm safe on that. I just want to figure out what kinds of corals, etc could work in the tank. I'm looking for something that isn't going to require constant doses of additives and such.

One more thing, with all that live rock/sand I don't need a mechanical filter? Basically just the powerhead (or 2?), heater, and the lighting?

Any critters you think I should get would be appreciated. Something with some personality ;)
 
Hi.
You cycle a salt water tank a little differently to FW. You say you want corals later. So you fill the tank with RO water. Add salt. Heat to the correct temperature. Then you add some Live rock. The live rock will start the cycle (unless its fully cured live rock that hasnt been out of the water long) Then you watch til ammonia and nitrite are 0. Do a water change so nitrates are as low as possible.

Then your ready for fish and CUC.

You need powerhead or two to create the flow around the tank which will filter the water when it come into contact with the LR. You need 20X turnover if you want a reef. More if you can. so 20 x 20 gallons =400G per hour you need in flow.

Anenomes arent really suited to a 20G, some get really big. Over two foot. Then need really stable and mature tanks. If one copped it in that tank it could wipe everything.

Lighting, i would go for a soft coral reef with maybe an lps or two. So get a few T5's with reflectors.
 
Hi.
You cycle a salt water tank a little differently to FW. You say you want corals later. So you fill the tank with RO water. Add salt. Heat to the correct temperature. Then you add some Live rock. The live rock will start the cycle (unless its fully cured live rock that hasnt been out of the water long) Then you watch til ammonia and nitrite are 0. Do a water change so nitrates are as low as possible.

Then your ready for fish and CUC.

You need powerhead or two to create the flow around the tank which will filter the water when it come into contact with the LR. You need 20X turnover if you want a reef. More if you can. so 20 x 20 gallons =400G per hour you need in flow.

Anenomes arent really suited to a 20G, some get really big. Over two foot. Then need really stable and mature tanks. If one copped it in that tank it could wipe everything.

Lighting, i would go for a soft coral reef with maybe an lps or two. So get a few T5's with reflectors.

what would a 4-5 inch caribean anemone do in a 100 gal sorry to hijack
 
I doubt it would do anything. ive just read of tiny nanos being wiped when anenomes died. I doubt it would do much in a nano if you noticed it pretty quickly.
 
Hi.
You cycle a salt water tank a little differently to FW. You say you want corals later. So you fill the tank with RO water. Add salt. Heat to the correct temperature. Then you add some Live rock. The live rock will start the cycle (unless its fully cured live rock that hasnt been out of the water long) Then you watch til ammonia and nitrite are 0. Do a water change so nitrates are as low as possible.

Then your ready for fish and CUC.

You need powerhead or two to create the flow around the tank which will filter the water when it come into contact with the LR. You need 20X turnover if you want a reef. More if you can. so 20 x 20 gallons =400G per hour you need in flow.

Anenomes arent really suited to a 20G, some get really big. Over two foot. Then need really stable and mature tanks. If one copped it in that tank it could wipe everything.

Lighting, i would go for a soft coral reef with maybe an lps or two. So get a few T5's with reflectors.

So if I just did FOWLR for now, what kind of lighting would I need? Please take a list at the list of things I'm thinking about purchasing and let me know if they are good...

Tank: 20G high
Powerheads: Model 900 (230gph x2)
Salt: 55G tub
Hydrometer
Live Sand Would a 20lb bag do?
Not sure when I'm going to get my LR yet. Does anyone know some place good in southern california? :rolleyes:

I've already got an extra powerhead or 2 for mixing water for changes, and have heaters already.

Lighting Would this work? What kind of light would be good?
 
live sand can be alive as if its been in a mature tank and stored properly then it can have critters and bacteria in so the sand isnt live but the stuff on and in it is like live rock or thats my understanding :p
 
Hi and :hi:

Live sand in a bag is a gimmick as nothing can live in the bag so go with coral sand
Forget the hydrometer and go for a refractometer more accurate (look on fleabay they have lots)
If you can get Koralia powerhead, I'd go with a Koralia 2, they are very good and quiet (once again fleabay)

Just had look and here are some links

http://home.shop.ebay.com/items/_W0QQ_dmpt...tem260373473321

http://home.shop.ebay.com/items/?_nkw=sali...mp;_osacat=1281
Hope they are some help :)

You could probably get lighting cheaper too :good:
Its best to try to get LR from an established tank, if you can find someone breaking up a tank this is perfect :good:
 
is there a chance the stuff in the bags could be live say like eggs just an ide :unsure: a i thought he meant live sand from a established tank
 
Hi and :hi:

Live sand in a bag is a gimmick as nothing can live in the bag so go with coral sand
Forget the hydrometer and go for a refractometer more accurate (look on fleabay they have lots)
If you can get Koralia powerhead, I'd go with a Koralia 2, they are very good and quiet (once again fleabay)

Just had look and here are some links

[URL="http://home.shop.ebay.com/items/_W0QQ_dmpt...tem260373473321"]http://home.shop.ebay.com/items/_W0QQ_dmpt...tem260373473321[/URL]

[URL="http://home.shop.ebay.com/items/?_nkw=sali...mp;_osacat=1281"]http://home.shop.ebay.com/items/?_nkw=sali...mp;_osacat=1281[/URL]
Hope they are some help :)

You could probably get lighting cheaper too :good:
Its best to try to get LR from an established tank, if you can find someone breaking up a tank this is perfect :good:

Those links did help! Would I need 1 or 2 of them?

I glanced at "T5" lighting last night on eBay, but I didn't find too much. Then again, I wasn't 100% sure what I was looking for. I think what I'm going to end up doing is keeping the lighting I have for now while I go FOWLR. Then a little later down the road (when the urge for new colorful goodies is just too much :)) I'll get some new lighting. By then, I'll have enough money to get something nice. You guys have been a great help!

I guess I'll just snag some sand from somewhere (non-live), or I'll try to find somewhere in my area that I could get some sand from an established tank.

Is this the kind of lighting fixture I could be keeping an eye out for? T5 Lighting. Just on a smaller scale? ;)
 
As an eBay Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
i would go with 1K2's and 1K1 the K2 at the front blasting onto rock and the K1 at the back or what ever works for you.

if it were me i would go with 4*24 watt T5 tubes individually reflected from a DIY hood (a lot easier and cheaper than a luminaire sometimes)
 

Most reactions

trending

Staff online

Back
Top