Got A Few Questions

acetennis2002 · Apr 23, 2006

I appoligize for my ignorance but I am addicted to this hobby of keeping fish :hyper:

. I am always looking for the next new challange and I was thinking about trying a Nano Tank. I am a student still in High School so space and money is kind of tight. I have been researching Nano's for about a week now but have run into a few dead ends.......

1. For a begginer would a NANO CUBE be a wise choice with the few modifacations listed in this forum (moving the stock pump and removing sponges and bio-balls)

2. I am involved in sports so im not always home every night will the tank need attention every night other than feeding? ( my mom has volintered to feed the fish but wont do maintnence)

3. For water changes i have been reading about using r/o water or pre-mixed water for the water changes. My question is how much water do you accually need for a water change because buying it premixed seemes like it would get quite pricy if you need alot of it?

Well i think thats all the questions for now and again sorry for my ignorance and this may be too big a jump from my current experience but i guess it doesnt hurt to ask.

hutsler · Apr 23, 2006

If this is your first saltwater tank and you decide to go nano do alot of research first and foremost. I am new but ill try to answer a few questions. a Nano cube is a good choiceif your certain you want to go nano.
Your tank should not need heavy maintnence every night but you do need to check on your livestiock and make sure all is well.
I have found that buying a salt mix and then RO water at the store works best, and it isn't to expensive 50 cents a gallon. I have found that doing a 20% water change weekly keeps my water parameters up.
I hope this gives you a start and I am sure that the more experienced members will chime in as I am new to this also!

akilles-13 · Apr 23, 2006

A Nano reef is a hobby that will definetly keep you occupied, you must have some time each day to monitor/maintain your tank, roughly half an hour or so. Not only is it time consuming, you have to have patience and have the willingness to do researches on many things on your path to a great nano tank. Nano cube is a great tank, since it does have many mods. As for the water, I use real ocean water, from petco it runs about 8.99-9.99 for a 5 gal. This is very expensive but it gives me a less of a chance to mess up the water mixology. Depending on how big your tank is, you should do a 10-20% water change weekly. As for the cost of maintaining and stocking your nano reef tank, it does get quite expensive. And since you are in High School depending if your going off to college, you might want to consider a Pico tank (5-10 gal tank) it would be easier to move it or dismantle it. Nano reefs should be considered a serious hobby since it does take alot of your time and money. Whatever you decide, I think I speak for everyone here at the forum, that there many great nano-ers here to support you. Oh and dont forget to read Steelhlrs thread before you start. :shout:

steelhealr · Apr 24, 2006

Can't add to the above (except thank you to akillez-13). If you DO go with the NC, make sure you get the 2006 or later version. It has thicker glass, a surface skimmer and there is a serial number on the back. I advise buying it from your lfs vs. over the internet. Open the box and inspect it before taking it home. Keep your receipt and make sure you know that store's return policy. SH

acetennis2002 · Apr 24, 2006

Thanks for the replys guys hopefully this will help me in my quest to convince my parents to let me get yet another tank. Yes this will be my first reef tank (providing i am allowed to get it). I decided to go nano as it seems like it is better for my situation. I understand it is time consuming and i am most deffinatly willing to put in the time i added that bit about me not being home on the chance that i am out at a turnament and someone will not be home to help. And i may have not described myself well enough.....When i get home from practice or a meet i sit at my computer and research about fish. I will eaither be reading articals, journals, forum discussions, or even in a live chat. So being paitient and researching is accually one of my strong suits being that i do it everyday. My last question for now is i have seen a few saltwater tanks that have purple round things all over the glass like purple algea, my question is what is it and is it going to happen to my tank and if it is how do i get it off because to me it look real unattractive. If i have anymore questions i will ask thanks for the help and i plan to live by the quote "beauty happens slowly, disaster comes quickly".

Siamese Fighter05 · Apr 24, 2006

Sounds like your off to a good start with your research :thumbs:

The purple stuff you're talking about sounds like coraline algae. This is good stuff and is believed to help reduce nitrates. It makes your rocks look really nice but i agree with you on the glass it is unattractive

I've had a bit growing on the glass lately and the only way i can think to keep it at bay, is to stay on top of it. Just scrape away the small bits growing and don't let it build up :good:

Personally my nano only takes about 5mins of my time a day:

Check everyone's okay and feed them
Top up with a glass of RO water

Every wednesday i do a water change. This takes time as you have to wait for water and SG etc. to come to level with the tanks params but nothing to different from FW tanks. I don't have a full blown reef so i don't know how much more work they are but i can't see them taking 30mins a day, who knows :dunno:

HTH
Dan

SkiFletch · Apr 24, 2006

Yeah, the purple stuff is coralline algae. It's a calcerous algae and is great for nitrate export and nutrient export. It can become pervasive on the glass though so you'll have to invest in an algae scraper and stay on top of it if you dont like the look. I only scrape mine off the viewing glass, not the back glass

akilles-13 · Apr 25, 2006

30 minutes was just my rough estimate. My daily routine consist of checking the saltinity of the water; adding R/O-distilled water; clearing the glass of algae build up; cleaning the tank of any salt creep (I like to stay on top this because eventually this stuff will harden and its very unattractive). Feeding of all livestock; monitor all fishes, coral and inverts(just to make sure nothing is missing or dead; and cleaning my glass lid on top of the tank (I do this so that my lights are maximized). Weekly routine draining the 20% of water, then adding fresh real ocean water, checking parameters of the water (this does take some time, since many tests have a five minute waiting period), checking all equipment, cleaning filters and sponges. I do alot, but hey this is my hobby besides golf. :lol:

Siamese Fighter05 · Apr 25, 2006

I see were your coming from akillez-13 :nod:

I guess everyone's setup takes different amount of time and it also depends on the aquarist.
TBH i'm too laidback so i only check SG once a week and after W/C. I clean salt creep every 3-4 days and clean the light cover cover once a week.

Either way your nano is going to need a part of your time everyday, whether it's - 5mins or 30+

acetennis2002 · Apr 25, 2006

good to know thanks for the help guys

acetennis2002 · May 2, 2006

I have another couple questions.....

1. Is a nano cube setup cheaper than making your own

2. If it is cheaper what kind of filters lighting and hardwear will i need and what would you recomend?

3. Next year I will be going to college how will i be able to get my tank there or will i have to start over? (takes about 2 hours to get there)

xNOTLOCx · May 4, 2006

well for me im going to college in 2 years in california and i live in oregon, ive decided that 6 months prior i will set up a tank down there and let it cycle and get set up then i will take all my plant/fish life and put them into bags pump em up n put oxygen tablets in them and put em in a box fly down there and that means for where im going itl only b 4 hours for the fish and then i will acclimate em and move em obviously making shure the waters perfect, then sell the tank here or keep it fo if i ever come back wich i doubt since i wanna live there but dont let that get in you way i think itd be easy and youd be older and you could buy a tank and lr to cycle and brig ur lights and fliters with u when u go wherever ur going.... but if your moving buy those good fish bags so they dont leak and buy oxygen tablets 1 for each bag and they will dissolve slowly keeping the water oxygenated and then pump the bag up with a basketball pump or some pump u might have or might buy for cheap. then set them into a box depends if its very very hot where your going set a cool moist towel under and over the crat on the inside, make sure its coooool tho, if its really cold buy some shake em up heating pads like the hand warmers and set em on the bottom and sides and cover with a moist towel, either way the towel prevents anything from escaping like the coolness or hotness, good luck it shoudl be fine as with water just fill up 5 gallon buckets not used for anything like detergents or anything thats chemical associated and close those up pack your tank and electronics up and your good to go...