Setting up a nano-reef

[sammydee]

Hi there. I haven't posted in this section before, but I went to the LFS yesterday and saw the salt water tanks and... well... they look pretty cool to be honest.

I've already got a 20G community freshwater tank that I have had for ages, so this wouldn't be my first tank. I would be quite willing to do loads of research first, as I'm sure a salt water tank would be a lot of work.

My mum keeps looking at the salt water fish and saying "Wow Sam that one looks nice, can't we get that fish." "No mum thats a salt water fish."

But I think it would be really cool to try a mini reef tank or something in a 10 or 15 gallon. I'd only get one of two fish and try to really do a good job. Plus I'm sure it would be good fun and educational to tr a salt water tank.

Cost is the only issue - I've got LOADS of time - so how much can I expect to end up paying?

Any really important things I should know about?

Thanks!

 

[Navarre]

Hello and welcome to the salty section!

Firstly, you need the largest tank you can fit/afford as this will reap you benefits at a later date with more stable conditions.
The next thing you need to consider is filtration. Live rock is considered the best you can get (well its natures own way so who are we to argue ) Live rock serves many purposes. it gives filtration, offers refuge to fish and micro live and of corse it looks good in the tank.
Now this is gonna cost but you will need ot research the price in your locality. Liverock for filtration pursposes comes out at 1lbs per gallon of tank.

Now a skimmer is recomended but not essential (i persnally would use one) as long as you keep very strict water changes. And of course the salt... i would change the water at 10% per week. lastly the lights. now if you want a reef setup then halides are the way to go but halides over tiny tanks will give temperature problems so you need to balance the lights with temperature.

Sorry i havent given any prices but at least you know what you need now for equpment (imsure others will add more suggestions also) and at least you can now seach you local shops to check out prices.

 

[steelhealr]

Hi Sammy...I"m not an expert in this, but I can tell you that it is not cheap. EG..if you used a nano cube, that runs in the $99-$199 range. Add a heater, etc as the post says above. I'm listing a few links below to show what the cost of live rock and coral are. I"m sure you can do the rest. I'm starting to research this too. SH

http/www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Di....cfm?pCatId=714

http/www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Di....cfm?pCatId=714

http/www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod...04+62760+113565

 

[sammydee]

Thanks.

Well I won't be buying a nano-cube. I'll probably end up getting a second hand 10 gallon, or maybe even something smaller like a 5 gallon. I want it SMALL because although it might mean more work, it means LESS COST for live rock, equipment etc, and I will be short of cash. I don't know if I can afford $100 (that's about £60!) for coral, so live rock might have to be the limit.

I want to try to do this as cheaply as possible, then maybe add more later on when I have more money.

So what sort of equipment will I need? I will need a filter right - just like a freshwater tank? Or does it need to be more powerful for salt water?

I would appreciate it if you guys could talk me throguh this because I don't have the first clue about salt water tanks.

Thanks

 

[Salt Freak]

Mybe if you can get more price range its going to be a good couple hundred and about the five gallon is really pushin it.

 

[sammydee]

I have maybe £150 to spend? I can do without coral at first - just live rock - I think that will cut a chunk out of the potential costs.

I was thinking of a ten gallon, but after doing some research I think a twenty gallon would be a much better idea. It is more stable, and although it will cost a bit more, the cost per gallon will be less.

I am still doing loads of research on this, I don't even know if it is definately going to happen yet.

 

[Aquascaper]

IMO you would be better going larger as, although a smaller tank is cheaper to set up it's harder to control paramenters.

You only need to lose a small tank and contents to make you wish you'd got a bigger tank

 

[sammydee]

I really don't think I can afford anything much larger than a twenty gallon. In fact, even a twenty gallon is pushing it. I will have to buy more live rock, more substrate, bigger filter etc for a larger tank and I don't think I could afford that. If I wanted a twenty gallon tank how many GPH would I need? I would probably use live rock frags as filter media. I am aiming to keep a very few fish for the tank size to keep it simple.

 

[blout]

just remember you dint have to get it all in one go, i started my one a year ago with one piece of living rock cos i could not afford it but since then ive gone up 2 tank sizes and have alot more living rock, it will all come together just give it time

 

[sammydee]

Ok, got a list of stuff I need and I am going to set it up piece by piece.

One of the first things I need is lighting however... I know this is very important in marine aquaria. I haven't a clue what all the terms like VHO, HO, T5, MH and PC mean so if somebody could explain these to me in simple terms I would be very happy .

I probably will be keeping very few/none at all corals to support my budget, so extremely high output lighting is not a requirement.

However, I would like to know how many watts I will need of which type of lighting and whether the fish/bacteria living on the live rock/crustaceans/whatever will be happy with it.

I'd like to try and stay cheap if possible, so no metal halide lamps.

 

[Malawiandude]

if u look at my 10g nano there, it costs so far are around 250-300 range. I am just gettin ready to get corals as soon as i get coral beauty angel out of there

 

[blout]

Ok, got a list of stuff I need and I am going to set it up piece by piece.

One of the first things I need is lighting however... I know this is very important in marine aquaria. I haven't a clue what all the terms like VHO, HO, T5, MH and PC mean so if somebody could explain these to me in simple terms I would be very happy .

I probably will be keeping very few/none at all corals to support my budget, so extremely high output lighting is not a requirement.

However, I would like to know how many watts I will need of which type of lighting and whether the fish/bacteria living on the live rock/crustaceans/whatever will be happy with it.

I'd like to try and stay cheap if possible, so no metal halide lamps.

MH = metal halides which are bulbs
T5s = strong floresent tubes
im not sure about the others i think vho is floresent tubes but not as good as T5s

 

[FrAnK3333]

I would read the topic by parker who made a nano tank dairy. I found it very helpful and she includes the cost in there to give you an idea. I also found it very nice and will help me when I set my 20 gallon saltwater tank. I would also read the pinned topics because they too were very helpful.

 

[Aquascaper]

One of the first things I need is lighting however... I know this is very important in marine aquaria. I haven't a clue what all the terms like VHO, HO, T5, MH and PC mean so if somebody could explain these to me in simple terms I would be very happy .

PC = Power compact
HO = High Output
VHO = Very High Output
T5 = Smaller diameter tubes providing more watts per inch
T8 = Standard size tubes
T10 = Bigger diameter tubes
T12 = Bigger still
MH = Metal Halide

HTH

 

[sammydee]

Thanks Aquascaper .

So how many watts will I need for a 20 gallon long FOWLR tank?

I'm staying away from corals for now due to the need for expensive lighting.