Taking The Plunge - Getting A Marine Nano

[Wills]

Greetings! I usually post on the FW side with a speciality in NW cichlids. However......I have had an offer of a 2foot marine tank I am unsure of the capacity as its early days but from the photo it looks like a 2x1x18 so about 22 US gallons. It comes with a powerhead and what looks like an LED overhead light. What looks to be a decent amount of live rock and obvious stand and tank.

Now Im only thinking about this at the moment and know very little about marine. If someone could make me a list of stuff I need that would be cool also any recommendations of fish and also fish I should avoid would be good as well.

Other questions I have -

1. The tank is about a half hour drive away, how much would this bump the cycle? Ive read the bacteria live in the rocks rather than the filter and the powerhead keeps them alive.

2. We want some coral but bit of a limited budget can you recommend some that will work well? It says on the ad it has frag xenia? Is that coral?

3. Can I move the live rock around as I dont like how it looks at present in this tank.

4. What kind of maintenance regime will I need? Im used to weekly water changes on my 240.

5. How much does RO water usually cost, I know my local MA sells it and I go weekly for live food for FW fish so no probs there. Do they sell pre salted water or do I need to salt it my self?

Think that covers it for now ha ha

Let me know
Thanks Wills

 

[chr15_8]

Greetings! I usually post on the FW side with a speciality in NW cichlids. However......I have had an offer of a 2foot marine tank I am unsure of the capacity as its early days but from the photo it looks like a 2x1x18 so about 22 US gallons. It comes with a powerhead and what looks like an LED overhead light. What looks to be a decent amount of live rock and obvious stand and tank.

Now Im only thinking about this at the moment and know very little about marine. If someone could make me a list of stuff I need that would be cool also any recommendations of fish and also fish I should avoid would be good as well.

Other questions I have -

1. The tank is about a half hour drive away, how much would this bump the cycle? Ive read the bacteria live in the rocks rather than the filter and the powerhead keeps them alive.

My live rock was a hour away. I used a polysteryne box and had a bt of water in it. My tank never went though the cycle stage iirc. Yes thats right about the PH

2. We want some coral but bit of a limited budget can you recommend some that will work well? It says on the ad it has frag xenia? Is that coral?

Yea xenia is a coral, people descripe it as a weed as it can grow very fast and can take over if your not carefull. Soft crals would be best as they need the least care out of all corals. Zoanthids, Toadstool.

3. Can I move the live rock around as I dont like how it looks at present in this tank.

yea you can move it as much as you want, m stil moving mine about now 6 months later!

4. What kind of maintenance regime will I need? Im used to weekly water changes on my 240.

I change 10% weekly

5. How much does RO water usually cost, I know my local MA sells it and I go weekly for live food for FW fish so no probs there. Do they sell pre salted water or do I need to salt it my self?

My MA sold un salted RO for £3.50 per 25 ltr. Personaly i wold buy your own ro machine. I worked out that after buying a years supplyof filters that i save £80 in the first year and over £150 every year after. Personaly i would mix it at home. They normally mix it to 1.024 where as most reef run at 1.026

Think that covers it for now ha ha

Let me know
Thanks Wills

good luck and keep asking questions if you need to

 

[chr15_8]

Stuff needed

New sand, someone had a probelm on here who used old sand due to all the waste/other rubbish in it.

Refractometer to measure the saltinity.

Skimmer (optional but well worth it imo. Just need to look what they pull out to give you an idea)

Spare powerhead/heater for mixing salt if you decide to mix it yourself

carn't think of much more atm

 

[Wills]

Hi thanks, the things you mentioned any idea roughly how much they will cost? Also any ideas for fish, just starting to read now but so many options lol I cant decide.

Ive seen some domino fish (sorry about common names) do you know much about them? Ive heard they can be a bit agressive?

 

[chr15_8]

New sand £15-£20

Refractometer £35

Skimmer depends on brand but probably around the £80 mark for a decent 2nd hand.

Spare powerhead for mixing slat - £15ish or old interal/pump.

Test Kit Ammonia, Nitrate, Nitrite, ph - most used/reccomended are salifert £10 each

I looked at domino's but believe reading there not reef safe and like you said can be aggresive (not good for a nano imo)

Personal choice really. I have a pair of clowns and a firefish. Im going to get a bangii cardinal.

Have a look at different goby or maybe a skrimp/goby pair?

 

[Wills]

I actually really like the bangii cardinals would they be able to live in this tank?

I have to admit those prices are a bit off putting, well at least until I graduate. Hmmm might have to have a think thanks for the help so far Ive emailed the seller and if those bits and pieces are included Ill have a rethink but I think Ive decided what Im doing when it comes to upgrade for my FW.

Im going to get a 6x2x2 for FW and then use my 65g for Marine, this little slight foray into the salty stuff really has helped me make the choice between marine and african. Def going to start reading up on what I want though plan is to move house, because we want a garden (actually reads bigger fish tanks) also jobs etc but once I have the space Im going to rival the Deep

 

[chr15_8]

im sure baangii can be ke in 2/3 (carnt remember off hand and sould be fine) Only reason im going for 1 is due to having another 3 fish already.

you could probably cut the skimmer down to £4O (probably incuded anyway in set up)

You might have a spare powerhead/pump to mix saltwater.


Ive also got a 40gallon African cichlid tank. Great fish aswell

 

[Wills]

Have to admit im really tempted, Ive emailed seller but not heard back. I think.....Im going to get it..... Ive got a bit of spare cash (for once) this month so I might go for it....

 

[Wills]

Can you run a marine tank with just corals in? I want to research the fish a bit more first, I mean like in FW with no fish in the filter bacteria starve but will the live rock stay live?

 

[Wills]

Just been looking at some fish pics and was wondering if these would be suitable for my tank obviously not all but are there any combinations that would work? Or even just one of them being suitable?

Yellow Stripe Clingfish (Diademichthys lineatus)

Clown Goby Green (Gobiodon atrangulatus)

Hi Fin Red Banded Goby (Stonogobiops nematodes)

Orange Lined Cardinalfish (Apogon cyanosoma)

Firefish (Nemateleotris magnifica)

Also quite interested in Starfish are there any that would be suitable for my tank?

Thanks Wills