Tank Volume Problem

[GrimExpectati0ns]

Well due to cash constraints I am restricted to a nano tank. The only problem is I have trouble finding a 10g attractive. There not much you can put in it, and its pretty small. I've looked at 15, but a 10g is the only one that will fit in the space I have. I've been wanting a reef for so long, and now I finally have enough cash to setup a nano. Could anyone help me with ideas on how to make it more attractive, help boost my confidence a little? Also if I have a 10 display and a 12g sump what would increase my water volume to about 32 gallons? Does that mean I could put a few more fish in? I just want like 5 or 6 blue reef chromis.

[GrimExpectati0ns]

Also what lighting would you suggest for this tank? I was going to go with 60w flourescents. Just a couple of soft corals like Xenia,Mushrooms,Polyps,Yellow Fiji Leather and maybe a Sun Coral.

[dobejazz]

There are plenty of great looking 10g Nano's !!! I'm sure you will have an awesome looking reef. In nano's it's important to figure displacement of water by LR and sand Since we are working with lower water volumes. My 24g probably only has 16-18g of water. I would think 3 Chromis would be the max.

[Alice]

Greetings!

I love nano tanks, but they are in many ways, more challenging than a large system. One of the most challenging things is to resist the urge to put too much of everything in them. Corals need room to grow and fish need room to...poop, lol. At one time I had 3 fish and 3 shrimp in my 17 gallon nano (with displacement about 12 gallons) and it was way overstocked; I ended up with a nasty mess. When I set the tank up again after a move, I went with two fish and one shrimp and it's been much easier to maintain.

Chromis are not the best choice for a small tank, IMO. They'll probably establish a pecking order and in the end you'll have the one strongest Chromis left after it has harrassed the other two to death.

[pastina]

im very happy with my 10g nano, sure they are small but you can still do alot with them.
tank specs
10 gallon basic tank
2x40 watts power compact lighting (actinic+daylight)
20 lbs aragalive west coast caribean sand
15 lbs live rock (fiji, solomon, tonga)
maxi jet 400 power head
skilter filter but i just use the filter cuz the skimmer was making too many micro bubbles...so yeah im skimmerless
10% weekly water changes
RO water used only
i use kent nano ion buffer A+B once a week
mushrooms
zoa's
toadstool
frogspawn
star polyps
yellow polyps
moon brain coral
candycane coral
2 clownfish
1 lawnmower blenny
1 peppermint shrimp
2 scarlet hermits
1 huge turbo snail
1 margarita snail
amonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 5-10ppm
temp 79 naturally with no heater

[Reefyone]

It seems that look of nano-reef more depends on perfection of the shape of the tank and intensity on corals in it, than on volume - nano cube and minibow, for example. I saw on the web excellent 1-7 gal reef tanks.

I'm also stuck for a time being with basic rectangular tanks and few corals, but moved down from 20 gal to 5 gal (I have both) because of cost of livestock and convenience of maintaining. 20 gal was left for a fish.