thinking of starting a 10g nano reef.

[volitanking]

this will be my first attempt at any kind of reef and ive been reading but can anybody tell me what im geting my self into or give me a little advice on equiptment?

[Liza]

what do you want to keep in it, and how handy are you with your own building? You'll want to make sure you have the lighting you need for whatever it is you want to keep, and you can build your own set up if you're skilled at that kind of thing, otherwise there are pre-made tanks that have lights and fans and basically all the stuff you need (minus a few upgrades that I would personally recommend) all in one package. Nanos require a little more attention because it's easier for the water quality to go south a lot faster than in a bigger tank and it's also more difficult to keep temperatues stable because with a smaller amount of water it can heat up or cool down faster, as well. Plus, you have to consider your bio load and understand you will be very limited in the fish you can keep in a nano tank. Beyond that, my first reef tank is a 12 gallon nano and it's been a lot of fun and so far I have had pretty good luck with everything, so it definitaly can be done. I have the nanocube deluxe and replaced the stock pump with a maxi-jet 900. I also pulled the bio balls and all but one of the sponges and added some activated carbon and a heater in the back chambers. I decided to keep my temperature at a constant a little higher than what I originally wanted rather than trying to keep it cool while the lights were on, but you can use fans blowing across the top to help if you prefer. You'll have more evaporation with them, though, and have to do more top offs. If you've got the money and time, go for it. It's fun!

[Loverotties]

Originally Posted by Liza

what do you want to keep in it, and how handy are you with your own building? You'll want to make sure you have the lighting you need for whatever it is you want to keep, and you can build your own set up if you're skilled at that kind of thing, otherwise there are pre-made tanks that have lights and fans and basically all the stuff you need (minus a few upgrades that I would personally recommend) all in one package. Nanos require a little more attention because it's easier for the water quality to go south a lot faster than in a bigger tank and it's also more difficult to keep temperatues stable because with a smaller amount of water it can heat up or cool down faster, as well. Plus, you have to consider your bio load and understand you will be very limited in the fish you can keep in a nano tank. Beyond that, my first reef tank is a 12 gallon nano and it's been a lot of fun and so far I have had pretty good luck with everything, so it definitaly can be done. I have the nanocube deluxe and replaced the stock pump with a maxi-jet 900. I also pulled the bio balls and all but one of the sponges and added some activated carbon and a heater in the back chambers. I decided to keep my temperature at a constant a little higher than what I originally wanted rather than trying to keep it cool while the lights were on, but you can use fans blowing across the top to help if you prefer. You'll have more evaporation with them, though, and have to do more top offs. If you've got the money and time, go for it. It's fun!

I like what she said Except for the Bioballs.Don't us them ,they only add nitrates down the road! your Rock is good enough as a filter!

[Liza]

Originally Posted by Loverotties

I like what she said Except for the Bioballs.Don't us them ,they only add nitrates down the road! your Rock is good enough as a filter!

I said I "pulled the bioballs" meaning I took them out, but it's a good clarification, I don't know why they even make them.

[darthteddy]

lol. Well im about to set up my 10g SPS tank. Can anyone say 17.5 wpg. I agree tho. A big thing to remember is bioload. How many fish and what types should all be looked over carefully. Probably no more then about 2 or so tops.

[volitanking]

thanks everybody i am pretty good at dyi i made my wet dry on my 55g fowlr i think i will make my own i just want a fairly cheap array of corals i dont have knowlage on all the names so i couldent really tell you my buddies own a saltwater fish store and im gonna get a blue spot jawfish very cheap what would anybody reccomend for lighting

[Liza]

lighting requirements will depend on what kinds of corals you want to keep. You can keep most mushrooms and zoanthids with fairly low light. Some corals won't do well if it is too bright, too, and with a smaller tank more of the light will be reaching all the way to the bottom, so keep that in mind when choosing and placing your corals.

[volitanking]

thanks i have 2 10 watt 50/50 mini compact flor should that be ok for some hardy soft corals?