All I Can Say Is.....

[keane]

Just saw the pic below on a nano tank forum....its a 1 gallon Pico Tank.

I have never dabbled in Saltwater but have seriously been contemplating doing so of late and I think nano is the only way for me because of lack of space for a larger tank. This pic makes me want it even more!!

My question is....how does this guy run his tank?? I mean, from the thread I read he simply has a light, a heater and an Aquaclear 10 (mini) and thats it.

Why does he not need a skimmer, powerheads, refractometer, hydrometer or whatever else you "reefers" use on bigger tanks?

Is it simply a case of rigorous water changes or am i missing something??

Your advices would be appreciated.


cheers all

steve

 

[Ben]

That's an awesome pico!

Nano's don't really need skimmers if you keep on top of w/c's, and a tank that small shouldn't need that many powerheads if he has a filter,

and refractometres and hydrometres are used to measure sailinity and SG so im pretty sure he has one

It is best to start off with a nano first and then gradually move down to pico's, easier that way

HTH

DD

 

[catxx]

woah. that's gorgeous!

 

[keane]

That's an awesome pico!

Nano's don't really need skimmers if you keep on top of w/c's, and a tank that small shouldn't need that many powerheads if he has a filter,

and refractometres and hydrometres are used to measure sailinity and SG so im pretty sure he has one

It is best to start off with a nano first and then gradually move down to pico's, easier that way

HTH

DD

okey dokey. Ta DD

So, having browsed through some of the the post on here.....if I go the Nano route (thinking around the 20g) the equipment and stuff I will need to start (please point me in the right direction if I am off the mark here..) is: -

20 gallon tank (!!)
Live Rock (10 - 12lbs)
Live Sand (do i need Live Sand if I have live rock? Can I substitute it with something else?)
RO Unit (Is this an extravagance for such a small tank? Should I just buy RO water from LFS?)
External Filter (??) (if so, what media do I use with this??)
Small power head (?)
Lighting (what sort and what wattage?)
Hydrometer of refractometer (refractometers are best right?)
Heater

Anything else initially?

thanks guys and gals

steve

 

[fish_keeper2]

1st off you need atleast 20 lbs of live rock. i have 15 in my 10 gal.
next no you dont need live sand but do get argonite sand becuase it will buffer your water and keep the PH at the proper level.
i personlay find it easier to get RO from a lfs
you dont have to have a filter but i use on and i keep chemi pure in it.
for power heads you will want at least 20x flow so in a 20 gal youll want a min of 400 gph. this is provided by powerheads, filters, etc.....the package should say how much gph each one provides.
lighting s important for corals, for softies 3-5 watts is good over 6 watts is needed for lps and sps corals. pc and mh are best for this and ull want 10000k and actinic.
hydrometer/refractometer is very nessecary. refracto is best but you can get by with a hydrometer. i keep my SG at 1.025.
heater of course is a most. i keep my temp at 80F


btw welcome the the world of nanos!

 

[steelhealr]

Nano reefs are growing very rapidly. The pico reef you see above is stunning. However, I caution you that despite it's small size, it is a good amount of work to maintain. That pico you see above takes a lot of care. Although you should'nt be discouraged by my comments, I just want you to understand that it is NOT similar to keeping a 2.5 gallon FW. Just for example, I would estimate that there are hundreds of dollars of corals in that tank. Also, note there are no fish.

I wouldn't recommend starting a pico until you have mastered a nano tank. The rewards are astounding. Come on down to the dark side of the TFF force. SH

 

[keane]

I wouldn't recommend starting a pico until you have mastered a nano tank. The rewards are astounding. Come on down to the dark side of the TFF force. SH

Pico isn't even in my thoughts.

In all honesty I would have preferred to have started with a much larger tank than a 20g but unfortunately I already have 55 and 40 gallon tropical freshwaters in my front room so space is at a premium.

I also have a 20 gallon in there that is currently holding a batch of juvie Auratus. This is the tank I will be using for my nano.

Before I start up though I am gonna do some thorough reading of the diary posts and pinned topics on here and have also ordered a couple of the books that Navarre has recommended in his "Deceided to go Nano" pinned topic: -

The New Marine Aquarium: Step-By-Step Setup & Stocking Guide
The Simple Guide To Mini-reef Aquariums

Anyone got any comments on these?

no doubt i will come back to you very shortly with more questions (remember, your patience is a virtue! ) but for now it's time do do some reading

SH thanks for the welcome and love the tank (i have been admiring it from afar for some months now)

steve

 

[steelhealr]

Steve..you're on the rigth track. Those are great starter books. If you have a few bucks, Fenner's The Concscientious Marine Aquarist is excellent. Basically 'warns you' about what not to add to your tank. You won't regret taking the time to read and it won't be long before you'll have a tank looking like Bunjiwebs. SH

 

[Synirr]

Wow. Just wow. I've seen a couple of 1 gallon picos on the 'net, but that is by far the best ever .