I Want To Start A Nano Reef

[twofortysx]

my baby is a planted 90g freshwater tank. its stocked with a school of 15 barbs (green, tiger and albino), 15 bloodfin tetras, 6 swords, numerous plecos and cory cats. the tank is mature and thriving very well this is all beside the point though because nano reefs have been interesting me as of late. i dont have the room for another big tank in my house.

ive been reading the pinned threads and i believe i have most of the equipment needed to start a nano reef. i have a 10g tank, large powerhead, 50w heater and a hang on back mechanical filter.


please take in to consideration that im very new to saltwater tanks and some of these questions might be very very simple

my first question is about lighting, is it possible to use the hood i already have and just replace the bulbs? if so what type of bulb is appropriate for a marine tank?

i read that its possible to use only live rocks and a powerhead as filtration? is this really true?


i have more questions about starting the tank but ill save those until i know what equipment i need


BTW
i have a digi-cam and will document this tank well for the board

 

[Siamese Fighter05]

my first question is about lighting, is it possible to use the hood i already have and just replace the bulbs? if so what type of bulb is appropriate for a marine tank?

The lighting you will need will depend on what you plan to keep in the tank. If you just want to go fish only with liverock then you won't need much just a pair of t5's or t8's wi suffice. If you want to keep corals then lighting becomes a new ball game. You will need a few t5's or even a Metal halide to house SPS and LPS. Softies will only need about 3-4watts per gallon.

I've read that a 70w MH or a 96w t5 unit works nicely for Sps and so on in a 10g

i read that its possible to use only live rocks and a powerhead as filtration? is this really true?

Yes, you will need at least 1lb of liverock per gallon or more. 10-15lbs would be a good amount for your tank

Goodluck and do lots of research SH's diary is great for information

Dan

 

[Aquascaper]

You will certainly need to upgrade the lighting as stock lighting is usually not enough for a Nano tank.

 

[twofortysx]

The lighting you will need will depend on what you plan to keep in the tank. If you just want to go fish only with liverock then you won't need much just a pair of t5's or t8's wi suffice. If you want to keep corals then lighting becomes a new ball game. You will need a few t5's or even a Metal halide to house SPS and LPS. Softies will only need about 3-4watts per gallon.

I've read that a 70w MH or a 96w t5 unit works nicely for Sps and so on in a 10g

Dan

im pretty sure that im going to just keep live rock and a few fish until i become more experienced with saltwater tanks.

is it a good idea to use this bulb?

http/www.petco.com/Shop/Product.aspx?R=8...=11440&#details

 

[Siamese Fighter05]

is a 10gallon 18" long?
You could get 2 16" t5 tubes. They will need special reflectors and ballast.
Or you could just go powercompacts.
I'd say one actnic and one daylight, this will give you a nice effect.

Dan

Edit: I'm not sure if they would do, i think 16" tubes are 18w although im not sure how it works in the US.

If you think that you will want corals later on i'd reccomend you buy the lights that they will need now. You will only regret it later if you spend $70 now and then have to replace them a few months later with a $120 top-of-the range unit

 

[crazyelece]

If all you want is a few fish and live rock skip the 10 gallon and get at least a 20 gal or preferably a 30 gal. Then use the ten for a sump. Reason being a 10 gallon is only going to hold two fish at most and you will be very limited to the types of fish you can keep. Also nitrates build up very quickly in a small tank and saltwater fish do not do so well with them. Not nearly like freshwater. Don't get me wrong you can do it, but it will be a lot of work and maintenance to keep it at optimal conditions.

As far as lighting - if all you are looking for is fish use whatever bulb you want. I have a regular freshwater light on my 30 gal FOWLR tank. All the fish care about is lights on and lights off, the spectrum you use is up to personal preference.

 

[steelhealr]

twofortysx.........

A ten gallon is within the realm of nano reefing. Keep in mind, as crazylece implied, the smaller the tank, the more of a challenge..but...we nano'ers are doing it all the time. That's the definition of a nano tank. However, remember, the smaller the tank, the less you can put in it. THAT IS THE CHALLENGE. So, if you want to do your ten, your equipment is mostly together, but, you WON"T be able to keep more than 1 fish or 2 very small nano fish (eg, look up neon gobies).

If you think you won't be able to control your fish urges (and it IS hard once you see all the gorgeous marine choices), or, you won't be happy with only a handful of corals, then, the larger the tank, the more choices you'll have. You can do a ten. Look up parker313's thread. She did a ten. She has since left the forum. SH

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=59311

 

[twofortysx]

thank you for the quick replies. i really appreciate them

well my mind is not made up on exactly what i want to do as far as a nano marine tank goes. im very ignorant to what types of crazy creatures i can have so fish and live rock might not be my final answer. once i figure out what i can keep and what its going to take to keep them healthy i will have a better answer for you guys. i learned as a young buck to control my fish urges. if my tank only supports 2 fish then im only going to keep 2 fish.

i have my eye on a three stripe damsel. ive read that it would be okay for 10 gallons as long as it was the only fish.

i need advice on other things in my tank



Jimmy

 

[twofortysx]

okay so i think im ready to start this project within the next few days.

would it be okay to make about 8 gallons of saltwater in my tank before i add anything else? i can run the HOB without any media to oxygenate the water. once i have the parameters of the water okay then i can add live sand and live rock?

when its time for the rock and sand, ill syphon most of the water out, remove the HOB and aquascape everything how i please then add the water back.

Jimmy

 

[Siamese Fighter05]

okay so i think im ready to start this project within the next few days.

would it be okay to make about 8 gallons of saltwater in my tank before i add anything else? i can run the HOB without any media to oxygenate the water. once i have the parameters of the water okay then i can add live sand and live rock?

when its time for the rock and sand, ill syphon most of the water out, remove the HOB and aquascape everything how i please then add the water back.

Jimmy

Do you have a RO unit yet? If not mixing the saltwater will be a waste of salt and time.
If you want to double check the tank for leaks you can fill it up with tap water and let it run with things for a couple of days.

If i were you i would:
Make 12gallons RO water (Filling, spare and top off for a while)
Mix with salt in tank up to SG while heating
Run tank a couple of days to check powerhead, heater and temperature stabilty as well as SG swings from evapouration.
Drain 25% of water into safe container
Then you can add your LR and substrate then just wait for the cycle
Put 25% back in

Dan€

 

[twofortysx]

explain RO unit for me please?

*edit*

i was planning on using distilled water to mix my saltwater and as top off water. so a reverse osmosis system wouldnt pay for itself in the long run. i dont have any intention of starting a larger marine tank in the near future. thank you for the help though, i do appreciate it!

 

[crazyelece]

Really an RO does pay for itself fairly quickly if that is all you are worried about, but distilled is also a viable option if you want to pay for it.

 

[steelhealr]

Distilled water is fine if you decide to go that route, as long as you are sure that it is a reliable pure source. At my local supermarket, a gallon of distilled water goes for $.99. That would meani I would need 9 gallons per week, 4 for a water change and 5 for topping off. Let's just say that rounds out to $9 X 52 = $468 a year. An RO filter on Ebay costs $80. Just an FYI. SH

 

[bunjiweb]

Although I wouldnt reccomend it to most people i use plain tap water for my 2 nano tanks.

You would however have to be extremely confident of the water quality in your are before using it though.

Ben

 

[steelhealr]

Agreed...although tap water maybe treated to remove chlorine and chloramine, it can still contain nitrates, phosphates and something that we don't measure that can be toxic....heavy metals. These can build up with each water change, so, you must be careful. Overall, pure water is the best choice for your marine tank. SH