Is It Possible To Set Up A Nano In This Tank?

[constantine03]

Hi all. I've not been on the forum in a LONG time. We've moved and I rehomed all my fish. Well, now I've put this little fish up in my baby's room (the sound, the light, the fish...babies love it), but it's sitting fish-less as I can't decide what I want to do with it. I've always wanted to have a little nano reef, but I've never ventured into salt water tanks (I'm a chicken), and I'm not 100% sure where I would start. I'm not sure if it's even possible in the tank. It's somewhat self-contained. The lighting is built in. It needs a submersible filter. I'm very limited in what it can have. It's an oval wall tank that holds about 7 gallons. It's 34 inches wide, 14 inches tall, and about 7 inches deep. There is no hood, but it does have about a 7" oval shaped opening in the center top of the tank that is always open. Right now it's set up with a Hagen Elite Stingray filter for a 10 gal tank, heater, and- it's been so long since I put it in there I don't remember the specifics- a single light that's suitable for live plants. Can I even do any sort of reef/saltwater environment in this tank? It only needs to have a few small creatures my baby can look at every now and then...

 

[simonas]

its probably a bit small for fish althoiugh I'm only a marine novice

I'm running a 16g tank and thats considered a bit small for fish

Its the difficulty in maintaining stable water conditions in a small capacity of water that causes the difficulty

I;m sure they'll be some experienced marine keepers to give you proper advice

my babies love the 2 nemos I have in ours lol

 

[Harry1996]

well it could be possible but not for a first marine tank. if you want a mairne tank then i would aim for atleast 50-100L but the bigger the better. there are cheap kits you can buy like the orca tl 450 it is 58L or a orca tl 550 that one is 128L they come with almost every thing you need. lights (enough for corals) skimmer (the 450 isint very good) a uv, blue LED lights fans and more. i would read lots on marine tanks. and read some journals on here your filter will be live rock and a power head for flow.
so if you did buy a orca then you will need to take out all the filter stuff it has (bio balls etc) and fill it with live rock rubble(after you have put the water in and heated it plus put salt init). then buy a power head for flow. buy some RO water put some salt in it. turn every thing on. after the salt is all dissolved add the live rock and rubble, let is cycle add your cuc then go from there.

 

[seffieuk]

Well, its do-able as long as you don't keep fish in it.

A bit of live rock, some zoa corals, mushrooms and a cleaner shrimp, a turbo snail and a dwarf hermit crab. With good 25% water changes every week you would be good to trot, as they say However, if you started to push the boundaries by putting a fish in there you would be asking for trouble.

Seffie x

 

[constantine03]

Well #40##. I guess we'll just go get some tetras or mollies!

I have a big tank, with all that I'd need for this-- but there's no room for it in our new house.

 

[steelhealr]

You could keep a marine invert only tank. 7Gs would be enough for 1-2 shrimp, some snails, a crab. You might even be able to keep a few hardy lowlightg corals. It IS a challenge to start out so small, but, if you spent some time here reading the FAQs, Nano section and pick a journal or two out to read to pre-plan AND...have patience, you could do it. SH

 

[ColdwaterJosh]

Could you not keep a Mantis shrimp on its own? Like a specific tank just for him?
Or would he grow to big?

 

[sorgan]

Peacock mantis (the interesting ones) need a fair size tank, I belive it's 100lt+
there is a species that can go into smaller tanks but not as small as you have.

I think you are restricted to a pico reef (hard to do unless experienced, you need to keep up on water changes as things will go wrong in a small tank very fast) or keep this one as a trop tank and buy another tank for marines