Small Nano Tank

[nel5on]

Hello

ive kept tropical fish for the best part of my life (im 19 and have been keeping them for 11 years) although ive only kept them by myself since i was about 13.

im now wanting to set up my first marine tank, what ive got at hand is a 30ltr tank that i brought a few days ago, not touched it and its jsut sitting in the box lol, its a full tropical set up, bu what i basically want to find out is what else i need to transform into a small nano reef

im gonna look at around 5kg of live rock, some small corals (suggestions welcomes) i want a pair of common clowns, and some sort of clean up crew.

could anybody assist in helping me find the right equiptment i need to set it up, i do water changes sometimes twice a week if thats help anything.

i do my own research but its just that i want to make sure i get things right and that i dont misjudge anything.

thanks. nel5on

 

[Truck]

no dont turn this into a nano its way to small for a beginner, go and buy a 30 gallon and do a big nano, then move smaller as you gain experience

 

[BigC]

The tank is fine as is (though a little on the small side), except for an extra pump (Koralia nano) and upgraded lighting
I would ditch the filtration material which has probably come with the tank (sponges and bio media usually)
Replace with Rowaphos and HR Carbon)

You will need some extras though.

Bucket of salt
RO unit (buckets, spare heater/stat, weighing scales, spare powerhead)
Refractometer
Thermometer

Salifert Test Kits for
Ammonia
Nitrite
Nitrate
pH
Alkalinity & KH
Magnesium
Calcium

You may wish to get others later on for specific elements such as Phosphate, Iodine etc.

The lighting will have to be upgraded or modded inorder for you to install better tubes geared towards marines.
30ltrs IMHO is a bit small for a pair of Clownfish, but there are other fish and inverts that will live happily in your tank.
As for Corals you would be looking at mainly softies and maybe a few LPS if you can upgrade the lighting.
Regards
BigC

 

[Trod]

I think you'll find that might be classed as a pico tank, but either way it is very small, and you can rule out a pair of clowns, it would be way to small to keep anything in other than a small goby.

This is a very small tank for a beginner, and will be much harder to keep, the smaller the tank the harder they are

If you still want to go ahead and convert to a marine I'd suggest you read, read and read some more, but personally I'd advise caution, you may spend a lot of money only for it to end in disaster.

Look at larger tanks if possible, the orca 450/550's are very popular and a good starter tank (I have a 550)

Oh and to the salty side

 

[bae1994]

as said above the orca range is good and you can pick the 450 up with stand for 130 new or like 50 to 90 second hand on ebay

 

[nel5on]

Ok ive now decided that im gonna go with something slightly bigger, more towards 15g - 20g

so now ive got my shopping list coming together:

15 - 20g tank
External filter with Rowaphos and HR Carbon filter media
Live sand
10 - 15kg live cured rock
bucket of salt
saltwater test kit
powerhead
protein skimmer
t5 lighting

is that right, or am i missing things?

thanks, nel5on

 

[Trod]

You won't need an external filter, as your LR will do all the work,

You will need a heater and refractometer too

 

[nel5on]

You won't need an external filter, as your LR will do all the work,

You will need a heater and refractometer too

id prefer to use an external filter on a powerhead, that should put a nice current in and around the live rock?

i have heaters etc, a refragometer is something ive jsut added to my list, how much do you guys think im looking at total then?

£300? £500?

thanks nel5on

 

[Trod]

Look on fleabay always lots of bargains on there.

 

[nel5on]

Ive been looking into the orca range, and i think im gonna look at getting an orca 450, its a 13g, what stocking options does that give me?

im looking at a pair of clowns, maybe a goby of some sort, and then some shrimp, maybe some fire shrimp?

also wanting to get a few soft corals, about 8kg's of live rock.

any suggestions welcomed.

nel5on

 

[Truck]

IMO 58 litres is way too small for a pair of full grown clowns, they will kill anything else in the tank because of the lack of space if your unlucky

 

[Trod]

Have a look at this
http/www.masa.asn.au/masov/reference/car.../clownfish.html

there are quite a few threads on here for the orca 450 I think xxbarneyxx had one so he might be able to help

You would only really be able to keep a couple of fish.

A small goby/shrimp pair or a purple firefish may be and soft corals like mushrooms, zoa's and ricordea's (my favourite ) xenia, toadstool and polyps

If you can I'd go for the orca 550 (I have one) and it gives you more stocking options You can keep 5 small ish fish, I have a pair of clowns, purplefish, yellow assessor and a mandarin in mine with 2 cleaner shrimps

 

[nel5on]

Have a look at this
[URL="http/www.masa.asn.au/masov/reference/car.../clownfish.html"]http/www.masa.asn.au/masov/reference/car.../clownfish.html[/URL]

there are quite a few threads on here for the orca 450 I think xxbarneyxx had one so he might be able to help

You would only really be able to keep a couple of fish.

A small goby/shrimp pair or a purple firefish may be and soft corals like mushrooms, zoa's and ricordea's (my favourite ) xenia, toadstool and polyps

If you can I'd go for the orca 550 (I have one) and it gives you more stocking options You can keep 5 small ish fish, I have a pair of clowns, purplefish, yellow assessor and a mandarin in mine with 2 cleaner shrimps

Thanks for the swift reply, if i was to go for the orca 550 i would be at almost my maximun moeny wise, so the LR and livestock etc will be as and when, could i still have the tank running with just saltwater,sand etc and keep it running like that? or do i really need the LR to get things started?

how many KG's of live rock would i be looking at, 15 - 20kg?

i think id go along the route of a coupla fire shrimp, maybe some kind gobies, if possible maybe a pair of clowns with the shrimp and a goby?

thanks, nel5on

 

[Truck]

i would start with 15 kg and build from there.

if you have the tank running and then add LR you could have a spike which could kill all your stock best to do it right from the start

 

[nel5on]

i would start with 15 kg and build from there.

if you have the tank running and then add LR you could have a spike which could kill all your stock best to do it right from the start

sorry i should of been more specific, i wasnt planning on adding fish before the LR, i was talkign about getting the water in the tank with the salt and sand, until i could afford the LR =]

any stocking suggestions then? i would obviously love the clowns more than anything, im also thinking of a few snails, some shrimp and some gobies for the extra splash of colour, id also like a few soft corals eventually when it is all up and running correctly.

i think this could be a really nice project, we already have a big freshy tank and a nice small planted shrimp/betta tank, this is something different =]

nel5on