SyCo_VeNoM

Question anyone ever set up, and keep a nano reef tank?
I have a 5 gallon tank sitting here that I just cleaned out, and was wondering what would be needed.
From what I read so far things needed would be the tank, a water gravity thing to measure the salt content, coral, living sand, and something like a clown fish (why I want it)
For lighting I was planning on using a 15watt CF light bulb in a desk lamp. Dunno if this is suitable though.
I also have some underwater pumps for current that are the type used in fountains laying around (used to use them in my fresh water tank when I did CO2 injection) I think they pump 45-50 GPH

But I dunno about filtration, back when I had a goldfish, and dojo loach in the tank(threw them in a 30 gallon tank with other goldfish we just brought up) I used a 35 gallon reptile canister filter on it(from my sisters old turtle tank), but I can't find any real good info on what kind of filtration is needed for the a nano reef tank. Most things I read kinda skirt over the filtration, or say conflicting things about what is needed, or say for a 5gallon nano reef but are the setups for a 50gallon tank...

Foxy

Get a good saltwater filter system intended for a 10 gall (should be relatively easy to find a 10 gal setup). The overkill is good peace of mind, there's no such thing as too much filtration. I know nothing about saltwater in general I'm afraid, but do some reading and you'll find the answers. I found this site really helpful when I was just starting. Be careful on the forums though, they take themselves rather seriously (but then I suppose so do we about our RC lol)... http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/

SyCo_VeNoM

yea I'm know over filteration is best seeing I had a 35gallon canister filter on a 5 gallon tank
Hell my 45 gallon tank has a 100 gallon filter on it

Just the saltwater info I can find some of it contradicts itself

Edit: poking around in their forum someone asked the same thing I did a month ago (sheesh its dead there makes the truggy section here look lively) its filled with conflicting advice exactly like the sites I read the other day lol
Seems according to what I find I might just need a full test kit, and the salt level tester which isn't bad (outside the coral, fish, salt, and maybe a skimmer) seeing I mostly have everything else sitting around here

tapkoote

syco
My sis and nephew started a tank last year
they've bought fist every couple months
salt water is fussy
their crabs and lobster do best.
tap

jkdv8

My Feedback: (1)

I've helped a friend do a 100 gallon before. Do not start out with fish you wanna keep because they will more than likely die. Object is to get an ocean environment working by starting off with small "starter fish." Allow them a couple of weeks to set the environment by eating and excreting. Then you can add the fish of your choice. My only concern is the size of the tank because, when it comes to salt water the bigger the better. The slightest change in the PH balance makes a big difference in smaller tanks. Good all in one test kits run about $20 and includes several items to test. With the 100 gal. it needed to best tested everyday so it might be wise to test yours twice a day for the first several weeks until you get the "environment established." also, be sure to keep the salt residue cleaned off the filtration system. hope this helps. good luck.

SyCo_VeNoM

thx for the advice Wish I could remember the fish I'ma pick up its only like $4-6 so if it croaks no biggie (but with my luck when I set up tanks the breakin fish last for years, my freshwater the breakins lived over 2 years where average lifespan was 1.5)

I've actually got the sand in the tank, and the water running for the past few days(its gravity is sitting at 1.021-1.022). I used live sand shipped from the carribean so it should have the proper organisms in it. I axed the idea of a filter after reading a few things about nano tanks. A few articles I read pointed out that filters are bad on that size tanks specially seeing I'm going for reef cause they will kill plankton, and other micro organisms that get caught in the filter media. A skimmer will screw up the iodine, and other chemicals that are needed due to its size. They suggested just changing 5% of the water once a week to replenish the needed chemicals. Neither of which come into play on a 50+gallon tank

I did go get a better power head the one I picked up a marineland maxi-jet 400 which does 110 GPH, and have it aimed at the top to agitate the surface, and also have a blue LED mounted in the tank hood that emits light at the same frequency as the moon shining in the ocean.

SyCo_VeNoM

well here is a pic its had the fish in it over a week. I had to get the water gravity up to 1.024
I had to make a LED light bar out of 9 white, and 9 blue LEDS (ordered better LEDs to remake it when they come) cause it seems the florescent light I had was way too bright for it, and was killing he coral. The lighting is still a tad dim but the coral is growing now, and has gotten taller.

In the tank so far is 5 lbs of live frock from Bali, 3 red legged hermit crabs(had 4 one got killed by some crab that was hiding in the rock that I removed), a yellow tail Damsil, a frag of green mushroom coral, and 2 snails. The snails were supposed to be crabs but I couldn't tell what the hermit crabs, and snails were clamped up in their shells which are exactly the same.

I found 3 destructive crabs in the rock hiding 2 were found while I was putting it in the 3rd I found after I was wondering how the one crab was killed, and its shell broken seeing nothing in the tank should be that strong. Glanced at it that night, and saw the little bugger scurry under a rock.

As for the chemical balance according to my test kit the phosphates are a tad high, but when I do the next water change they should come down quite a bit.