Are nanos practical

[domjd05]

I've been itching to get a SW tank for the longest time.. but it's a large investment... My lust for one of these could be satisfied by a smaller nano tank I'm sure.. but how practical are they? Can they be prosperous? I've heard they can fail easily.. what are some things I should know about them before I make a purchasing decision... I would probably get a 12G nano tank...

[fins_n_fur]

Small s/w water tanks, I think, may be a disaster for someone with little or no s/w experience. I believe the smallest beginner size is recommended to be at least 55 gallons. I'm sure the s/w experienced will chime in with their thoughts.

[AABatteries]

A 55g is recomended. I'm starting with a 20g though. I suggest reading my thread for some information(its about the 20g), as well as Reality Check in the main salt water forum area.

[domjd05]

I really only want to have a few corals and 2 or 3 fish... nothing huge.. I do have a 55g tank with a few fish that I could clear out.. but I dont want to invest that much money into it..

if I were to get a nano unit.. say 20g or under.. what else would I need... sand.. live rock.. fish.. I understand you can get them with lights and skimmer built in.

[AABatteries]

Well, get the biggest tank you can afford. Once you get that figured out you can decide what lighting you can get/afford. After that you can figure out what coral would work. Zoas are pretty easy and don't require that much lighting.

[oldhead]

I've been itching to get a SW tank for the longest time.. but it's a large investment... My lust for one of these could be satisfied by a smaller nano tank I'm sure.. but how practical are they? Can they be prosperous? I've heard they can fail easily.. what are some things I should know about them before I make a purchasing decision... I would probably get a 12G nano tank...


Failure to read and research before starting equals tank failure. Smaller tanks as noted are not for beginners. Larger tanks are better but still not good if the proper research has not been performed. Make no purchasing decisions until you've read enough to know what you're looking for in a tank.

[domjd05]

Sounds like the safest way to go would be converting the 55g to a SW... I guess this puts me in another forum.. thanks for the info.

[cocoa_pleco]

12g is not the most beginner friendly, but its more manageable than a 1g. 55g would be the best

[snapdragon9]

Nanos are great tanks, although there will be a certain level of experience in aquaria to make any marine tank flourish. To start off, I would get a bio-cube 14 or 29. For the amount paid, most everything is inclusive: wet-dry filtration, pump, dual daylight dual actinic lighting, (which does have limited capabilities but for a beginner growing zoos, xenias, etc. is all that should be done anyway), powerhead, and the small size of the tank will work with the cost factor of stocking. This I feel is the best route to go for any aspiring reef enthusist.

[travie]

There isn't much you can put into a 10g, so you are better off starting as big as you can go. I started with 10g, realized most and a lot of fish can't go into it, so I'm currently cycling a 29g. Since it will be your first SW tank, go bigger then 20g, because it will give you more options.

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

Nano tanks can be quite practical in terms of space, however as has already been noted, they are rather difficult to stabilize and maintaining that stability can also be difficult. It is my personal belief that Nano tanks are in fact a mixed blessing for the marine hobby. They make the hobby very affordable, and that is the mixed blessing. I would really recommend you start with something like a 55gal or larger, it will be much easier for you and is less likely to fail.

[snapdragon9]

Some nice selections for stocking would be a six line wrasse, clown or rainfordi goby, emerald crabs, certain hogfish...etc, etc....

[coachfraley]

IMO, the ONLY reason to set up a nano, is monetary constraints. Larger tanks are easier to maintain and a lot more fun, BUT, they do cost a lot more. Specifically, the step up from a 30g tank, to something larger usually means a larger investment because you will have to set up a sump. Tanks that are less than 30g will usually utilize HOB equipment (skimmer, fuge), or they are all-in-ones, and the fuge is built in.

Either way, you can save some cash by purchasing 3/4 base rock and 1/4 live rock (assuming you purchase "new" rock). Another route is to buy your LR off of craigslist. I have seen it for 1-2$ a lb. for rock that is basically fully cured.

I would watch craigslist for everything! I have seen some crazy deals on there from people dumping their whole setup.

[Fishguy2727]

Yes, I do agree that for many people with a limited budget or who are not confident to put the money into a larger tank, a smaller tank is a good option. HOWEVER, this requires even more research in a hobby already research heavy. If you accept this you should be good to go.

What are the things that make you want a marine tank? What corals and fish would you want to have, that would make it worth your time and money? For me it was percula clownfish and green clown gobies. Those are what really made me want to get going. They happened to be reef safe and so I decided to go the extra distance with a reef and make it even more enjoyable and worth it.

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

I'm not sure it's that it requires a lot more research, but rather more work and more discipline.

[Fishguy2727]

More research (books specifically about nano tanks) is required, I think. But also the willingness to go slower, stock more lightly and more slowly, constantly being more careful about what you do, just extra careful all over.

It is possible. I hate to say that a beginner needs to start with X gallons, they really just need to be extra careful and willing to go with even better than borderline.

[madcaptains]

For sure, a large tank is more stable and easier than a smaller one. Anyway, I started with a 15 gallon tank and never had problems with. Just don't burn any steps, pay attention to what you do and read about nano reef.
I thing nano reef are a great way to start because you won't have to invest tons of money to give a try to saltwater.

Keep a few small non-aggressive fish, easy inverts and live rock will help you lot.

I am still not an expert but for me saltwater have been easier than freshwater.