The general rule from lfs when buying your first tank is to get the biggest tank you can afford. But with advancements in reefing do people think nanos are still more difficult?
Are nanos still more difficult
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In my view, yes they are, but it doesn't necessarily mean that your first tank should be 120 Gal.
It is more difficult to achieve stability in nano tanks, even temp control can be difficult as somebody demonstrated in one of recent threads. Same with flow, salinity and choice of fish and other inhabitants. People tend to overstock them. There are many reefers who have success maintaining nano tanks, I just don't think it is the first choice for newbies.
It is more difficult to achieve stability in nano tanks, even temp control can be difficult as somebody demonstrated in one of recent threads. Same with flow, salinity and choice of fish and other inhabitants. People tend to overstock them. There are many reefers who have success maintaining nano tanks, I just don't think it is the first choice for newbies.
OP
OP
Do you think they correction is easier in nano. Like when chemistry gets off a 50% water change is easier or as you said cooling a small tank?
Yes, nanos are still more difficult. Advancements in technology have made them a lot easier than they were ten years ago but the smaller the water volume, the less stable chemistry is. That’ll never change.
Yes, the arguably the only easier task in mantaining nano tanks are water changes, but even that can be a challenge as you have to match parameters more precisely if you do larger water changes.
I’ve only ever had nanos so it’s hard to say. I’ve had my share of issues over the years, but I love how easy it is to be hands on. Maintenance is a breeze!
No, I don’t think correction is easier either. Hypothetically, if you have have a 10 gallons of water volume and you want to go from 10.5 to 11 dkh you would only need like 3.5 mls of soda ash ( just an example). If your measurement is off by even a few mls it could cause a an uncomfortable alk swing and a very uncomfortable ph swing. Where as a tank with a large volume wouldn’t even notice if a measurement off by a few mls.
If the nano has a lot of coral, then a weekly water change probably won’t be enough. If the same 10 gallon nano drops 1 dkh daily, then even if you start your week at 11 dkh, you could easily be in the low sixes at the end of the week. And 50% water change wouldn’t really be ideal either because this would only correct to 8-9 dkh. This problem will just continue on until you start dosing, then we’re back to the original problem.
Nanos you just have to do things a little different to large tanks . But when you get into a routine things are not too bad. I would always say a auto top up for salinity since I’ve fitted them there’s no more salinity issues at all . I am a great believer in live rock have been since the 90s . I don’t use skimmers only small water changes weekly . This is my experience with nanos
Of course the LFS wants them to buy that 120gal. Bigger tank = more livestock and dry goods sales accompanying the initial tank sale.
Larger tanks while more stable are a whole lot more complicated if not outright overwhelming to someone new. Sump choice and layout, plumbing, proper lighting, proper flow, figuring out how to manage the mess of power cables and bricks, figuring out where to make and put the required larger quantity of RODI water and mix FSW vs buying an easy 5 gal from the LFS. An overwhelmed person is much more likely to make a mistake or not stick to routine.
The 26Gal RedSea Max Nano Peninsula complete system would be a fine choice and more manageable for your average beginner. If they feel more confident they are more likely to stay in control, keep things in control. Just my 2cents as someone new myself that started with a 120gal.
Larger tanks while more stable are a whole lot more complicated if not outright overwhelming to someone new. Sump choice and layout, plumbing, proper lighting, proper flow, figuring out how to manage the mess of power cables and bricks, figuring out where to make and put the required larger quantity of RODI water and mix FSW vs buying an easy 5 gal from the LFS. An overwhelmed person is much more likely to make a mistake or not stick to routine.
The 26Gal RedSea Max Nano Peninsula complete system would be a fine choice and more manageable for your average beginner. If they feel more confident they are more likely to stay in control, keep things in control. Just my 2cents as someone new myself that started with a 120gal.
The hardest part for me is keeping the tank topped off multiple times a day. I work out of my home, so I'm readily available to do it but it's still a chore. I tried a nano ATO last week and it dumped a bunch of water in the tank for an unknown reason, so now I'm back to manually topping it off...other than that, the aquarium is fairly easy to keep.
It was one of the gravity fed bottle ones. It worked fine for 4 days and on day number 5 I found the bottle half empty (after I filled it the night before) and my anemones were all closed up during the middle of the day (which never happens).
When I saw that, I knew there was a problem.
I use the same method but no problems. Just set up another nano and that bottle sometimes you have to knock the bottle then it starts to bubble so on that tank not ideal must make another one lol . But if you can get them to work it better than manually doing it . Full time job lol
I haven't given up on it yet, but I am stumped as to why it let 50% of the bottle drain out? It's an AIO tank and when I saw what the ATO had done, the front part of the tank was full but the back chamber had low water levels which is where the ATO sat. My first thought was the tank was leaking somewhere in the back chambers but I haven't found any sign of a leak and since that day, the water levels in the back chamber have been fine. It was almost like someone took a glass of water out of the back chamber on purpose to let the ATO flood out. But that didn't happen...so I don't know what went wrong?
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Buy a decent ATO!
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In my experience, they are no harder than bigger tanks. The issue is not having a sump so it's much harder to mount ATO's and dosing pumps etc. You need all the same equipment for automation that you would have on a larger tank. If you have a heater controller, an ATO, a Doser and you just dose something like All-for-reef and you test alk every two or three days at least then they are as easy as any other tank. I was keeping Acropora in a nano!
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