Help with a few pieces of equipment?

[Chikpeas]

Hello!

I’m just working on gathering what I need for my Tideline 7.1 gallon for a reef tank and I just have a few things I need help finding that would be right for this tank !

Wave maker-
I’ve been looking around and finding a good wave maker for such a small tank, do I need something with less than 530 gph? Know any you’d recommend?
I’ll be adding corals at some point, I’ll have a mix of fine and course sand

Heater:
What brand do you trust?
I just have an aqueon for now

Thermometer:
I can only find the cheap inaccurate $15 ones— what the heck is everyone using!

Do I need a better pump??
The one that came with the tank had such a weak flow I couldn’t even feel it from the other side.

Thank you so much!!!!

 

[Formulator]

You can kill two birds with one stone and get a nice strong return pump that will give you the flow you need in a tank that small. Sicce makes good pumps and are my personal choice, but there are lots of options. You can make a tee and attach loc-line to the return pipe to direct the flow in your tank and don’t need the wavemaker. Here is an example (not mine, but good visual).

If you have the money, in my opinion the Innovative Marine Helios heaters are excellent. At a more reasonable price point, the Eheim heaters are great and very reliable. Probably the most popular choice on here. But I also used aqueon heaters for a couple years in the beginning with no major issues. I did have 2 of them and redundant shut off control though.

Regarding a thermometer, the cheap ones are fine. The important piece with temp is really just consistency rather than exactly what temp you decide to run at. Plus/minus a couple degrees won’t hurt anything and I even used a stick-on thermometer for a long time with no problems. The liquid (alcohol) thermometers sold at pet stores are probably more accurate than some of the very cheap digital ones found on amazon though.

 

[Chikpeas]

You can kill two birds with one stone and get a nice strong return pump that will give you the flow you need in a tank that small. Sicce makes good pumps and are my personal choice, but there are lots of options. You can make a tee and attach loc-line to the return pipe to direct the flow in your tank and don’t need the wavemaker. Here is an example (not mine, but good visual).

If you have the money, in my opinion the Innovative Marine Helios heaters are excellent. At a more reasonable price point, the Eheim heaters are great and very reliable. Probably the most popular choice on here. But I also used aqueon heaters for a couple years in the beginning with no major issues. I did have 2 of them and redundant shut off control though.

Regarding a thermometer, the cheap ones are fine. The important piece with temp is really just consistency rather than exactly what temp you decide to run at. Plus/minus a couple degrees won’t hurt anything and I even used a stick-on thermometer for a long time with no problems. The liquid (alcohol) thermometers sold at pet stores are probably more accurate than some of the very cheap digital ones found on amazon though.

Eheim!!! That’s the name of the brand I used to have, I couldn’t remember for the life of me. They were amazing heaters, my biggest fear is having a heater fail, causing a tank crash— so that is one area I don’t skimp over.

I like the option of no wave maker, then I won’t have to worry about anything getting chopped in one too… thank you so much!

 

[jft]

EHEIM and JAGER HEATERS Running over 20 years with No problems. Top notch Equipment!

 

[Cell]

I would guess that you cannot fit a Jager in a 7.1G AIO, but not positive.

 

[Chikpeas]

I would guess that you cannot fit a Jager in a 7.1G AIO, but not positive.

I’ve been looking at the measurements and no, I don’t think so Heartbreaking because I don’t think my Aqueon is doing the job, according to my little liquid thermometer it’s sitting at 72 f

Do those titanium ones comes in a size that would fit???

 

[Formulator]

I’ve been looking at the measurements and no, I don’t think so Heartbreaking because I don’t think my Aqueon is doing the job, according to my little liquid thermometer it’s sitting at 72 f

Do those titanium ones comes in a size that would fit???

I would venture to guess the aqueon is completely broken if the tank is at 72. If I remember correctly those heaters are not completely submersible and the very top needs to stay above water level. If you are after titanium and have the budget, I strongly recommend checking out the Helios heaters I mentioned.

 

[Chikpeas]

I would venture to guess the aqueon is completely broken if the tank is at 72. If I remember correctly those heaters are not completely submersible and the very top needs to stay above water level. If you are after titanium and have the budget, I strongly recommend checking out the Helios heaters I mentioned.

Yeah, the plastic top is above the waterline, I’ll just toss it and get the 100 watt Helios, looks like it would actually be smaller! Thanks for the suggestion, going to place the order and see how it goes

Should I still try to cycle the tank or wait until the temp is able to rise?

 

[Formulator]

Yeah, the plastic top is above the waterline, I’ll just toss it and get the 100 watt Helios, looks like it would actually be smaller! Thanks for the suggestion, going to place the order and see how it goes

Should I still try to cycle the tank or wait until the temp is able to rise?

I don’t think it will hurt anything to try starting your cycle. Worst case scenario it doesn’t work until the temp comes up, but you will know either way by the ammonia and nitrate test results. I’m not an expert on this though so maybe someone else knows more that can help.

 

[Chikpeas]

I don’t think it will hurt anything to try starting your cycle. Worst case scenario it doesn’t work until the temp comes up, but you will know either way by the ammonia and nitrate test results. I’m not an expert on this though so maybe someone else knows more that can help.

I did it! Bought a 100w Helios, came in Lightning fast too!

Holy cow oh wow- this thing is spacecraft compared to what I’ve used—- I have to figure out how to install the display pad somewhere Definitely not a pop out of the box and throw in the tank but it’s SOO sleek!!!

Installing tomorrow!
I’ll let you know how it goes!!!

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

The 100 watt is more than enough for you nano, They do have 50 watt ones, but with the helio system you can just add another element if you go to a bigger tank.

 

[VintageReefer]

Get a vca random flow generator and upgrade the return pump

I use a Sicce .5

The random flow generator makes the water output come out in random directions simulating a wave maker but taking up no tank space

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

But if you do get a wavemaker, I used this one in my 6g nano, it was pretty sweet once you programed it.

hygger Mini Wave Maker Aquarium Magnetic DC Powerhead​

amazon link

 

[VintageReefer]

This is the smallest and lowest gph power head I could find when I was browsing for my pico

Amazon.com

 

[Chikpeas]

Get a vca random flow generator and upgrade the return pump

I use a Sicce .5

The random flow generator makes the water output come out in random directions simulating a wave maker but taking up no tank space

That’s what I’ve been looking for but I’m hesitant on seeing which one would work the best- did you get yours off Amazon? Something like this is what you’re talking about?
VCA

I upgraded my return pump to a sicce and I love it, I have to check multiple times a day to make sure it’s still running because it’s so quiet

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

Hello!

I’m just working on gathering what I need for my Tideline 7.1 gallon for a reef tank and I just have a few things I need help finding that would be right for this tank !

Wave maker-
I’ve been looking around and finding a good wave maker for such a small tank, do I need something with less than 530 gph? Know any you’d recommend?
I’ll be adding corals at some point, I’ll have a mix of fine and course sand

Heater:
What brand do you trust?
I just have an aqueon for now

Thermometer:
I can only find the cheap inaccurate $15 ones— what the heck is everyone using!

Do I need a better pump??
The one that came with the tank had such a weak flow I couldn’t even feel it from the other side.

Thank you so much!!!!

A small Tunze powerhead should do the trick for wavemaker. not sure about a 7 gallon tank because that is tiny but tunze is a trusted brand. Jaeger for heater hooked up to an inkbird. Inkbird is your thermometer.

 

[VintageReefer]

That’s what I’ve been looking for but I’m hesitant on seeing which one would work the best- did you get yours off Amazon? Something like this is what you’re talking about?
VCA

I upgraded my return pump to a sicce and I love it, I have to check multiple times a day to make sure it’s still running because it’s so quiet

1/4" Random Flow Generator Flow Kit

Easy Random Flow with No Moving Parts Wide Variety of Compatible Aquariums (full list below) Includes the Flex-Series Random Flow Generator Nozzle Uses Genuine Loc-Line Random and varied flow is something that every aquarist aims for, which is why the VCA Random Flow Generator Kit is so...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[VintageReefer]

Vca is on the forum if you need help picking the right one