2.5 gallon coral reef?

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Brennan32

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Sep 30, 2015
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Ok so i really want to have a coral reef but i have a 155 gallon tank and it is going to cost a ton to stock the tank with corals so what if i just made a little 2.5 gallon reef i have a 15 watt heater and the tank already and i would take substrate and some live rock rubble from my main tank and the water so it wouldn't need a cycle also would a 15 watt fluorescent bulb work to grow corals and i would do a half gallon water change every 5 days. Then once the corals grow in my 2.5 i could frag them and put into the 155 cause i want some corals in it but not loaded and i would keep the 2.5 loaded. So if this is a good idea or if it would work let me know also i would only keep easy stuff like mushrooms polyps zoas stuff like that

Edit also have a 5 gallon tank spare if that would be better

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So bear with me as I'm not a marine expert (started my first marine tank about 6 months ago) but generally if you're starting your first marine tank, bigger is better.

The larger amount of water leads to more stability in water parameters (it's harder for parameter spikes in larger water). So if you start a 5g, which is doable, you will REALLY have to stay on top of everything.

Generally it's kind of the opposite mentality for marine to fresh. Fresh you start smaller tanks and move up, while marine you wanna start large and work down.


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So bear with me as I'm not a marine expert (started my first marine tank about 6 months ago) but generally if you're starting your first marine tank, bigger is better.

The larger amount of water leads to more stability in water parameters (it's harder for parameter spikes in larger water). So if you start a 5g, which is doable, you will REALLY have to stay on top of everything.

Generally it's kind of the opposite mentality for marine to fresh. Fresh you start smaller tanks and move up, while marine you wanna start large and work down.


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Well i mean i do already have a 155 gallon saltwater tank going its just a FOWLR atm but i really want a coral reef so i was thinking of turning my 2.5 or 5 gallon tank into a reef so it wont cost as much money to buy all the corals it would cost to stock the 155


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A 2.5 nano reef is doable, what kind of tank, like what model? And what kind of filter is on it? And if I were you, I'd invest in a different light for your tank, if you look on Amazon, you can find some good cheaper lights.


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A 2.5 nano reef is doable, what kind of tank, like what model? And what kind of filter is on it? And if I were you, I'd invest in a different light for your tank, if you look on Amazon, you can find some good cheaper lights.


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It's just a standard rectangle glass tank. But i do have a 5 gallon if that would be better could even use a 10 of i need to. But i read somewhere online that as long as you have live rock you don't need a filter and my LR is 14 years old so it definitely has enough bacteria in it. Plus i have been reading that a florescent bulb will work for corals but you have to get the right bulb but i will check into a lighting system on amazon. I dont plan on having any fish in the tank either just coral and maybe a few hermits and snails or a shrimp


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What kind of light do you have in the 155 gallon?
Assuming you have the right light for corals on it,you might as well start putting frag corals in It and letting them grow.


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What kind of light do you have in the 155 gallon?
Assuming you have the right light for corals on it,you might as well start putting frag corals in It and letting them grow.


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I have a coral life 6 ft light on it with 96 watt bulbs I don't know if its good or not for corals i bought the whole tank setup off craigslist


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What kind of corals are you interested in? If you are interested in mostly zoas and softies 2.5 will be fine. If you want to do a mix or get into SPS you still could do the 2.5 but a 5 or 10 is going to give you a lot more room for growth and more stable parameters. I tried mostly SPS in a 3g pico and keeping it stable was a nightmare.

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What kind of corals are you interested in? If you are interested in mostly zoas and softies 2.5 will be fine. If you want to do a mix or get into SPS you still could do the 2.5 but a 5 or 10 is going to give you a lot more room for growth and more stable parameters. I tried mostly SPS in a 3g pico and keeping it stable was a nightmare.

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Yeah just easy to keep corals


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One of my LFS has 3 nano tanks setup 2 of which are saltwater with corals. I think they are in the 2.5 gal range because they are tiny. They have anything from zoas to frogspawn to rock flower anemones in them. They all look great but I'm sure they have to be watched closely. Next time I'm there (hopefully tomorrow ahh crossing my fingers lol) I'll get pictures.


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One of my LFS has 3 nano tanks setup 2 of which are saltwater with corals. I think they are in the 2.5 gal range because they are tiny. They have anything from zoas to frogspawn to rock flower anemones in them. They all look great but I'm sure they have to be watched closely. Next time I'm there (hopefully tomorrow ahh crossing my fingers lol) I'll get pictures.


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Alright cool thanks i would love to see them


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