how small can i go?

[palmero]

Is a "Nano tank" a small tank? If so i have a 55gal that i had tried in the past to make a reef tank but became too expensive and was not very succesfull in the whole thing so i quit. So i was thinking about making a very very small tank (one you may consider placing on a desk) and trying to make that a reef tank just so i could learn how to cycle and maintain the water.

My question is are there any recomendations about how small i can go with a tank,.

 

[OceanMist]

I'n no expert in small tanks, but I have seen them succesfully running with pulse coral, a clown, some rock and a couple other small corals. these could have only been 12 x 12 x 12 ??

but I wouldn't go that small - IMO, not fair on the fish,



Btw, what were you planning on keeping in it - fish, coral, inverts ... ???

 

[lando]

Welcome to AquariumAdvice.com!!!
Nano tanks can be tricky to keep. While they do cost less then larger reefs they are also much more delicate. I recommend starting with a 29gal as a minimum. Hopefuly, you can avoid some of the pitfalls you experienced with your 55gal tank.

 

[OceanMist]

While they do cost less then larger reefs they are also much more delicate

I agree with Lando, you want an even balance between Ease to keep and Cost.

 

[palmero]

Well maybe i can use my 55gal to just start SLOW (just a few LR / BR )
It just became so confusing with all the testing and controlling of the water.

55gal 48inches long

Sump box w/bio balls with protein skimmer

i think i have a metal halide power compact (with no hood) Dont remember the wattage but it did cost a few hundred dollers.

The problem that i didnt like when learning this hobby was all of the algae growth (brown,red and green) Alot of the hair like algae growing on my skimmer. Maybe i had too much light.

My tank was built in the wall therefore i do not have as much room to work with on the top (maybe only 8inches from back of the tank to the edge of the wall if that makes sense) The other 4 inches are in the wall. Plus i have to go up on a ladder about 4feet and try to clean it. I could not reach far areas like in the bottom from corners.

I also encountered the live rock spreading on the return tubes or jets in the tank which i thought was a good sign but too me was very unsightly. I was aiming for clean walls and clean equipment in the tank. But have noticed alot of other people dont mind the rock growth. So anyways i gave it up.

 

[OceanMist]

I don't think its the amount of light, i think its the light itself that affects algae growth, i was using a mh with years old lamps, and my tank was covered in algae untol i ditched the mh units (they were old ugly looking units too) and the algae problem dissapeared - try replacing all the lamps when you start again. if i'm wrong someone more knowlageable about lighting will correct me

 

[palmero]

another thing is because of the limited room on the top of the tank, the light is not able to be centrally located on the top. It's kinda like offset torwards the back of the tank