Help with nano reef tank

[princesh]

Hi Guys,

I am coming back to reef hobby. I had bio cube 12 then moved to bio cube 29 and had to shut down due to job change.

This time I want to take my learning lessons and help from you guys to have the awesome setup.

Here is what I have in my mind:

1. JBJ 45 gallon rimless tank with built in filter
2. Tunzen 9004 skimmer
3. Tunze USA 3155.000 ATO
4. Aquatic Life RO Buddie Three Stage Reverse Osmosis, 50-Gallon
5. CaribSea Arag-Alive 20-Pound Special Grade Reef Sand, Fiji Pink 60 gallon
6. Carib Sea ACS00370 South Sea Base Rock for Aquarium, 40-Pound
7. Jebao RW-8 Series Wavemaker with Controller
8. OceanRevive® Arctic-T247 Full Spectrum Dimmable 120W LED Aquarium Reef Light with Built in Timer, Bracket and remote control (48*3W, 90deg Optical Lens)
9. Seachem Matrix
10. Seachem PhosGuard
11. Seachem Purigen
12. Seachem Matrix Carbon

We wanted to keep the following livestock i near future :

1. Picasso Clown fish
2. gobi
3. wrasse
4. Firefly
5. Blenny
6. Pistol Shrimp
7. hog fish
8. BTA
9. Torch coral
10. Xenia

Please comment on Tank size as well I am still debating between 45 gallon vs 66 gallon.

Thank you in advance.

 

[thegrun]

I think you will be okay with the livestock as long as you go with one of the smaller hogfish like a Yellow Candy or a Pacific Redstripe. Some of the Hogfish get quite large and aggressive and would not do well at all in your tank.

 

[princesh]

Thank you @thegrun. Would you recommend sticking with 45 gallon JBJ or explore 66gallon tanks ?

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Welcome to RC :thumbsup:

They say bigger is always better, have you looked at the dimensions of larger tanks? If you are possibly going to the 66 I would look at 75 or 90. This will allow you to get different fish you can't have in the 45 or 66. Do a Google search for Aquarium size and you will find a chart that gives you all of the dimensions all the way up to 200 or so. There are standard sizes for them. It all depends on how much room you have, and what your plans are down the road. If you plan on going bigger eventually, it's cheaper to do it up front first than having to buy everything later on top of what you've spent on the smaller tank.

Also search your local Craigslist as there are always people getting out of the hobby because it didn't work for them. Used stuff is worth less than half of new. You could come across an awesome deal on CL. One guy here got a complete setup 90 gal reef with tank, stand, sump, sand, rocks, skimmer, several reactors, all the dosing equipment etc. Everything needed to set it up at his home including fish cuc etc for $150. He stopped on his way home to the LFS and traded all of the fish in for store credit because he was worried about the tank having a cycle and killing the fish after the move. So the deals are out there. Oh he had to drive 3 1/2 hours to get it.

 

[ZeeSparrow]

Looks like a good plan! (Firefly=firefish?)

You may already have from your previous experience, but if not, be sure to get a refractometer and calibration solution. Also test kits for cycling (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate) as well as Alk, Calc, Mag for when you add corals.

As for tank size, either one would be okay for what you're considering. As Dkuhlmann said though, if you think you might want a bigger tank later, it can save you in the long run to just get that now. Are you leaning towards the AIO or maybe adding a sump?

 

[princesh]

Thank you guys for quick reply.

I added following two items suggest by @ZeeSparrow

Refractometer and API saltwater test kit.

 

[princesh]

Are you leaning towards the AIO or maybe adding a sump?

To be honest I would love to have 100 - 120 gallon set up but I still live in rented apartment and would buy home in couple years. So I was leaning towards AIO as it is relatively easy to move with AIO.