my first nano and my learning experiance

[amf82380]

I went away for a few hrs yestaurday amd my new nano was doing fine when I let and when I got back about three hrs later one my my damsels was laying on its side on the bottem and the clown and the other damsels were swimming franticly on top so I hurried up and checked the levels and the nirate was @ 20ppm and nitrite was @ 2.0 ammonia was @ 2ppm so I did a 25 % water change then waited a while then tested the water again it was about the same so I did a 15% water change and let it go overnight then when I awoke this mouring that was the first thing I checked (even before my mouring coffee) levels were still up there so I did a 75% water change and the levels are nirate still @ 20ppm nirite @ 1.0 and ammonia @ 0-1ppm so I took the fish out and put them back in the 55gal and call my LFS and the owner said this is why he didnt recommend setting up a tank that small because its almost impossible to mantain with fish (if it were just corals and a few crabs and shrimp it would be much easier) so my question is how do all of you that have nano reefs set up keep this from happening ? I mean I wouldnt mind a nano set up with just those things in it but I like the fish to but have to part with my bigger tank. so what do I do? what are some things that would be nano tank compatable ? oh and for anyone that doesnt know my nano is a 5 1/2 gal with a HOB whisper filter and also running a aquapro 4000 canister on it the HOB is mostly for circulation here is a couple pics of my nano

 

[Blown 346]

There are too many fish in the tank to start with. With a tankthat small I would say the only fish I would havein there would a fire fish. It sounds like your tank is cycling.
Was the tank newly setup when you put the fish in? If so that is all the tank needed to start the cycle.
Keep all the fish out of it untuil the ammonia and nitrite read zero. Once that happens the cycle will be over.
The only problem with a tank that small is when things happen, they become deadly vry fast since there is a very small volume of water. Nanos are can be hard to care for because of this reason.
But the main problem was the amount of fish in the tank.

 

[Dubbin1]

How long has this tank been set up?

Oh and

[welcome]

 

[ledford1]

the owner said this is why he didnt recommend setting up a tank that small because its almost impossible to mantain with fish

He's right in a way. Too many fish make it near impossible to keep the water params in check. You want to strictly limit the number of fish, usually no more than one or two, if any.

The thing with nanos is the small water volume can be a killer. If something goes wrong, it will quickly affect the tank.

There is a nano forum on RC, be sure to check that out also.

Good luck.

 

[amf82380]

the tank was set up sat but everything other than the sand bed came from an exsisting tank. I was wondering if adding a like 10 gallon sump or a refuim would help by boosting the water volume of the system? I mean even with that I know I have to remove some of the fish but out of the three I have in there (2yellow tail blue damsels and 1 percula clown) which would you recommend to keep in there (providing I add a sump)if I dont then I will just go with corals and invert?

 

[davidcalgary29]

Heck, I'm no expert myself, and it's already been posted, but I'll type it again: you have too many fish for a 5.5 gallon tank, and they are not the best species for a nano tank. I would leave all of your fish in your 55g and stick with shrimp and corals for the nano; if you must have a fish, you might get away with a (very) small goby. It's a risk, though.

I would also suggest adding some type of supplemental oxygen to your system, even if it's only an airstone.

 

[Ebisan]

Even though everything came from the other established tank, there just wasn't enough bacteria to convert all the ammonia and nitrite. Your tank was overloaded too quickly.

 

[Blown 346]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6512362#post6512362 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by amf82380
the tank was set up sat but everything other than the sand bed came from an exsisting tank. I was wondering if adding a like 10 gallon sump or a refuim would help by boosting the water volume of the system? I mean even with that I know I have to remove some of the fish but out of the three I have in there (2yellow tail blue damsels and 1 percula clown) which would you recommend to keep in there (providing I add a sump)if I dont then I will just go with corals and invert?

The tank is cycling now, and nothing should be inside it except the rock and sand.
Adding a sump will help with water volume but the amount of water you would be adding wont make a bunch of diference in a tank that small.
I would remove all fish, if you decide to leave one im I would reccomend the damsel. but they it will be crowde in there for it.