subversion
Member
Hey everyone! I've been interested in saltwater aquariums since I was a kid, and I think the time has finally come to give it a try. I know starting with a nano can be a royal pain, but I'm around often enough to do daily water changes if needed, along with whatever other maintenance comes up. I have a large selection of reptiles, and I can easily add another complicated tank to my daily routine. If you must bash me for starting the hobby with a nano, please bash away, but it'll honestly take a lot of you to dissuade me .
I have read the crap out of these forums, and thank you all so much for contributing, because I have learned a lot! Do link me to any related threads, as I may have - and probably did - miss something important. And I'm sorry if I'm repeating a lot of constantly-asked questions. I noticed a lot of the threads are older and I know there have been some crazy advancements in nano tech lately. Like not garbage nano protein skimmers. So I just want to have the most up to date info from you pros as possible for when I get started <3.
Alright, here's the meat:
I have an old 7.9g Fluval Flora tank that used to be a planted pea puffer tank, but he's been upgraded to something new, and the tank is now sitting empty. The longer I stare at its husk, the more I know what I have to do.
I want to keep some beginner soft corals and maybe a polyp or two. I'll have a good varied clean up crew. I'm weird, and I enjoy snails and crabs a lot, so I may not bother putting a fish in. Below is a bit more detail. Feel free to stop reading there and suggest me some corals, snails, crabs, shrimp, etc.
The light that came with is trash, so I'm buying a better lighting system for it. I'm looking at something compact that can keep my newbie-level corals happy. Does anyone have any strong feelings about this one on Amazon?: "T Tocas White/Blue Aquarium Fish Tank LED 100-240v in 30cm". I am very open to alternate recommendations, but I have to say I love the price tag on this one.
The filter oddly still works, but I'll be modifying it. Hopefully by putting some live rock fragments in, as well as a small mesh bag of carbon. It's an inside-the-tank filter, and it has a pretty strong current to it. If it proves strong enough I won't buy something else to move the water. If it's not as impressive as I think it is, I'll add something to supplement the current in the tank. Is this practical or should I toss the thing and buy a new one? If I toss it, should the new one be inside the tank or hanging? Why?
I still have the tank lid, and I might use it, and I might not. Preferences? Should I just buy a hood? Do they make square hoods? The lid is solid glass with about a one and a half inch hole in the back-middle.
Everything else from the kit has been scrapped, so new purchases are as follows:
7-8lb Live Fiji Rock
API Saltwater Master Test Kit
Refractometer
Red Sea Coral Pro Salt
Aragonite sand, not super fine
Nano Aquarium Heater
Small Algae Magnet
Thermometer
And a light like the one I mentioned above.
Am I missing anything vitally important? If I'm able to do water changes constantly, do I need a protein skimmer? If I do, what are your suggestions?
The plan is to set that up soon and let it cycle. If there are no problems with that (such as temperature or salinity fluctuations that are unsafe for corals, or you guys telling me I'm an idiot) I'll go shopping for a clean up crew.
For that I'm thinking an assortment of the following:
nassarius nails
astrea snails
nerite snails
dwarf blue leg hermit crab
scarlet hermit crab
mini brittle star
lettuce nudibranch
I'm not a huge fan of the emerald crabs, but if anyone has a good reason to throw one in, I will. Also, the nudibranch. I ADORE these guys. Is it practical to throw a pair into my nano? If so, what happens if they run out of algae? Can I feed them something else? I've heard they'll just dissolve if they have no food left.
What would be the suggested total of each of those (or a selection of) for a 7.9 gallon reef?
If you guys okay everything listed so far, and nothing blows up in my face, I'll add some corals. I'm looking at these:
tree coral frag
cauliflower colt coral frag
spaghetti finger frag
leather corals
mushroom corals
colony polyps
starburst polyps
button polyps
I'm thinking of adding one or two at a time, up to a maximum of 5. Is that logical? Can I add 5 at once?
I would love to be able to feed my corals. In your experience, are any of the guys I listed receptive to feeding? Should I feed them? Can I feed them?
And if all of that makes sense to you pros, and I have no problems, I might add one lone fish. Here's that current list:
neon blue goby
greenbanded goby
some type of firefish
I am totally against putting something in that will outgrow the tank. I don't even want something that will be cramped and unhappy, so no "This is great in a 12 gallon" comments, please. Having said that, I am open to other suggestions, and arguments against putting what I listed in. I love gobies, so any more gobies to add are very welcome! Also, think of the corals! I don't want any nibblers.
Thank you so much for any input! It's a pleasure to finally join you all in this awesome hobby! (And thanks for reading my novel of a post)
-Ashley
Edit: One more question! Live sand or not? Is that overkill? Is it a good idea? Thanks!
I have read the crap out of these forums, and thank you all so much for contributing, because I have learned a lot! Do link me to any related threads, as I may have - and probably did - miss something important. And I'm sorry if I'm repeating a lot of constantly-asked questions. I noticed a lot of the threads are older and I know there have been some crazy advancements in nano tech lately. Like not garbage nano protein skimmers. So I just want to have the most up to date info from you pros as possible for when I get started <3.
Alright, here's the meat:
I have an old 7.9g Fluval Flora tank that used to be a planted pea puffer tank, but he's been upgraded to something new, and the tank is now sitting empty. The longer I stare at its husk, the more I know what I have to do.
I want to keep some beginner soft corals and maybe a polyp or two. I'll have a good varied clean up crew. I'm weird, and I enjoy snails and crabs a lot, so I may not bother putting a fish in. Below is a bit more detail. Feel free to stop reading there and suggest me some corals, snails, crabs, shrimp, etc.
The light that came with is trash, so I'm buying a better lighting system for it. I'm looking at something compact that can keep my newbie-level corals happy. Does anyone have any strong feelings about this one on Amazon?: "T Tocas White/Blue Aquarium Fish Tank LED 100-240v in 30cm". I am very open to alternate recommendations, but I have to say I love the price tag on this one.
The filter oddly still works, but I'll be modifying it. Hopefully by putting some live rock fragments in, as well as a small mesh bag of carbon. It's an inside-the-tank filter, and it has a pretty strong current to it. If it proves strong enough I won't buy something else to move the water. If it's not as impressive as I think it is, I'll add something to supplement the current in the tank. Is this practical or should I toss the thing and buy a new one? If I toss it, should the new one be inside the tank or hanging? Why?
I still have the tank lid, and I might use it, and I might not. Preferences? Should I just buy a hood? Do they make square hoods? The lid is solid glass with about a one and a half inch hole in the back-middle.
Everything else from the kit has been scrapped, so new purchases are as follows:
7-8lb Live Fiji Rock
API Saltwater Master Test Kit
Refractometer
Red Sea Coral Pro Salt
Aragonite sand, not super fine
Nano Aquarium Heater
Small Algae Magnet
Thermometer
And a light like the one I mentioned above.
Am I missing anything vitally important? If I'm able to do water changes constantly, do I need a protein skimmer? If I do, what are your suggestions?
The plan is to set that up soon and let it cycle. If there are no problems with that (such as temperature or salinity fluctuations that are unsafe for corals, or you guys telling me I'm an idiot) I'll go shopping for a clean up crew.
For that I'm thinking an assortment of the following:
nassarius nails
astrea snails
nerite snails
dwarf blue leg hermit crab
scarlet hermit crab
mini brittle star
lettuce nudibranch
I'm not a huge fan of the emerald crabs, but if anyone has a good reason to throw one in, I will. Also, the nudibranch. I ADORE these guys. Is it practical to throw a pair into my nano? If so, what happens if they run out of algae? Can I feed them something else? I've heard they'll just dissolve if they have no food left.
What would be the suggested total of each of those (or a selection of) for a 7.9 gallon reef?
If you guys okay everything listed so far, and nothing blows up in my face, I'll add some corals. I'm looking at these:
tree coral frag
cauliflower colt coral frag
spaghetti finger frag
leather corals
mushroom corals
colony polyps
starburst polyps
button polyps
I'm thinking of adding one or two at a time, up to a maximum of 5. Is that logical? Can I add 5 at once?
I would love to be able to feed my corals. In your experience, are any of the guys I listed receptive to feeding? Should I feed them? Can I feed them?
And if all of that makes sense to you pros, and I have no problems, I might add one lone fish. Here's that current list:
neon blue goby
greenbanded goby
some type of firefish
I am totally against putting something in that will outgrow the tank. I don't even want something that will be cramped and unhappy, so no "This is great in a 12 gallon" comments, please. Having said that, I am open to other suggestions, and arguments against putting what I listed in. I love gobies, so any more gobies to add are very welcome! Also, think of the corals! I don't want any nibblers.
Thank you so much for any input! It's a pleasure to finally join you all in this awesome hobby! (And thanks for reading my novel of a post)
-Ashley
Edit: One more question! Live sand or not? Is that overkill? Is it a good idea? Thanks!
Last edited: