Setup Recommendations

[onetrickpony]

Setup Recommendations

I Went through and read a bunch of the Featured Nano Reef Aquariums
and there are quite few that do not use a protein skimmer, most run GAC, and do frequent water changes and dose different things.

Shooting for LPS, flower anemones and easier SPS, monties , birds nest ect.

Equipment wise, I can have a sump any where between 10g & 55g. I have too many extra tanks needing a use.

The things that I have are.
Tank 15g will be drilled and internal overflow.
RO/DI
Reef Keeper Lite controller
T5 lighting

Things in need of or haven't decided on a path yet.
Sump, what size?
ATO = yes
Water changes , how much and how often?
Protein Skimmer?
Peristaltic Pumps if needed,
Siporax , marinepure, keep reading different things, haven't decided yet
Rock from BRS or Tampa Bay Live rock.
DIY reactor for GAC & GFO, from the BRS calculator 2 tbsp of both, I haven't seen a reactor for that small amounts.
2 propeller pumps for water movement.

Help me narrow things down a bit
In the past I have nickel and dimed things and in the end it cost me more than just getting what I needed from the start.
I am going to choose wisely this time.
Thanks
Ken

 

[homer1475]

Well if you stay with that 15G display and only use the 10G as a sump,(25gallons) I would say your going to be fine skimmerless. But if you decide to use the 55 as a sump(70g minus displacement), I would definitely be looking into a skimmer.

Have a look into the BRS mini reactor and buy a pack of the sponges that go into it. You can put a tiny amount in it, then place a couple sponges on top.

Water changes, you'll get all kinds of conflicting views. Some do biweekly, some do weekly, some do monthly, and some do none! The general rule of thumb is 10-15% once a week, although 20 to 30% biweekly is acceptable.

If you have enough rock to process the bilogical filtration, marine pure and/or any of those biofiltration beads/spheres are a waste of space and money.

 

[Noknock]

I would love to have the room to add a 55 gallon sump to my nano. If I did I would only have a small space for return and heater and the rest be a refugium. I'm conflicted on the benefits of skimmers as my 12g nanocube has never had one and is my most successful tank. I do run a skimmer on my larger tank but if I had the room for a large fuge I would remove it no questions asked. I would probably add the brs reactor also with it's return dumping into the pump/heater chamber. I also believe in weekly water changes of around 10% no matter how it's setup.