To do a reef tank or not?

shawnaus17

New member
I'm in college right now and I can't decide if I want to bring my tank back. I had it with me for a semester and it worked out well. But I'm in a BSN nursing program and I have no life and I feel the tank would help me destress. I want some opinions and what to do. My tank is a 12 gallon nano tank.
 
normally I'd say that if you have to ask others about doing a reef aquarium not to pursue it, HOWEVER...

I'd like to point out that (by your own admission) you dervived pleasure from owning an aquarium, SO...

why not do something simple in your 12 gallon?

A shrimp/goby pair with some sand and liverock would be very interesting and low maintenance. You could locate some easy to keep corals. Keep it simple and you'll never have "no life" :)
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14054943#post14054943 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Gary Majchrzak
normally I'd say that if you have to ask others about doing a reef aquarium not to pursue it, HOWEVER...

I'd like to point out that (by your own admission) you dervived pleasure from owning an aquarium, SO...

why not do something simple in your 12 gallon?

A shrimp/goby pair with some sand and liverock would be very interesting and low maintenance. You could locate some easy to keep corals. Keep it simple and you'll never have "no life" :)

100% Ditto :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
 
I agree, doing something simple may give you some great satisfaction. A goby/shrimp pair is definitely a good first step. What kind of lighting do you have? some simple corals may be due as well.
 
I have 150 watt metal halide I think I'm going to go for a 15 gallon tank I don't think that would be that bad.
 
MH will allow you to grow most anything, and with a goby/shrimp pair you'd be fine. The one caveat with nano systems is that they are less forgiving than larger systems with regard to water quality changes. Just stay on top of that and you should be fine. Make use of the nano forum as well as waterkeeper's newbie thread at the top of the new to the hobby forum. patience, research and lots of both are the key to this hobby.
 
Coming from an old guys perspective, I love my reef tank and agree that it can have a calming affect. It can also a source of pride and accomplishment too. That being said, they require a lot of attention, even when you don't have it to give. I had a fowlr tank for 15 years. If the nitrates got a little high I could overlook a water change for a week without disastrous affects. A reef tank is not so forgiving. I set mine up 9 months ago and I found that I don't own the reef, it owns me. I still love it though. No one knows you schedule more than you. If you can run a reef between study, class, and dating go for it. If it becomes a burden though, it may no longer be a positive thing. Gook luck and success in whatever you decide.
 
Ok I'm going to do it but I'm going to do a 15 gallon tank I don't like the cube really so I'll keep yall posted!
 
Day 1

Hi people I'm back. I'm like a bad penny! Anywho I have restarted my tank again go figure . Actually I never really ended it. It was being watched for awhile until I decide to stop being lazy, and I'm kinda of getting bored.

So looking at this thread I believe that I was thinking I could do alot more then I could, and I was wrong. So now I'm just going to do a zoa and mushroom tank. I think that is the best option right now and I'm still going to have to move it two more times so I needed something tough. In addition, I think maybe two gobies and a couple of shrimp and I'll be good. Anywhos I will keep everyone posted.
 
Equipment:

Tank:
12 gallon JBJ Nano Tank
JBJ Nano Tank Stand

Lighting:
150 Metal Halide 14000K

Filtration/Powerheads:
Maxi Jet 900
Cascade Canister Filter 500
16lbs of live rock
15lbs of live sand

The canister filter has two baskets one has filter pads the other has about 1lbs of live rock rubble.

My labs values from this morning are:

Salinity: 1.027
pH: 8.4
NH4: 0
N02: 0
N03:0
Ca: 400
P04: 0
 
Before:

DSCF0106.jpg


After:

DSCF0108.jpg



Please note as well this tank is about eight months old it just sat in the dark for awhile so everything is good to go since it is mature.
 
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