To nano or not to nano? That is the question.

[bcdope]

I was wondering if any of you guys had nanoreefs? What are the benefits from that of a regular sized reef, what are the disadvantages?

I have a 20 gallon nano(the top volume for nanos), that's been doing beautifully over the past few months, since it's stabilized... I find it way easier to maintain than bigger sized reefs, and there is less maintenance all around....

[ 29 June 2002, 20:51: Message edited by: bcdope ]

[new_reefer]

I've had a 15 gallon nano at my work place since Dec. last year and it's doing fine. I haven't kept too fragile of livestock in there though. A few mushrooms, buttons, snails, hermits and a clown fish. I do a water change every week and even had a hagen light on it. Also remember I am not there on the weekends to look after it too.

[Reef_Ready]

I have a 15gal nano that I run skimmerless. Its great but the weekly water changes are a must. I have 2X55w PC on it and 20lbs of live rock. Currently it houses a few corals (mushrooms, pagota, chili, and open brain) a fire shrimp, clown, psydochromis and a Bangii Cardinal.

The disadvantage... I want more ROOM!!! lol

[bcdope]

Im thinking of getting a fish in my nano, just one... and had some in mind, but what would you suggest?

Im looking at the black capped "something", and was wondering if they were common around vancouver

[ 30 June 2002, 20:08: Message edited by: bcdope ]

[Mak]

The good thing about NANO's. You can put them anywhere, A lot less to stock, less cleaning and equally rewarding ;) .

The bad thing about NANO's. Corals out grow them quickly :( so ya gotta keep it small.

Hmmm... a Sohal Tang would be nice... J/K

[ 30 June 2002, 21:58: Message edited by: MAK ]

[Canadian Man]

I am very happy with my nano 10g tank which sits on my desk in my office at my house.
I definatley do less maintenance on the little tank than my big system.
I do water changes when i feel like it, usually every 2 weeks or so and i have no skimmer on the tank. there is 2 yellow tail damsels in the tank and i have a variety of corals in the tank rangeing from mushrooms to lps to sps.

[Bob I]

I am doing it again Jonathan. Definitely, NOT definatley please?
As to nano's I have a 15 gallon high as a nano. It needs little maintenance. I change about 1/4 of the water monthly. I have 52W of PC lighting on it. I use it as a grow out tank for small frags. It has a five inch DSB with Nassarious Snails, and one CBS. I find it very easy to keep.

[Delphinus]

Just to add a dissenting voice ... nanos are great but you have little room for error due to the diminished volume and less potential surface areas for bacterial colonization. Plus you have less real estate for tankmates.

If you can keep up with the maintenance, and don't mind a quaint little "project" or something, and are prepared to thin things out as they grow, then go for it. But be warned, definitely (that one's just for you Bob) a little more work, per capita, than larger tanks.

[ 02 July 2002, 15:02: Message edited by: delphinus ]

[Bob I]

I will DEFINITELY agree woth Tony on the lack of real estate, but will definitely disagree on the amount of maintenance required. I have had a nano for some time, and find there is definitely no need for any more work than a larger tank. A number of folks have given up on large tanks, and have gone to strictly nano. Why? much less expense and work, but still giving great enjoyment. If in time things grow too big, one can always give frags to one's friends. I would never discourage anyone from having a nano. Go to http://www.nanoreefs.com (http://www.nano-reef.com) and talk to the experts.
Bob

[ 02 July 2002, 16:58: Message edited by: Bob Ipema ]

[Delphinus]

I'm sorry but I have to disagree. A nano DOES require more diligence. I am not saying things will go wrong; but I AM suggesting that if things do go wrong, they go from bad to worse a lot faster in a nano than they do in a larger system.

PS. Please Jonathan, will you please just start spelling "definitely" correctly. I can't take much more of Bob's corrections. They are somewhat ANNOYING.

PPS. Please Bob, will you please leave the spelling issues alone. I don't know if I should mention this, but reading post after post of spelling corrections is somewhat ANNOYING.

[bcdope]

dats the Canadian way of spelling it :D

[Bob I]

Well of course we can all disagree all we want. I am going by my experiences. That is the beauty of this forum. The reader can take all the experiences, and make his own decisions. I am definitely not saying you are wrong, and I am right. :D

[terryp01]

Nanos, in my experience, are more difficult in the beginning due to the fluctuations in EVERY aspect possible. However, once they are stabalized, they are usually easy to maintain.

I have found it more difficult to keep a nano when adding fish due to the waste buildup. There is less room for the 'lazy' factor in not doing that clean-up or water change. In this aspect, it is easier to keep a 180 gallon tank since the volume of water is more forgiving.

To answer the question about fish for a nano, I would add something in the goby family. Clown/Citron goby, catalina goby, six-line wrasse usually do well. However, I would limit it to one to two fish since they have to dispose of what they eat, know what I mean?

[Dale D]

I set up a 7 gallon bowfront at the store about 2 months ago and so far everything is going great.

I'm thinking of setting one up at home. I've got a spare 400W MH sitting around so lighting should not be a problem. :D

I think a 7 gallon bowfront nano would look nice sitting on the back of the shitter. smile.gif

[Delphinus]

There is less room for the 'lazy' factor in not doing that clean-up or water change. <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I think Dussumieri has hit the nail on the head for my case. I set up my 20g, which OK, is not really a "nano" but it's a smaller tank so "borderline nano" before I really understood the basic concepts of DSB's. Basically, my 20g, at two years of age, has no ability to remove nitrates on its own, other than macroalgae export. And because I am not diligent enough in the pruning of those, and in the water changes, and since my carpet anemone has an apetite that almost matches my own, this tank very easily gets nitrates up to 60-80ppm. :eek:

OTOH, I know that Bob has a "proper" DSB in his nano, so I guess that's where it is: as long as it's set up "properly" it can be GoodThing(tm) (oh man I sound like Martha now ... :eek: )

I think a 7 gallon bowfront nano would look nice sitting on the back of the sh!tter. <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">:eek:

I am definitely not saying ... <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!! :eek: I am def.... er ... "really really" afraid of this word now... :D (as I get carted off to the asylum) ...

;)