Filtration for 5.5g Nano?

Rcpilot

Reef enthusiast
Alright, I admit..I'm hooked!!

Not even done setting up the 30g and I've already decided I want a 5.5g nano. I have the tank sitting here. Brand new. This WAS going to be my wet/dry/refugium for my 30g tank, but I chickened out on building my own and bought the CPR fuge for the 30g tank.

So, I got an empty 5.5g tank and a need for a nano setup.

I have that little Fission Nano Skimmer thats currently being used in my 30g tank, but I'm thinking I want a bigger/taller/more powerful skimmer in that tank. So, no reason I can't move that nano skimmer to this little 5.5g tank.

What would you do for filtration?
This is going to be mostly live rock and inverts. Maybe one or two small fish, but thats it.

I found a Power Compact 36W light on Foster & Smith that will fit the tank. It's got one each of 18w daylight and 18w actenic bulbs. Think that will do it? 36W over a 5.5g tank is about 6.5w per gallon.
 
Those lights would be perfect for keeping pretty much anything you want, maybe besides some of the more light intensive SPS and of course anemones. Which you wouldn't want in a nano anyways! Your skimmer and live rock should be fine for filtration. I would not keep more than 2 fish in a tank that size. And they would be little fish.
 
RC,
You the one with the Whisper filter,right?I would go ahead and use that.Alot of people don't even use a skimmer on such a small tank.Do you think the fission will take up to much space?

The lighting should be good for a few softies and LPS maybe.When you say ''inverts'' you are referring to snails,crabs,shrimps?They have a T5 that is 18'' long,check that out too,if its not to long.

Don't forget to stay on top of evaporation,water changes, and the bioload.It doesn't take much to throw a small tank out of whack.
 
..those ligths will do great..theres also small skimmers out there for nano reefs..ive been having a lot of fun with mine..good luck..
 
for my ten gal. im putiing a whisper ,normal fluorescent,with coealife mini bulbs,and a fisson skimmer or is that to big in a 10gal. tank
 
those mini bulbs are coralife compacts??..cant tell if the skimmer is gonna be to big, cant you post the link of it??.is it fussion or fission??
 
Depends Rigo.
If it runs the temp up,you can set up a fan to blow between the light and the water.
 
Id say run the little whisper on the 5 gallon too,along with the little skimmer you already got.
But if you think you might to go with a high powered light,Metal Halide Reef Aquarium Lighting: Aqualight Advanced Series HQI Metal Halide Fixture
Just to give you something to think about.

That's a nice light, but GAWD LORD thats expensive!! Hell, I'd like to have that on my 30g tall aquarium. That would bump me up to 280w on the 30g. :mrgreen:

I'll probably stick to the compact fluorescents on the nano. 36w on a 5g tank is gonna be quite a bit for starters. I am saving my pennies for a MH light on my 30g and that might just be the one. I REALLY want to keep some SPS and anenomes in my 30g tank, so I know better lighting is in order.

I will run the HOB Whisper 20 and the Fission nano skimmer on the nano. It's purdy small.

Maybe a mini powerhead? 60-80GPH?

Here is a link to the skimmer:
Fission Nano-Protein Skimmer (Current)

What have I gotten myself into? :shock: This is so addictive.
 
I would just run the skimmer. that should give you plenty of filtration and water current. I wouldnt even bother with the whisper filter or powerhead.
 
I would run the filter and skimmer.I think that should plenty of flow.You can always add a small powerhead later on if needed.

Good grief Yote,that light was expensive,especially for 5.5gal nano.Did you win the lottery or something,
 
ok..nice skimmer..ill get the job done..it looks almost as mine..ill run both...better current and filtration..i have one hang on with charcoal, and one with bio pad..heres a pic
DSC03395.jpg

probably illl give you some ideas...good luck..
 
Bought 10 pounds of dry sand and some replacement pads for the HOB filter today after work. Also ordered the light and leg kit for it. I put the sand in the tank and filed it with salt water about an hour ago.

My wife thought it was cool when I gave control of the 10g freshie tank to her and got myself a 30g SW tank. She didn't think it was so cool anymore when I immediately jumped into another one within a couple weeks and started buying stuff for the nano. :grumble:

She said if I bought one more tank, she'd leave ......................

Wait for it ..................






















Wait for it .................

















WAAAAAAIT for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!
























I ordered a 150g tank about an hour ago!! :bounce:

I'm gonna miss her cookin' :shock:


I'm only kidding. I'd never pick fish over my wife and kids. Well, maybe the wife................
 
lol...that was cool..i wish mine goes for the same deal...ill never miss her cooking..that food could kill a dog..lol..wow a 150g..good luck RC..have fun with it..dont forget to post pics...
 
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