Heating and other equipment- advice please

[Julia]

Hi folks

I'm trying to research into good quality and ones that you guys might recommend.

Im thinking of getting a D-D nanocube cf-quad 20 gallon tank. I know these are not idea for a beginner but it's a combination of space and money that limit the size I can go upto. The frequency of maintenance is what I'm looking forward to so that's not concerning me too much, but the thought of my heater packing up, or other essential equipment, that will detrimentally effect my reef really worries me.

So I'd like your advice is "you get what you pay for" true in this hobby. I'd rather spend the money and give my reef the best chance.

What are your thoughts on products, specifications for my tank.

Thanks guys
Julia

 

[Amba]

Most definitely, you get what you pay for. A 20 gallon is a good starting point (I tried starting with a 10 gallon and it hurt). JBJ are also good nano cubes. It would be useful to know what you are planning to keep, corals, fish only, inverts? That will determine what lighting you need, and lighting is by far the most expensive part of the hobby. The more you venture towards harder corals, the most light you will need. As far as maintenance is concerned, there are a lot of tools out there to help keep your tank sustained with a bit less work. ATO systems, reefkeepers etc, but that also means spending more money. As many people will tell you on here (and I found out the hard way a couple weeks back) heaters are the most likely thing to break, so it is a good idea to have spares of some of the cheaper gear, such as heaters and maybe a cheap powerhead. To start out, maybe go with a "FOWLR" tank, which is just fish and live rock. Then as you begin to create your tank more and more, you can upgrade things slowly. Here are a couple of things you will ABSOLUTELY need, followed by some that I would recommend getting.

Heater (and backup)
A good test kit
Thermometer
Lighting to support your choice of tank, also you need to choose the type of lighting whether it is LED, T-5, etc etc. You can get some good LED for under $100, but if you do a bit of research you can find nano cubes that are complete with lighting already. Also count in that if your light were to bite the dust, would it be hard for you to replace? Some hoods can be a real pain in the neck!

Optional, but useful are:
An ATO system. The JBJ model I think is still on sale at marinedepot for $70. I picked one up a bit ago and it is COMPLETELY worth the money. Gives a lot of peace of mind knowing that my tank is always at the same level.

Sump; you don't necessarily NEED a sump (especially for a nano) but I find that having one (I have one on my 30 gallon) really makes a difference. This also gives you a place to keep your gear, so you can focus on the beauty of your display tank.

Protein Skimmer, also a good investment, and not needed on a nano tank. They do make ones for smaller tanks (biocube comes to mind) and some will come with them built in. Remember your live rock is your best filter, but the skimmer will help remove organics in the water before they become a problem.

Best of luck with your tank, this is a great forum, and the people here have really helped me immeasurably.

 

[Julia]

Thanks so much for your advice, really has given me something's to think on.

This is the tank I have been recommended by my aquatic shop. Opinions would be appreciated.

http://www.theaquariumsolution.com/new-28-cf-us-gallon-110-watt-nano-cube

I will take a look at th JBJ tanks too.

Definitely thinking it best to start with a 'FOWLR' tank although I certainly would love corals at a later date.

Thanks again. Hope to see you around the board, it sounds like you enjoy the hobby and it's nice we are bith still learning and that you took the time to help me - thanks x