Starting 10 G nano reef

C

capflyboy05

Reefing newb
I'm brand new in this hobby.
The saltwater end of it at least.
I have 8 years in all kinds of freshwater fish and biotype aquariums.
I know the first thing you all are thinking is that it's bad/terrible I'm starting this small.
It's something that I've wanted to do for a while. Nano that is.
How long before the tank cycles through?
I've read about a month or so.
I have live rock and sand in the tank, along with the heater.
Lighting is enough, I have the LED hood with some suppliment LED strips.
Plenty for corals and anemones.
Any tips or suggestions for fish for this nano tank?
I know its a while before I can add anything.
I'll take a name of fish or corals, and I'll do the research on them.
Thats part of the fun for me.
Thanks everybody! :)
 
Tanks cycle through on their own time but usually around a month or so. Youll have to get test kits to keep an eye on the ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. First the ammonia will get high, then it will turn to nitrite, and finally to nitrate.

When ammonia and nitrite are both zero you could do a water change and add a fish.

There are some articles here on the site to help you with that process.

Liveaquaria.com has a nano section with fish that will be suitable for a 10 gallon. You will be limited to one or two fish though.
 
Thanks Kelz. I knew going into this that I would be limited to only a couple.
A month is forever! lol. Nothing like freshwater.
It's like starting all over again almost.
Thanks Smitty. I was scoffed at for starting with a Nano reef.
 
Nano tanks are cool, they are also harder. If you can be successful with a nano you can do a bigger system no problem.
 
Thanks for the positivity.
How long and what signs should I be looking for that my tank is doing well?
The PH is at about 8.0 and still no nitrates.
I need to get an ammonia test kit still.
My birthday is in a few days, so I'll grab one of the big saltwater test kits.
I have 4 pounds of live rock in and about 10 pounds live sand.
I'm getting more live rock soon as well.
Is it normal that my water isnt evaporating as quickly as my freshwater?
It's been almost completely topped off for a week now.
Maybe a 1/4 in. of water evaporated.
I'm going to have to take out some of the water before I add more live rock... obviously.
This site is more than helpful.
Thanks everyone for your other posts and encouragement here on this one.
 
And another question...
I put the live rock in my tank and put the saltwater in.
It wasnt heated and was below 68 degrees...
I wouldnt have shocked/killed anything living on the rocks right?
Stupid question I know...
Just a thought.
 
Congrats on setting up your nano! I have a nano tank, and while it's been a bit of a headache at times, I really enjoy it too. Nanos are lots of fun, but require stringent management and meticulous research when considering livestock choices, both fish and corals. Just be patient. And make sure you are testing your water frequently during the cycle and while stocking your tank.
 
most bacteria will be ok as long as they do not freeze , but since you are cycling anyway I wouldnt worry. If you want to kick start your cycle and get moving in the right direction I recommend this :

One & Only Nitrifying Bacteria for Reef & Nano Aquaria | Ammonia Removal | Clean Fish Tank

I used this in my current tank for a "fishless cycle " and my tank was ready to go in 4 days. It provides the bacteria needed to break down the ammonia and begin the cycling process instead of waiting 30-45 days for them to grow on their own. It must be used with this :

Ammonium Chloride Solution | Fishless Cycling | Aquarium Cycling

Be sure to follow the directions exactly as written, so you do not add too much ammonia to your tank.


here is a few pieces of info on the product :

Fishless Cycling | DrTim's Aquatics

or this :

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPxExG-FbvI]Bacteria in a Bottle: Snake Oil or Worth Trusting? - YouTube[/ame]



Good Luck
 
I might grab some of that when I get paid in a few days.
Ironically on my birthday!! :D lol
I'm about a week in already.
It wont mess anything up?
I'm wondering if I should just let it finish up naturally...
By the time I got those items shipped, I'd be a few days off from starting.
Plus I'm taking some leave to go home for christmas for a little over a week.
That way, by the time I get back, I'll be ready to start adding small inverts and maybe some hardy corals!! :D
 
If there is nothing in the tank already (fish , food , table shrimp , etc.) then you potentially arent cycling at the moment. there needs to be something to kick start the ammonia process. So if there is nothing in there then no, it will not hurt anything. If you have a fish, of something living in the tan then DO NOT add the ammonia , only add the bottle of bacteria. When I made my order , i had the product in 2 days. One thing to keep in mind is the temperature where you are, if it is already below freezing, then you may look into other options to prevent the bacteria from freezing in shipping.
 
The only thing I have in at the moment is live rock and live sand.
I'm getting ready to set up a sump.
I have a return pump I just calibrated to 180 gph.
I have a powerhead have back at home I'm about to head back to get.
Idk what it pushes, I'll just google the model when I pick it up.
It's not freezing here yet. Only at nights.
I'll look around at my LFS to see if they have anything of the sort.
They're a ma n' pa type store and have been really helpful so far.
Maybe they'll let me steal some of their water.
Who knows.
 
Stupid question time again...
Would it be a bad idea to put some water from my 29 gallon freshwater tank into my 10 gallon salt?
Some has evaporated from my salt already...
Maybe I could replace a bit of it with the freshwater like you need to do with RO already...
 
I wouldnt suggest putting any from the fresh in salt. Im sure it could have some negative effect somewhere along the line of things.
 
Looking to add some Ocellaris Clownfish since I've read that they are Hardier than the Percula variety. Only two of course and I'll have some inverts as well. Any good beginner corals or anemones? I have plenty of lighting for anemones. Dont worry. :)
 
Let your tank establish itself before adding any anemones. They tend to not fare very well in new tanks, I would say wait at least 6 months and even then you may be pushing it just a bit.
 
look into zoanthids , trumpets/candycane coral , mushrooms , frogspawn / torch / hammer coral , green star polyps , those should all do well for a beginner
 

Similar threads

Mike
  • Sticky
New Member (Owner 😲)
Replies
0
Views
730
Mike
Mike
Tetra1
Nano Lighting
Replies
1
Views
1K
AnotherReefHobbysit
A
F
New to marine.
Replies
2
Views
1K
kbuser92
kbuser92
Mike
We're Back!
Replies
0
Views
667
Mike
Mike
drm180
LPS frag ID
Replies
0
Views
2K
drm180
drm180
Back
Top