Looking into starting nano reed tank, need help

mcb5522

Hey everyone, I have been keeping freshwater for the past two years and I am looking for a new challenge.

Saltwater is the first place I that I am looking because I have no clue about it whatsoever and have wanted to get into it once I was satisfied with my freshwater tanks. I currently have a 29 gallon tank and a ten gallon tank that are just collecting dust and I figured maybe I can turn them into a nano tank. I dont exactly have alot of money to spend at the moment but I know I should just start looking into now for when I do get started.

Anyway my first question is what equipment would I need to buy for a nano tank? I have a tank and a stand and a hood.light for both tanks but thats about it.

also if someone can recommend specific products along with explanations for what they do in a saltwater tank then that would be great. I have plenty more questions but not at the moment. Thanks in advance.

bearwithfish

tons of reading first!!! LOL they are very different tanks indeed and very addicting.. i myself got out of salt a while back but the intriuge and constant change of a salt water tank is so captivating that i will soon be returning....

to start off you journey i would suggest these threads

Saltwater Filtration 101, How it Differs from Freshwater

http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/w...r-tanks-55195/

http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/w...w-about-55808/

http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/w...g-sumps-15930/

i know this is a lot to take in but really this is a lot of great information from some of our members

mcb5522

THanks alot, I have read the sump sticky before but never saw the other ones for some reason. All Great reads that helped me understand what I want to do. It has me thinking about my situation. Heres my idea for how id have this setup. A thirty gallon for the display with a ten gallon sump. The sump would include a propagation chamber. Id include live rock in my setup. I will take the time and build my own sump and possibly buy an overflow box(havent looked up any DIY for it). Anyway my next question is when I buy a protein skimmer, how big of a tank should I buy it for, I might want to upgrade eventually and was just wondering if I should go big with the protein skimmer. I also have a question about stocking. I have no clue what id stock with and would want to know genreally about types of corals, eels, fish, inverts and what should and shouldnt be mixed. I know that thirty gallons isnt much and would want to how much live rock I should stock in it also.

bearwithfish

typically 1 pound LR per gallon and if you use live sand either 1inch or less or 3 inches and over there is much debate on these guidelines but there is my opinion....as for stocking take every guideline or rule you know and throw them away..... all of them!! the best bet is to research each everything you want to put in and look around as to what works well with each other and (from experience) please never impulse buy anything for the tank that is alive .. LOL this will prove to be one of the hardest tasks ever ... but others will jump in soo enough to add their thoughts

mcb5522

Thanks alot, I will be researching over the summer as Im building the sump and buying all the things needed. Once setup, I will leave the tank running with the live rock(to seed more regular rock)for a while and then finally will setup stocking the tank. I just hope that by the end I dont decide to do something larger and rip up my setup and make the thirty gallon the sump. And yea those impulse buys are annoying, feel like alittle kid who needs that new toy lol So how does this plans sound?

OH what is the deal with RO water, is it neededd and if it is then are there any alternatives?

bearwithfish

1st hand experience
lack of RO is why i got out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
buy it .. buy a unit what ever you need to do to get it RO is a must 9 months and $2500 waisted the first time around....

mcb5522

My lfs sells it but I was thinking to just buy a unit as I am in fishkeeping for the long haul. Generally how many power heads should be used and what type of test kit

bearwithfish

i am a buget minded guy so asking me i would say get some of those $20 jobs form a box pet place like petco etc... and i would use as many as you need for your stock LOL some like high flow others no so much.. generally what i do is get two one for each end and modify one to have a higher flow rate and then place that one near the stock who would like it LOL

mcb5522

Sounds good, as I work things out I think ill update this post when Im ready to get everything started which I hope will be soon, Im already scouring craigslist ebay and pet stores for things ill need eventually

bearwithfish

LOL me too working to get back in to salt .. just make up a check list and then work your way through it by importance to the system .. it helps keep things frm getting out of hand.....