Noob with nano

[josed]

Hi all. I am new to the forum and to the hobby too. I have been reading many posts in the past few months and I think I am ready to start seriously planning my own reef aquarium. I also know that it will be better to start with a bigger aquarium, but due to space constraints in our place that is impossible. So then the reason for this post title

I will appreciate your help with some doubts:
1. What kind of nano to get? I was thinking in the 20-24g range. For what I read in other posts people have differen favorite brands of nanos. Is there any particular brand that I should NOT get?
2. To protein skim or not to protein skim?
3. Should I use LR and LS before or after the cycle?
4. Is it possible to do the initial set-up bellow 1000$, considering a safe enviroment for the inhabitants?
Hope you can help me with these questions.
Thanks.

 

[agent-x]

I will answer your questions (some of them) from my experience. Which is little since I just started to.
1. The only one I've seen say they don't really like is the Cube Masters one.
2. Some do some don't, I don't
3. I used live sand and live rock and LR crumble in place of the Bio Balls that come with the cubes.
4. I did my inital set up for around $700. Biocube 29, Stand, 30lbs live sand, 20g RO water, 15lbs live rock, Salt, Hydrometer, Buff, Heater, Maxi jet 1200 pump, magna float, and two test kits one normal marine and one reef, two timers, a fish net. Just to give you and Idea as to what i purchased for that amount.
Hope that helps & Welcome to the boards

 

[metalhead]

Originally Posted by JoseD
Hi all. I am new to the forum and to the hobby too. I have been reading many posts in the past few months and I think I am ready to start seriously planning my own reef aquarium. I also know that it will be better to start with a bigger aquarium, but due to space constraints in our place that is impossible. So then the reason for this post title

I will appreciate your help with some doubts:
1. What kind of nano to get? I was thinking in the 20-24g range. For what I read in other posts people have differen favorite brands of nanos. Is there any particular brand that I should NOT get?
2. To protein skim or not to protein skim?
3. Should I use LR and LS before or after the cycle?
4. Is it possible to do the initial set-up bellow 1000$, considering a safe enviroment for the inhabitants?
Hope you can help me with these questions.
Thanks.
im a newb, but i can tell you that you should use LR and LS during the cycle., sorry that thats all i can awnser

 

[demartini]

I agree to not get a cube master ( I had one). I hear really good things about aquapods and bio cubes... I myself have a biocube. Skimmers are always good to have, but as long as you keep up on water changes then You don't need to have it. I'm sure you can set it up for under $1000

 

[ser_cyclops]

i just orderd a jbj i hear they are good around here.. in ky everyone seems to like em?

 

[cjason3041]

I just bought the biocube 29. it is not that big on space and fits great in a living room. i did my setup for about 500 dollars, but i also have a 55 gal tank so i already had the basic stuff (nets, test kits etc). i was told you do not have to skim a nano and that they may even introduce mini bubbles into the viewing tank. the biocube comes with everything you need for hardware except a heater ( keep it small and you can hide it in the filter box).
hope this helps... i have had a 55 gal for 3 years but i just started nano a whole 4 days ago.

 

[josed]

Thank you all for the help. I am going to make a trip to the store on the weekend and take a look at what is available there (an compare prices with the web). I will keep you posted of my progress soon.
J.

 

[zjhoward]

For under a thousand bucks, I might suggest going with a nanocustoms tank. I have a 6 gallon, and they do an exceptional job at re-working their tanks. They are kinda high, but the lighting is amazing, and you'll want it someday probably.

 

[skipperdz]

1) i have a nano cube and have not had a single mechanical problem with it.
2) protein skimmers are great, get all the excess protien, and add O2 and can help with water flow. i have a nano skimmer (sorry not at home to tell you the brand)
3) LR LS decrease the amt of time it takes to cycle, dont forget your piece of shrimp ( for the damsel lovers out there ) to mature your tank
4) yea you can definitly do it under 1000 bucks. look around, check the classified section on this site, may find someone getting rid of it (along with any extras)

 

[highcottn1]

u know what i did, i didnt star out with a small tank. i recomend a 46 gallon bowfront there deffinantly worth the price and they are really pretty. you should also remember that the smaller the aquarium the harder. good luck and welcome to the posts!

 

[josed]

Thanks again for all the help. I know that it would be better to start with a bigger tank, but space constraints do not let me go that way. I went to have a chat at one of the local stores and left with a budget for a 25g of about 1300$!!! (and that was only the tank, equipment and LR/LS). It is going to be online shopping for me at least for the initial setup.
I have also been surfing around the nanotuners website and my eyes (but not my wallet yet) settled on a 24DX Nanocube with 108w of lighting. I havent been able to find the 29 biocube on sale yet. Any suggestions?

 

[charred salad]

Thanks! I had these questions myself...I am getting a 14g. Bio-Cube

 

[yomommasmom10]

and if you look on E B A Y you can get 30 lb of live rock for 100$ its good stuff too trust me

 

[sigmachris]

To keep costs down...when buying LR don't get the most dense rock. Look for rock that is porous, so it is just as large but doesn't weigh as much.

 

[bs21]

order some of the stuff online way cheaper i can setup my aquapod 12g for ~$300 (not including shipping) if you do enough searching ...not including aquapod but got that for around $130. It is good to buy some stuff from LFS but dont have to buy everything there.