justinx
Active Member
Alright . . . it seems that this forum has gained in some popularity and has stuck around for a bit now. I am really glad for this as I find nano tanks a great facet of this hobby.
But I see so many people asking the same questions over and over again, and it seems like people are not paying attention to the answers.
There are several things that need to be considered when setting up a nano tank, and one of the major things is that many of the "standard" rules of reefkeeping do not apply or are applicable with a twist.
For starters, nano tanks in my opinion are not for the beginner. A nano tank (NT) is far more difficult than a 55 gallon or what have you. Furthermore, NT's are not a cheap alternative to a bigger tank. If you set it up properly, it will still be expensive. And if you choose to not set it up properly as an avoidance of costs, then dont bother in the first place.
One reason why a NT is not for the begginer is that the water levels are exceedingly more sensitive. Here is an analogy:
Take a shot glass and fill it with a clear liquid (I prefer vodka, and hey its my analogy!
) Add one drop of food coloring. Then take a milk container and fill it with the same clear liquid, and add one drop of food coloring.
There is going to be an immense difference in color becuase of the concentrations. The same principles apply to a NT. Salinity especially, but others as well such as ca, alk, pH, etc. Keeping these levels stable requires very strict husbandry IME, and can be a daunting task for the novice.
Another issue/question that I see constantly being raised is the notion of placing fish into NT's. IMO, this is not a great idea for anything less than 20 gallons. Sure, it can be done in 10 gallon tanks, even some smaller ones. But rest assured the individuals who keep these tanks are experienced hobbiests, and have been at this long enough to know how to handle it. The main problems with fish in such a small tank is that 1. Filtration. Fish place the greatest stress on a filter system. Especially in a NT with limited LR/LS and limited water volume. Problems with nitrates, algae, cyano are all bound to occur. True this is an issue with any tank, but in a NT it is far more difficult to correct. 2. Swimming space. After all the LR and LS are in place in say a 10 gallon tank, with 10lbs of LR, How much space is really left for the animal to move about freely? I know that this can then be expanded and generalized to the entire aquarium and fishkeeping industry, but seriously . . . there is a HUGE difference between keeping a fish in a 10 gallon versus a 20, or 50, or 300.
I want to stress that this is not written in attempt to point any fingers, or single anyone out, nor is it in response to any particular thread/post. I am very pleased that there is interest in keeping NT's, but there is a lot more to it than what goes into a larger system. In many ways, a NT is more difficult than a larger system.
These are entirely my own opinons here and in no way I am pretneding to be the "police" here. I am not trying to infer any superiority or anything, just inform people about the lure and peril of keeping nano tanks.
Justin
But I see so many people asking the same questions over and over again, and it seems like people are not paying attention to the answers.
There are several things that need to be considered when setting up a nano tank, and one of the major things is that many of the "standard" rules of reefkeeping do not apply or are applicable with a twist.
For starters, nano tanks in my opinion are not for the beginner. A nano tank (NT) is far more difficult than a 55 gallon or what have you. Furthermore, NT's are not a cheap alternative to a bigger tank. If you set it up properly, it will still be expensive. And if you choose to not set it up properly as an avoidance of costs, then dont bother in the first place.
One reason why a NT is not for the begginer is that the water levels are exceedingly more sensitive. Here is an analogy:
Take a shot glass and fill it with a clear liquid (I prefer vodka, and hey its my analogy!
) Add one drop of food coloring. Then take a milk container and fill it with the same clear liquid, and add one drop of food coloring. There is going to be an immense difference in color becuase of the concentrations. The same principles apply to a NT. Salinity especially, but others as well such as ca, alk, pH, etc. Keeping these levels stable requires very strict husbandry IME, and can be a daunting task for the novice.
Another issue/question that I see constantly being raised is the notion of placing fish into NT's. IMO, this is not a great idea for anything less than 20 gallons. Sure, it can be done in 10 gallon tanks, even some smaller ones. But rest assured the individuals who keep these tanks are experienced hobbiests, and have been at this long enough to know how to handle it. The main problems with fish in such a small tank is that 1. Filtration. Fish place the greatest stress on a filter system. Especially in a NT with limited LR/LS and limited water volume. Problems with nitrates, algae, cyano are all bound to occur. True this is an issue with any tank, but in a NT it is far more difficult to correct. 2. Swimming space. After all the LR and LS are in place in say a 10 gallon tank, with 10lbs of LR, How much space is really left for the animal to move about freely? I know that this can then be expanded and generalized to the entire aquarium and fishkeeping industry, but seriously . . . there is a HUGE difference between keeping a fish in a 10 gallon versus a 20, or 50, or 300.
I want to stress that this is not written in attempt to point any fingers, or single anyone out, nor is it in response to any particular thread/post. I am very pleased that there is interest in keeping NT's, but there is a lot more to it than what goes into a larger system. In many ways, a NT is more difficult than a larger system.
These are entirely my own opinons here and in no way I am pretneding to be the "police" here. I am not trying to infer any superiority or anything, just inform people about the lure and peril of keeping nano tanks.
Justin
