Advice starting up a nano all in one tank

[HelenMondor]

Hi everyone, new member here planning a nano reef tank and wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything.
Been a fish keeper, mostly tropical and fancy goldfish for five years. Had one previous nano reef tank a few years ago, looking to set another up.
Looking at the Fluval Evo 13.5, with the additional heater and protein skimmer. Adding in a mini auto top off into an RODI reservoir.
Going with live sand and live rock to cycle then add snails and clean up crew, and then start with some easy (as I know the lights aren't amazing) soft corals (probably loads and gsp) and subsequently probly a clownfish pair.
Planned maintenance will be tank and glass cleaning every other day and 10% water change 2x weekly (the small size allows me to do water change quickly with a jug rather than buckets
Am I missing anything in my planning? Anything you'd recommend? geometry vibes
Later on I'll probably add a wave maker and better light as the tank mature after a year or 18 months
Thanks

 

[Geraud]

For your live rock, make sure you get quality one.

Personally when I started my 55 gallon, I used the rock from my 25, then added cultured like rock from Florida I put my journey here and in the end, the best looking ones I got was from KP Aquatics.

But these days Marco Rocks also has some maricultured rock, might be worth looking into since it looks like their process is the same (dunk it in the ocean, harvest a couple of years later)

 

[jjfriscia]

If you already bought the tank I'd say set up but if you could go alittle bigger like a Nuvo 20 gallon all in one you'll have alittle more room for some fish ultimately. Once it's set up your gunna be craving the space. Ive done all my recent tanks with dry rock. Put some ammonia in. You could get bacteria to add too up to you. Thing with that is just how the company you get it from stores the actually bacteria. I just let it rock till u start seeing nitrates. Nice thing about dry rock is that your not going to have any unwanted pests or algae that's huge in my book. Definitely get an RO unit if you don't have one.

 

[jjfriscia]

I've had my nuvo 30 gallon long up and running for about six years now weekly water changes 10%. Very stocked. Be happy to help feel free to message me if you need anything.

 

[Geraud]

I must say I disagree with starting from dry rock. The "ugly phase" is really long (I have used some but just as a way to hold my live rock up: they looked terrible for a long time), and the pests that come from the ocean aren't that bad.

If you look online, even the people that were pushing dry rock a lot (eg: BRS with MarcoRock products) are now backing down since they can sell maricultured rock. (MarcoRocks again)

 

[jjfriscia]

I must say I disagree with starting from dry rock. The "ugly phase" is really long (I have used some but just as a way to hold my live rock up: they looked terrible for a long time), and the pests that come from the ocean aren't that bad.

If you look online, even the people that were pushing dry rock a lot (eg: BRS with MarcoRock products) are now backing down since they can sell maricultured rock. (MarcoRocks again)

I agree to disagree I think the live rock definitely starts the tank quick but I remember getting tube worms/aptasia and all sorts of stuff from the live rock I used to get when I first started. I just setup a nano about 2 weeks ago its cycled already. I did use some cycled rubble I had and a old filter pad. I think the rock looks fine. I mean it's up to opinion I think. For me the dry rock has worked and I don't think I would ever buy live rock again. Just my 2 cents

 

[Geraud]

I agree to disagree I think the live rock definitely starts the tank quick but I remember getting tube worms/aptasia and all sorts of stuff from the live rock I used to get when I first started. I just setup a nano about 2 weeks ago its cycled already. I did use some cycled rubble I had and a old filter pad. I think the rock looks fine. I mean it's up to opinion I think. For me the dry rock has worked and I don't think I would ever buy live rock again. Just my 2 cents

If you are using rocks from another tank then it makes sense. I was talking about starting 100% from scratch.

 

[jjfriscia]

If you are using rocks from another tank then it makes sense. I was talking about starting 100% from scratch.

Yeah just some rubble in the filter from the cycled tank.