I need help with my first tank setup. PLEASE
- Thread starter rookie07
- Start date
NEVER USE TAP WATER! You have a very small tank and the chemicals and elements in regular tap water can build up and become dangerous to the fauna in the tank. RO water is the minimum you should put in your tank. Distilled if you have no choice. If you start your tank off right it will work well for you. The less bad stuff you put in your tank, the less you have to worry about taking out.
Top-off, water changes and starting your tank should always be done with RO water (RO/DI is the best way to go) The units are cheap and last for years. Filter changes are cheap and easy.
Remember you are lighting a nano. Chief might have 250W of light over his tank but you might not need that much power.
Reason #1: More power = more heat. Evaporation in a tank that size may cause problem with salinity in a short period of time.
Reason #2: ATO (Automatic (water replenishment) Top-off) may be necessary if you do decide to go with higher wattage lighting. Actually you should do this anyway with 150W also. This keeps your tank more stable than just dumping large quantities of water at random times.
Reason #3: Cooling your tank. There are actully a few companies that make small affordable chiller in 1/15th hp just for nano's. A small pump and a place to put the chiller and you are set.
Reason #4: Inhabitants. Some animals don't like alot of light. Figure out what you are going to keep in the long run and find out what it needs to survive.
Combining all of these can be a very inexpensive way to keep your tank at the top of it's game and you happy.
You can have a spectacular nano that you can be proud of and no hassle to you if you plan well. These guys are really hard core on here and sometimes go to overkill for their tanks. But the basis for their individual systems is still the same.
Your goal is stability, stability and stabilty... I cannot stress this enough. Correct husbandry. No impulse buying. Research, research and more research... In a system as small as yours there is really no room for error.
Ask questions, use the search button! and check out the tank threads forum. Get an idea of how you want your tank to look and perform. Sketch out something and look at it. Everything in the hobby doesn't have to be expensive to be good.
Good luck with your tank,
Kasei
Top-off, water changes and starting your tank should always be done with RO water (RO/DI is the best way to go) The units are cheap and last for years. Filter changes are cheap and easy.
Remember you are lighting a nano. Chief might have 250W of light over his tank but you might not need that much power.
Reason #1: More power = more heat. Evaporation in a tank that size may cause problem with salinity in a short period of time.
Reason #2: ATO (Automatic (water replenishment) Top-off) may be necessary if you do decide to go with higher wattage lighting. Actually you should do this anyway with 150W also. This keeps your tank more stable than just dumping large quantities of water at random times.
Reason #3: Cooling your tank. There are actully a few companies that make small affordable chiller in 1/15th hp just for nano's. A small pump and a place to put the chiller and you are set.
Reason #4: Inhabitants. Some animals don't like alot of light. Figure out what you are going to keep in the long run and find out what it needs to survive.
Combining all of these can be a very inexpensive way to keep your tank at the top of it's game and you happy.
You can have a spectacular nano that you can be proud of and no hassle to you if you plan well. These guys are really hard core on here and sometimes go to overkill for their tanks. But the basis for their individual systems is still the same.
Your goal is stability, stability and stabilty... I cannot stress this enough. Correct husbandry. No impulse buying. Research, research and more research... In a system as small as yours there is really no room for error.
Ask questions, use the search button! and check out the tank threads forum. Get an idea of how you want your tank to look and perform. Sketch out something and look at it. Everything in the hobby doesn't have to be expensive to be good.
Good luck with your tank,
Kasei
So, what kind of RO/DI do i want? I only need it for water changes/adding water to the 24 gallon tank. I have no idea what to get, or even a brand to look at.
Is it ok that I used filtered and treated tap water to start the tank?
Thanks
Is it ok that I used filtered and treated tap water to start the tank?
Thanks
Yep that is a good one and a decent size for your tank. The Filter guys also have one that will work for you. http://www.thefilterguys.biz/ro_di_systems.htm
Or DFS has RO units on sale also http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4395+10759&pcatid=10759
With an RO you can always add an additional DI filter on cheaply later.
Kasei
Or DFS has RO units on sale also http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4395+10759&pcatid=10759
With an RO you can always add an additional DI filter on cheaply later.
Kasei
mstrofdisaster
Smokin' Reefer (aka KRS)
- Location
- Great Neck, NY 11020
I just got this one:
http://airwaterice.com/product/1COMPACT/Compact_Reefkeeper_with_TDS_meter.html
I have a NanoCube 24g and this is more than enough for me. I paid $139 plus shipping. They were extremely helpful and this filter produces water with 0 TDS. HTH
-Chris
http://airwaterice.com/product/1COMPACT/Compact_Reefkeeper_with_TDS_meter.html
I have a NanoCube 24g and this is more than enough for me. I paid $139 plus shipping. They were extremely helpful and this filter produces water with 0 TDS. HTH
-Chris
mstrofdisaster
Smokin' Reefer (aka KRS)
- Location
- Great Neck, NY 11020
I don't think this is ok. Anyone else care to chime in on this?
I used a tap water filter(found online) that makes deionized water for aquariums. The guy in the local pet store(Anthony, he told me about this site) said he has the same one at home, and it was good.
Do I need to buy and additional unit?
Do I now buy just the RO part? Do I really need an RO?
Do I need to buy and additional unit?
Do I now buy just the RO part? Do I really need an RO?
Tank update. 10/10/07
19 lbs live rock
30(app.) lbs live sand
PH=8.1
amonia=0
nitirite=0
nitrate=0
Tank as been going for about 2 weeks now. I never saw a spike in PH, is the tank ready to go? the live rock was from an existing aquarium, Im assuming that helps.
Yeah, Yeah..... i know what they say about assuming.
19 lbs live rock
30(app.) lbs live sand
PH=8.1
amonia=0
nitirite=0
nitrate=0
Tank as been going for about 2 weeks now. I never saw a spike in PH, is the tank ready to go? the live rock was from an existing aquarium, Im assuming that helps.
Yeah, Yeah..... i know what they say about assuming.
K-2 Viper Metal Halide Clamp-On Lamp
150 Watts (14 K Bulb) / Manufactured by JBJ (sold by vividaquariums.com)
Is this a good MH lamp for my Nano? Would I also need night time lights? any other suggetsions?
Can I do LPS torch(coral) with the stock CF lights on my nano?
150 Watts (14 K Bulb) / Manufactured by JBJ (sold by vividaquariums.com)
Is this a good MH lamp for my Nano? Would I also need night time lights? any other suggetsions?
Can I do LPS torch(coral) with the stock CF lights on my nano?
You want a RO/DI unit. It's much easier if you buy the right thing to start with instead of trying to 'piece' together a system. If you buy a decent one it will come with a TDS meter which is the only way to tell you when you need to change the filters in it.
No reason for you not to fill the tank up at this point. You WILL be doing water changes on it and when you add more coral (that will probably come with rock attached to it - you would take some water out at that point.)
As someone above pointed out you need to decide first what kind of corals you want to keep in order to make an informed decsion on what lighting you require. Once you start getting involved in the animals that require higher lighting, you will have to get fans & a chiller (they cost a fair chunk of change..go goggle chiller prices..) and chillers DO produce a large amount of heat when they are working..keep that in mind. Your best bet might be to keep animals suitable for what your system was designed for.
A torch coral..beautiful animals but nope, not good for you tank due to their feeder tentacles that come out at night. They will sting to death anything they can touch. They also require pristine conditions to thrive.
PH doesn't spike during a cycle.
Even with rock that came from an existing tank, there is usually at least a minimum spike in Ammonia, followed by Nitrite, then by Nitrate..after all that happens & Ammonia & nitrite are totally gone from the tank is your cycle complete.
I'd give it another couple of weeks to be certain especially if you haven't 'fed' the bacteria that should be growing in there. Without something to eat you(good) bacteria will die. Please don't use a fish to cycle! The tiniest (really tiny) pinch of flake food will feed the tank..then test your water a day or 2 later to see if any of your parameters increase.
Oh..and welcome to MR !
No reason for you not to fill the tank up at this point. You WILL be doing water changes on it and when you add more coral (that will probably come with rock attached to it - you would take some water out at that point.)
As someone above pointed out you need to decide first what kind of corals you want to keep in order to make an informed decsion on what lighting you require. Once you start getting involved in the animals that require higher lighting, you will have to get fans & a chiller (they cost a fair chunk of change..go goggle chiller prices..) and chillers DO produce a large amount of heat when they are working..keep that in mind. Your best bet might be to keep animals suitable for what your system was designed for.
A torch coral..beautiful animals but nope, not good for you tank due to their feeder tentacles that come out at night. They will sting to death anything they can touch. They also require pristine conditions to thrive.
PH doesn't spike during a cycle.
Even with rock that came from an existing tank, there is usually at least a minimum spike in Ammonia, followed by Nitrite, then by Nitrate..after all that happens & Ammonia & nitrite are totally gone from the tank is your cycle complete.
I'd give it another couple of weeks to be certain especially if you haven't 'fed' the bacteria that should be growing in there. Without something to eat you(good) bacteria will die. Please don't use a fish to cycle! The tiniest (really tiny) pinch of flake food will feed the tank..then test your water a day or 2 later to see if any of your parameters increase.
Oh..and welcome to MR !
I Cant Keep My Water Temp Constant. Before The Lights Go On In The Moring The Tank Is 77-78 Degrees. By The Middle Of The Day The Temp Is Up To 81-81 Degrees. Does Anyone Else Have This Problem With Their Nano Tanks? I Ordered A Chiller, Do I Really Need That For This Tank? Am I Doing Something Wrong?
I Have Nothing In The Back Chambers, Just A Heater, Pump, And A Skimmer.
Week 3: Tank Parameters:
Ph=8.2
Nitrite/nitrate=0
Ammonia=0
I Still Havent Seen A Spike In Ammonia, Etc... Is It Ever Going To Happen? I Used Ls And Lr From Another Tank(only The Lr)
Week 3: Tank Parameters:
Ph=8.2
Nitrite/nitrate=0
Ammonia=0
I Still Havent Seen A Spike In Ammonia, Etc... Is It Ever Going To Happen? I Used Ls And Lr From Another Tank(only The Lr)
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