The Protein Skimmer And The Nano Reef Aquarium

Nano aquariums are small, ranging from the very small of 10 gallons or a little less to around 30 gallons or so. They are popular, at least partly because they have the advantage of being able to fit almost anywhere, so the aquarist pushed for space doesn’t need to do without.

The big thing (if I can put it that way!) with a nano aquarium is they are relatively inexpensive to set up, stock and run. Having said that, all the considerations required for a large or very large aquarium apply, such as heating needs, stocking limits etc. Obviously the choice of livestock is restricted, for example a surgeon fish should not be in a nano.

The equipment considered for marine aquariums includes a protein skimmer. Though some manufacturers have improved, skimmers are often purchased with a capacity of around twice the aquarium net gallonage to make up for any ambitious claims by manufacturers. With some nano aquariums the difficulty would be finding a skimmer small enough.

That is often the problem - finding a skimmer that is physically small enough to fit the aquarium. With an aquarium of, say, 30 or even 20 gallons a hang-on skimmer could be found that will fit. However, the very small nano aquarium will often present difficulties, at least those that are being put together by the aquarist could. If a small nano aquarium is being marketed as a complete piece of equipment, and there are a few available, then perhaps the manufacturer has fitted a skimmer. The aquarist who is putting one together could check to see if that particular manufacturer also sells skimmers of the same specifications as a separate item. If so, perhaps there’s the answer.

Failing to obtain a suitable skimmer locally means trawling the internet to see which manufacturers produce what skimmers. Normally it is a hang-on variety that is used. If none suitable can be found what can be done?

The protein skimmer is an essential piece of equipment, and a great many aquarists support this view including me. This is all well and good, but what if a skimmer just cannot be found that will fit?

The first action that could be considered is the use of activated carbon. This media adsorbs dissolved organics and might be thought suitable instead of a skimmer. However, as I understand it the skimmer and carbon are effective on different organics. Nevertheless, in the absence of a skimmer activated carbon could be used. It should be regularly changed and preferably be in a pumped container such as a small canister filter - this will ensure adequate seawater flow through the media.

The second action is one that should be undertaken with any aquarium no matter what the size is, and that is to carry out routine seawater changes. The normal guideline for starting routine changes is 10% of the system net gallonage (this is often varied as the aquarist gains experience, both in personal knowledge and of the particular aquarium).

A great advantage of the nano aquarium is that it does not hold a lot of seawater, the very small ones as said perhaps 10 gallons or so. Obviously 10% of 10 gallons is 1 gallon. Doing a seawater change isn’t going to break the bank! So if there isn’t a skimmer and the aquarist wishes to minimize dissolved organic concentrations in the seawater, then the amount of each routine seawater change could be increased. This would have to be built up by the aquarist on experience, though there are some difficulties with this, as the test kits for organics commercially produced I am advised do not measure the organics that skimmers remove. Helpful! It should also be noted that seawater changes that are too large are not helpful because the mix is ‘raw’ and disliked by livestock. Generally 25% is the upper limit and this should be much more than enough.

The aquarist should ensure the minimum routine seawater change is completed weekly, and at the same time keep a watch for two things - first, the seawater should not have any slow bursting bubbles and/or oily and perhaps dusty looking film on its surface, and second there shouldn’t be any yellowing of the seawater, even slightly. This yellowing is termed ‘gilvin.’ If pale it is difficult to see and, though not required weekly, an occasional check should be made as follows. Take a white saucer or small plate and place it upright inside the aquarium at one end. Alternatively, tape a piece of white paper to the outside of the aquarium at one end. From the other end looking down the full length of the aquarium, check for any sign of yellow. It is unlikely that there will be if activated carbon is in use.

The protein skimmer is a wonderful device assisting the aquarist a great deal in the maintenance of high quality seawater. However, if the nano aquarium is just too small to make use of one, then the other advantage of the nano can be taken advantage of - very affordable seawater changes.

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Tags: Equipment, marine reef, marine-aquarium, Nano Reef, pico reef, Protein Skimmer, reef-tank

Is A Nano Tank Suitable For Beginners?

A beginner is more likely to make mistakes than when some experience has been gained. That is true for most things including keeping a marine aquarium.

A larger aquarium, as large as can be fitted and afforded, has always been the normal advice to a beginner. This is because if the aquarist makes an error with, say, an additive there is more seawater to absorb the error. Also, if the fish are overfed, which is a common ands understandable mistake, the effect on the seawater will not be so severe so quickly. Routine water changes should be being done, but nevertheless water quality would suffer. In addition, a larger volume of water is less subject to variations in outside temperatures. If warm weather arrives then a small amount of water will heat up more quickly than a larger amount.

As Peter once put it, a spoonful of sugar in a cup has more effect than a spoonful in a bucket.

Overall, I suppose the larger aquarium is still the better choice? I am no longer so sure. Surely no aquarist is going to apply an additive to the aquarium without reading the instructions to obtain the application dose rate. If overfeeding occurs, then a small aquarium will have less fish than a larger one and so the danger from overfeeding would be evened out maybe. The question of water temperature increase hasn’t changed of course.

There are advantages to the smaller aquarium. A beginner may be tempted to skip routine water changes now and again, as they take preparation and need a fair bit of salt for a larger tank. A Nano is easy, as the gallonage involved is small, so there’s no problem with preparation, storage or application.

Another thing about the small aquarium is that it is cheaper to set up. If the beginning aquarist wants to see how it goes for a while then the outlay is minimised. Also there is less to look at, so attention is drawn to the fewer livestock in the tank and any problems are more likely to be seen.

So, as said, I have mixed feelings. There are many beautiful tanks, big and small. Some of the big ones are stunning in their impact. Many small ones are beautiful in their detail. Also many new aquarists do keep small aquariums and succeed.

So, if anyone asks me ‘What size aquarium should I go for?’ my response is likely to be two questions: how much room have you available, and what do you fancy?

Is the ‘largest tank’ advice out of date?

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Tags: Equipment, home-aquarium, marine-aquarium, Nano Reef, nano-aquarium, nano-tank

The Nano Reef Tank - Is It Suitable For The Beginner

When a beginner starts to research this hobby cost obviously becomes a factor and for very good reason.

The larger the aquarium which is chosen the more equipment which is required, more water, more lighting, more salt etc.

The list goes on and on.

For this reason the potential saltwater aquarists heads one of normally four ways.

1. The decision is made not to progress any further into the hobby.
2. The decision is made to either save money for the purchases or purchase gradually over time
3. The decision is made to cut corners
4. The decision is made to start a [tag-tec]nano reef tank[/tag-tec]

Option 1 is a shame if this decision is chosen. Although it may appear that the aquarium is going to cost the earth it does not have to be that way - unfortunately though there are a lot of people who do choose this option.

Option 2 is normally a hard one to take but is one which is worthwhile doing. A good aspect of this option is that it tests one valuable aspect of the aquarist - patience.

Option 3 unfortunately is chosen a lot and corners are cut to save money. Corners which will over time turn around and bite you. Therefore over time the aquarium actually ends up costing you more.

Option 4 in my opinion is a great option to choose. There are a lot of aquarists choose from the outset to keep a nano reef tank rather than opt for a larger saltwater aquarium.

So I guess the burning question is how hard is it to keep a nano reef tank and can a beginner do it?

With a nano reef tank there are considerable savings to be made. With the aquarium being of a smaller size then the physical purchase price of the aquarium will be less, less aquarium filtration (live rock for example) will be required as well as salt, water, water pumps/powerheads,lighting, heating etc.

It is not just the purchase price either which is cheaper. The running costs of the aquarium are considerably lower as well.

On the other side of the coin though there are areas which the aquarists will need to concentrate on - [tag-ice]aquarium care[/tag-ice] and [tag-self]aquarium maintenance[/tag-self].

With the aquarium being of a smaller size it will hold less water. With their being less water in the aquarium there is a lower volume for pollutants etc to mix with, therefore it can be harder yet not impossible to maintain the excellent water conditions required. Another area to consider is that the water will heat up and cool down quicker, therefore the aquarist will need to keep a careful eye on the temperature to ensure that stability is maintained. Again with their being less water in the aquarium water evaporation can affect the aquarium more as the salinity can change quicker than in a larger aquarium, to combat this the aquarist will need to ensure that regular water top ups are performed.

On another note less corals and fish will be able to be kept in the nano reef tank. Some people who keep a nano reef tank do not have and fish but prefer to keep corals only. In some instances shrimps etc are added. The reason for this is the waste which is produced by the fish and the fact that we need to physically feed them. Keeping fish in an aquarium means that there will be pollutants, pollutants by physical waste from the fish as well as any uneaten food. This does not mean that you cannot keep fish in a nano reef tank - you can as long as you are careful with your selection and do not overstock.

In a way have fewer corals, fish etc in the aquarium is actually a blessing. The bigger the aquarium the more corals and fish you can keep, however it is hard to watch them all. With a nano reef tank you can carefully study each coral, watch it grow and learn more from it that you probably can with an aquarium which has 50, 100, 150 + corals in it.

In the future of course if you so desire then you can upgrade to a larger aquarium. You do not need to - you can keep the nano and watch it grow into an item of beauty - nature at it’s finest. If you do choose to upgrade at a later date then you may have then opportunity to be able to re-use some of the aquarium equipment - the heaters for example could be re-used or possibly the actual aquarium could be used as a refugium.

So yes a beginner can do it - they can start a nano reef tank as long as they are diligent.

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Tags: aquarium-setup, marine-aquarium, Nano Reef, nano-cube, saltwater-aquarium, saltwater-aquarium-setup

The Nano Reef Tank - Should You Keep Fish In Them

The answer to this question depends upon your definition of a nano reef tank?

To me a [tag-tec]nano reef tank[/tag-tec] is an aquarium which is less than 20 gallons in size.

There are some people which define a nano reef tank as being less than 55 gallons, personally I would classify these as micro reefs.

For the purpose of this post I will base the definition of a [tag-ice]nano tank[/tag-ice] as being less than 20 gallons in size.

I am going to throw the proverbial hat into the ring by saying that under no circumstances should a fish be introduced into this type of environment.

Let me explain my reasons…

Keeping [tag-tec]reef fish[/tag-tec] in a small amount of water is exceptionally difficult even for advanced aquarists never mind the beginner to this hobby. The majority of reef fish by their very nature are territorial which in a smaller aquarium can become problematic if not disastrous.

Introducing fish into an aquarium of this size where it is already hard to maintain excellent water conditions make it even harder to accomplish. With a fish you have to feed it which creates waste which the filtration therefore has to deal with. Even without feeding the fish are ‘breathing’ therefore adding aspects to the water for the filtration to deal with.

All of this adds up to water which is becoming harder and harder to maintain stability.

A better alternative in my opinion is rather than adding fish to a nano reef tank is to add invertebrates for example shrimps. They add motion to the aquarium and add little bio load to the filtration.

I would have to carefully consider the addition of the larger grazing animals to an aquarium of this size. By larger grazing animals I mean the likes of starfish, cucumbers and urchins. They will quickly eat all of the food and you will have to add supplementary food in order to keep them alive. Any of this food which is uneaten will break down and cause the filtration to work harder.

The addition of hermit crabs etc should be ok as long as you do not put to many into the aquarium. Hermit crabs etc are opportunistic feeders but you will need to keep an eye on them and add small amount of additional food if required.

Even without adding a fish to a nano reef tank you can have an absolutely wonderful aquarium. In some cases it can be better than having an aquarium with fish in. Without having a fish in the aquarium there is little if no predation, therefore the various pods can multiply and grow - these are fantastic to watch in your own little ecosystem plus they can be a great food source for the corals and invertebrates in the aquarium.

There are aquarists who do successfully keep a fish (sometimes more!) in a nano reef tank and have been successful in keeping them. The question that jumps out to my mind is that is it fair to keep an animal locked up in such a small space with little room to swim.

If you cannot create and maintain the perfect environment for the animals which entrust their lives to us (and this does not just include fish) then the answer is simple.

Don’t do it.

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Tags: Nano Reef, nano-aquarium, nano-cube-aquarium, nano-reef-aquarium, saltwater-aquarium

Which To Choose - A Small Or Large Aquarium

Most aquarists are dictated to by circumstance. There is a really big aquarium, at a really good price, but one rather definite problem, and that is there’s nowhere to put it. So a smaller aquarium is chosen, but not by choice. However, even in the described circumstances, a smaller aquarium could be the one of choice.

Most aquarists dream big, visualizing that final aquarium that will bring the ultimate reef. In most cases, it never materializes. Some are lucky of course. There are some beautiful big reefs about.

There are also some beautiful small reefs about, but the beauty is not ‘in the face’. It is in the detail.

There is one aquarium type where, I would imagine, bigger is usually best. That is the fish only aquarium. When an aquarium system is considered, between reef and fish only, if say angels and butterfly fish are to be kept, then fish only is the choice. Some angel and butterfly fish are said to be reef friendly, but many are not. The aquarist with a big fish only aquarium will have a lot of choice of fish, with all the colour and interest that goes with them. If the aquarium was smaller, then fish loading would have to be reduced. This does not mean to say that a fish only small aquarium is a waste of time, it is not. In this case, though, the choice of fish is limited, in size and territoriality. For example, it would be wrong to house a surgeon fish in a [tag-tec]nano aquarium[/tag-tec].

Small aquariums such as the nano should house fish of appropriate size. Perhaps the common clownfish (Amphiprion oscellaris) would be suitable, or other small fish such as the Neon goby (Elacatinus oceanops) and similar. In the larger nano aquarium, fish such as dwarf angels (Centropyge sp) could be suitable. Stocking levels have to be a disciplined affair with the very small nano aquariums, and not excessive with the larger ones. The fish only aquarium of whatever size has the advantage that, although water quality is important, there is no great need to worry about calcium and the like, the need being to keep nitrates and phosphates as low as possible. So if the desire is to have a good number of exotic fish which may not be reef friendly, a larger aquarium will do. If the idea is to have one or two small fish then a nano will be fine. Both types will need suitable decoration for the fish to feel secure.

If the aquarist yearns for a reef tank, and wants to emulate as close as possible the corals of the reef in quantity then a larger aquarium is going to be required. The fish stocks have to be controlled as reef unfriendly fish are not required, and too many fish will tend to depress the water quality despite modern equipment. The aquascaping of the reef is fun, and the aquarist will, with care and attention, achieve a beautiful reef. The reef will never properly emulate nature’s own, of course. There is a lack of size, a lack of diversity, and reef unfriendly fish are missing.

Then there is the aquarist who is very interested in detail. They do not want a big reef, but a very small section of a reef so the detail of the development of the life on a rock or two can be watched in particular. Or perhaps the antics of two small fish are the attraction. Here the nano will be suitable, as a ‘live’ rock or two of suitable size will be all that is required. Then the aquarist can stock a coral or two, plus perhaps a suitable shrimp, or go for a fish or two. It is most probable that the aquarists who deliberately choose a [tag-ice]nano tank[/tag-ice] when there is room for something larger are few.

Again as said, most aquarist’s vision is of the big one. The nano aquarium also brings the fascinating marine world more within the reach of the aquarist with a restricted financial ability.

There are aquarists who run a larger reef aquarium and also run a fish only one as well. This is probably the best of both worlds. Then there are the aquarists, usually advanced, who run a larger aquarium of whatever type and also run a nano aquarium, sometimes two, so that particular aspects of marine life can be studied.

So what are the advantages of a nano aquarium? The term nano is applied to an aquarium up to 50 gallons. The nano can start at a size of 10 gallons or slightly less. So it becomes pretty obvious that the set up costs are minimized. In the fish only nano, there is the cost of the fish, of course, and the seawater mix, and any sand base that might be used, and the heating/lighting. Plus any ordinary rock which is required. If ‘live’ rock and one or two small corals are incorporated then the cost will rise but not significantly. So the demand on the wallet is not going to be high. Running costs are low. Water changes will not amount to many gallons and are effective, if done weekly, to maintain water quality. If there is a calcium etc requirement then commercial additives should last a long time. There should be no requirement for expensive add-on equipment. If desired nano aquariums can be purchased ready for use at reasonable prices in designs that fit into the modern house well. There are potential problems though. If the aquarist overstocks then water quality is going to suffer. The small seawater gallonage is subject to negative change, maybe caused by the aquarist (overfeeding, overdosing), or caused by external influences (overheating). So the nano aquarist has to be extra vigilant on water parameters.

What of aquariums that are over 50 gallons in capacity? The bigger they get, the more money is going to be needed. The cost of a fairly [tag-tec]large aquarium[/tag-tec], when furnished with ‘live’ rock, sand bed, protein skimmer, corals and fish can run into thousands. Not cheap. Likewise the fish only system. The large amount of seawater required, any ‘live’ rock used, a protein skimmer, sand bed etc plus all the fish again is a significant cost. Larger aquariums can also be purchased ready for use. The cost of these is very high. Against that, the larger aquariums are more naturally stable. The aquarist needs to make a major blunder to badly overdose the aquarium. Feeding likewise, though the larger numbers of fish in a fish only aquarium plus overfeeding could spell trouble. External influences can cause problems with overheating, the larger aquarium does not escape this. Halide lighting and warmer weather will cause a temperature rise. However, the temperature rise will occur more slowly because of the higher volume of water. Generally, as the aquarium is larger it is usually easier, more practical, and financially more acceptable to take action to control temperature rise with fans or, if really necessary, a cooler (chiller). By this it is meant that fixing cooling apparatus to a larger aquarium is easier than doing so with a very small nano aquarium, and the high cost of a seawater cooler is more acceptable on a very expensive aquarium. It can be done with a nano, of course, and for the sake of the life in the aquarium stable parameters are needed.

So, it’s ‘horses for courses’ as they say. We each have our own ideas and we know our financial capabilities. Whatever the choice, marine life is fascinating.

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Tags: aquarium-setup, marine-aquarium, Nano Reef, nano-cube, saltwater-aquarium, saltwater-aquarium-setup