Nano coral?
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: SPS
Forum Description: This is the place to ask questions SPS corals.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=28774
Printed Date: November 21 2024 at 3:37pm
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Topic: Nano coral?
Posted By: BrandonA
Subject: Nano coral?
Date Posted: October 21 2008 at 11:18am
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So I am new to the hobby and want to start out simple with a 10G setup. My question is:
What is the difference between Nano coral and a reg. coral?
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Replies:
Posted By: tazman1982
Date Posted: October 21 2008 at 12:41pm
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my suggestion is going larger then 10 gals. it seems to be the larger the better. easier to take care of. lots of problems especialy if you are new. as I am the same way--new. only 4 months into the hobby. but others may have another opinion. ------------- 75 Reef 55 Reef |
Posted By: bannshy
Date Posted: October 21 2008 at 1:07pm
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Nano corals are any regular coral that will fit in a small tank usually 29 gal or smaller. This is an addicting hobby so think about what size of tank you would want in a year if you end up hooked. I started with a 29 gal upgraded to a 65 gal and now I have a 24 gal Nanopod and a 120 gal. I could have saved some money if I would have gone slower and started with the 120 gal. I don't think I ever would have convinced my wife we should start with the 120 gal though.
if your interested you can stop by and I show you my tanks.
I do have a 12 gal aquapod for sale
http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=28585 - http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=28585
and a 65 gal
http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=28575 - http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=28575
pm me for my contact info if you are interested in coming by. I won't be avalable until friday or saturday though. Don't worry you don't have to buy anything to come over.
Jeremy
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Posted By: BrandonA
Date Posted: October 21 2008 at 1:59pm
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Well, at the moment I have a 30 G tank in my room with live sand and about 15lbs of live rock. I've wanted to do Salt Water for some time now, i've had some cichlids for about 4 years now. I would love to start with 120G but I am renting a house with some friends and I've read what a pain it is to have to move it all. I was just going to transfer out the water that has been cycling for a week or so from the 30 to a 10.
Another question: What store do you go to mostly as a Local Fish Store. I live in Salt Lake just below sugarhouse (about 2100S 300W) I've been to Fish 4 U a bunch on Highland Dr. and it seems they know what they are talking about but it didn't seem like they had a great selection of corals or fish.
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Posted By: Ryan Thompson
Date Posted: October 21 2008 at 2:10pm
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I second what tazman said. The bigger the better. I would set up the 30 if I were you. I have had tanks for over 2 years now and my nano I have now is way harder than my 45 gallon tank was. Because of the smaller amount of water, things change a lot! Temp swings, Alkalinity and calcium swings, pH swings. A 30 gallon may be a little more to set up early on but will save you in the long run, IMO. Just look for things on sell here on the site. It will save you a bunch of money!
As for local fish stores, I am not too sure what is up by you. The Aquarium is on 90th and 7th but I recommend not going there. Unless you want to spend 2 to 3 times the money! I shop at a LFS down here in Utah county. It is called Reef Runners and they are the best store I know of! The selection can be minimal at times but the guy who owns it is the most helpful and most knowledgeable in town, IMO! He actually cares what is in my tank and how it is doing. |
Posted By: BrandonA
Date Posted: October 21 2008 at 2:36pm
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The guy at Fish 4 U seems very knowledgeable. He said that he has been in the Salt Water hobby since the early 80's. Only thing is have someone that knows not a lot about the hobby and someone who knows a little can ramble off anything they want and the guy who knows nothing takes it as fact. So was just curious if anyone has been there and can confirm that I can take to heart what he has to say. I'll take your advice though and stick with the 30G just might expect someone to come over and help move it. lol jk
Thanks
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Posted By: superman1981
Date Posted: October 21 2008 at 2:47pm
Tank size is all relative... I have a 6 gal nano cube that has been without a water change for probably 4 months... My damsels, chocolate chip star, and GSP are doing awesome  I actually think it's way easier to maintain than my 125 (pretty much because I don't do anything with it...) I bring this up, because I asked about setting up a 10 or 20 gal years ago, and everyone turned me off to doing it. I've been in the hobby for 2 years now, but that number would be 4 or 5 if people hadn't told me that a 10-20 gal reef was a bad idea (as a side note, I was using a 10 gal starter kit from walmart with screw-in PC's for a year and grew musrooms and gsp just fine).Anyway, I'd say that mushrooms and zoas are great for nanos! If you have good enough light, I love candy canes, frogspawn, hammers and so on. You can also try some leathers, although they tend to get huge... so you may have to cut them back every now and then. Anyway, my $.02 knowledge. Good luck, and have fun! ------------- Sure you are, you are Crappy Reef Club Member #1 -Chk4tix 6 gal nanocube 65 gal http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=78639&title=tims-65-gallon-build" rel="nofollow - build thread |
Posted By: Ryan Thompson
Date Posted: October 21 2008 at 5:35pm
Good answer Tim! I didn't even suggest any good nano corals! I must say to Tim though he is crazy!  I have to change my water weekly or my hammer and frogspawn start to whine! My suggestion was to go with the 30G as it should be easier to maintain. Tim you have a 125 and knowledge on how to keep things alive. I know that if I would have started with a nano cube like mine I would have quit long ago. I can only keep my 24 gallon going because I know what signs to look for now.
Now on to some great nano corals! Palythoas, zonathinds, mushrooms, frogspawn, hammers, octospawn, and leathers are great. Depending on the lighting you could even do SPS! I had SPS in my nano at one point and it was gorgeous! Then one day I touched it and must have had something on my hand as it all died right where I touched it. Be aware like Tim said that if you go with a leather they get big and get big quick. I have one now that I am gonna take out as it is too big for the tank. |
Posted By: Mike Savage
Date Posted: October 21 2008 at 5:50pm
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Welcome BrandonA!
I really like both my 10 gallon and my 34 gallon. My 120 was definitely easier but it was much more costly too. What lighting are you going to use?
Mike -------------  |
Posted By: bannshy
Date Posted: October 21 2008 at 6:02pm
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I like Chris at fish for you he is very knowligable and very helpful. I would sugest visiting a few stores. while the aquarium has expensive stuff. they have one of my favorite tanks to buy out of a 5/10/15 dollar frag tank. A few of my favorite corals have started there and I didn't break my budget to do it. If I were you I would do a mini reef tour and look at a few WMAS member's tanks. make sure you pick the owner's brain for upkeep methods and then decide. if you have Itunes on your computer listen to Reefcast and The Talking Reef they are pod casts and there is a lot of info you can listen to while you are at work. Jeremy |
Posted By: BrandonA
Date Posted: October 21 2008 at 6:41pm
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All great info thanks a ton. Right now i have a small T5 lighting system. Can't say for sure but one is a normal white light tube the other is a actinic tube. I believe it is 10000k not sure on the watt. I'll look at it when i get home.
HAHA I wish i could listen to Itunes at work. I can't beleive that i got this forum. I'm in the Air Force National Gaurd and am working full time on base for the moment.
I did get some news today that I might get deployed for 6 months in July of 2009 so I might have to put a hold on my tank which is a big upset cause I've really been looking forward to this plus I've already spent close to 500 bucks on a tank with only sand, rock, filter, and lighting.
As for coral I really like the looks of candy cane and frog spawn. There's alot of different types of Acropra corals that are really nice looking in my opinion.
However unfortainatly I'm going to have to hold off until I figure out exactly what is going on with work. Thanks for the advice.
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Posted By: Nano_Reefer
Date Posted: November 09 2008 at 4:19pm
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Alot of good info here, but I would like to brag about my 14 Gallon nano. It has been set up almost a year now, and I believe it is much easier and cheaper to take care of. I had a 55 gallon about five years ago and can say this with confidence.
My nano houses a clam four different species of sps, candy coral, alot of gsp and various soft corals, I have four fish and a peppermint shrimp also. I change two gallons of water every two to three weeks and dose with a two part nano reef supplement about twice aweek. All this is lighted with the stock power compact lighting, I believe 48 watts.
In saying all of this, I believe that any size tank can be setup to be successful as long as you take it slow at first and get all the right animals for cleanup and dependable equipment. I do no water testing, no skimming and have very good growth with all the inhabitants in my tank.
Any way, make sure you research everything for compatibility before buying and learning the hard way and remember that there is many ways of of doing things, if you want a small tank, talk to someone that has kept one successfully and learn from that person, and vice versa if you want a larger tank.
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Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: November 10 2008 at 8:47am
Excellent wisdom. You will find that, in general, the advice that is given here will be better than any advice received from any LFS (local fish store). I have a lot of respect for Kris and his wife, and all the other LFS owners, which I have known for more than 10 years, but when it comes to what a hobbyist in Utah (or Wyoming, Idaho, Oklahoma, etc  ) should do in any situation, this MB is a trusted and often quick source of information(answers sometimes come in less than 30 minutes). After all, we started the WMAS specifically to learn how to do this better. We have no ulterior motives. We are not trying to sell you anything. The text below is from our mission statement on the "about us" page: "....dedicated to the support of the hobby of marine aquarium keeping. We believe in conservation of coral reefs by promoting captive breeding and propagation of marine creatures and developing natural marine environments for our specimens. We promote responsibility and education of marine hobbyists." Many of the people you will meet here, would love to have you visit and see their tanks, pick their brains and send you home with some LS (Live Sand), Macroalgae and maybe a coral frag or two for your new reef tank.  From one old hobbyist to a new hobbyist, Welcome to the fun and challenge of keeping a reef aquarium. The following thread may also help you get off to a good start: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 - http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Feel free to call me anytime for immediate advice at the number below. ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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BrandonA wrote:Posted By: Nano_Reefer
Date Posted: November 10 2008 at 9:08am
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"when it comes to what a hobbyist in Utah should do in any situation," Or Wyoming to. |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: November 10 2008 at 10:24am
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Edited. Thanks
------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: BrandonA
Date Posted: November 11 2008 at 10:18am
| Thanks a ton I appreciate it. It has been so much fun starting the tank and now I'm really nervous cause about a week ago I put in the first life of the tank. But we'll see how it goes. |
Posted By: Nano_Reefer
Date Posted: November 11 2008 at 11:03pm
| You going to get us some pictures? |
Posted By: BrandonA
Date Posted: November 12 2008 at 4:10pm
| Yeah I can see what i can get. My camera won't turn out the best pics. Also need to DL a pic resizer to make em smaller. But i'll see what i can do. |