how hard is it?

[david]

I am swamped with conflicting information. All the reading I have done almost consistently discourages a mini or nano reef tank for beginning aquarists, but at my local fish store which is a very good one, they say it is not so difficult. I'd love to try it, but don't want to struggle uphill against dying stock, medicines and problems. (The LFS says good water quality is possible with care and avoids this fate). Any comments about "taking the leap" would be welcome.

David

[ross76053]

David,

 

First of all, most LFSs are gonna tell you what you want to hear. Don't trust 'em, unless you can find a reputable one. It is much easier to start out with a larger tank, say, 30-gallons or more. The more water volume, the more room for mistakes.

 

Many people, however, have started with nanos and done quite well. Just read all you can get your hands on first - that way you'll be an informed reefer. There IS alot of conflicting information out there - even here in the forums. What works for some people may not work for others. Don't let it get ya down.

 

Good luck,

Ross

[T?@7]

I honestly say my 5.5 is easier than my 55.

It HONESTLY isnt nearly as hard as most make it out to be. This board will help you overcome any problem you'll encounter, that is IF you encounter any.

[jdsabin1]

I agree with Ross. My current tank was my first aquarium ever. No goldfish, no guppies, no nothing.

 

Read, read, and then read some more. As long as you do your homework, it's easily possible. I had one of my staff at work tell me that anything less than a 55 gallon was not possible before I started. It's just amazing the nonsense people spew when they really don't have a clue how far this hobby has come.

 

Look at LiQuiD's 2.5 gallon. He seems to be doing just fine with that little kickass tank.

 

*shrug*

[T-Dawg]

I have a 10 gal now going strong for 3 months. It's actually easy.

My local fish store also said it is impossible. In fact all the books I ever read before getting started all said "get the biggest tank you can afford". They all seemed to recommend 55+ gal. Glad I found this website.

Unless your willing to spend alot of cash go small, just do it. the info out their will overload your brain.

[MrKrispy]

Read a reef book.....while reading the articles and posts here....setup the tank and anxiously wait for the diatoms and hair algae to subside, then enjoy. Lotsa $$$$, lotsa fun.

 

My only bummer.....tank at work, hard to stare at too long before boss catches me!!!

[surfy]

LOL, tell him stareing at the tank gives you motivation and releaves tension and stress.

I would have my eyes on the tank all day long if I had one at work. Not to mention I would have my hands in it every few minutes.

[Gilman]

Our minibow was my first venture into reefkeeping, and it has been very rewarding. I would definitely recommend (like those above) doing alot of reading/research around here to learn what works and what doesnt for people.

 

In my opinion, you are better off doing this reading before you go out and buy stuff, so you know what you want once you know your options. You will find with some reading that there are definite accepted methods of keeping a small tank that are easily found here.

 

Good luck and happy reefing,

 

Gil

[wackymalay]

As all the others have mentioned, reading is definitely your best friend to getting all the information you need, and there's tons out there. I made the leap into getting a 10 gallon tank 3 months ago and it is quite healthy as can be.

 

Oh, and another thing, besides reading, PATIENCE is your other best friend You will from time to time feel strong impulses to stock the tank too quickly, but hold off that feeling and remember, beautiful things take time to grow. It is definitely a rewarding hobby!

[seabass]

I wouldn’t want to discourage you, but reef keeping takes a decent amount of research, time, and money. If you are not willing to invest in all three, your animals will suffer and you will most likely not succeed.

 

However, if you are willing to do the research ahead of time and put in the time and money, nano reef keeping is very doable (even for the beginner). Welcome and good luck!

[Dingo]

The very main reason that a nano is easier than a 55 gallon tank is that you can do a water change in 5 minutes with a half gallon milk jug. The biggest ***** of keeping a large tank is that you have to change out buckets and buckets of water, and still more water, to keep good water quality.

 

With a 5 gallon tank, you can forget about all that work that others go to to maintain their water. Thats 90 % of the difficulty.

 

Every friday at work, I just take 5 minutes and do a 25% water change.

 

The main temptation to resist, is DO NOT put in too many fish. Everyone who looks at the tank will say, "That looks real nice. How come you don't have more fish?". And, go reaaaaalll slow. Take 4 times as long to add anything than you think you should have to wait. Realize that all of that algea that you are fighting against will crash and dissappear after about a year. It really can take a long time to get it all settled out. After that, it is a no brainer.