Nano reef for salt water beginner?

[sunnibuns]

I am a fresh water fish owner and would really like to set up a nano-reef as my first salt water/reef tank. The biggest reason is lack of space, but out of reach of children and $$$ is an issue as well (I have a 3 yr old and a 10 month old). But I am concerned about whether a nano reef tank is easy enough for a beginner...

I am still in the "research" phase and I plan to spend the next 6 months reading and saving money to start this (I will be moving the summer and don't want to set up before the move).

 

I currently know very little, particularly about the technical side such as lighting. I have a 6 gallon Eclipse (would need to retrofit) and several 10 gallon tanks with glass tops that I can use, but I have also looked at the nano-cube or mini-bow as a possibility. As far as stock, I would like soft corals and possibly a Clown, and I would really like a Bangaii Cardinal.

 

Any advice would be welcome, and honesty about beginners is fine! Also any good book recommendations? Thanks!

[caja]

Start with these articles and read through them. they'll give you all the info you need to get started.

http://www.nano-reef.com/articles/

 

As far as books go, I would recommend John Tullocks Natural Reef Aquariums and Eric Borneman's Aquarium Corals at a later date when you're ready to add corals to the tank.

[Crakeur]

If you are using old fresh water tanks, make sure you clean them real well if you ever used any copper treatments. Copper is deadly in reef tanks.

 

The articles on the main page of this site are excellent.

 

 

With regards to lighting, simply put, go with the best lighting you can afford. It is inevitable that you will upgrade. Also, start researching the animals you want to keep as they will dictate the system requirements.

 

Hope that helps.

[tylernt]

A Bangaii Cardinal will appreciate more swimming room, so consider tanks at least 30" long. The clown will be fine down to a 7g minibow. Eh, and probably the 6g Eclipse too, if you pick a small species.

 

As for light... as you consider a light setup, and can sit back and think "wow, that is too bright" and/or "wow, that is too expensive"... then you are coming close to having enough light. Like Crakeur says, what light you need depends on what corals you want.

 

Welcome to the hobby (in advance)!

[nanocat]

There was a time when all the reefers said a nano was not for beginners, but if you're diligent about watch quality it's no different than any other reef. Just take things very slowly, especially adding livestock. Unlike a large reef where someone might add 5 fish at a time, in a nano you add 1 fish and wait at least 2 weeks before you add another. As they say, "bad things happen quickly in a nano". I bought mine and had it up and running problem free (and I had zero aquarium experience).

 

Just be prepared for the expense. Reefing is not a cheap hobby (as my Visa card will attest).

[purple_stardust]

Hi Sunni, welcome to the group! I am also a newbie, also with a freshwater tank, also with a three-year-old, and also short on space! I don't have much in the way of advice, but a friend of mine recommended the book "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist: A Commonsense Handbook for Successful Saltwater Hobbyists" ... it got all five star reviews at Amazon.com, so it must be pretty good.

[sunnibuns]

Thanks everyone! I did a read thru all the articles on this site today, lots of good info though I definately want to read more (especially on set up and maintainance). I also realize that I need to get a better idea what corals I would like to keep so I know what requirements my tank will have.

 

After reading, I have realized that the 6 gallon is probably a bit small and being an Eclipse system, possibly a pain in the butt! I think I will check out 10-15 gallon sized tanks.

 

I realize this is not a cheap hobby, but I can manage the hundreds of dollars needed for a nano-reef while I cannot afford the thousands that a 55-75 gallon reef tank would cost.