10 Gal. NanoReef - Step by Step.

[midway]

Hello To all!

 

I'm posting this because I want all your help to build my 10G. NanoReef Tank step by step, I'm sure that this thread can be lately a guide to all those newbies (just like me! ) that wants to have a beautiful lovely reef tank but has really no clue about the steps involved in the process.

 

My intention is to have 2 perculas, some corals, anemones (tiny ones), maybe this tank can be a base guide to all people wanting a similar configuration.

 

So, Here we go. (Please, correct me if I'm wrong).

 

Step one

 

RESEARCH, INVESTIGATE, ASK, ETC. in order to get informed about the species you want to keep in your tank, then continue.

 

Checklist:

Tank (: Obvious)

Sand (enough to cover the bottom of the tank with 1" thickness)

Live Rock (on a proportion of 1 1/2#- 2# per gallon)

CLEAN water (Revese Osmosis/De-Ionized water recomended)

Aquarium salt (Instant Ocean, or any of your choice)

HYDROMETER or Refractometer (Your choice or wallet ??? )

Powerheads (2 recomended)

Overhanging filter

Thermometer

Heater (on a proportion of 2w per gallon)

TEST KITS (Ammonia, Nitrates, Nitrogen, PH)

 

Preparation:

Make the saltwater by mixing water and the salt until your hydrometer or refractometer marks 1.026 on Specific Gravity, is important to check your water Ph is about 8.2 (If not, add some product to raise it/lower it, until you get it to the desired level and check other posts about ph)

On the Tank place the sand then the water and allow to settle.

Once set, place the thermometer, heater and your powerheads near the surface with opposite flows (to create some turbulence) and the overhanging filter, then the live rock on the desired place to begin creating your very own seascape.

AND LET THE TANK CYCLE UNTIL YOUR TESTS DO 0 AMONIA AND 0 NITRATES.

 

If this is correct I'll be posting Step Two once my tank is cycled.

 

Thanks to all and I'll be waiting for any correction.

 

Today is a good day to start, yesterday was too early but tomorrow will be too late.

Midway

[tinyreef]

up the heater capacity to around 5W per gallon imo.

 

for bigger tanks i tend to split heaters (e.g. 2x100W vs 200W) but this can also be used as a failsafe to prevent boiling in smaller tanks. you're much less likely to have two heaters fail on you at the same time. if one fails you'll just likely see it on all the time versus a tank heated to 100F and everything gasping for O2.

 

btw tullock's Natural Reef Aquariums has a pretty good step-by-step for small tank setup. it's a little dated but nothing earthshattering. hth

[Puffy]

plus i think the SG should be like 1.023-1.025 idk.....