New 7 gallon nano reef setup

[Kenred47]

Hey everyone,

 

I just setup my first nano reef tank, which is also my first saltwater tank. I am using an Imagitarium 6.8 gallon AIO tank and have the media setup as:

mechanical- poly filter

biological- matrix bio media

chemical- chemiblue

 

i also upgraded the pump to a 120 gph pump and also have a fluval C1 Powerhead in the tank as well.

 

i just put live sand and 5 pounds of live rock in the tank today and have everything up and running. I also tested the salinity and it is at 1.025, so all should be good. This is the tank as it stands.

 

so the reason I’m posting is to get everyone’s feedback on my current setup and also get tips on where to go now. I’m familiar with the nitrogen cycle, I have a 75 gallon mbuna cichlids tank that is running great, but I wanted to see if there is anything I should do different when it comes to a nano reef tank. So if someone could help guide me through the process from here until it’s time to stock (any thing special to watch for, or anything I should be doing) that would be much appreciated. 
 

Second, I’m very excited to get this reef started and I wanted to see if anyone has tips on beginner fish and corals for this tank. Ones that could help me start to get more advanced in the hobby, but also are beautiful as well. Please let me know if anyone needs more info and it’s nice to meet everyone. Thanks!

 

-Ken

[SnackySmores]

There is one guide that will help you choose fish

 

 

[Ralston2k3]

22 minutes ago, Ralston2k3 said:

Hi all had an EVO 13.5 setup and have moved over to an Aqua One 120 minireef. Just wanted to see if anyone had any info for me on my setup mainly my sump (first time with one).

Ill try an list my equipment and stocklist at the minute and add a few pictures to go with.

 

Aqua one 120 minireef

Viparspectra 165 watt light

Jecod 2500 return pump

Jebao sow-8 wavemaker

Another wavemaker for sump cant think what it is big one tho.

Nicrew 10 watt sump light

Cheap skimmer cant remember name think JAD

Eheim 150w + 50w heaters

Active carbon 

Bag of ceramic balls an rings

Chaeto ball.

 

Stock

Snowflake Eel

Blue damsel x3

6 Line wrasse

Lawnmower Blenny

Savini Puffer

Cleaner shrimp

Blue hermits

Few types of snaill

 

10 hours ago, Kenred47 said:

Hey everyone,

 

I just setup my first nano reef tank, which is also my first saltwater tank. I am using an Imagitarium 6.8 gallon AIO tank and have the media setup as:

mechanical- poly filter

biological- matrix bio media

chemical- chemiblue

 

i also upgraded the pump to a 120 gph pump and also have a fluval C1 Powerhead in the tank as well.

 

i just put live sand and 5 pounds of live rock in the tank today and have everything up and running. I also tested the salinity and it is at 1.025, so all should be good. This is the tank as it stands.

 

so the reason I’m posting is to get everyone’s feedback on my current setup and also get tips on where to go now. I’m familiar with the nitrogen cycle, I have a 75 gallon mbuna cichlids tank that is running great, but I wanted to see if there is anything I should do different when it comes to a nano reef tank. So if someone could help guide me through the process from here until it’s time to stock (any thing special to watch for, or anything I should be doing) that would be much appreciated. 
 

Second, I’m very excited to get this reef started and I wanted to see if anyone has tips on beginner fish and corals for this tank. Ones that could help me start to get more advanced in the hobby, but also are beautiful as well. Please let me know if anyone needs more info and it’s nice to meet everyone. Thanks!

 

-Ken

Duncans and green star polyps to start with some zoas aswell had mine a couple of months and are all flouroshing am struggling with a stylo at minute but i got given it (harder to keep i believe than the others)  so hadnt planned for it. Nice tank tho good start. Fish wise limited because of size so its your preference really. My 6 line wrasse is a little character but i think youd struggle maybe with tank size. Also just got a snowflake eel an i love it feeding time is amazing

[Kenred47]

Thank you guys for the help. That guide was awesome and I’m glad to see I can keep a clown in a 6.8 gallon so I’ll probably go with one of those and then a clean crew of inverts. 
 

I appreciate the help on the corals too Ralston, I’ll definitely be looking into those as the first group of corals I put into the tank. Also great thank you have there I’m hoping to have mine looking lively by the end of June, water parameters permitting.

 

if anyone has any tips, comments or suggestions please let me know. Thanks everyone!

[Clown79]

Was the tank set up with liverock or dry rock? How it should be cycled differs.

 

Dry rock: ammonia dosing and bacteria supplement(biospira)

 

Established wet liverock with life on it - nothing

 

Liverock- wet liverock will cycle on its own, adding biospira will help.

 

I wouldn't have used chemipure during cycling.

 

As for fish. In a 6.8, its pretty limited. 1 of these options would be fine.

 

Goby/pistol pair

Tailspot blenny - awesome little fish

Clown goby

Neon gobies

 

Corals- all depends on lighting. Stock lighting of imagitarium isn't enough for corals, its for freshwater.

 

With upgraded lighting any of the following are fairly easy corals.

 

Ricordea mushrooms, hammers, frogspawn, duncans, blasto's, acan lords, favia brain, gsp, xenia, fungia plate

 

 

Note: gsp and xenia are fast growing and can spread easily and quickly. Frequent pruning is required. 

Gsp on the back wall looks amazing.

 

Zoa's are no longer considered easy but rather a finicky coral.

[Kenred47]

.

2 hours ago, Clown79 said:

Was the tank set up with liverock or dry rock? How it should be cycled differs.

 

Dry rock: ammonia dosing and bacteria supplement(biospira)

 

Established wet liverock with life on it - nothing

 

Liverock- wet liverock will cycle on its own, adding biospira will help.

 

I wouldn't have used chemipure during cycling.

 

As for fish. In a 6.8, its pretty limited. 1 of these options would be fine.

 

Goby/pistol pair

Tailspot blenny - awesome little fish

Clown goby

Neon gobies

 

Corals- all depends on lighting. Stock lighting of imagitarium isn't enough for corals, its for freshwater.

 

With upgraded lighting any of the following are fairly easy corals.

 

Ricordea mushrooms, hammers, frogspawn, duncans, blasto's, acan lords, favia brain, gsp, xenia, fungia plate

 

 

Note: gsp and xenia are fast growing and can spread easily and quickly. Frequent pruning is required. 

Gsp on the back wall looks amazing.

 

Zoa's are no longer considered easy but rather a finicky coral.

Hi Clown79,

 

I have established wet live rock, and live sand in the tank as of now. I am already looking at all the LFS for a tailspin blenny I definitely want that to be the fish in the tank. Also thank you for the coral tips I’ll keep those in mind. As far as the cycling period goes, how long should I wait to add corals in with the established wet live rock? Also I’ve heard varying opinions about coral first or fish first does this matter? And chemipure is coming out of the tank right now, so it’ll just be filter floss and biomedia.

 

Lastly my HIPARGERO light just arrived in the mail I’ve heard great things about it for nano reefs. Thanks again for the help and please let me know if there’s anything else

[Clown79]

1 hour ago, Kenred47 said:

.

Hi Clown79,

 

I have established wet live rock, and live sand in the tank as of now. I am already looking at all the LFS for a tailspin blenny I definitely want that to be the fish in the tank. Also thank you for the coral tips I’ll keep those in mind. As far as the cycling period goes, how long should I wait to add corals in with the established wet live rock? Also I’ve heard varying opinions about coral first or fish first does this matter? And chemipure is coming out of the tank right now, so it’ll just be filter floss and biomedia.

 

Lastly my HIPARGERO light just arrived in the mail I’ve heard great things about it for nano reefs. Thanks again for the help and please let me know if there’s anything else

If it is truly established liverock, you won't have a cycle. Test the tank for a week or so or better yet, get the seachem ammonia badge if you don't have testers. Its easy to see if ammonia is present with the badge.

 

You can keep the chemipure but i often recommend just using a small amount of regular carbon like seachem's. Just a small amount in a media bag to help reduce coral toxins.

 

This is a far cheaper method too. Buying a media bag or 2 and 1 container of carbon allows you to save $$$ and control the amount you add to the tank. Plus there is also no added media which can reduce nutrient levels. 

 

 1 tbsp of carbon and changing out the carbon every 2 weeks is a good practice. 

 

 

Corals vs fish, its personal choice. I usually add a few hermits and snails first. I have added fish after or corals after, neither made any difference. 

 

The tailspot blenny is an awesome fish and eats algae too. 

 

The light you got, it has great reviews. Quite a few members have used it.

[Kenred47]

Ok great, I’ll save the chemipure for the later on if I need it and try out the carbon. Glad to hear everything is good and I have been testing it for the past two days and there’s been no ammonia, but a slight amount of nitrates and that’s after adding a little fish food as an ammonia source. So hopefully it’s established rock but I’ll continue to monitor it for the next week and then go from there. Thanks!

[Clown79]

40 minutes ago, Kenred47 said:

Ok great, I’ll save the chemipure for the later on if I need it and try out the carbon. Glad to hear everything is good and I have been testing it for the past two days and there’s been no ammonia, but a slight amount of nitrates and that’s after adding a little fish food as an ammonia source. So hopefully it’s established rock but I’ll continue to monitor it for the next week and then go from there. Thanks!

You want nitrates.

 

What level is the nitrates? 

 

Chemipure is carbon, they just add another media to it for nutrients.

[Kenred47]

29 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

You want nitrates.

 

What level is the nitrates? 

 

Chemipure is carbon, they just add another media to it for nutrients.

Nitrates are at 20 ppm so kind of low but they’re there. Ammonia is at .25ppm and 0 nitrites.  So I believe this rock is established from what the levels are.

 

Also for this size tank what should I be looking into as far as a clean up crew?

[Clown79]

1 hour ago, Kenred47 said:

Nitrates are at 20 ppm so kind of low but they’re there. Ammonia is at .25ppm and 0 nitrites.  So I believe this rock is established from what the levels are.

 

Also for this size tank what should I be looking into as far as a clean up crew?

Ammonia should be 0. So its either cycling or there was a spike 

 

Was the rock kept wet? 

[Kenred47]

24 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

Ammonia should be 0. So its either cycling or there was a spike 

 

Was the rock kept wet? 

Yes rock was fully submerged the entire ride back from the LFS.