Newbie in need of advice

[jdiver]

Hi everyone! I am new to this site and new to the world of nano reefs. I have kept freshwater tropicals for 15+ years, and currently have a 150 gallon freshwater tank. I have alway been intrigued by saltwater tanks, but have quite honestly been somewhat intimidated by them. I am an avid scuba diver and have been for over 10 years, so I very much love saltwater fish. I think a nano reef sounds like a good way to get my feet wet, so to speak.

 

I am currently thinking about buying an Eclipse 12 System to start with, and am wondering what other equipment people would suggest for the tank. I have read a great deal about nano reefs, but I would very much like to hear the advice of the many experts on this site. Any info, from equipment to recommended brands to set-up advice, would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[My Alife 7]

hi jdiver,

 

Welcome to the boards! I really would scratch the idea of setting up an eclipse 12 gallon tank. Mainly because they're acrylic and scratch quite easily. Beautiful tanks but will give you hell in the longrun. I really would suggest going with a glass tank.

[jdiver]

Thanks for the reply. Ok, so if I scratch the Eclipse idea (no pun intended), then that raises more equipment questions since the Eclipse has the filtration built-in. I do have a spare 10 gallon tank, as well as a spare 5 gallon, both glass. In several of the articles on here, it suggests using only natural filtration using liverock and livesand. Does that mean that no external power filter is necessary? So in order to setup a tank, would I just need the tank, a lighting system, a powerhead, liverock, and livesand?

[flaunt]

a power filter isn't absolutely necessary but it can be useful when you do something in the tank and suddenly find a bunch of particulate matter floating around!  i use mine to filter that kind of thing out when i see a lot of it, i don't run it all the time.  i'd use the 10g if i were you, and you ought to be good with lighting, powerhead, and live rock/sand.  some people use a heater but some don't, like myself.  some also use skimmers but most people seem to think they're unnecessary on a nano.  hope this helps.

[jdiver]

Thanks for the reply flaunt. I have a spare power filter, so that would be easy enough to put on and use when necessary. I'm in more of a quandry now, because I really like the look of the AGA Mini-Bow 7, but also really would like to keep a clown and a goby. I believe the 7 would be too small for two fish though. If only they made a 12 or 15 bow front.

[gabe3eb]

Hey jdiver, I scuba too and that was a huge factor for me getting into this. Here is my recomendation... Go with the AG 7 bow. Those things are kewl... And Put a 32 watt smartlight on it, and then get yourself the clown that you want, and the goby you want. If you are going to put two of these in a 7 gallon, I would suggest a false perc with a clown goby or a neon goby. There you go, sounds like a plan! Good luck, let us know if you need anything else, and as for your filtration, go au natural... GL hth,

gaber

[jdiver]

Thanks gabe! Nothing can beat being in the ocean with the fish, but a little slice of it on my desktop would still be nice. Where do you dive? I prefer Grand Cayman, but Little Cayman and Bonaire are great too.

 

I really appreciate the tank advice. So a clown and a goby woudn't be overstocking a 7 gallon? (I'm quite knowledgeable and experienced when it comes to stocking freshwater tanks, but am in the dark when it comes to saltwater.) I know the AGA 7 comes with a hood and light. Would that have to be replaced completely, or retrofitted for the SmartLite, or what? Thanks again!