New to forum --> help setting up 1st nano

acei

acei

New Member
Hello everyone. I'm new to the forum and looking for a little advice for a 2 gallon nano that I will be setting up this weekend. I've been keeping Freshwater tanks for about 15 years now. It's been about 10 years since my last attempt at a saltwater tank, but my wife has a little 2 gallon eclipse explorer that she wants me to setup a nano reef tank in. I think the tank and filtration will be fine for saltwater. The lighting is horrible though. I'll be ripping out the lights that came in it this weekend and installing a 10W 50/50 'screw-in type' mini compact. I'll also install a small fan in the hood to help with the heat. As it stands right now here is the plan. Like I said, the tank will be set up this week end and allowed to cycle with live rock and live sand for about a week before adding anything. The first thing I want to add is a small frag of button polyps followed by some mushrooms a week or so later. After that I'd like to add other corals from time to time.

First Question: Is a week long enough to cycle the tank? The tank is currently up and running as a betta tank so the current bio-wheel is well populated with bacteria. But is it safe to use that bio-wheel from a freshwater setup in a saltwater tank?

Second Question: Is it really necessary to wait a week or so between adding corals? I understand that you want to space out adding fish in a SW tank to ensure that the bio filtration can handle the increased bio load, but do corals really effect the bioload that much?

Third Question: Does anyone see anything that would be potential problems with me setting up this nanotank? The tank, the eclipse filtration system, anything...?

Any help or pointer would be appreciated. Like I said I have tons of experience with freshwater, but the last time I tried saltwater was ten years ago and it was a disaster (I was young, impatient, and trying to do everything on a tight budget).
 
djconn

djconn

New Member
First of all, welcome to Nanotank! :mrgreen: I love seeing fellow Texans on the boards.

1) Smaller tanks might cycle faster depending on the amount of rock you add and whether its cured or uncured LR. Most small tanks could take anywhere from 1-5 weeks to cycle. No, I wouldn't run the biowheel. I'd remove it from the filter and just run it open. The bio-wheel will store too many nitrates from your system and will eventually lead to problems unless you change it out constantly. You should be fine filterless unless you add a lot of waste-producing fish.

2) Yes, in a tank that small any introduction of corals, rock, fish or sand will increase your nitrate levels. I'd just go slow. You'd be fine adding a few frags throughout the month.

3) The lighting is a little weak IMO. My 2.5 has 2 13W bulbs and I'm pretty limited as to what I can keep. Might want to see if you can fit 2 10w screw-ins in there.

Where are you from in Texas and how'd you hear about the site?
 
acei

acei

New Member
Thanks for the warm welcome.... I'm located up 281 from you djconn. I'm in Marble Falls.

My issue with the lighting is space. The way the hood is designed, it leaves very little room for lighting. The one 10W will basicliy take all the room in the hood. I'll have to brain storm on it and see what I can rig up... As far as the live rock goes. It is cured and my LFS told me to go with about 1lb per gallon. that sounded a little low to me, but then again, any frags I add will be attached to live rock as well so I guess that will build it up in time...
 
acei

acei

New Member
Oh forgot something... I know that this tank is a little small to be worrying about any fish, but are there maybe any single specimens of gobies, damsels, or clowns that would be okay in this tank?
 
acei

acei

New Member
Water changes shouldn't be an issue. I currently have 10 large freshwater tanks that I do 25% weekly changes. I'll probobly do the same for this little tank. My wife picked out a couple of nice small fish that she would be happy with. If you could give some input as to which of these would and would not be appropriate for this little tank. I'll just be adding one specimine.

Any of the firefish: Nemateleotris decora, Nemateleotris magnifica, or Nemateleotris helfrichi. We would prefer Nemateleotris helfrichi.

Clown Goby: Gobiodon citrinis

Hi Fin Red Banded Goby: Stonogobiops nematodes

Catalina Goby: Lythrypnus dalli

Thanks for all the help so far...
 
I

incysor

New Member
All of your choices are good except the catalina goby.

They're cold-water fish, and unless you plan on chilling the tank down to about 60 degrees they're not gonna last long. Knowing that they were cold water I tried them in my reef when I kept it about 72, and they lasted about 4-5 months. They're just not good candidates, unless you're willing to get the temps down for them.

Of the rest, I agree that the helfrichi is cool, but I'd wait until you're tank has been setup and STABLE for at least 6 months before I'd start trying to put in $200 fish.

Welcome to the site BTW. ;-)

B
 
acei

acei

New Member
Yeah... The fish will come much later. Just trying to get it all planned out right now. I've learned the hard way with my cichlid tanks, that you better have aplan going in or you're asking for disaster...
 
C

Chubosco

New Member
Welcome acei! I know your going in the right direction because you are here!!! I have found the difference between this site and others is you receive professional advice here. No kidding. Nothing but wise people here. I have learned so much with no question unanswered.
 
acei

acei

New Member
Just wanted to update this thread.

I got the tank set up this weekend. I was able to put a 20Watt screw in 50/50 so there's 10watts/gallon. I've got about 3# of live rock in it and just amazed at all the life that is already teeming in this tank! I am having one problem though. I can't keep the temp down on the tank during the day when the lights are on. It's shooting up to about 85 degrees when the lights are on and dropping to 79 at night. I guess I need to add a fan to the hood. Where do I find a fan that will work? I adding an old CPU fan from a broken down computer and wiring it to the light switch. Problem is when I switched the switch on, the fan blew... too much wattage I guess... I suppose that a computer fan won't work for this. Where do you Do it yourselfers find a fan that's small enough for this application and can? A few tips would be appreciated...
 
acei

acei

New Member
Well, my lfs doesn't have any fans and I didn't want to wait for shipment, so I went to Radio Shack and the guys there helped me figure out how to wire up two fans in this hood. I have one fan blowing in and one blowing out. I think I've over done it now though. I keep having to turn the fans off to keep them from getting the tank too cool... oh well. I'd rather have to flip the fans off to keep the tank from getting too cool then flip the lights off to keep it from getting to hot. I wish there was some way I could (cheaply) make the fans temperature controlled where they flip on when the temp hit 80 and off at like 78.

Anyway... The tank is doing great! one of the pieces of liverock that I put in the tank had a couple of small star polyps on it. I knew that I shouldn't put those in from he start, but I decided to take a chance. Now that small piece of rock is covered in beautiful little green star polyps. I was amazed at how quickly they spread. Of course I guess they could have been there all along, but just in hiding. The tank perameters are doing great. I used all live sand for the substrate and well established live rock out of my LFS's show tank. I guess that's why the polyps are doing so well. I'll try to post some pics after the wekend (my digital camera is loaned out right now).

I'm wondering now if it would be okay to go ahead and add another small coral. I'm thinkning of some small colorful polyps that the LFS has labled as sand polyps. What do you guys think? I know it's early to be adding things to the tank, but everything seems to be doing great right now.
 
acei

acei

New Member
I'll take new readings monday. This tank is in my office and I don't have the test kits here today. A couple days ago I tested and amonia and nitrite were 0 and nitrate was very negligable (I think it was like 5 or 10 ppm). Not sure on pH. Didn't bother checking it. I assume that it's hovering around 8 (RO water with oceanic salt mix and plenty of live rock). I'll get fresh and exact numbers for ya monday. I'm just thinking that based on how everything in the tank is doing that it may be okay to go ahead and add one small coral.

By the way. Do any of you know anything about what my LFS is selling as 'Sand Polyps?' Are they a good 'begginner' coral? Lighting and circulation requirements. Anything would be helpful in helping me decide if I should get them as the next coral or not.
 
R

reefman23

New Member
they sell fans at computer supply stores that are thermoregulated. That is, they self control the speed depending on the temp. they arent any more expesive than any of the others, less than $10 each.
 
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