Setting Up a Saltwater Nano Reef Aquarium - What You Need to Start a Nano

Setting up a Saltwater Nano Reef Aquarium is a great way to take the dive into the hobby without breaking the bank. Experienced hobbyists may setup one as well, just to have a little piece of the ocean that will fit almost anywhere!
Nano Reef tanks work great for housing specialized unique fish, like Sea Horses, Pipe Fish or Pistol Shrimp.
Often these neat creatures will not be successful in your main aquarium

When choosing a Saltwater Nano Reef Aquarium, you may find kits available. However you should be aware of all the components you need so you can tell if the kit you are choosing is a good one. It may be cheaper to piece meal your own kit together.

What you Need to Start a Nano Reef Tank:

Aquarium - A nano tank is normally considered a tank from 10 - 30 US gallons.

Stand - Nano reef tank kits or combo kits usually come with a matching stand. If you put your nano on a desk or counter, make sure it will hold the weight.

Filter - Many kits come with a built in filter, or a hang on or canister filter can be used.

Lighting - The lighting you will need will depend on whether you will be keeping coral or not. It is very important that you purchase bulbs that have the proper spectrum for salt water and the corals you will keep.

Water Flow - Use a power head that can push about 10x your tank volume per hour Ie: 10 Gallon tank =100 gallon per hour power head.

Protein Skimmer - Using a protein skimmer is absolutely recommended but not a necessity. If you do not use a protein skimmer, you will need to do more frequent water changes. However, due to their small size, nano reef tanks are fast and easy to do water changes for.

Heater - Buy a heater that is appropriately sized to your tank. A 50 - 100 Watt heater will work for a nano reef tank that is 10 - 30 US gallons.

Substrate - Aragonite it the perfect substrate for a marine tank, it buffers the water to stabilize the pH and it looks great

Live Rock - Choose live rock that is cured will speed up your cycle process and will add stability to your saltwater nano reef aquarium. Add approximated 1 - 2 lbs per gallon, or the amount that is visually pleasing to you.

Accessories - Refractometer for measuring salinity, salt mix, thermometer, test kits, algae scrubbers, water conditioners, and additives to maintain the essential elements and minerals in your water.

When selecting your Saltwater Nano Reef Aquarium, research the livestock you want to keep so that any special requirements can be met at time of set up. Also, purchase equipment that is good quality so that is will not let you down.

Aquarium Illusions would be glad to give you some pointers on how to assemble a beautiful Saltwater Nano ecosystem!