All About Nano Tanks

 Nano reef tanks are saltwater aquariums typically 40 gallons or less. The advantage of such a setup is that the requirements and maintenance are minimal as compared to a large saltwater aquarium. The downside is that you have to be selective and careful when choosing fish and corals for such a small tank.

Here is a short guide on how to set up your nano tank!

 

Choose a Fish Tank & Equipment

Here at New Wave Aquaria we really like our Waterbox 10g CUBE and our Waterbox 40g AIO. You can definitely stop in and check out these tanks at our store. The most important choice you will make is your light since these tiny systems tend to run on minimal equipment.

- You will need a light - we recommend the AI Prime for the 10g CUBE and the HYDRA 32 for the 40g AIO

- Heater - We use basic Eheim thermostat heaters.

- Nano Powerhead - We like the JBJ Oceanstream. It is small and affordable.

- BioMedia - we like the Marine Pure GEMS. They provide tons of surface area for your bacteria to grow in but is small enough to be hidden in the back chamber of your tank.

 

Rock and Sand

We always use live sand and rock in our small tanks to get started and highly recommend adding some cycle starting bacteria like Dr. Tim's One and Only.

 

 Filling the Tank

You are going to need a source of RODI water and Saltwater for your nano tank. That is the best part of these small desktop tanks. You can simply stop at the store and pick up what you need on a weekly or monthly basis. Our Waterbox 10g CUBE uses 2g of RODI per week for the ATO and 5g of saltwater per week for it's water change.

 

 Adding Fish and Corals

When the cycling process is complete, you are ready to start adding the fish and coral that you want to keep. Do your research on what types of fish are compatible with each other, what food they eat, what environment is best suited for them, what types of fish are most comfortable with the lighting you have, etc. Being informed on what you will keep is the best way to ensure success!

We love a 10g CUBE with a pair of Clownfish and a Goby Pistol Shrimp combo.

Stop in today and let us help you every step of the way while you create and maintain a little piece of ocean right on your desk at home!