sw noob.

[luvthereefer]

just like the title reads...been into freshwater for awhile now,but im on the verge of buying a 14gal biocube.
I'm thinking of taking the plunge and tryin a little nano tank.

what would be a good stock list for FOWLR for now and then a few soft corals down the road?

if anyone has any personal experience with this setup i would love to hear about it.

thanx

[ReefOcean]

Belive it or not, nanos are harder to maintain than larger tanks imo. Less room for error. With that being said, good fish are blennies, gobbies, damsels or clowns.

With a 14g, you wont be tempted by those good looking coral eating fish like butterflies and angels because they wont fit.

The biocube will support softies obviously, and some LPS as well. It is a good turn key setup but like I said about maintenance, be prepared to monitor water conditions since the water volume is so low.

[Dr_Hicks]

Originally Posted by ReefOcean

Belive it or not, nanos are harder to maintain than larger tanks imo.

Horsefeathers......

I have had tanks from 500 down to that very same 14 the original poster is asking about, there is no difference in the difficulty level if you pay attention to what you are trying to accomplish in a small tank like the biocube 14.

Seems this will be your first crack at saltwater I suggest you invest in some books that will help you better understand the symbiotic relationships and processes that happen in a saltwater environment, some good reading martial can be the best investment you could make into your future endeavour.

Here is a short list of books I keep laying around, you might also find them educational.
Simplified Reef Keeping
Natural Reef Aquariums
Aquarium Corals, Selection & Husbandry

If you have some questions about modifications you can make to your little nano; please shoot me a privet message, I would be more than happy to help you with a few shortcuts worth taking.

[Nano]

both above comments have valid points.

[outacontrol]

Originally Posted by nanomano

both above comments have valid points. Small tanks have less water volume, therefore water quality goes down hill fast if your not on top of things, but at the same time, you can fix problems in small tanks with less chemical or salt mix, this = less $$. Now I'm stil new to this too in fact I'm just going into month 3, its a lot of work with a mall tank, always watching levels, and topping off your tank because a half a gallon out of my 20 that evaporates, can through the salinity out of whack way more then in a larger tank. I eventually would like to go larger, but honestly felt the need to challenge myself to see if I was up to this. I would recommend (personally) at the very least, 20 gallons for a starter. you'd be amazed what 6 extra gallons could do lol. make sure to listen to these people on here (some of them know what they are talking about!) at least thats what I am slowly learning haha. good luck with the reefing and welcome aboard

I find it really funny with all the problems you keep posting about that you are now offering advice, to other new reefers. Just my 2 cents.

[Nano]

Originally Posted by outacontrol

I find it really funny with all the problems you keep posting about that you are now offering advice, to other new reefers. Just my 2 cents.

Sorry

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by outacontrol

I find it really funny with all the problems you keep posting about that you are now offering advice, to other new reefers. Just my 2 cents.

He offered valid advice on tank size, not maintaining pH I started this hobby trading advice with people no more experienced than I was, that's how I learned a lot of lessons. On a forum like this, any wrong advice is quickly filtered, so really, while you may find it funny, please keep the humor to yourself.

[Myka]

Personally, I think anything less than about 20 gallons can get a bit tricky. The biggest issue being evaporation...fluctuating salinity means fluctuating parameters. Evaporation affects a lot when you stop to think about it. Stability is key in maintaining reef aquaria. FOWLR (fish only with live rock) tanks aren't as fussy. There are a lot of really easy beginner corals out there since reef keeping has made it leaps and bounds especially in the last 10 years makes it so much easier. Reef keeping isn't as difficult as a lot of people think!

I would suggest trying to find the largest biocube...29 gallons I think? It would be easier for you in the long run. You may be disappointed in the stocking limits going from freshwater to saltwater, and I think you may be shocked at how few fish you can keep in a 14 gallon tank.

First things first, are you wanting a pair of clownfish? This seems to be "everyone's" want, so if a pair of clownfish are a must have, then be aware that would be all you could put in a 14 gallon biocube...maybe a small goby, but that would be pushing it. 14 gallons is too small for ornamental shrimp too which are fun to watch. Stepping up to the 29 really opens up a lot more doors. Keeping an eye out for a 20-40 gallon setup used is also a good idea. People are often selling a whole system with tank, sump, etc. Sumps makes maintenance easier, and generally you will be more successful in keeping a healthy tank (because of better filtering options).

Originally Posted by nanomano

Small tanks have less water volume, therefore water quality goes down hill fast if your not on top of things [...] Now I'm stil new to this too in fact I'm just going into month 3, its a lot of work with a mall tank

Good advice from a newbie to a newbie - complete with proper disclaimer.

[Nano]

Good advice from a newbie to a newbie - complete with proper disclaimer.

Thanks Myka, I'm trying! I'm still pretty oblivious to alot of salt waters mysteries, but I do know the over all basics of the aquarist hobby!! :P fresh water 10 years and running, now its time to apply some of my knowledge towards a new hobby, and learn in the process.

- Take it from me, I bought a 20, and got off to a rocky start, ask just about anyone on here lol I've become the "what not to do" guy of the month haha. But now I have made a few pals on here, that have pointed me in the right direction, Myka is one of them (Super smart) 29 is a great size, I'm eventually going to make my 20 into a sump, and move up to a 40g. maybe this summer, even with my gass lid I lose alot to evaporation and am topping off about 1 liter per day so in retrospec I wouldve gone larger haha

[jtbadco]

+1 nanomano

You don't have to be an expert to share your knowledge with others and you made valid points