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  #1  
Old 06-11-2013, 05:59 PM
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No with smaller comes potential for chemistry swings to be exponentially more noticeable



Example. Evaporation raises salinity. High salinity can be a detriment to some things.
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My 70 Gallon build:

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I wonder... does anyone care enough to read signatures if you make them really small? I would not. I would probably moan and complain, read three words and swear once or twice. But since you made it this far, please rate my builds.
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Old 06-11-2013, 06:40 PM
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As most already stated it can be more difficult to maintain a smaller system but IMO the rewards are often way better.

Pluses

Easier to maintain
Easier to find a place to put a tank
Easier to see your fruits of your labours
No need to mix water every few days
Smaller fish are often more active
Huge water changes are not the logistical problem as in larger systems

Minuses

When things go bad hey go bad fast
Death of almost anything in a small tank can create issues within a matter of less than an hr
Evaporation is a major pain
Salinity changes can be huge if salt creep falls in


IMO having a much larger prorated skimmer will save you so many issues and I have found mine has saved my tank on a few occasions. I have a 33 gallon tank and my HOB skimmer is rated for up to 75 gallons and I have had fish death not noticed for up to 24 hrs and hasn't overly affected my tank.

Smaller tanks can be strikingly beautiful as it is both easier and harder to aquascape and coral again can be both easier and harder to maintain due to supplement and lighting needs of some types of coral

Unfortunately you are limited to smaller species of fish but again they can be way more active than the larger species and more entertaining to watch

This is controversial with many but I don't test my water regularly I think the last time I tested it was 3 months ago all I test usually is salinity every water change but in smaller systems water parameters can change fast so its a personal choice

I am slowly upgrading to a 95 gallon but my 33 gallon will always be my favorite
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Last edited by Dearth; 06-11-2013 at 06:49 PM.
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Old 06-11-2013, 06:48 PM
gobytron gobytron is offline
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No.
One is not easier to take care of than the other.
They both require daily maintenance and monitoring.
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Old 06-11-2013, 06:50 PM
JmeJReefer JmeJReefer is offline
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Default Nanos

I have been running nanos for a few yrs. evap./ temp/salinity changes are a given. I have found that a slightly more "techy" nano ei; controller, auto top off etc. will help a lot. However, diligent husbandry and WC's can control parameters easily too. Keep tabs on livestock and steer clear of frozen foods.

On the plus, small costs! Less lighting, less powerful pumps and skimmers etc. maintenance costs stay under 300-400$/yr and quite frankly, bigger systems never appealed to me from the start and still I prefer nanos!
IMO, if an lfs promotes a 10 gallon starter system, they should at least tell the newb that its the daily maintenance that is the biggest challenge.

If ur slightly OCD about a clean and maintained tiny tank, nanos r for you!

My two cents.
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Old 06-11-2013, 08:04 PM
Acrowhora Acrowhora is offline
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IME,it takes more work to keep the water params stable,as i only have a 33 gallon sps tank.slowly upgrading to a 65 gallon(only need 2 more radions) and some dry rocks,and i'm good to go
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Old 06-11-2013, 08:44 PM
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I know I am personally spending more time maintaining my current 93 cube than I was the 404 in the basement. I'm enjoying doing the little things religiously like going in with the turkey baster and toothbrush at least every other day to keep my rock clean and detritus out of the tank as best i can. I blast everything and it collects in some filter floss style material laid on top of my filter socks. I spray this out in the laundry tub every single day to do what i can to keep stuff from breaking down in the water and put it back. there's no way I personally could have tinkered on this level with the scale i was previously committed to. in this way a smaller tank for me has been more work and more reward.
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Old 06-11-2013, 08:47 PM
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Im going to play devils advocate here. I have a 3 gallon picotop with an ac70 fuge, and i barely do anything to this tank. I do a 50% water change every couple of weeks and clean the glass every few days. I add maybe 1 1/2 cups of water to it every day. It has one 3/4" green chromi and 4 red scarlett hermits and the most important part is the snails and when I started this tank I only put super mature purple rock and fine live sand in it. My all in ones are a pain in the a** and am going to be shutting them down and setting up normal tanks. My 55 is the same as the pico, i just do my water changes. Not that im very experienced but I think the water changes are the most important thing along with good live rock. Just my 2cents.
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Old 06-11-2013, 09:07 PM
msjboy msjboy is offline
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Ask your friend to check the specialized nano-reef.com for folks who go from 5 gallon - 40 gallon sized tanks. Lotsa info, setups there.
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  #9  
Old 06-11-2013, 09:25 PM
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If you plan it well, a small tank is easier to take care of because it require less amount of water for the water change.

The most important part is to have a ATO (auto top off) so that salinity will not vary with evaporation. Second is a skimmer.

I had a nano for many years and still do, I spend much less time on my nano than on my large tank. It is a 15 gallons with a 10 gallons sump, with ATO and a Deltec 300 skimmer. I do water change 20% every two week, so around 5 gallons, or just a bucket.

The main limitation is you cannot have a lot of fish in there. Maybe 2 or 3 at most and small fish wereas with a large tank you can have pretty much what ever fish you want.

For the small tank, I do not need to dose, I simply do the water changes. With my larger tank I must dose for calcium and kh, plus with the tons of corals I have more cleaning and trimming to do.
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Last edited by daniella3d; 06-11-2013 at 09:29 PM.
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  #10  
Old 06-12-2013, 04:39 AM
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There is a happy medium. A bigger tank means bigger problems, but it also means that problems tend to come about slower. Smaller tanks are smaller problems, but the changes happen faster. I think 75-120 gallons is probably the easiest size.
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