# 10 gal nano reef start



## TankCla (Dec 31, 2010)

Hi guys!
After 15 years of freshwater and last three keeping Discus, I decided to try saltwater.
Small, 10 gal, because I am afraid of failure. I know smaller is harder, but dollars are harder these days.

After cycling it with 5lb live sand and 10lb live rock (Big Al's), I bought 4 zebra hermits to clean the rocks.

Last week I bought from Big Al's 2 little frags with zoas and button coral (5$), and they gave me for the special offer one nudi (flushed it today). Since they did not die, today I paid a visit to Alex. Got some zoas, GSP, and a mushroom.

Since I do not know much about SW, I was wondering if I can get some help from those of you with more experience.

I must say, for my 10 gal, I also have:
- Rio Nano Skimmer
- Koralia Nano 240
- Marineland LED 11"
- Coralife hydrometer + Api SW Master kit

Have few questions:
- For a nano, do I really need SW reef master test?
- How often I need to use my hydrometer? Do I have to keep water in the hydrometer, not to dry out?
- If I will have bigger salinity, can I just add freshwater, or I must do saltwater change?
- What is the right salinity? What is the right temperature?
- How many hours with day light and how many night light?

That's it for tonight, maybe tomorrow I will remember the other questions.

Thank you and hope I do not screw it up.

Claudiu


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## 50seven (Feb 14, 2010)

TankCla said:


> Have few questions:
> - For a nano, do I really need SW reef master test?
> - How often I need to use my hydrometer? Do I have to keep water in the hydrometer, not to dry out?
> - If I will have bigger salinity, can I just add freshwater, or I must do saltwater change?


Welcome to the world of reefing!

Nah, not really. Just when you have a problem, you're going to want to test for different things to help you figure a solution. I just bought the ones I needed as I went along. But when it's on sale, it's only $25 at BA's...

Use it however much you feel like it. I like to rinse mine with fresh water when I'm done using it.

Yes. If your salinity rises, just and fresh water. Then, when you do your WC, just make sure that it is the same salinity. But remember, stability is paramount in SW.

If you use a good brand of salt, and your water source is good, you should never have to add any buffers to change the pH or alkalinity.

Also remember with a marine tank, you are not doing water changes as large or as frequently as with FW. Which seems ironic as your water chemistry quality is more important. But consistency is WAY more important than quantity. Read up on people who have killed their tank by excessive/ incorrect WC's (me included ). It's the #1 mistake for noobs, especially those coming from the planted tank side. Personally I would not do more than 10% once per week. You should only do more if your tank is in the process of crashing, or if you are a very advanced reefer with an NPS tank.


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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

i dont have much to offer, but ill be following this ! i just started up a 2.5g nano (pico i guess lol) myself! 

all i can say is that i used my hydrometer before/after water changes and to calibrate my water (the clean water to be added to the tank for water changes)

I think most corals do best from 78-82F. 

btw, if u're close enough or planning to get that fire shrimp, want a free frag? XD its a very small brown/green button polyp lol.


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## TankCla (Dec 31, 2010)

So far I used RO saltwater 5 gal from Big Al's. Starting this week I will go with RO freshwater + reef crystals.


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## JulieFish (Apr 8, 2011)

TankCla said:


> Have few questions:
> - For a nano, do I really need SW reef master test?
> - How often I need to use my hydrometer? Do I have to keep water in the hydrometer, not to dry out?
> - If I will have bigger salinity, can I just add freshwater, or I must do saltwater change?


For whether to use all the different testers, it's not whether your tank is big or small, it's how sensitive your animals are to their conditions, so if you only add easy fish and "beginner" corals, those that are known to be hardy, then no, you don't need the advanced tests. They won't hurt, though.

I'd also add some macroalgae like cheato or codium or caulerpa. These will help to keep your nitrate and phosphate low, even if you don't test it.

Don't leave your hydrometer wet. When you are done using it, rinse it as well as possible with plenty of freshwater, then let it dry. Don't forget to rinse it because salt crystals will dry on it and mess it up.

I recommend getting a refractometer to measure salinity instead, they are more accurate and easier to use than the hydrometer. If you are trying to keep costs down, you could put off buying the refractometer until you can find a relatively cheap used one...

If your salinity is too high, you should slowly add freshwater to dilute it.

Good luck, and welcome to saltwater! it's so fun!


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

All good advice from some good people. 
My only advice that I can give is to make a budget for yourself for your saltwater addiction. I've told a few people this and I think it's sound advice in this hobby. I have a budget of $30 every other week and I've been slowly getting things that I need. 

For instance, instead of getting the reef testing kit by API I went with Salifert instead since it's more accurate. I also waited to get a used Refractometer of the forums since it's more accurate. And if you can, stay away from BA's since it's alot more expensive than any of the other stores and you'll blow your budget on something that might be half the price somewhere else.


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## Kooka (Feb 8, 2011)

I'd pretty much agree with everything everyone else had said so far. One thing you really shouldn't neglect in getting is a refractometer, the swing arm hydrometers are crap from my own experience. And ya, BA's is pretty much a rip-off, try out other places and you'd be surprised at the variety and lower prices out there.


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## Flexin5 (Nov 12, 2011)

nice start! and yea everyone here pretty much hit the nail on the head.


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## TankCla (Dec 31, 2010)

Thank you for all the advices!
I know now I did a mistake by not dipping the corals, especially Big Al's. I saw today some small bugs "running" in my zoas. 
If I dip my corals along with live rock, what will happen?


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## TankCla (Dec 31, 2010)

This morning: MURDER.
One of my zebra hermit was eaten by the other 3. I have extra shells in the tank.
Do they eat each other, or this died and they scavenged it? Or the fire shimp could have killed him ?!? They were fighting yesterday.


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## 50seven (Feb 14, 2010)

Predation upon others of the same species of healthy hermit crabs is rare.

I guarantee that it was not your fire shrimp.


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## TankCla (Dec 31, 2010)

50seven said:


> Predation upon others of the same species of healthy hermit crabs is rare...


One mystery elucidated, and another one coming.
The hermit is not dead. He is missing the big claw and a leg. Is very scared, and he stands on my hammer all day.
I thought he was dead, because I saw the big claw, broken legs and empty shell. Maybe he was hiding in the snail shell, or somewhere in LR.

4 hermits are to much in 10 gal? I see one that is very territorial. He picks on every other hermit.

Latest picture


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## TankCla (Dec 31, 2010)

Today I added a Fluval 204 to my system. I have inside: Pre-filter ceramic rings, biomax and active carbon.
I was thinking to put live rock inside, but I am afraid all hitch hikers will die in the canister.

This is my 10 Gallon Nano Reef.

I am struggling with some algae and cyanobacteria since I changed my light with Odyssea T5HO


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

The tank is looking pretty awesome! Did you get those large zoa rocks from SUM? I assume you didn't grow those in a few months right? =P

Very nice dude, keep up the good work


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## TankCla (Dec 31, 2010)

Thank you!

I bought those zoas, frogspawn and hammer coral from Taipan.

He has one superb tank.

Sent from my BlackBerry using Tapatalk


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

ah very nice! Yeah my zoa's are growing at a normal rate but nothing near that amount.


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## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

Very nice and Welcome to Salt Hobby


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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

i dont think hermits are territory since they always walk everywhere lol. could it be that they're hungry? i do find one of my hermits to crowd around in the same cave from time to time though .


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## TankCla (Dec 31, 2010)

Maybe they were hungry. Now I have only one. 
I see him every other day. I don't know why, but he comes out only at night. 

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## TankCla (Dec 31, 2010)

New facelift *HD*

New facelift *photo*


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

TankCla said:


> One mystery elucidated, and another one coming.
> The hermit is not dead. He is missing the big claw and a leg. Is very scared, and he stands on my hammer all day.
> I thought he was dead, because I saw the big claw, broken legs and empty shell. Maybe he was hiding in the snail shell, or somewhere in LR.
> 
> ...


I hope it will help 

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## TankCla (Dec 31, 2010)

sig said:


> I hope it will help
> 
> http://www.petsecure.com/?gclid=CP76t97K-a8CFQgCQAodiFz4Gw


Pet insurance? Are you kidding me?


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## TankCla (Dec 31, 2010)

*Photo update:* 4 months and 9 days


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## Syed (Oct 20, 2010)

Nice tank. How hard is it to keep stable?


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

Clean and nice. I like it

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## TankCla (Dec 31, 2010)

@syed: it is much care and more tests than FW tank, but it pays off

@sig: thanks!


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## TankCla (Dec 31, 2010)

This little guy is retired now.

Next project here.


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