Nano Tank- advice

Hi
Since going over this forum we have decided to set up a Nano tank .
we have no experience in marine at all .
How much do you think we would be looking at laying out inclusive. for equipment . Could you point us in the right direction of who to purchase from please ..
.We are hoping to snorkel and catch our own fish if possible. .
Any advice would be appreciated ..

Thank you

Hello seastar.
A small tank is the way to go for sure.
Especially if you are collecting your own tank life forms.
There are so many small varied life forms for the aquarium to collect on a small scale and are to some degree more fun collecting in that when you look for the small you see so much more of what inhabits the ocean.
Now what to do and where to get it, we have a sponsor on here that sells the cheapest gear for the hobby,age of aquariums is the name.
Just tell the owner, Ben that you were advised to go there by us for all or some of your gear and he will look after you.
The aquarium it self can be purchased from a tank maker, we know one or two, to get the exact design and size you wish to get.
Most of the filtration you can make your self with help from us if that is the way you want to go.
What ever you do don’t bother with small polyp corals,sps can be a pain and is a waste of life with out good dollars spent and a lot attention to them to keep them alive.
Personally a large 2 or basic 3 foot tank is the way to go to keep it simple and still fall with in the range of nano.
For cost affective lighting keep the tank shallow,16 to 18 inches for good light penetration with florescent lighting for essential photosynthesis to happen as all plant life needs and corals/anemones have it with in their cells as a symbiontic relationship, the coral/anemone houses the algae, the algae feeds it glucose, plus the algae in the coral/anemone is the colour, corals have no colour with out them and no life, anemones can make it on their own, but will be white.

If you could do one tank inverts and one tank fish, that’s a win win situation if you can.

Get back to us as to the size you would want to do if you like.

There are a couple of two foot examples in this link,these are built by us.
https://southeastqueenslandm.aforumfree.com/club-public-displays-from-the-recent-distant-past-f17/a-t-society-beenleigh-show-display-held-in-09-t368.htm

Here is a three foot tank example,this was built by a clubby.
https://southeastqueenslandm.aforumfree.com/club-members-tank-photos-and-comments-f13/jeff-s-old-set-up-t197.htm

i was just reading your info on the nano tanks . have never really thought about that size for a marine tank . kinda cute .
i am actaully also looking at starting up a tank again in the future . and by reading your info jsut now a nano sounds the go .
i noticed you advise preferably 2 tanks i1 invert 1 fish , unfortunatley i can only have one tank so i was thinking of maybe having 2 clowns only /anemone . what else would you recomend to add to that .?
i think i will do 2 ' only , i am very busy so looking for somthing that is easy to maintain .
.i also checked out your links above and saw some really nice tanks welll done .. do you guys get to show your collecting trips every year like this ? . especially loved the nemo tank are the sea stars in close on the south east . .
Also in the top thread the marine tank, 2nd pic down what is that rusty fish called . most unusual looking.?

The rusty fish is the first one on this link.
https://southeastqueenslandm.aforumfree.com/local-marine-fish-and-invertebrate-photos-and-information-f20/other-fish-species-t359.htm
we do shows to promote the club and if things go well this year we have plans for a couple of other sites.
The sea stars are more so by boat,they need varied algaes and sponges where there is near to no salinity changes and stable water clean water.
The feather stars if there is no rain for at least one year,can be found in estuaries as well.
Do not have an anemone its not worth it and if there are two of the same clowns they will gang up on other fish and moving inverts.
A chromis or two,a yellow tang or one of the many other tangs,surgeon fish can be nasty,have two different clowns,harmless ones like orange and black ocelaris maybe or butch ones like a clarkii and a vanuatu melanopus,same size,a small species of wrasse a centropyge,coral beauties and heraldies are good,maybe a goby or two that type of thing,its up to the individual.

Forget corals,which includes anemones unless you are dedictaed and will always be there with cash to spend on them.

Thats about it.

Hi all

just my 2c worth

Mate there are the all in one nanos. for example the great barrier reef 400.

Great little tank, 37 ltrs I think it was and they come with very good lighting, skimmer, space for a small refugium or dsb. All that hidden nice on the back of the tank

I think this is a very good entry point, you can keep a couple of fish, few corals and a couple of shrimps. You will learn about water parameters, chemical aditions, water stability, etc etc and you will find if this thing is for you or not. And they look very tidy you can keep them on your lounge.

The cost is not that much, second hand can be like $150, brand new would be about $400

If you want to go for a bigger tank there are also few all in one tanks around, like red sea max, aqua one, aquamedic and many others. Usually from 90 ltrs and up.

I favor going with an all in one at the beginning they come with all the stuff you need so it is just a matter of getting use to how things work.

Then after a while you can upgrade to a bigger tank and keep the small one as a quarantine tank. At that point you will know exactly what are the things you want and need, brands, sizes, whether you want to go hight tech or simple stuff, and whether you have a deep enough pocket to buy one thing over another

I made the mistake few years ago of buying a crappy tank, with crappy equipment on ebay. Ended up paying three times upgrading it.

Just my 2cents

Cheers

Thankyou heaps for all the information . I think we/ll have lots of fun starting up this tank and snorkelling for our own fish .
We are hoping to get to a meeting at the end of the month. where is it exactly.? sounds like 500.00 is a good price for a quality tank and equipment .

Shelly and BJ