What Are Reef Aquariums, And What Is A Nano Reef
Marine aquariums can be of different types – “fish only” tanks, “fish only with live rock” (FOWLR) tanks, and “reef tanks”.
A reef aquarium is one where the the focus is the living reefs themselves. Sure there are fish, live rocks etc. as well but the effort is to bring out the live coral reef in the tank, and its eco system. You need to remember that a reef aquarium requires appropriately intense lighting, turbulent water movement, and more stable water chemistry than fish-only marine aquaria.
What Sizes Do Reef Tanks Come In
Reef aquariums come in various sizes – sure you can get them as large as you want, but the larger they are, the more the effort in upkeep. Under 30 gallon Nano Reefs have become quite popular in recent years among fish keeping hobbyists, primarily because of their smaller size, maintainability, and the possibility of lower costs. Pico reefs are tanks under 20 gallons – the smallest of nano reef aquariums. One thing to remember, is that these tiny tanks require even more diligence with regard to water changes and attention to water chemistry because the small water volume provides little room for error. You also need to be very careful when stocking these tiny tanks because too many inhabitants can easily overload the tank’s ability to process wastes effectively.
What Makes Up A Reef Tank
While coral is a given in a reef tank, other plants and sea life are equallyy important to both the look and ecosystem of the tank. Think marine fish, arrow crabs, maxima clams, etc. or even seahorses (if you can get them legally and have the time to take care of them).
A typical nano reef kit consists of the tank, stand, power compact T5, T8, PL lamps or Metal Halide lighting, protein skimmer, UV steriliser, 3 or more stage filtration, a heater and a water pump or powerhead. You might find that you need to updgrade the protein skimmer or the lighting.
This protein skimmer helps to take care of the organic material that can not be taken care of by a normal filtration system.
Pay attention to the sand as well – aragonite sand is the kind of sand to be used; it is actually live, with culture, and this is the best type of sand for coral reef.
What Needs Special Attention
If you have a nano reef, you need to pay special attention to the water quality. Ideally, test the water twice weekly, with water changes at least every week. Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, salinity, alkalinity, calcium and phosphate levels should be monitored closely. For small tanks, even minute changes in water conditions such as mild temperature fluctuations can wreck havoc, which may not create as much of a problem with tank having greater water volume which helps provides a more stable and flexible environment.
Be very careful of selecting the right fish – especially if you have a small tank. Fish which co-exist happily in a larger tank, may not do so in a nano reef because of smaller territory. Another point to note, is the ability of the tank to process the wastes produced by the occupants.
That said, reef tanks are well worth the efforts taken, as you will no doubt find for yourself.
Pic via here and here.
