How to start a marine nano tank?

[Arron Poh]

Hi guys, I'm really interested in starting a marine tank. However, as I already have 2 2ft FW tanks I have to go with a nano. I was considering getting a dymax iq5 as many people say that's a really good nano. Am thinking if keeping one or two clown fishes as the lfs told me that they are good for beginners due to how hardy they can be. Some have told me that a chiller is a must while others say that a nano tank just requires a fan. Any senior here can guide me along on what to do and how to start this nano tank? for example, how to cycle a marine tank? I know for fresh water the soil I use already contains ammonia but for salt water I'm not sure how to get it started. Really hope some seniors can help me with this project I'm about to start

[Saeight Abdul Rahman]

Hi Arron. Welcome to the salty side of fishkeeping. If u decided to just have clownfish in your nano, chiller is not required.

[tofubox]

Hi arron, welcome to the forum. All the answer u are seeking for can be found on the front page of this website (http://www.sgreefclub.com/forum/index.php) , like: Faq for starting up a marine tank, how to keep your aquarium cool on a hot day, tank cycling 101 and many other helpful articles. Give it a read through, and if you are still unsure of certain points, we be able to point you in the right direction.

For a nano, the dymax iq5 is a good beginner tank to start. But due to its volume and size, you can afford to only keep a few fishes, preferably only 1 or 2.

Unlike freshwater, in marine, we rely on live rocks and live sand for bacteria growth.

Happy reefing.

[domvonn]

Hi TS, go for FOWLR first . Corals need cool water to survive

[titustitus]

i currently have a nano and was running two small fans and managed to keep the temp between 27-29 degrees celcius. recently managed to get a chiller cos it was very cheap. i would say a chiller isnt a must but would be beneficial in having a more stable temperature. but then again, temperature in the natural environment fluctuates too. to each his own, part of the hobby is making mistakes and learning heh!

[Shawn Chua]

chiller seems the most ex for this hobby

[pcw]

I just started a marine tank a few months back. From my limited experience:

I cycled my tank by burying market prawn in the sand, added some live rocks and monitored the parameters after a while. The ammonia would spike first and you would know that your cycling is complete after ammonia is 0 and only nitrates are present. I used saltwater from a fellow reefer's tank to start the cycling (Thanks Saeight!)

From there, I stocked the tank with common clownfish and then mushroom corals a week or so down the road.

As far as I know, a fan should be sufficient to keep the temperature between 28/29 degrees although the evaporation rate may cause the water parameters of a nano tank to fluctuate quite a bit. You could try auto top off systems. Sometimes there are a couple for sale around the pasar malam section. I DIY-ed my own for about 15 bucks or so (drop a PM if you're interested in making one. Its pretty easy). Chillers are expensive but they definitely help to keep the temperature of the water more constant.

[kfc]

Cooling fan but coral not recommended not easy to take care

[kfc]

Biosphere for nano tank is good