Nano Reef Tanks...Too Small? 9/19/07
Hello WetWeb Crew. Jeff here. I was at a loss for words with regards to reading the Nano Reef Tank article yesterday. I normally don't comment negatively to things that are written on your website, but something needs to be said here. First of all, what can you possibly do with a 3 gallon aquarium except put water in it? The individual wants to put a 4 lb. piece of live rock in the little tank. What else can you possibly fit in the tank after the piece of live rock? Don't have time to read?
Then you're getting into the wrong hobby. I have been in this hobby for two years now and I have expended a lot of blood, sweat, and pain to have a beautiful reef tank. I have taken it personally when I have lost a fish or coral because of my errors in judgment or not being informed.
I have had a successful reef aquarium since I found your sight back in January. I am now trimming back my corals and also making frags because things are going so well. I read your daily FAQs site every day just to pick up tidbits of information. The individual who wrote you is truly doing this on a whim and wants to go cheap. You just can't go into this hobby with that mindset. I would suggest getting an aquarium screen saver for your computer and look at that. I know that people write in all the time who are ill informed or uneducated, but they truly have a desire to learn and understand. It appears this is not the case. The email that was sent to the WetWeb crew can only have this response (from the movie Billy Madison):
Principal: Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you ever close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul. <<Heeeeeeee! RMF>>
<Jeff, there are several manufacturers putting out nano turnkey systems anywhere from three to twenty-four gallons. I will say that not too much can be put into a three gallon nano, but a little live rock, a few mushrooms, yellow polyps, Blue Leg Hermits, Scarlet Cleaner
Shrimp, and a couple of Neon Gobies makes an interesting and attractive display. I have seen many nano systems displayed recently, and all are doing extremely well. James (Salty Dog)>
Regards,
Jeff

Re: Nano Reef Tanks...Too Small? 9/19/07
Hey Salty Dog,
Thanks for the quick reply.
<You're welcome.>
I know and I have seen them as well, but the thoughtful planning for such a small tank (3 gallons) is clearly not shown here nor any effort to think it through. What was being described as far as corals (Acro's and Montiporas) go would be crammed into the little tank (overcrowding). That was the point I was trying to make.
The title of Bob's book is most appropriate here, The Conscientious Marine Aquarist. I stress the conscientious part. Thanks for all the good work you do.
<Thank you Jeff. I have read the query and I agree in this particular case. Nothing delicate/hard to acclimate should be kept in such close quarters, especially a hex with such minimal surface area and, not saying what the effects of allelopathy will do. The querier definitely needs to read/learn before diving in. James (Salty Dog)>
R/
Jeff

Nano Reef Tank Choices - 1/25/07
I am considering a nano reef set-up after playing with larger reef tanks in the past.
<Ok>
I am currently trying to decide between the Red Sea Max 34 or the Oceanic Bio-Cube 29. The Red Sea has a few more features but I
really want to know if the temperature is a problem for these systems, do you need a chiller, heater?
<Absolutely, yes. Any aquarium needs stability, and this is doubly important in sometimes hard-to-balance nano reefs.>
The Red Sea seems to be the better system but I would like some suggestions.
Thanks
<I've done some looking at the existing models for nano tanks as well, my friend, and personally, I have not been impressed by most of the options available. About the only 'nano tank' that I have been real impressed by, is manufactured by Finnex. See here: http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=FI-MTG-2401&Category_Code=Aquariums . The Finnex line has several models available, with the linked one above being the largest (30 gallons.) The advantage of these, IMO, over the other more 'standard' nano tanks, is a T5 high output setup out of the box, a lit refugium, and likewise, a built-in protein skimmer. The only equipment that would be necessary to add is a heater and perhaps a powerhead or two. Hope this helps you! -JustinN>

- Clownfish Growth Rates 6/24/06 -
Hi Crew,
Thanks again for your expertise.  I can't seem to find good info about growth rates for clownfish. <Probably because it's not one of those things that is 100% consistent. Many factors can effect growth rate, and for certain aquaria is an artifice so... not easy to predict.> I have two juveniles that are either Ocellaris or Percula's (two small to know for sure) temporarily in a ten gallon with 12 pounds of live rock.  They will be moved to a 55 gallon when the live rock cures and water conditions are good enough.  The question is, how fast do these guys grow? <Depends on what you're used to. In my opinion the true and false perculas are not particularly quick growers. Now if we were talking about an Emperor snapper or common batfish... those you can watch grow.> Both were bought together when neither was larger than a dime.  Now, the soon to be female is larger than a quarter and the other has grown a little.  I want to now how long I have to get the larger tank ready. <I wouldn't rely on their growth rate to get this tank ready... I just get it going as soon as possible and move them.> The 10 gallon water parameters are; am/nitrite:0 and nitrate: around 5ppm.  They are healthy and seem to be thriving, but I've heard that a 10 gallon is much too small for adults and I don't want to stress or crowd them. <10 gallon tanks are really too small for any fish over the long haul... fine for quarantine, but would move them to the new system as soon as possible.> The tank currently holds the clowns, a camel shrimp, 1 turbo, 2 Nerites, and 3 small red leg hermits.  Also, when I move the clowns, is there anything cool that can be done with such a small tank? <Quarantine tank.> Try my hands at corals maybe, or is that a recipe for failure? <The smaller the tank, the less forgiving it is going to be... you decide.>
Thanks,
Matt
<Cheers, J -- >

Appropriate homes for clowns 6/12/06
Hello,
<Hi>
I am hoping you can help me and others...
<Will try.>
There are A LOT of people asking if it is OK to keep a pair of clownfish, or any clownfish, in a 5 or 10 gallon aquarium.
It is my understanding that any clown should be in a MINIMUM of a 30 gallon tank (a few say 20 is OK).
<I would say for most aquarists, nothing should be kept in a five or ten gallon tank, they are just too unstable.>
Can you help us out and shed some light on this subject please?
<While clowns are tough fish, and actually pretty well suited for aquariums, 5 or 10 gallons just isn't enough space or stable enough.  The salinity changes alone in such a small tank can have drastic effects, never mind the many other parameters than need to be kept stable.>
Thanks as always.
<Hope this helps.>
<Chris>

Appropriate homes for clowns Part II 6/12/06
Thank you very much for your reply.
<Sure>
I agree with you 100%, but its really disheartening to see others tell newbies that 2 clowns in a 10 gallon is just fine...
<I often think of wearing earmuffs to the LFS so I don't have to hear the advice they give new fish keepers.  Often dooming them to failure.  One of the reasons 90% of fish keepers drop out of the hobby within a year.>
No matter how much you tell them that the vast majority of noted marine biologists say otherwise, the "it's cute and I want it no matter what" syndrome kicks in...
<A real shame.  Seems to be a common problem whenever a living thing is involved.>
Thanks again, I just wanted to make sure I right for a change.. lol
<Well, right in my opinion for whatever that's worth.  Of course there are always exceptions, but I would guess 80-90% of all small tanks like you describe fail within a year, resulting in premature death and suffering of the livestock.  Maybe Bob has more specific statistics about this, if they even exist.  Best you can do is try to educate people and hope they apply it to their fishy friends.> <<Don't know re this "failure rate", but wouldn't be surprised. RMF>>
<Thanks for caring.>
<Chris>

For Aquapod Owners - 06/08/06
Hello all,
<<Hi Jenn!>>   
Love your site. I read it religiously to satisfy all of my aquarium questions.
<<Thank you, pleased to hear>>>
This is my first time emailing though.  I have more of a comment to pass along rather than a question.
<<Okay>>
Anyways, after purchasing a 12 gallon Aquapod a little over a month ago, I realized one of the blue lights was not working.  I contacted my LFS about ordering a new light, and as it turns out, there is a defect in the hoods of the 7050 models.  I guess this is a fairly new development, and they haven't even published the recall yet, or whatever it is they do.  The only way my LFS guy found out was from contacting Current to order me a new light.  So, they are replacing my whole hood for free, which is cool, but I guess it would have been nice if it would have worked properly in the first place.  Now my inhabitants have to be without their lights for a few days.  Anyways, I just wanted to let other Aquapod users know in case they have the same problem as I do, and may not even know it yet.
Thanks for all the great info.,
Jenn
<<Thanks for sharing Jenn.  Be chatting, EricR>>

BiOrb and saltwater  - 5/5/2006
Could you please tell me if a 30 litre BiOrb can be made into a marine aquarium?
<Sorry, these tanks are inappropriate for marine aquariums.  Some would argue they are also inappropriate for most fresh water fish.>
<Chris>

Small Saltwater Tank - 3/6/2006
What is the smallest size aquarium that a person can have saltwater fish? (Size of fish... maybe clown fish. nothing big)
<<40-gallons minimum for a beginner is recommended.  This is posted on WWM. Lisa.>>
Veronica

Re: Small Saltwater Tank - 3/6/2006 ... does asking again change reality? Ask GeoB.
Aww come on. can i use a ten gal even for 2 skunk clownfish (they're pretty and that's what am going to get when/if i go saltwater)
<<Veronica, I have asked you many times to post in complete, capitalized sentences, when writing to us.  You really shouldn't expect me to re-write AND answer all of your questions, questions which I have already answered, and are posted on WWM.  A 10-gallon tank is far too small to keep stable for anyone other than an experienced SW aquarist.  This is my recommendation; please do not keep writing if you do not like the answers you are given.  Should you have a question that has not been covered before, please write again, I will be more than glad to help.  Lisa>>

Small SW Tanks -   03/9/06
Hi Lisa,
<<Hello>>
I would like to expand the discussion about small tanks. I will agree that 40 gallons is a good general rule, but you do not need to be an expert to manage it with a 10gallon.  I am proof to that. I just do not have room for anything larger
<<It is not impossible, but certainly much harder.  I can never recommend a 10-gallon as a starting tank size to a beginner.>>
I started my 10 gallon with no experience about 2 and a half years ago, and based on the emails you get, I am no worse off than those with larger tanks.
<<You may represent a small number of exceptions to that rule.  I would think you put a great deal off effort into learning, and pay very close attention to your tank.  This is not the case usually, and small tanks are most often a disaster for beginners.>>
A 10 gallon does not leave much room for error, but I try to follow the Crew’s suggestions, and so far have not crashed.
<<Glad to hear.>>
I have two spotted cardinals (20 months), a clown goby (2 years) and a royal Gramma (1 year) (I know it is overcrowded but you know how it is, I just couldn't help it).
<<This is also something I do not endorse.>>
I also have a bunch of mushrooms and 2 candy canes. A ball of Chaeto (plus my hair algae) helps keep nitrates down to zero. So, yes, a 40 gallon will be more forgiving but if you follow the rules it can actually be easier with a 10 gallon, since there is less to change and clean.
<<I tend to disagree here, having kept both large and small aquariums.>>
I did lose a lot of fish the first 6 months but I was learning and had as yet not found the Crew.
<<Losing a lot of fish is not success, as far as I’m concerned.>>
So thanks to the Crew for making it possible.
<<I am glad to hear of your success now.  This site is read by many people, so it would be irresponsible of me to recommend anything other than the minimum I feel is required to avoid major casualties, even if in the first few months, especially considering, unfortunately, that most of the fish available are wild-caught.  This translates into numbers I do not care to think of.  Lisa.>>

Emerald Crabs and Predatory Behavior/Nano Reefs  12/5/05
I learned too late that might happen, and it did.
<Sorry to hear that.>
My question is, do I remove the crab or add some sort of different snail.
<I would remove the crab, some become quite predatory with age.>
I'm running a tiny nano reef at the time, planning to upgrade after Xmas. My other question (due to space constraints), how small a salt water set up can I realistically get by with?
<Well you said upgrade so I’m assuming you want something larger than that, honestly I would go with a tank as big as you can. The larger the water volume the easier the tank will be to keep. Seems like you are still trying to go the way of the nano, I like the 15 gallon standard for that application…good surface area.>
My teensy 6 gallon has done just fine with 6 pounds live rock, a yellow tail damsel, a peppermint shrimp, an emerald crab, and a Cerith snail, till the crab ate the snail. So, how much bigger should I go and still be small?
<See if this answers some of your nano questions: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/nanoreefsysart.htm , Adam J.> 

Stressed Nano Cube - 06/13/05
Hi,
<Hello>>
I can't believe my first question is regarding an emergency.
<<Stress (pun intended) does tend to accelerate our decisions at times <G>.>>
To make a long story short...My husband and I purchased a Nano Cube 24 this weekend.  What started out as buying a simple goldfish for my three year old turned into an over the top purchase.
<<uh oh!>>
I had kept fish in my younger days and tried to explain to my
husband (who was distracted by all the pretty colored marine life at the LFS) that it was a lot of time, money, and work.
<<Not to mention reading, research, and more research.>>
Well, fast forward to today...we got the live sand and rock in, along with the RO saltwater. as I was wiping the interior of the tank I noticed a  major stress point in the corner of the acrylic.  I called the owner of the store and she said she would replace it with one in the original box this weekend.
<<Good to hear!>>
The one we bought was a display model.  My question: the stress point has a slight ding about the size of two pinheads and a white halo.  Should we wait until this weekend and risk it busting or
should we drain it now and put the live sand, rock and water in a container.
<<Without seeing the damage first-hand it's hard to say whether it's merely a blemish or something more serious.  Seeing as you only have sand, rock, and water at this point, I might be inclined to place all now in a Rubbermaid or similar container with a powerhead for circulation until you get the new tank.  It should keep fine like this for the next few days.>>
Thank You, Nadine  
<<Regards, Eric R.>>
PS. I was going to ask this question on the 911 wetwebmedia.com form  but the system had trouble with its registration process.
<<Hmm...not sure who's arena this is...Bob?...Jason?>> <Sent to Zo... WWF is his kit. RMF>

Small FOWLR Set-up
I am setting up a 29gal FOWLR again, I have 20lbs of live rock curing in a
lg trashcan. I am going to use 20lb of Arag-alive special grade to cycle
the tank and then add the live rock in 2 weeks. (rock will have cured for 4
weeks) When can I add my first fish, cleanup crew?
<I usually wait 6-8 weeks, or when nitrates hit zero.  This only goes for hardy fish that will readily eat prepared foods.  Stock slowly...>
I have a Emperor 280 /PolyFilter pad,3 Rio water pumps and a Red Sea Prizm skimmer, which
worked great for me before. I get conflicting info about when to start
using the skimmer. When should I turn it on?
<I always turn on my skimmer right at the outset.  In fact, I would put it on your trash can right now.  The more die off byproducts you can remove from your water now, the better.  More life will survive the curing process this way.>

Building a Small System
To all WWM Pro's,
<Scott F. with you today-not a "pro"- just a serious fish geek..>
Of course, I open my letter pouring out praises on your wealth of knowledge and your desire to provide it free of charge!  The web site has prevented me from suffering many problems early on in this hobby, and you have saved many a poor fish's life from my evil/eager snare (let's just say the first fish
my wife wanted for saltwater was a mandarin....uh, no way)
<Ah- mission accomplished, then!>
My question is this: I currently have a 29 gallon Eclipse 3 system that I have had for 1 year and converting to saltwater.  The plan is to add 30 lbs of aragonite, and about 40 lbs of live rock ( I already have 15 lbs of live rock that I am preparing in a spare 10 gallon aquarium, and it looks great, tons of copepods, should I be feeding them anything?).
<No need for extra feeding...They are obviously finding something that they like already!>
I am going to start off with no skimming (stupid eclipse hood), but I plan on keeping only 1 fish for quite awhile (flame angel) and plenty of live rock with partial water change once a week.
<Well, if you can't use a skimmer, aggressive water changes-particularly in a smaller system- can help>
I would like to build a refugium for this tank (keep in mind I will still run the Eclipse hood, the more flow the better,
right?!).  
<Yep...Maybe you can place a partition in there for a skimmer? Unconventional placement, perhaps, but better than not running a skimmer at all, IMO>
I bought another 10 gallon aquarium recently ($7, I'm a sucker
when I go into a fish store), and I have devised a simple setup.  I know you don't recommend a refugium for this small of a tank, but I would like to start small on my first DIY setup, and money for the big stuff is currently unavailable (also I'm living in an apartment, don't want to move around a 75-100 gal aquarium).  
<Actually, I think a refugium is beneficial for almost any sized system. Go for it!>
Besides, if I screw up a 10 gallon tank, it doesn't matter.  I have attached a picture of my plan, drawn to 1/2 size (it should
be to scale unless I screwed up).  I hope the 3-D makes sense.
(1)  Is the picture I have attached an optimal design?  Should I decrease the sump or return length to increase the net refugium size? I thought I might be concerned about how full it is (in case of a power outage), but it has 3 gallons spare (20inX10inX2.5in+17inX1inX10 =670in3 = 2.9 gal).
<Unfortunately, I could not open the attachment, so I have to comment on your questions. The allowance for power failure is important. Sounds like you have that covered, though>  
(2)  The gray spot in the picture is for filter media.  Any suggestions?
<Well, I'm a big one for activated carbon and Poly Filter as chemical filtration media to use on a regular basis>
Extra carbon to make up for lack of skimming?  Or should I just put a filter pad in there?
<As above>  
(3)  I have a spare Hagen 402 that I will use as the return pump.  I figure I can adjust the flow to maintain a stable level in the refugium.  What size tubing should I use as a drain from my aquarium and as a return hose for maximum circulation (5/8")?
<Well, that's the part that may take some experimentation on your part, unfortunately. I usually say as large as possible, but in a smaller system, you don't wait too much overflow. I guess my best advice is start small and move up to a larger size if dictated>
(Out of curiosity, what is the flow rate for a gravity draining hose of an X diameter?)
<Hmm...I'm sure that there is a formula-just don't know it off hand. Sorry>
(4)  Any particular brand of adhesive that you prefer for this kind of a project?
<Glass tanks would call for silicone. IMO, acrylic is best handled with a specialized acrylic/plastic adhesive (brand names escape me at the moment). Do check out the remarkable DIY site, OzReef, for many DIY projects and techniques>
(5)  An unrelated question to the refugium:  I have this creature on my live rock, I thought at first he was an urchin (long spines) but he was white. After a few weeks, he has gotten bigger, and has a base like an anemone, but a top closer to a feather duster.  He is about as big as my fingernail; eats up all the copepods that he can snatch up.  What is he?
<If you can send a picture, we can make a good ID attempt for you...>
I'm thinking there are a ton more questions I need to ask you, but I can only remember these right now.  I read your site everyday.  I'm planning on building my own overflow, but I think I can handle that.  Thanks for your help.
<Glad to hear that! We enjoy bringing the site to you every day!>
Oh, Bob, I love Conscientious Marine Aquarist, I got it for  Christmas from the in-laws (I take care of their 50 gal).  I have let a few friends borrow it, and it is giving them the courage to step out on their own in the fish world.
<I'm sure that Bob will be glad to hear that!>
Thanks for your help. Erik W.
<Good luck, Eric! Regards, Scott F.>

Nano keeping in a JBJ box - 3/2/04
Hello...<Howdy!> I have been looking at purchasing the Nano Cube and using it to start a small reef system. <Not worth it in my opinion. Better to build your own from the ground up. JBJ does not have a great name when it comes to quality. Get a 10gal or 20gal with the proper lighting and filtration and work up from there. Be sure to decide your tank inhabitants and define design and costs before starting.> When I say small, I was thinking of adding some star polyps, mushrooms and a small fish. <How big is this nano-cube??> I was wondering what your opinions are of the this tank and what are its limitations. <Lots of limitations. See here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/small.htm Hard to maintain water parameters and require diligent maintenance.>
I have had a successful reef system in the past, but my wife made me take it down since it was so large. <Smaller isn't easier, that is for sure. Not that it can't be done, and you do have experience, but move slowly. Knowledge is power!!>
Thanks for your help. <Thank you for being part of it all. ~Paul>
Brent

Small System With Big Potential
Hey guys!!
<Scott F. with you today!>
What a joy it is to have a resource like your website.  If I had had this when I first began, I could have avoided many problems.  I have been out of the hobby for about six years after having successfully kept a beautiful 75 gal soft and LPS reef (kept a Mandarin for three years until I sold the set up) and a "somewhat" successful 60 gal FOWLR.  However, it took a great deal of hard lessons and lost livestock to get there.  I have been bitten by the saltwater bug again and wish to get it right this time.  As a result of my desire to build the perfect system, I may have overdone my research.  I have spent the past three years building a "library" of research materials including books written by your staff, scouring any internet resource I could find including countless hours on your site, and slowly purchasing pieces of this "perfect" system.  
<Nothing wrong with doing it slowly>
Now that I think that I have it all together, I am confused and doubting my design.  Too much input - unfortunately, I have found stark contradictions in my research.  
<Imagine that! Contradictions in the marine hobby? Nah! LOL>
However, I have come to trust your staff for reliable / current data and advice.  I am hoping that you can "quick check"  my design and offer any advice before I actually begin.
<I'll do my best>
I wanted to keep it small, as I have a spinal condition and wanted to avoid hauling a lot of water around, but not too small.  I opted for a double 30 gal setup on a metal stand (mostly because it was given to me and suited my approximate desire in size).  The "main" 30 gal tank is predrilled and overflows into the 30 gal "sump/refugium" which is then pumped back into the main tank via an external Little Giant 3-MDQ-SC (about 650 gph minus a little for head pressure or about 12 x the total tank volume per hour).
<I like the fact that your 'fuge is as large as the tank it will service! Very beneficial>
I will use a AquaC Remora Skimmer.  I have a 95 watt 10,000k PC with two 30w NO actinics on the main tank and a3 6w 50/50 PC and a 36w 6700k PC over the refugium area of the sump (I will run these opposite each other).  I purchased an RO/DI system as well.  I figure the total water volume to be around 45-50 gal, so I will purchase 60-80 lbs of Fiji LR and split this between the main tank and sump / refugium.  My sump / refugium is a pretty simple setup.  Two glass baffles separating the sump into three chambers:  overflow from main tank which will hold chemical media, heater and skimmer; which will overflow over into the refugium; which will overflow into the return area for make-up of evaporated water, Kalkwasser dosing, etc..  This last chamber will be the only chamber to fluctuate during evaporation or water changes.  I have a T section on the overflow from the main tank with ball valves on each so that I may direct some of the over flow directly into the overflow/skimmer chamber and some of the overflow directly over the sandbed in the refugium.  I appear to have complete control over the flow into each chamber.
<Very nice configuration. Giving the skimmer and refugium constant water flow will enhance their function>
  The whole system has been run with freshwater and I don't have any problems with drainage even if either of these is completely closed.  I will use a sponge filter in the overflow from the main tank for mechanical filtration, if at all.  
<Do clean the sponge very often, like every couple of days, so that it does not accumulate excess nutrients that can degrade water quality and lead to nuisance algae outbreaks.>
I hope that my description makes sense.
<Yes it does, and you sound like you put a lot of good thought into the system>
My questions are these:  
1.  RE:  Refugium Flow Rate.  The entire flow through the sump (approx 650 gph) goes through the refugium, either directly flowing over from the first chamber, or directly drained from the main tank, or split between the two (via the T section of the overflow pipe).  Is this going to be to much flow for a refugium?
<I don't believe that this is excessive. You'd want a brisk flow through the refugium. However, if it's stirring up sand and making a mess, you can always dial down the flow>
It is my understanding that flow over a sandbed, particularly if using a plenum, should be strong.  However, I have seen mixed opinions here.  What is yours?
<I like strong flow, as long as you don't create a mess, as cited above>
I want to not only gain the benefit of denitrification through the sandbed/plenum but also denitrification from macroalgae and a nice supply of critters for the main tank.  Is the flow going to be too high for the growth of macro algae?
<I don't believe so. Try Chaetomorpha and/or Gracilaria, both of which are free-floating and seem to appreciate the flow>
Is the flow going sweep away any critters in the refugium?
<Probably not. Most of these creatures face significant flow rates in the wild, and can find ways to cope in captivity, no doubt.>
Will the return pump shred these guys anyway?
<Really depends on the animals in question. Many planktonic creatures can pass through impellers just fine. There was a fair amount of discussion of this topic on many internet message groups over the years, but nothing really conclusive seems to have come of it, IMO.>
If the flow is too high, I could direct some of the overflow from the main tank into the return chamber via the T section and completely bypass the refugium, but I am also bypassing filtration.  Any thoughts would be helpful.
<I don't think that your flow sounds too high. Go with it>
2.  RE:  DSB or Plenum.  I really don't want to build a DSB in the display tank.  At 30 gal., it would just take up too much space.  I am hoping to get away with a 1/2 inch substrate in the main tank.  The refugium area in the sump is 1/3 the total volume of the sump, which would be about 1/6 the total volume of the entire set-up.  Is this enough area to gain any benefit from the use of a plenum or DSB?  I have heard concerns over the use of a plenum due to crap leeching form the plenum.
<I think that plenums are very useful, proven methodology. I'm not concerned about substances leeching into the system from plenums. However, it is important to follow the generally accepted principles of plenum construction when using one. You should not "freelance" in plenum construction. Personally, I like "static" deep sand beds (3-4 inches plus) for their simplicity.>
However, I have thought of installing a small stand pipe with a ball valve to occasionally siphon out small amounts of water from the plenum.  Hove you heard of anyone using this technique with any success?
<Not really. I'd leave this area undisturbed>
Are there hazards to siphoning out too much water?  Plenum vs. DSB seems to be a major area of conflict in my research.  I guess what I am really asking is:  Is a DBS occupying only 1/6 the bottom area of the system enough for adequate denitrification?
<Think in terms of sand bed depth. A 4" static DSB with oolithic aragonite would work just fine>
Would I gain more from the use of a plenum?  Is a DSB with plenum this small even going to be enough?
<If constructed correctly, it can be beneficial. I'm still thinking that a static DSB would work just fine in your system>
I plan on a very light bio-load as far as fish are concerned.  Maybe 1 Dwarf Angel, 1 blenny, 1 clown or Hawkfish,
<Go for the clown>
and a Mandarin after the system is really established (depending on the success of the refugium to produce critters).
<Add that Mandarin after the system has been VERY well established and the refugium really "cooking">
I am hoping to keep water changes down to 10% every two weeks.  I am additionally hoping not to lose a single organism this time.   
<Great!>
I know this is a rather long e-mail, but I hoped to only bother you guys once.  Thanks in advance for any help you can give.  Your literature and ongoing advice in your web site has already done much to aid my endeavors. Clifton Grant  
<Not a bother Clifton. You've certainly put in a lot of thought here, and I think that you are on the right track. Good luck! Regards, Scott F>

Beginning with a nano reef (4/22/04)
Hi there, <Michael here, listening Blue Man Group - 'Boston'>
I'm new to the world of saltwater aquariums, and I'm realizing that before I took on my new hobby I should have done a lot more research. <You've definitely found the right site for information - I've learned more here than almost anywhere else> 
Having said that, I'm sorry if this is a long e-mail! <Not a problem, helped a lot of people into this hobby>
I recently decided to make a go of caring for a saltwater aquarium, which I'm worried may have been a mistake, as I did not do enough research before hand. I purchased a 12-gallon Nano Cube from Pacific Reef in Anaheim. <Nano reefs aren't the best beginner tanks, that's for sure. In such a small water volume it is hard to keep on top of parameters, especially without experience> 
The people were very knowledgeable and friendly and helped me step by step with the setup and cycling of the aquarium. I have kept a close watch on the water (salinity, pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate); checking it weekly to ensure my tank's survival. <Good>
However, after reading your website I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed and a little concerned about my tank. I feel like I may have made a mistake in trusting what the fish store has told me without doing my own research on the matter. <A second opinion is invaluable, no matter what the subject> 
In order, this is what has been added to my aquarium (which has 8-9 pounds of live rock and two inches of live sand) over the past few months: 1) a Nassarius snail and a queen conch snail; <That queen conch can get 12" +, look into finding it a new home> 
2) a Christmas tree rock, a daisy coral, a Cladiella leather coral, and a hermit crab; 3) two sexy shrimp; 4) a feather duster, a hammer fragment and an unidentified fragment (looks like an anemone but has a hard base, long lavender tentacles with white tips, small); 5) a button polyp and a false Percula clown; 6) a turbo snail, a margarita snail, and a rose anemone. <I would not keep anemones and corals together in such a small body of water. Cnidarians can and will often kill each other in small bodies of water, especially if they're touching. Also, how long has your tank been set up?>
After reading all that was said on your site (which is wonderful, by the way) <Thanks, others have put in infinitely more than myself>
I get the feeling that smaller tanks are harder to take care of. <more difficult to keep the parameters in check, but not all that hard with a bit of experience, don't give up!> 
I am also concerned because I'm not sure if I should have added the rose anemone - will it take over my tank or hurt any of the corals and/or the other animals in the tank? <Quite possibly, especially if it starts dividing. I personally wouldn't keep anemones with corals in a tank that size> 
I know you have answered questions similar to mine, but I was worried that some of the things in my tank may be incompatible with each other although, I may have misread some of your comments.
I feel so overwhelmed. It was foolish of me to spend so much time, energy, and money on something I feel I know so little about. <Well, you're trying to change that and your animals are still alive, so don't beat yourself up> 
I've been being cautious, believe it or not, and I've been asking a lot of questions before I buy anything. <Definitely a good thing, you can never know too much> 
I have a good relationship with the people at Pacific Reef and their store has the best-looking live stock of any of the tropical fish stores I have visited (which have been many, recently). I just want to know that I'll be able to take care of my livestock before adding anything else. <Be careful about that anemone, and find a new home for your conch when it gets too big> Thanks for all of your help! <No problem> You are all amazing!!! <You're too kind - M. Maddox>

Heat a Nano?
>Hi.
>>Hello. Going to go ahead and post this, but will ask everyone once again to *please* use proper punctuation when sending messages to save us from retyping.
>I have a 12 gallon nano cube and I was wondering if you think I would need a heater for it.
>>Yes, even if not so much to warm it as to keep the temperature stable. About 2-3 watts/gallon is the general rule of thumb.
>Also I have a bubble tip anemone and was wondering if you put two of them together if it will work out or will they fight.
>>Two BTAs? Not a problem, but I wouldn't try to stuff 'em into that nano.
>Also I was wondering if you could put another type of anemone in the same tank as the bubble tip anemone. thanks Erik
>>I would not do this. Marina 

Set up and Stocking a Via Aqua AR-380
Hi, well I saw it at the pet store set up for salt. Its a 11 gal tank with a drip filter in the top. How should I proceed from here to be successful and responsible to the life I house? <I would just keep a small clownfish or two along with a shrimp and a few snails and hermits. Also I would keep about 10lbs of LR...or more if you choose and make sure you do weekly water changes of about 2 gallons or so. Good luck, IanB>
Right now it has sand and a hermit crab rode in on the latest purchase of a 1.6 lb live rock. It has been running a week. Thanks, LB 

"... everybody's got one." 5/28/04
Bob and Tony have some great books and you guys have a
great website, but you give some bad advice on small
tanks.  
<aquarists successfully enjoy the hobby from many different perspectives>
My mom always said, keep it simple stupid and many times YOU GUYS are making things too difficult and complicated,
especially for people doing this as a "hobby."  
<tell me more Nostradamus...>
For instance, about 6 months ago a friend of mine wanted to try Marine fish so I set her up a 29-Gallon Fish-Only-Tank (FOT). A 29 gallon tank is popular because you can get them cheap at PetSmart.
<there is a saying, "Good things are seldom cheap, and cheap things are seldom good.">
Tank, Hood and lights and a very nice iron stand for $90.00.  Throw in a 15 pound bag of FL crushed coral ($15.00), Salt, Hydrometer, Red Sea Test kit, two Penguin 170's (bought online for $35.00), a combination of dead rock and a $20.00 nice piece of
fake coral (bought online).  PetSmart has these big black roots (for the fish to swim through the roots) that are over 15 inches tall and 8 inches wide (so they take up a lot of the tank) that look great in a Marine FOT for 20 bucks!  I had her out the door for ~$200.00 which ain't bad for all that.  
<you should do government contracts <G>>
I put the lighting on a 6 pm-9 pm timer when she is normally home
at night to keep algae down.  I ran the 170's and cycled them on my tanks for two weeks.  
<yes... helpful/very good>
I crammed one liter of Matrix and 1/2 a liter of bio-rings in the
170's for extra bio-filtration which meant her tank cycled instantly.  I stocked it with a two Blue Chromis, a Candy Hogfish, a pair of tank raised True Perc's and a big Long-Nosed Hawk as her marquee fish (she already loved him and had me buy him for my tanks
several months earlier).  All the fish came from my 3 tanks, a 29 Gallon FOT, a 40 Gallon Reef and a 10 Gallon QT tank.  I tossed in around 10 hermits for luck, lol.  I kept it simple and now she has a 29-Gallon FOT that is appropriately stocked with 5 very colorful, very hardy fish that do not get large
and should not outgrow the tank.  
<if these fish were all stocked within the first month, I would disagree with "appropriately" stocked... slower would be better advice for most beginners, regardless of the seeded filters or not>
As long as she watches the temps, PH, feeds sparingly and gravel
siphons the tank once a month as part of a 5% water change (I made her do this and showed her how easy it is)
<I'd recommend water changes greater than %5 rather than letting livestock live in the accumulating balance of their own dissolved wastes>
and does a heavy gravel siphoning every 6-12 months (with only 15 pounds of FL crushed coral the gravel siphoning is easy)
<agreed... very important with coarse substrates>
if Nitrates get to high she will be fine.
<Huh?>
Keep it simple and if she gets ick I gave her Mardel Coppersafe and told her to follow the instructions if I am not around to help and to treat the whole system.
<the crushed coral will suck this up like a sponge... copper only in bare bottomed tanks please>
Do you think she will be successful?
<perhaps>
Is this good advice?
<not for the masses... success will be harder to replicate than safer/more conservative recommendations. These are living creatures after all... why rush things or aspire for "cheap" when it the "products" of our hobby are living organisms?>
Do you approve?  
<its not for me to say/approve... just share my opinion as you have done>
I know, you would have had her spend well over $500.00 (she does
not have) on a 40+ gallon tank with a wet-dry and live
sand and live rock, yada, yada, yada
<you are mistaken>
and your stupid request QT tank which she certainly does not need,
<OK... at this point, you really need to start taking your medication again>
but see, that ain't keeping it simple! She is a busy girl,
college, work and taking care of me, lol.
<she has my deepest sympathies and regards>
I will keep you apprised of her successes or failures,
<we'll check the mailbox daily in wait>
but as far as I am concerned she is on the path of being a
successful Marine fish "hobbyist" and only spent $200.00 to get there! Nathan
<I wish you luck in life... clearer vision... effective therapy... and cold beers. Anthony>

- Nano Setup -
Hi there!!!  I am setting up a new 10 gallon AGA nano reef tank.  Just needed some advice from you guys first before I jump into it.  So far, I have bought a 15 pound Fiji live rock.  This rock is one big piece right in the center of the tank.  Will this be enough live rock filtration for my tank??? <That is a good amount of rock, yes.> I am planning to go DSB for the substrate as well. <In a ten gallon tank, a truly deep sand bed will leave you with little water.> My main goal is to get rid of nitrates so that algae problems won't appear when I start to turn on the lights. <I'd skip the deep sand bed - shoot for something less than two inches of sand, and rely on regular water changes to keep the nitrates in line.> I was planning to do 3 inch of CaribSea's Aragamax sugar sized reef sand (particle size .2 to 1.2 mm). <Three inches is in fact in the problem zone - for a deep sand bed you need four or more inches. Otherwise two inches or less.> However, if I did 3 inch for substrate, my rock would be very close to the surface of the water. <Another reason to skip the DSB concept in this tank.>  What if I went 2 inches of sand, will that be an efficient DSB as to removing nitrates? <It would not qualify as a "deep" sand bed.> On the bag, it claims that this sand can still denitrify at 1 inch.  Is this true??? <Any substrate will provide some denitrification.> I am not a big fan of bare bottom tanks.  For the filtration, I will have an Aqua C remora HOT as the main filter. <You will likely need some other circulation in the tank - a powerhead to augment the skimmer.> No power filters will be run....only on occasions where carbon is needed, then I will add a hang on power filter for a couple of days/weeks.  My lighting for this tank will be a Current USA Orbit 2 x 40w (dual daylight 10k and 67k / dual actinic 460nm and 420nm).  What you think about this lighting for a small tank???  Planning on keeping 1 rose bulb anemone, clown fish, and maybe later down the road, some Acroporas. <Don't think this lighting will be enough for the anemone and/or Acropora... if you want to keep an anemone and a clownfish, you should really consider something with more water volume - at least a 40 gallon tank.> This should be enough lighting for Acros and anemone right??? <No.> So, am I missing anything or do you think I am on the right track. <Well... you are going in the right direction, but I do think you may be expecting too much out of a tank so small. The anemone and fish will pollute themselves out of existence. The lighting will not be sufficient for Acropora. There are other choices you can make for this tank that will fare much better.> Bye
<Cheers, J -- >

Chillin' Out (Is a Chiller Necessary for a Small Tank?)
Hi There!
<Scott F. here with you tonight.>
Do I really need a chiller for a small 24" reef tank in my bedroom that very rarely gets to 24 degrees C? Some fishy people say I do. Others don't. I'm really confused about everything though now!
<Confused?  About something in the marine hobby?  Really? hah! hah! Just kidding.  Seriously, unless you have a significant heat problem you could probably do a real good job by using a quality fan directly over the water surface.  A chiller may only be necessary in instances where your tank reaches high temperatures for sustained periods of time.>
Anyway, do I need one. They're pretty expensive though and if I did need one could I do a DIY one with a fridge compressor and run the filaments through the tank? That is if even need one!! Thanks for your time anyway.  Bye, Ben
<Well, Ben, quite honestly, as above, I only feel a chiller is necessary if you experience a heat problem.  Otherwise, save your money for fun stuff like salt mix, and activated carbon.  Good luck.  Regards, Scott F.>

Nano tank questions 8/10/04
Hi Crew, I am setting up a 15g Nano Reef to play with. It will be mostly zoos, cloves, mushrooms. My question is what type of sand bed? I have a DSB in my main reef but am not sure on the smaller tank. Would a DSB be not effective with such a small surface area? Should I just go with a 1" or less? Would that provide any nitrate reduction? Thanks! <Since you should have a very light fish load, I would suspect that your live rock and frequent partial water changes will handle nitrate reduction just fine.  If you manage to cram a bunch of fish in there, a sand bed will be effective.  You may want to go without the sand simply for the sake of the valuable space it will occupy!  Best Regards.  Adam>

15 Gallon Marine Tank Questions
Hi.<Hi! Mike D here>
I was directed to your site by my sister. Great site!<Garsh, thank you ma'am!**blushing** I was just wanting an opinion on my setup and how to correct a few things. Here goes: My setup is a 15 gallon tall marine aquarium. I have a sand bed of about an inch or less and about fifteen pounds of live rock  I was using an eclipse hood and filtration. I switched the tank over to an uncovered system and put on a Magnum 350 canister yesterday. I also had a large MaxiJet powerhead going but think that was a bit too much current for my two Percula clown kids. Instead I put on a rather small powerhead and hope the Magnum will keep up the water movement enough. No skimmer is being used but I keep a close eye on Nitrate levels. The only inhabitants are my two false Perculas, a small skunk cleaner shrimp and 3-5 blue leg hermits.<That's a great number for the size> I have been having a heck of a time keeping the temp stable. It wants to climb to the low eighties and I can't afford a chiller. I have kept it a reasonable 79-80 usually with a large fan directed at the tank and lots of surface movement.<Is it sitting in front of a w window where it's being heated by sunlight or near a room heating duct?> A lighting system will be installed soon for keeping coral and I am worried about aggravating the problem further.<It will definitely raise it further> Please help! I also was wondering if there is such a thing as too big a filter on a tank and too much water movement.<Yes and no.  You can't over-filter a tank, but you CAN have too much current for slow moving species, such as Clownfish, so it sounds like you've dome the right thing that way.  
A word of caution though, for if you recently did the filter change, the tank may well cycle again, so be observant> Thank you for sharing your experience with others!<That's what the whole aquarium/internet thing is all about>
Angie Freeman
Springfield, Mo.

Re: set up
>Hi there,
>>Hi there yourself.  ;)
>Just come across your site, looks very interesting.
>>Quite!
>The question is, I am looking to set up a 18g marine tank on a limited budget!
>>Then you're talking to the right woman!  (All about cheap to free here)
>Now I have set up tropical tanks before, but I really like the look of a more natural tank.
>>Me too.
>I was looking at a mixed ( fish and inverts) but this sounds like it should only be attempted by someone with years of experience.
>>Well, if this is your first attempt, then yes, you should be cautious.  I'll also tell you that since you're inexperienced with marines, 18 gallons is generally considered a "nano" system, and because of the small volume of water they can be quite tricky.  You don't have much "buffer" should problems arise.
>At the moment I have tank, 10 kg of coral sand, some coral rock (not living), a Fluval filter and a small thermo heater.
>>Is the heater properly sized for the tank (2-3W/gal)?
>So when you have stopped laughing, what do you suggest?
>>Hardly laughing here!  You can even set up a marine tank using a good old undergravel filter, you know!  I will suggest spending a bit of money on some things--namely, quality live rock, and a decent protein skimmer.  Should you wish to utilize a deep sand bed (DSB), this is a more natural method of filtration (when deep enough-->3") as well as good for growing nice "pods" (iso, arthro, cope) which will feed any filter feeders, as well as the small fish that you'll be limited to.  
>>You haven't mentioned having yet purchased any books, there are two I will strongly suggest you get, Bob Fenner's "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist", and Martin Moe, Jr.'s "Marine Aquarium Handbook" to start.  The latter has much information on the utility and construction of many devices used in marine aquaria, and I wouldn't have been able to build my filters or light hoods without this book.  Also, besides our site, there is another site which sports a "nano-guru", by the nick of brandon429--this guy takes nano to the extreme!  He can be found at http://www.reefs.org in the forums.
>Also I live in Surrey, South of England.  In advance thanks for your time and pity.  Steve    
>>You deserve no pity, silly man!  j/k Keep reading this site, hopefully you'll be able to find these books across the pond, stop drinking those shandies, and be sure to look up the nano-guru!  Good luck!  Marina

Neo Nano Nut?
I've had a 10G FW tank since I was 3 (now 17) my last fresh water fish recently died, and I decided to upgrade my 10 gallon tank to an 18 gallon. The 18G has been sitting in my room for the past week, with filter, heater and water but no fish because I can't decide what I want in it.
<Easily solved, of course!>
I then came about your site and thought about doing something completely different; going saltwater; however, reading through the saltwater portion of your site I didn't come across anything saying there was a minimum tank size for saltwater tanks.
Is there?
<Well, there is no minimum saltwater tank size, per se. However, IMO, there is a minimum tank size that a hobbyist should attempt to keep saltwater fish in...Sizes much under 20 gallons are just too tough to maintain stable environmental conditions (particularly temperature and specific gravity...Also, we as a group tend to overstock our systems...disaster in small water volumes (and potential disaster in large volumes, too!). You have to be absolutely diligent with maintenance procedures...lapses in husbandry can be disastrous, too!>
Reading through the FAQs, I saw that many people have
100G+ size tanks and it made my 18 G feel like a dwarf; would this 18 G tank be large enough for a SW tank?
<It would if properly stocked, equipped, and maintained! You really have to draw the line at a certain stocking density...>
In addition, I have an AquaClear mini water filter (the mini series are ok for tanks up to 20G), is this water filter suitable for SW tanks as well?
<Well, it really depends on the creatures you intend to keep. Frankly, I think you'd be better off with a filter that cranks 10 times the tank's water volume per hour, at the least...You really want to move and filter the water at a "good clip", as they say>
Thanks from Nicole
<Well, Nicole, you can certainly keep a nano reef, but you need to be disciplined. I'll bet that you can do it! A good site for nano-nuts is nano-reef.com . Check it out. Regards, Scott F>

He's Nuts About Nanos!
Scott,
<Hi there once again!>
Thanks again for the help and thanks for the web site for Nano nuts....
<It's a pretty cool site- some good "nano nuts" there!>
One last question.
<Sure>
Would you raise the live rock off the sand using PVC pipes or just put them directly on top of the sand?
<Good question...I like to put the rocks in and then add the sand...It will provide stability...You could also use the PVC trick...it helps when you want to clean around the rocks...Have fun with this project..! Regards, Scott F>

Nuts About Nanos (Cont'd.)
Scott,
<Hello again!>
I am ready to start buying live rocks, etc for this adventure.  Local fish store has uncured Tonga rocks (I heard these are less dense than Fiji which is a good thing).
<Yep- and they are darned attractive, too!>
I have a question about cleaning/preparing live rock. Would you cure it directly in the Eclipse since it is brand new set up with no fish in it?
<I think that it is possible... However, I prefer a separate container where you can control water quality better through massive water changes and a protein skimmer...>
BRISTLE WORMS:
I know I want to get rid of mantis shrimp for sure, but I read conflicting info. on bristle worms.  Are they good or bad?  Since I will go with DSB, more sand sifting creatures would be good.  I heard bristle worms help with sand stirring and eat detritus (good for Fish ONLY), but will cause harm to reef corals (Bad of Reef).  I am OK now because mine will be FOWLR but if things go well, I will turn it into Reef so I want to know what bristle worm do in Fish Only vs. Reef if I encounter some during live rock preparation.
<Frankly, I have not had any problems at all with bristle worms in either reef or FOWLR tanks. In my opinion, they are essentially harmless, for the most part, and perform a function in the aquarium that is analogous to an earthworm...helping to aerate the sand bed, consuming detritus, etc. If they are kept in check, I don't see them becoming a problem>
Oh, one more thing.  When they say you need 1 - 1.75 lb of live rock per gallon, do they mean the tank size or actual water amount in the tank?  Obviously, after adding sand, my Eclipse 12 will hold a lot less than 12 gallon of water....
<Right...It can be interpreted either way, but I tend to favor "x" pounds per actual gallons of water volume in the tank>
Thanks, Kevin
<My pleasure, Kevin! Good luck! Regards, Scott F>

Nano No-No's?
Scott,
<Hi there!>
That was quick!  :)  Thank you very much for the quick reply.  I have some questions for clarification...
<Sure- ask away, my friend>
It seems you place more importance on DSB than live rock in this setup.  Does DSB serve dual functions (nitrification on upper layer and denitrification on lower layer)?  If that is true, then is 3" sand
(instead of 4" for water volume issue) and 5 lb of live rock good combination (again water volume issue)?
<That's my take on it...In fact, make it over 3 inches for best results...>
I read 1 - 1.25 lb live rock per gallon of water as rule of thumb.  But if DSB can help in nitrification
too, above combination maybe best considering the water volume issue or do I still need at least 7lb of
live rock (after DSB, it would definitely hold less than 12 gal of water) in addition to 3" DSB?  Or
would still you go for 4" sand and 5lb or 7lb live rock?
<I'd go for 4 inches of sand, and whatever amount of rock you choose...remembering, of course, the displacement that these materials will cause>
Grain size: I saw CaribSea aragonite.  The bag said 1-2 mm grain size but it definitely looked more coarse than that and was not uniform size.  Grain size similar to sugar powder is the best size for DSB?
<I like the so-called "sugar fine" grade, which is from 0.2 mm-1.0 mm>
Critters:  You mentioned just a couple of snails.  You would not trust hermit crabs in the small set up (may try to eat shrimp or bother clowns)?  I think snails and shrimp will help with detritus (and some sand sifting with Nassarius or Bumble bee snails)
<I'd go for the Nassarius and maybe some Trochus or Strombus - Bumble Bees are cool to look at, but they don't do much for your system, IMO>
and was considering hermit crab for sand sifting, but if they will likely bother other creatures like Banded Coral Shrimp, I will forget about them.  I remember reading red legged ones are nicer than blue one or the opposite.
<Well, I love those little crabs, but they sometimes snack on the snails! Counterproductive in a small tank, if you ask me!>
Should I stir sand manually once a week?  Both upper and lower layers?
<If you are running 3 inches or less, you may want to stir the top layer once in a while. Personally, in a 4 inch bed, I just let it be>
Dumb question: The water inlet strainer for Eclipse pump.  I currently have it come as close to the bottom as possible.  I should do the same with DSB (as close
as possible to surface of sand) for better water circulation and allow it to suck in detritus?
<Actually, I'd probably trim the intake to get it just a bit farther off of the sand. In a tank this small, manual extraction (i.e. siphoning during H20 changes) of detritus is still the best way...>
Thanks, Kevin
<My pleasure, Kevin...Good luck with your efforts. You might want to check out this site dedicated to nano-nuts: http://www.nano-reefs.com/    Regards, Scott F.>

Nano- NO-NO!!
I sent this e-mail before but for some reason I did not get a reply.  You probably get hundreds of e-mail and maybe that is why.  Here is my second try.   
<Let's get it right, then! Scott F. here for you tonight!>
First of all, great web site!!!
<Thrilled that you like it- we have some great folks here!>
I am considering converting my existing Eclipse 12 (used as fresh water) as a marine fish only tank for my toddler son's bedroom. Fresh water set up was going great until we added the fish from bad fish store that had disease which wiped out most of the fish.  If we are to put in the effort to re-establish the tank, we thought we would go marine to get more colorful fish I had marine tank about 10 years ago (before marriage and kid) and it seems so much has changed since then especially the use of DSB (deep sand bed).  
<Yep- so much HAS changed- even in the last 3 years! LOL>
My main goal is to do everything I can in initial set-up to improve odds for the fish's survival because I do not want to see fish suffer and, more importantly, see my son crying when fish starts dying every week.
<Yep- that's a definite consideration!>
I spent many hours on WWM but did not quite find what I needed or found some conflicting info.
<No. Really? Here? About fishkeeping? Seriously? LOL>
I plan to put 2 small true Percula clowns (tank bred) and add anything that will help them (cleaner shrimp, snails, hermit crabs, and goby) or more importantly not add anything that will hurt them.  My biggest question is on substrate as you will see below.
Q1: Live Rock
Is it better to have live rock or just use bio wheel on eclipse 12 for biological filter?
<Well, I'd go for about a small amount of live rock, and a 3-4 inch sandbed if you could swing it. Problem is, in such a small tank, DSBs can really eat up water volume. And, water volume is paramount in a small system- instability is the biggest gripe that I have about small saltwater systems...Such as small volume of water- you must be absolutely vigilant about maintaining excellent water quality>
If so, how much live rock for Eclipse 12?
<Again- as little as you can get away with, IMO>
I read a posting in WWM too much live rock displaces too much volume in small system leaving only little water which makes the system less stable.  Too little live rock and you do not get enough filtration.
<Yep- as above!>
If live rock, then would you recommend removing bio wheel?  I read in WWM that bio wheel is very effective in nitrification so maybe live rock is not needed.
<Well, I'd dump it.>
But because it is so effective, it generates too much nitrate.
<True, in many cases>
Q2: Substrate
Is DSB (deep sand bed) the best option for Eclipse 12 Fish Only? If so how much? (I know 3" is min.  Is 4" better?)
<# inches plus>
OR since this will be fish only with probably live rock, would you recommend 1" or less instead?  
<1/2 inch or less, or 3 inches plus>
I would think live rock would (in correct quantity) would take care of nitrification, so DSB would be good for denitrification.  But I read for fish only with live rock, DSB is actually bad.  With 2 clowns on Eclipse 12, it is too much load and DSB (3"+) will create problem?
<I don't think so, myself...>
With either DSB or SSB (shallow sand bed), is Eclipse 12 pump (rated 150gph) enough flow for fish only or do
I need to add a powerhead?
<I'd like more flow...But then, there is the heat issue...>
Do I need to seed it with live sand if I use Home Depot sand (south down brand) do organisms from live rock move to live sand to populate it? (I will buy some live sand if live rock to live sand transfer will take too long or live rock does not had diverse organism the live sand has). How many pounds of live sand do I need to seed?
<Surprisingly little- a half a pound for such a small system should work>
I have seen fine pink sand (dry sand, not pre-packaged fake live sand) at local fish shop and also FreshAquaria.com Is this a same good material to use as South Down sand?
<As long as it is fine, silicate free, and of uniform grain size, it should be okay, IMO>
Background info. for substrate question:
I kept Eclipse 12 bare bottom (no substrate) for freshwater water (taking advantage of BioWheel) because substrate tends to trap uneaten foot, waste and caused problem . I planned to go bare bottom for marine but after reading WWM, it appears I need substrate for marine tank at least for buffering.
<Yep>
I do not like the idea of larger grain (crushed coral) because it may trap uneaten food, fish waste.  I think fine grain of sand would prevent this problem.
<Well, it can still accumulate some detritus, but a lot less than the coarse stuff>
Q3. Would you add sand and live rock at the same time in the initial stage or sand first, wait a week, then live rock or the other way around?
<I'd put it all in at the same time>
Q4:  Would you recommend adding an air stone to Eclipse 12?  I read some FAQ in WWM recommending it and other FAQ in WWM recommending against it because of salt creep.  Is air stone more likely cause problem than help it?  Eclipse 12 pump outlet does not drop water like waterfall but instead push water into it, so surface disturbance is little (kind of like submerged powerhead) so I wonder if I need more aeration from air stone.
<I agree- and another plus would be a protein skimmer- something that is tough to install on this small, self-contained tank. Perhaps another one of my "anti-nano" tank gripes...A protein skimmer is of tremendous help in maintaining a healthy environment...Not something I would skip. There are hobbyists who have attached skimmers to nanos- I'd post on the WWM Forum to see what fellow hobbyists have done>
Q5: Sand sifting fish/invert.
Do I need them for both DSB and shallow sand bed? After reading WWM, I found not all snails, crabs, stars are appropriate for this (some are lazy, some eat fish, some eat beneficial organism in the sand, etc).  How many of each specific species do you recommend for Eclipse 12 that would not try to eat each other or eat all good things in sand?  Variety of this critters would be good since fish variety is limited. (Nassarius snails," nice" hermit crabs (blue or red legged?), "nice" goby.  It is probably too small for any kind of starfish not to starve)  Ideally I hope to choose creatures that will eat detritus since some overfeeding will happened from time to time although I
will be very careful.
<I'd avoid a goby, and opt for a snail or two>
Adding a goby or 2(neon goby) would be too much bioload for Eclipse 12 on top of 2 clowns?
<I think that it would, to be honest>
Q6. Red skunk shrimp, Peppermint Shrimp, Red Blood Shrimp.  Which one would do well in this set up?
<I like the Blood Shrimp, myself>
(I think I trust Coral Banded Shrimp less in such a small size)
<No, you couldn't!>
Q7: Stocking plan.
Is it better to add fish first or critters first (territorial behavior concern on nano size) My local fish store suggested after running with live rock for a week, add critters (shrimp, snail, hermit crab) first to finish cycling, but aren't these creature equally affected by cycling effect?
<Yes they are...I'd go rock/sand- wait 'till the tank cycles, then add the fish and inverts gradually>
Q8: According to the label, marine fish medication harms/kills invert.  When invert. is used in this context, does it include shrimp, crab, snails or just corals?  I bought a 10 gallon tank as hospital after the recent incident, but even if I move a sick fish to hospital tank, I would think you need to treat main tank a little bit as a preventive measure and want to know if shrimp. crab, snails, live rock/sand would be affected by medicine.  I read that most medication is not too harmful for fresh water tank except Methylene Blue and Erythromycin and wonder it is the same with salt water.
<I would not use any medication anywhere except a dedicated "hospital" tank. Yes- crabs and snails are adversely affected by these meds>
Q9: When I set up bigger main tank in future and want to get yellow or hippo tang (ick magnet), 10 gal would be too small for these guys as a quarantine/hospital tank?
<Well- if it's a little guy (4 inches or less), it can work as a QT>
Is 10 gal to small to use as a sump for 55 - 75 gal main tank?  How about refugium (refugium benefits only if you have reef, not fish?)
<Better size for a refugium, IMO>
Q10:  Maybe the most important question.  Should I not attempt using Eclipse 12 for marine (even for fish only) because it is too small and very likely kill the fish?  Or as long as I get right kind/number of fish/critters it is OK? I see more and more people running small marine tank (even eclipse 6) which I could not even imagine 10 years ago.  A local fish store has 5-6 Eclipse 6 and Eclipse 12 running in their store.
<Well- you asked for my opinion. I hate to discourage people or dampen their enthusiasm, but I really hate small tanks for marine fish. Environmental stability is absolutely critical with marine fishes, and stability is soo difficult to achieve in such as mall water volume. It's so much easier (and better) to work with a 40-50 gallon tank at a minimum: Its greater water volume eliminates many of the possible environmental fluctuations encountered in a dinky little tank, and is much more forgiving if you mess something up (we NEVER do that, right?). In the end, even though the initial investment may be more in a larger tank, you'll be ahead in the long run, and your fish will be much happier for it>
Sorry my e-mail is long but I want to be really well prepared/informed considering the small size of setup and recent episode with the fresh water tank.
Thanks in advance, Kevin
<My pleasure, Kevin...Take my advise with a grain of salt- but do think about the shortcomings of a small marine system...Good luck! Regards, Scott F>

Nano...
Hello, hello! Your Web page is invaluable. I can't thank you enough.
<We're glad that you enjoy it! We take great pride in bringing it to you! Scott F. at the keyboard today!>
I'll make this short and sweet...well, maybe not that short but hopefully sweet :o) ...  1. 30gal with an Emperor filter. Do I need a pump or a powerhead for water flow and how many gph do you think I should be looking for?
<If I were doing this, I'd shoot for a flow of around 200gph...Move that water! You can always "turn down the flow if needed">
Going nano with easy corals in the next few weeks. 2. Dumb question related to powerheads, if I need one. All the powerhead info I see says it works with an undergravel filter but I don't have one and assume others don't either. Will I need a hang on system or will I be able to get one of the submersible units?
<You could get a submersible model like the MaxiJet series, or you could be a total, raving SPS lunatic like one of my friends, who dropped an external Gemini pump on his 40 gallon SPS system, and pushes 960 GPH! (to put it in perspective, I use two of these on my 150gal reef for supplemental circulation! This guy's hardcore!> It's all about the needs of your animals.>
3. Cleanup crew - I'm thinking snails and hermit crabs but I'm not sure how many to add. I'd like to have some sort of combination of Nassarius, Astraea, Golden Turbo, Nerites, Bumblebee for the "pretty" factor. I've heard they're freeloaders. I know that may be too many so I'd love suggestions.
<I'd go for about 10-15 total grazers...>
As for hermit crabs, scarlet okay or are they going to bully the snails? 1 or 2 okay for the system? I'm more interested in getting the algae cleaned up.
<I'd use the "Micro Hermits" that you can get from Indo Pacific Sea Farms. They are really safe, and seem to do a nice job on various microalgae. Not 100% certain of the species, but I have found them to be largely coral safe..>
Tank is established and has plenty of food but don't want to throw too many in. I should quarantine for at least a month right?
<Yep- right on! All new fishes should be quarantined...Ideally, you'd quarantine inverts, too>
3.Do you guys accept Paypal for donations? Would love to help out any way I can.
<Very thoughtful of you! Actually, you can purchase cool "WetWebGear" from a link on the site, or, you can pledge  some proceeds from your Amazon.com purchases to WWM...These both help support the WWM mission!>
That's it for me. Have a wonderful weekend! -Ash
<And same to you, Ash. Good luck with your nano! Regards, Scott F>

Nano No-No's?
Add me to the list of 'Conscientious Marine Aquarist' lovers. Here's my question/s: I just bought a twelve gallon mini-reef setup (JBJs new nanocube unit). I'm intending to keep the bioload extremely light, thinking maybe a cleaner shrimp, and one small fish. . . with mostly macroalgae cuttings from my main system instead of corals.
<That's about it!>
(1) How does 'black sand' compare with oolitic aragonite for some minimal nitrate reduction in this kind of setup?
<If it is volcanic in origin, it can cause massive algae problems... Carib Sea makes a black sand product called "Tahitian Moon", which is black, and is an aragonite product...>
I'll be depending mostly on water changes. . . no room for a skimmer. . .
<And little margin for error! Be vigilant with maintenance!>
(2) The lighting system included is a 24 watt power compact. No macroalgae will be more than 12" from the bulb, once some live rock and a bed are accounted for. A black bed is going to minimize reflected light. . . is this going to diminish the light for 'things that need it' significantly?
<Good question, but I don't think it's a problem, if most of the animals are up on the rocks>
(3) Will a small emerald crab, if added in addition to the aforementioned, likely attack any Ulva/lettuce, Gracilaria, and/or other macroalgae rather than hair algae? (I've never been able to avoid hair algae completely, and doubt this system will be an exception).
<It's a possibility...They are not that selective in their eating habits! It's a calculated risk...>
Thanks in advance for any help on this.  Chuck
<My pleasure, Chuck! Proceed with caution! Good luck! Regards, Scott F>

O! What Do Ya Do With a Ten Gallon? (sung to the tune of "What will we do with a drunken sailor?)
>Good afternoon,
>>Nay, my friend, tis good morning by now..
>I have a 10 gallon freshwater tank in my office and would like to convert it to saltwater. I have a saltwater at home and going from that to my freshwater here at work is depressing!
>>I say, "Go planted!" but it's not my tank.  ;)
>My plan is this; putting a 3" - 4" DSB directly in the tank, only putting about 2-3 small pieces of live rock to give fish a hiding place, possibly putting a few "manufactured" corals for looks, using a power-head for circulation and probably an internal filter for mechanical/chemical debris removal.
>>Internal, or hang-on-tank?
>I would like to put a cleaner shrimp, a few crabs / snails, possibly a sand sifter star fish, and about 4 Green Chromis.
>>Too many fish for that size tank, my friend!  Consider going with MUCH smaller animals if you want that number - clown or neon gobies, Basslets should stay small for some time, and don't require the same swimming space the Chromis will.  You could put in something like a couple of neon or clown gobies, a Centropyge argi (smallest and toughest.. and tends to be most pugnacious, of the dwarf angels), and maybe a Royal Gramma or a sixline wrasse.  You'd get variety, one fish that likes to be swimming about, and color.  Also, I'd go with at 10lbs of the best quality live rock you can find.
>Anyway, I was wandering what kind (if any) protein skimmer would be best to use. It has to be an in-tank skimmer due to space restraints outside the tank. I know these skimmers suck for larger tanks - 30 gallons and up, but would a Lee's CC skimmer work well enough for this tank?
>>Unfortunately, I'm not terribly familiar with the Lee's product, but the thing is this - if the skimmer is able to produce thick, dark, NASTY skimmate, then it should work.  If not, don't even bother.
>There is the mini-flotor from Aqua Medic, but I didn't think that would be much better than the Lee's CC.  Is there really even a need for a skimmer in this small of a tank?
>>Two schools of thought here; if you go with a bit more live rock and section the tank for "refugium" use (in other words, set aside a third of the tank to grow macroalgae - and light for such), then no, water changes along with harvesting the macro would handle it.  You'd need to do at LEAST weekly w/c's, if not more, and they'd have to be on the order of 50% to be safe.  Remember, if you go with less active fish that remain smaller, you'll not be flexing your "bioload muscles".  Otherwise, with such a small system, a skimmer will afford you much needed leeway.  It's at this point that I will again attempt to dissuade you from going with the Chromis, or at least that many.
>Thanks!  Aaron
>>You're welcome.  Marina

O! What Do Ya Do With a Ten Gallon? Redux
>Thank you very much for your insight!
>>You're welcome.
>I do appreciate it and take it to heart!
>>Heh.. well, it's an idea, eh?
>Thanks for the recommendations about the livestock! I had no previous experience with a Green Chromis so I didn't know how big they might get!
>>Not just size, but swimming space for most natural/comfortable behavior.
>I want to make sure I am understanding you correctly. Does this sound like a better fish lineup:
1 - Pygmy Cherub Angel
1 - Royal Gramma
1 - Six Line Wrasse
1 - Clown Goby
>>Yep, clown, or neon (which will perform cleaning duties as well).
>Can you tell me which fish out of the above would be my best choice to cycling the tank?
>>Cycle fishless, mate.  Put a bit of raw shrimp (or similar) knotted in a piece of nylon hosiery, hang or drop it in the tank and let it rot.  This will cause an ammonia spike, and once that happens, you are ON YOUR WAY!  Pretty neat, huh?  No more killin' fish for cycle.
>The Clown Goby is certainly the cheapest, but I NEVER have had any luck keeping Gobies, even in my 30 gallon at home. I have had a Dragon Goby which I really liked, but he just wouldn't eat much, and when he did, it went in and right out of his gills!
>>Neons and clowns are easy-peasy lemon squeezy, my friend.  Just no large chunks of food.
>Is there some form of extremely small/to liquid supplements to feed them?
>>No need, just be sure you offer variety, and that it's broken up into sufficiently small bits (about the size of adult brine shrimp should do just fine - but don't feed brine very often, the Pringles of the deep).
>Ok, I think we have the fish situation down..... I will also look into where I can get the best quality live rock as well!
>>Sounds like a plan!
>Since this is a smaller tank, I don't think I will try to set up a third of it for a refugium. I know refugiums are great tools, but what happens if one isn't feasible in a tank?
>>Then you make up the difference with other filtration (outrageous skimming, yeah?) and water changes.  It really CAN be done, and is most easy if you can get a hold of something like Real Ocean (pre-filtered seawater), as you have none of the usual worries when mixing sea salts.
>Are you just out, or is there some type of supplement to a refugium? (i.e. liquid supplements)
>>A 'fuge supplement?  I'm not sure what you mean, but essentially, if you want the bennies of a 'fuge, but can't dedicate a portion of the tank as a 'fuge, and can't set up something remotely, then yeah, you're "out", as in S.O.L. - gotta go with the w/c's and all that.
>I will try out the Lee's or Aqua Medic protein skimmer to see if one of them will work. You never know until you try huh?! I have a few wooden air stones and a mammoth air pump, so I don't think that will be a problem!
>>Well, some are known to be better than others, for instance, I can recommend with some degree of certainty Aqua C's units, or CPR units (appropriately sized, of course).  Then again, you might get froggy on us and join MACO and take a class on building your own skimmer.  ;)
>Thanks again for your help! Merry Christmas, Aaron
>>You're quite welcome, my friend, and good tidings and cheer to you as well.  Marina (who wants to know where her "Christmas Chromis" poem went!)

Small Tank Setup (12-13-03)
What kind of protein skimmer would you recommend for a 5 gal tank?  How do you think of my set up right now.  I got a 5 gal tank, 25 watt heater, a ten gallon wet/dry filter, power head and 3 lb of live rock it been cycle for 3 weeks and all test are good.  all I'm planning is to put 1 clownfish.  what  else would I need to complete my setup?<I would go buy a larger tank as I think this would be much too frustrating.  I would not put any fish in there it is just too small.  It could be a nice setup for a mantis shrimp display or something though.  If you do have your heart set on this I like the aqua c remora skimmers.  Other than that your setup looks complete but I think it would just be too tuff to keep stable.>
I also got a 30 gal tank, 300 watt heater, 330 penguin filter with bio wheels, power head, and a 2 inch of crush shell.  what else would you recommend to complete my setup?<That's a little better size!  I would get a good skimmer such as the remora I mentioned above, some live rock and a good book or two.  Some good books are: The Conscientious Marine Aquarist by Bob Fenner and The New Marine Aquarium by Michael Paletta.>
and what do your think about BIO SPIRA? <Never heard of it, you try posting on www.reefcentral.com to see what others think.  Cody>
Thank you for all your reply , it have been so informative

Small marine set-ups
>Dear Bob,
>>Not Bob today, Marina instead.
>You have a very useful site.  Very nice.  I'm setting up a 5 gallon tank and it have been cycle for 3 week with sand at the base.  All my test was good so I put a 3lb life rock in it.
>>Ok.  You should know that live rock will provide the nitrifying bacteria you're trying to culture when you "cycle" the system.  However, I'm curious as to how you cycled your tank with only sand in it.
>I got a ten gallon Whisper wet dry filter and was wonder what else I need.  
>>A decent skimmer, unless you're prepared to do frequent water changes, and/or a small refugium.
>Do I really need a protein skimmer, power head?  
>>In general, the skimmer will make life much easier.  The power head would only provide for additional water movement, so, unless the pump that came with your wet/dry filter doesn't provide sufficient surface agitation (generally not a problem with wet/dry filters), you don't really need one.
>I'm only putting one and only one clown fish in it.
>>Still, you do plan on feeding the animal, yes?  If so, we must plan on it being fed properly, and as such we must plan on it growing.  If you must go without a skimmer, then plan on water changes about every three to four days, around 25%.
>I'm also setting up a 30 gal. tank and I have a 330 Penguin wet dry filter, a 214 power head and the base is filled with crush shell.  I'm going to get about 30lb of live rock and also a protein skimmer. Wut (what) else would you recommend.  Thank you for having your site for every marine lover to access.  
>>Nothing, really.  It depends on what you wish to keep.  We are big proponents of refugium technology, especially with anything resembling reef, or that has many invertebrates or animals that feed on microfauna.  I would recommend, with BOTH setups, that you research deep sand bed methods, as you'll need a good means of reducing nitrate in both.  Utilization of deep sand bed with refugium means you'll address BOTH nutrient export and denitrification.  Marina

New small marine system & some questions I've not found answers on your site
'Lo there Wet Webbers,
<Pronto! Ryan Bowen with you today>
first I'd like to thank you for all the help you made to us all newbies with your amazing site. <Certainly my friend>
I must admit I've read nearly all your FAQs and articles (not your books as they are not available here in Italy - A SHAME - , I'm trying to order them somewhere) but I still have some things I'd like to be enlightened in before hurting some life forms (whatever they are they are LIVING). <Which books are you having trouble locating?  There is always a way...>
I'm new to aquariums and I've set up a marine (reef) small system since 15/11/2003 <For all you Americans like me, that means November 15>,  tank seems to have cycled, but lemme write the details :
29 Gallons glass tank 17-18" deep (not sure in inches but its 40-45 cm water height)
Internal biological filter with just carbon and sponges (I'll throw those away and maybe add resins). <Keep them on hand for a quarantine system>
9 Kg live sand 0,5-2 mm sized (less than 1" high) <Great>
20 Kg of beautiful live rocks from Indonesia and Fiji <Awesome>
2 power heads : 1 is 400 l/h in the filter the other is 250 l/h (I'm thinking of buying another 500-600 l/h and alternates this one and the 250 to create variations in water movements, what do you think ?) <The more random the water flow, the better>
Probably I'll add a small skimmer when the biological load will grow (or should I add it now? ) <Sooner the better.  But, it's better to get a nice skimmer in a few months than a crappy one now...>
1st important question : LIGHTING !!
the tank is closed and it has the usual 2 NO fluorescents 15 w (1 is an actinic 03 blue the other is a 18000 °K) and now (after I read a lots of things during tank cycle) I found out its too low light and I can only add 2 more 15w NO lights. <That will surely limit the amount of photosynthetic life that you may keep>
Let me say that I love blue and I was thinking of another actinic and a 10000, but as far as I can understand from your other FAQs the best may be : 1 10000°K and 1 6000-6500°K, which combo should I add ? <03/10,000k would work well for your preference>
To answer your next logical question is : I'd like to grow some mushroom corals , some zoos/paly and maybe some hardy soft corals. :)
Common water parameters after 6 weeks ( I test water twice per week ) <If only we were all so good on the other side of the pond  ;)   >
PH = 8,0-8,2
KH = 9-12
Ca = 400
Nitrites, ammonia and phosphates = 0 (after the initial spike of course)
Nitrates = 0-5 normally (again after the initial spike)
<Everything seems ideal>
The hardware part is ended.
Now the software err... livestock part of the fun. <That's really why we're all here!>
Lets say that on the rocks I had found : 2-3 blue/purple Actinodiscus non identified, 1 Discosoma completely bleached (its white and semi transparent with some fluorescence under actinic lights, probably bleached this summer at LFS cuz of high temperatures - we really went high this summer) that its not recovering neither growing (its now recovering and growing cuz of too few light ?), 2 zoos colonies and 1 Palythoa that are regaining colours after I moved them to the upper part of the tank (again too few light I suppose...) but are not growing.  <Provide great water conditions, and watch them regenerate!>
I've a good Halimeda grow and since few days a good coralline algae grow (pink-red-purple on the rocks), but I've even some red algae that is not growing (I've bought a rock for it and I'd like to make it grow). <Red Algae can be picky...perhaps you can provide a more detailed description of the algae, and I in turn can provide you with care instructions?>
I've noticed a hair algae growing too but I think it'll solve with the new powerhead I'm going to purchase (read above for details). <Hair algae needs nutrients to grow, not just lack of water movement.  Clean up crew will also help with this.>
The critters I have till now are : usual amphipods/copepods, bristle worms , many little feather worms of deferens species (some have yet grown a bit) and some little white brittle stars. <Nice little mix>
2 unidentified crabs and 1 green unknown nudibranch that I'll try to catch ASAP. (searched all over the net and I still haven't found anything similar) <When in doubt, leave it out>
2 hermit crabs since only 1 week (1 Calcinus elegans and 1 Calcinus tibicen) that are doing nicely.
The questions mainly refers to the FUTURE livestock :
Inverts :
Starting in February I'll begin to add some more zoos/paly, mushrooms and soft corals in small colonies/frags with enough space to live and grow (probably I'll make a bigger tank in 2-3 years if this one will not fail) at the rate of 1/months till I think its enough. <Nice>
1 more hermit (a scarlet one if I find it) - January
2 Turbos - Jan1
Sabellastarte indica - Jan
1 Sabellastarte not identified - Feb
2 Lysmata amboinensis - Jan/Feb
nothing more I'd like to have aside a Stenopus hispidus but I read its not good to have both Lysmata and Stenopus in small systems, right or wrong ?? (system has lot of little caves) <Skip it.  Stenopus Hispidus is a mean one.  I have caught mine with more than just a Lysmata Amboinensis in his mouth, and he lives in a 75 gallon reef.  A better choice would be a pair of Lysmata Amboinensis.  They may even breed for you.>
2 Amphiprion Ocellaris ( mated pair ) - 1 Jan/Feb the other after a good 3-4 weeks
1 Gramma loreto - June +
maybe 1-2 little more fish but don't know now and of course it'll depend on their adult size.
Do you think it's a fair livestocking rate ? Is it overcrowded ? <I think that it's too much.  Skip the Gramma Loreto, and you're good.  29 gallons is a pretty small box of water, and you want your livestock to be as comfortable as possible.>  
Another question bout livestock and more specifically on Zebrasoma flavescens.
My LFS said I can host one of them as first fish and when I said it'll overgrow the tank he said that the Red Sea specimen are far smaller than usual Caribbean ones , is it true or is it a Mighty Bullsh*t? <No matter where they're collected from, they'll never fit in a 29.  His advice is killing fish.>
Hmm questions seems to be finished , at least no more are popping in my head ... so ... another big thank you for your services !!! <Anytime!>
And sorry for my probably BAD English but I'm a silly Italian.... <My Italian is much much worse!  Ciao, and keep us posted on your new project!  Ryan>
CIAO !!
Andrea (I know there it's a female name but here is a male name as I am) <Bocelli? ;)>

The (Little) Blue Lagoon
Hey guys.
<Scott F. your guy tonight!>
I just wanted to get your honest opinion(s) about
a 30 gallon I am going to set. You have actually corresponded on this set up before. Standard 30 gallon with a 5 inch sugar-fine sand bed. Probably a few various large pieces of live rock but try to keep it open for a more lagoon style biotope aquarium with sea grasses (common Zostera marina, Thalassia testudineus, or  Syringodium filiforme, maybe a little Halimeda discoidea????)
<The seagrasses definitely need at least 5 inches of substrate to root in. You might even want to try using one of the newer "sediment" substrates mixed in the sugar fine aragonite>
Seahorses (maybe.....from OceanRider),
<THE Place to purchase seahorses, IMO!>
LPS (lagoonal like Heliofungia actiniformis, Fungia danai,  Trachyphyllia geoffroyi ), Maybe damsels instead of seahorses???? (Pomacentrus caeruleus, Dascyllus trimaculatus, Chrysiptera parasema, Chromis dimidiata,) if any at all and if you can think of any other lagoonal style fish off the top of your head that would work in a peaceful manner with a seahorse or two or scrap the seahorse idea and go the route of damsels.
<I was thinking that some Cardinalfish, such as Sphaeramia nematoptera (Pajama Cardinal), would be cool, if you want to use the sea horses. Or, perhaps some Pipefishes? Remember, this is a small system, and will be made smaller with a lot of coral and seagrass growth, so it may be better to try smaller, less active (and lower metabolite-producing) fishes, such as the Pipefishes, cardinals, and sea horses.>
Of course I know that most damsels will not only NOT go in a 30 gallon and get along together but especially with a seahorse or other peaceful inhabitants unless the tank is more in the order
of a 500 to 1000 gallon type.
<Larger, yes>
I will be looking through various books tonight for biotopic types of setup information.
<This sounds like it will be a great tank! Please send me some pics when you get it up and running!>
My question is with the type of tank I am describing, would
you add any other filtration other than a refugium? Is a sump or wet-dry necessary with 2-3 fish?
<Well, I'd go for a sump with an attached refugium, if it were me. And don't forget a protein skimmer!>
And what type of lighting would you use for this type and size of set-up? 150 halide with two PC or Actinics, or VHO, or maybe even PC? 3:1 ratio of daylight vs. actinic?
<You hit it right on the head! I like the halide/PC combo. But 3:1 PC or VHO could do the trick, too. The seagrasses do need lots of light>
Any other general recommendations? Is a CPR BakPak enough
with a 5' DSB and 25-30 lbs of large live rock enough?
<That skimmer should do fine, IMO!>
Again, I will either not put a seahorse in the tank and
choose one or two types of damsels or I will not use damsels and try a more peaceful solution. Any recommendations from you would be greatly appreciated. Just want to make sure I am not dooming a single animal from the start.
<I love your responsible approach! I'd really dump the damsel idea and lean towards the cardinal/seahorse/pipefish idea>
Do you know anyone who farms out Scleractinians like the ones described above????
<Lots and lots of hobbyists and e-tailers are doing it now! Do a search on the WetWebMedia forum or Reef Central to see who has some propagated corals available for sale or trade.>
Tanks Doods! Already have bought the Invertebrates book, and
have Anthony's BoCP manual and waiting for more. Thanks guys! May the waves of the ocean deliver peace and tranquility over you, my friends. Pablo.
<And here's to hoping I can catch a few sweet tubes without some shoulder hopping kook dropping in on me, bro! LOL Good luck with this sweet little tank! Regards, Scott F>

Small Tank
OK I just found your site and I want to thank you for the vast knowledge you have shared. I have been a fresh water aquarist most of my life and have had many successful Cichlid (South American and African) tanks. a couple years ago I wanted to get into salt water. I failed miserably. about $1200 and a ruined 75 gallon acrylic tank later I gave up after about 8 months of trying. I moved into a smaller place, and went back to school. But missed my tanks. I was told by LFS that small reef tanks were very easy to maintain and that they were good starters. <Yes, just the opposite I am afraid> I have reservations after reading your FAQ's. My tank is as follows 4 months set up, 7 gal bow front tank, 3 1/2 inch live sand bed, at least 12 lbs of live rock, Penguin 400 (I know its a little big but it was left over from the 75 gal.) Hang on back protein skimmer (not sure of brand name) it alone holds about 1 1/2 to 2 gallons of water so that adds to total volume of water. I do water changes weekly if not twice a week. Spg is at 1.024, Nitrite 0, Ammonia 0, nitrate is very low, I check weekly as well. <All very good> livestock includes, 2 small (1 1/2 inch) ocellaris clowns, 1 mandarin dragonet <uh, oh>, 2 small peppermint shrimp,  3 reef hermit crabs, 3 snails, and probably 40-50 small feather dusters that came with live rock, 1 small nudibranch of some sort that just appeared in a friends tank, he did not want it so I took it, a small feather starfish (that's what the LFS called it), and then one long tentacle anemone. I have not lost any fish or inverts since I set it up and most have been in the tank for at least 6 weeks. So far I see no problems in behavior, all seems well. a lot of the things I have you seem to think will not do well in small tanks. <Over time, they won't> My lighting is a marine glow 15w 18000k light, in just a normal fixture. ok now here is my question, is it possible to keep things going as is. <Not for much longer I'm afraid> I want to also say that I have a quite large red macro algae <???> (again that's what LFS called it) that is maintaining well, also two of my rocks came with and have continued to grow a "sea grass" of some sort, most of it is green some is purple, but its definitely a plant and not coralline algae... the rest of my rocks are filled with crevices, and are bright green, pink, or purple. Are my nitrate levels, and ammonia levels non-existent due to the filtration (minimum of 400 GPH), and the amount of plant life that is seeming to thrive in it? <The frequent water changes help too> I don't have a problem with "problem algae" on glass, sand or rocks. Also there are still multitudes of amphipods in the tank cause every night I turn a flashlight on and see them scatter. I was worried at first about the Mandarin, but he actually I think has grown, and is one of the most active fish I have, he was also the first one I bought. Is this beginners luck? or do you see a potential problem? also is my lighting enough for some of the lower light requirement softer corals <Some mushrooms might be OK>? I think I may want to go that route and take out the anemone <I would strongly recommend you do> ... Oh also I got the anemone from a friends tank as well, he had had it for almost a year, sorry this was so long.<No need to apologize, all good questions and observations and your husbandry seems quite good. The two clowns will get aggressive (most likely until one dies) as they grow and need/want more territory. The Mandarin, I would recommend 6-8 square feet of bottom space and a tank that has been going at least a year to ensure enough critter population to support it.  It is destined for slow starvation where you have it. Cut back the population as per above, keep up with the good work you are doing now (frequent water changes, monitoring water parameters) and your nano tank will continue to do well, Don>
Aaron

Nano No-No's...
To the Crew,
<Scott F. for the Crew tonight>
I have recently downsized my 55 gallon reef tank to a 20 gallon just the other day and have a few questions about my new set up.
1. The 55 was set up with 4x55 PC's (6700k daylight and reg. Blue Actinics) and now my 20 is set up with Jalli 4x 55's and the daylights are 10000k. Today I noticed that my long tentacle was heading for the rear of the tank into the shade.  Is this temporary?  Is the lighting too much?
<It could certainly be a temporary behavior, maybe a response to the increased light intensity (or, should I say "proximity" to the lighting), or some other environmental condition, such as a different current pattern, etc. Keep an eye on the anemone to make sure that it does not begin to decline...>
2.  Currently in the tank is 20 lb of live rock, 20 lb of live sand various mushrooms, polyps, cleaner shrimp, snails, hermits etc. most of which is from the old tank.  Along with that I have a pair of true Perculas with the their host.  I am looking for one more fish.  This tank is an acrylic open top tank with the lights suspended above.  I am would like to know if there are any "ideal" fish for a tank of this size. Maybe a sand sifting goby or something.  What do you think would be a good choice?
<Well, I'd definitely limit your choice to a small goby or blenny. You might want to try a Stonogobiops species, like the Blackray Shrimp Goby (Stonogobiops nematodes), my personal favorite. They are small, active, and have an attractive color pattern. You may also want to try a Neon Goby or two. They are interesting and active as well. Whatever choices you make, be extremely careful not to overfeed, skip water changes, etc. The margin for error in a fish-dominated nano-reef is minimal.>
3. With 5.5 watts per gallon will I be able to successfully keep clams, Acropora and non- aggressive hard corals?  
<Hard to say...Light intensity will probably be okay, due to the close proximity of the light to the animals. However, you've got a Long Tentacle Anemone, some mushrooms, and other polyps. These are animals that would never be found together in nature, as they inhabit different locations and reef habitats. The release and buildup of allelopathic compounds from these different animals in such a small amount of water may prove to be detrimental to all of the corals. Acropora would not be a good choice here, IMO. That same caveat holds true for larger aquariums, too, by the way. I personally think it's better to keep nano reefs as monospecific displays, highlighting just an anemone, or a collection of mushroom corallimorphs.>
4.I would like some advice on some elements too use with this tank as I am leaving the mindset that Kent products are okay for my reef.
<I am not a big one on the addition of various trace element products and additives, with the possible exception of Kalkwasser and maybe, iodine in some instances. Really, with frequent (like twice weekly) small (5% of tank volume) water changes, you should get all of the "additives" and trace elements that you require.  Choose a good salt mix...That's what I'd spend my money on!>
Thanks in advance for your reply, keep up the good work!!! Jason C. (the other one)
<No problem! Good luck! Regards, Scott F (the only one, fortunately!) >

Starting 30 gallon marine tank
Howdy!
<Hi!>
I recently inherited a 30-gallon glass tank with stand that I would like to set up as my first marine tank (been in the freshwater hobby for about 2 years).  I know it's a bit small for a newbie, but I've been researching the topic for 6 months now, and feel confident based on the maintenance and testing routines I've gotten used to with my freshwater tanks.
<Yes, some easier with SW, some more vital. FW inhabitants tend to be more forgiving...>
Here's what I'm considering for filtration:
- 45 lbs. live rock (Fiji seems to come highly recommended).
- Live sand bed (roughly an inch, don't plan on any "burrowers").
- Good quality skimmer (perhaps you can recommend one, price not a major issue, just don't tell my wife).
- Small hang-on refugium (AquaFuge is the only type I've seen).
- Couple of powerheads (one at each end of the tank?) for water circulation.
<Any porous, light weight live rock is fine.  Do look into deep sand beds or perhaps none for your "refugium" (actually too small to be *really* effective, but still adds more H2O volume and fun to learn with). You may end up with more than two powerheads, depending on needs. I would start at 10X total volume turnover (300 gph) and go up from there. The skimmer I would recommend would be an Aqua-C Remora or Remora Pro.>
This is a change from my original plan (wet/dry), based mostly on what I've read on your site.  I originally thought a Berlin setup was for the pros, but the more I learn the more it seems like a reasonable (and more stable long-term) choice, even for newcomers.  Would you agree?  Or should I add in a small canister filter as a failsafe?
<With sand this is a modified Berlin system. Not important really. The main distinction is primarily the use of live rock for bio-filtration instead of wet-dry (which produce nitrates).  A true Berlin has no sand, but most everyone here recommends (I do highly) deep aragonite sand beds (over 3", preferably 5-6") as part of a more natural system, which tend to have low to zero nitrate.  I would highly recommend one or more good books on this subject (reefkeeping, not Berlin or Jaubert systems) to help you with these distinctions. Bobs book or something like Michael Paletta's book would be a good choice to start.  A canister would be very useful for carbon and phosphate removal media with minimum bi-weekly cleaning of all media and sponges to prevent nitrate production.>
For livestock, I was thinking of the following:
- Pair of cleaner or peppermint shrimp (any recommendation on which would be better?).
- One True Percula Clown
<Depends. Some LR may have Aiptasia anemones which peppermint shrimp may control. Cleaners are nice for keeping fish free of parasites, etc and can be quite friendly and hand fed. The cleaners tend to be more social. Pick one, they eat one another.
The clown is a nice choice, avoid anemones until you've had a year or more under your belt, they are not tolerant of many difficulties and can be quite toxic. Don't get along with powerheads (blenders) at all.  Shop around, there are some very pretty clownfish!>
In addition I'd like to add some hermit crabs and/or snails for
cleanup.  Any specific recommendations?  It seems like the "Clean-Up Crew" packages sold at most stores and online are WAY excessive in terms of the number of animals supplied.
<I would add a variety from your local fish store so you can pick. There are some great snails available, Trochus grazers, some like blue-legged hermits, and so on. There are some to avoid as well depending on what you intend to keep. A book and WWM can help you here.>
If possible I'd also like to add one more "lively" fish, unless you think this would be too much load on a 30-gallon (I'm anti-overstocking even though I want every fish I see).  Any specific
recommendations?  I've heard various blennies as suggestions in the past.
<Blennies do great, are hardy, and are part of the clean-up crew if carefully chosen. I like Sailfin Blennies (Jeweled Rock-Skipper) myself. Many good choices here, DO research fully all fish before any purchase, and ABOVE ALL, read about *required* quarantine for marine inhabitants. Much different than FW here! You can't just treat SW tanks! I will warn you now, no matter what you are told, there are NO "reef safe" and effective treatments. Educate yourself on quarantine now to safe time, lives and money! >
For lighting my current plan is to stick with plain old full-spectrum fluorescent tubes as I don't plan on keeping any sort of corals (other than whatever crawls in on the live rock).
<So this is fish only? The above distinctions on Berlin or? don't really apply here then. I would still stick with LR, DSB, and protein skimmer. The refugium is unnecessary unless you want it.>
Does all this sound reasonable to you?  I've been thinking about it so long I'm beginning to think it's either not as hard as I originally thought, or I'm seriously missing something here.  Thank you in advance for any thoughts you may have and for a great web site! -Mike Gorman
<It's easier and more detail oriented, if that makes any sense! Less manipulative and reliant on outside "mechanical" or "synthetic" filtration, it is also more dependant on proper testing and several water parameters. I do recommend good quality test kits for pH, alkalinity, calcium and specific gravity. Regular water changes will be a huge help.  More than anything, research first before laying your hard-earned cash down, take it slow, and have FUN!!!   Craig>

Question for a beginner with a small tank
I hope to not overwhelm you with my typing here but I think more information for you makes you able to give me a better answer so..... here goes: (and thank you for being of such a service to the internet Aquarist)
<a pleasure...Anthony Calfo>
I'm an experienced freshwater aquarist, meaning I've learned that there is always something to learn. My wife is being VERY supportive of me trying a Marine aquarium and I need to keep it that way. :-)
<understood and agreed>
I was given a 20 gallon aquarium and buying a larger one (remember the wife thing) was not an option. I know it's small, I'm hoping attention and prompt care will get me through. To this baby aquarium I've added a single SO fluorescent, 100W heater (keeping up nicely) and a Skilter. 
<do search the net for DIY plans to modify this unit and really make this Skilter work>
I bought 15 lbs of Arag-alive and added that with 15 lbs of normal aragonite. Not sure of the size but I would say it was like beach sand. I have about 2-3 inches of sand.
<you need more sand, my friend (or a lot less... 1/2 or less or 3+ for safety>
I KNOW when I am done I will have thrown away just about all of what I have just listed (with the exception of the sand) and that's okay. I can sneak in parts here and there (honey look what So-and-so GAVE me!) but for now it has to sustain something that "looks cool" so she will be more inclined to agree with upgrades later on.
<you're not implying that you would "misrepresent" anything to your very empathetic wife are you?<wink>>
Here's what I picture as the end result:
~20 lbs live Fiji rock from FFExpress.
<be sure to get FULLY cured rock... partially cured is a stinky fib>
"Some" fish (I know that's broad but I'll explain in a bit)
One of the FFExpress "reef cleanup crews"
<d