I love my nano....BUT what do you miss about having a larger tank?

[Haggisman14]

I've ran the gamut over the years, 20G, 50G, 29G, 5G (current), and have loved each and every tank over the years.

I truly love my little 5 gallon Deskmate, it's a great tank for my office, and I'm really happy with the mixed reef that I've created in it. However, I do miss the extra footprint that a larger tank has to offer. I've always loved being able to have an open area where I can make a little island, or have some corals that could sit on the sandbed (my last tank I had a acan lord island with 5 or 6 different varieties. The one coral that I really miss having are torches or hammers. I love the colors, and I love the movement that they bring to the tank. With the space constraint of the 5G, I can't put those corals in, without risking the chance of all my other corals getting stung.

Aside from that, I love how great this tank is. It's honestly just about maintenance free (1 gallon weekly water change, and daily top off), low on tech (no skimmer, doser, reef mat, controler, etc), and it gives me something beautiful to look at while I"m in the office!

What do you love about your tank, and wha't something that you're wishing you could do with your tank that the size prevents you from doing.

Discuss

 

[X-37B]

I do love nano tanks. This is my old 18" cube. I took down all systems and moved. Currently setting up am IM EXT170.
The nanos fill in fast.
Larger tanks equal larger colonies and fish.
Day one and 10 months later.

 

[Haggisman14]

I do love nano tanks. This is my old 18" cube. I took down all systems and moved. Currently setting up am IM EXT170.
The nanos fill in fast.
Larger tanks equal larger colonies and fish.
Day one and 10 months later.

Wow! That's some serious growth in 10 months! Do you dose steroids in that tank!!

 

[X-37B]

Wow! That's some serious growth in 10 months! Do you dose steroids in that tank!!

No, lol, just dsr ez-trace and esv 2 part plus esv strontium. Same as the other 3 tanks I ran and will be the same on my new ext 170 thats sitting in the garage.

 

[SliceGolfer]

The ease at souring equipment that fits below in the sump. Finding the right blend of equipment and when/why to use in a nano could be a master class.

 

[Haggisman14]

No, lol, just dsr ez-trace and esv 2 part plus esv strontium. Same as the other 3 tanks I ran and will be the same on my new ext 170 thats sitting in the garage.

Absolutely incredible growth! I'm going to start dosing All For Reef starting next year, and I'm looking forward to seeing what can happen in the 2nd year for the tank!

Great job!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I couldn't imagine having a larger tank where I live at. I barely have enough room for my 20g haha

 

[Hooz]

The only, and I mean ONLY thing I miss about bigger tanks are some of the fish. Strictly from a utilitarian standpoint, no tangs, foxfaces, etc in nanos, so you have to get creative with your algae/pest eaters.

One thing I like better about nanos is that you can build them specifically for ONE thing. If you want something else, you can add another! If my wife would let me, I think I'd just have a gallery of IM Nuvo 25 Lagoons... One LPS, one SPS, one softie tank and one with anemones. How cool would that look!

As it stands, once all my tank moves are complete, I'll end up with a 10g SPS only tank, a 30g anemone/clown tank, a 65g mixed reef and a 6g tank just for Jawbreakers.

 

[hart24601]

I love nanos, and don’t really miss anything about a larger tank except for the fish selection and heavier stocking with more equipment but at the same time it’s a con since more $$ for the fish, for the equipment to keep a heavier bioload and more QT or risk of disease, and risk of fish fighting or nipping at corals, so while it’s what I miss the most I don’t really miss it if that makes sense….

 

[CRABDADDY]

I have a 3 year old 40g and a 5 month old 120g.

Things I like about the small tank:

Ease of maintenance
Able to see most tank inhabitants regularly
Keeping interesting critters that my wrasses will kill
Simplicity
Easier to move the tank if needed

Things I like about the larger tank:

More fish options, especially herbivores and pest patrol
Larger water volume = stability
More aquascaping options
Having a sump adds flexibility with equipment
More room for corals and fish

 

[Haggisman14]

The only, and I mean ONLY thing I miss about bigger tanks are some of the fish. Strictly from a utilitarian standpoint, no tangs, foxfaces, etc in nanos, so you have to get creative with your algae/pest eaters.

One thing I like better about nanos is that you can build them specifically for ONE thing. If you want something else, you can add another! If my wife would let me, I think I'd just have a gallery of IM Nuvo 25 Lagoons... One LPS, one SPS, one softie tank and one with anemones. How cool would that look!

As it stands, once all my tank moves are complete, I'll end up with a 10g SPS only tank, a 30g anemone/clown tank, a 65g mixed reef and a 6g tank just for Jawbreakers.

I would definitely love to get a second Deskmate (preferably the 9 gallon one), and have that setup for more LPS, especially torchest...I loooooove torches!