Reef Chemistry Question of the Day #89 Nanotanks

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Reef Chemistry Question of the Day #89

Since it is Christmas eve, we'll have some fun questions for the holidays that we can all play with.

Given a typical reef tank is, say, 90 gallons, how would one describe a nanotank?

 

[that Reef Guy]

10 Gallons or less.

 

[Pete polyp]

Nano use to mean a tank under 30.

 

[Stratt63]

+1 on the 30. 10 would be a pico.

 

[Dr.Reefgood]

I would describe my 30gals as more hands on than previous larger tanks. Parameters seem to sway more with the smaller tank. I actually have to test for nitrates and phosphates occasionally. Salinity and top-off are watched more, for me. My beautiful attempt towards a mini reef/shallow ocean :smile:

 

[Rjramos]

Well according to this sites "Nano in 90 competitions", of which I participated this year, Max volume of 38gal display, and Max 38 gal refugium/sump. I don't know who set the max volumes, but I'd love to find out what led them to make it 38gal? FWIW, IMO, total water volume should determine a Nano, cause if I plumb a 5 gal pico with a closed loop to a filtration system maintaining perfect and stable parameters, it's no longer a nano or a pico, right? Lol

 

[cope413]

I agree with Ramos.

I'm not sure what the number is, but I do know that my 40/20 setup is vastly more stable and easy to maintain than my 24g aquapod was.

I'd probably say 30g is about right based solely on the fact that I wouldn't recommend anything smaller to someone for their first reef tank.

 

[Chris-tico]

nano's are under 30 gallons.

 

[Nano sapiens]

No 'set-in-stone' rule here. In my mind, anything under 40g is a 'Nano'.

 

[Pete polyp]

Well according to this sites "Nano in 90 competitions", of which I participated this year, Max volume of 38gal display, and Max 38 gal refugium/sump. I don't know who set the max volumes, but I'd love to find out what led them to make it 38gal? FWIW, IMO, total water volume should determine a Nano, cause if I plumb a 5 gal pico with a closed loop to a filtration system maintaining perfect and stable parameters, it's no longer a nano or a pico, right? Lol

I think that's because there's a "nano"cube that size

 

[Rjramos]

I think that's because there's a "nano"cube that size

Who makes a 38 gal cube? Red Sea makes a 34gal. I don't think the organizers of the contest set the max at 38 gal for this reason. What about the max sump size set at 38 gal also?Bump Mike&Terry or Rehvtree and see what they say.

 

[Rjramos]

Ahhh, Innovative Marine Nuvo 38! Maybe your right?

 

[mikellini]

On nano-reef.com, the standard for quite some time was 40 gallons, due to the availability and common use of 40 breeders. Of course, water volume is usually less (for just the tank) but sometimes more (if plumbed into a sump). This is where I draw the line...

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Why wouldn't these tanks be mini reefs or millireefs?

Why skip over micro entirely and go all the way to nano?

Decitanks seems most scientific for those mentioned above. Not cool enough?

 

[mikellini]

Nano is cool

 

[Cory]

I'd say a nano is 15-30 gallons, a pico is 1-15 gallons. And a tank is 30 and up

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Well, you guys have been brainwashed.

A nanotank must be one billionth of a tank. That is one small tank. I'm not sure nano tanks are visible to the naked eye. :lol:

 

[fishroomlady]

ahhhhh...I knew that lol

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Here's another nano. Another moderator suggested it...

 

[beaslbob]

nano nano