Are small tanks really harder to maintain?

[Super Fly]

So just be careful of what you do to the tank. Like I understand a fish death going unnoticed in a 200 gallon wouldn’t be as bad as if it happened in a 10 or 5 gallon. Just keep an eye on the tank and it will be all good?

yes, as long as ur very diligent about tank husbandry (unlike some of us here) and keep a balanced mature tank, then it's all good to go. Guess better way to describe it would be small tanks r "more difficult" since they have less room for error.

A good CUC will take care of livestock death, I don't worry when livestock die as my 93 cube has a very good CUC.

 

[zalick]

Having run 10g to 300g, I can say in my experience nano is WAY easier, once you know what you are doing. It takes far less time to do everything. Sure, things can go out of balance quicker, but also can be fixed much quicker.

For example: if you have a GHA out break, or something else where you want to take out he rocks - nano is easy peasy. Try taking out scape in a 300. It's a 12-18hr job!

 

[ReefReadyYouTube]

Ive got two clowns, a royal gramma, and a bangaii cardinal. My CUC originally was a pack from Reef cleaners for my tank size and I replace and add as needed

Would you say a large CUC helps in a nano reef. A snail or hermit per gallon?

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

13.5 Evo owner here and I haven't had any major issues but do practice good husbandry when it comes to cleaning filters and testing. From my experience, keeping my nano has been much easier than my 40B so far. That being said my urchin died about a month ago and had I not been at home and pulled it from my tank it would have crashed.

My only issue with small tanks is the potential for an ammonia crash, bad salt mix crash or something similar.

 

[ReefReadyYouTube]

Sure it would but that's atleast 200$ the Triton makes everything easier but thats like 700$

ATOs are like $80-$130. Also I think triton method is over rated.

 

[Salt & Peper]

Yes it would. Plus while it's kinda a pain to get the doseing right after that it much cheaper to keep the harder/more demanding corals imo.

Wouldn’t the balance out eventually if you slowing add in a bunch of corals??

 

[ReefReadyYouTube]

yes, as long as ur very diligent about tank husbandry (unlike some of us here) and keep a balanced mature tank, then it's all good to go. Guess better way to describe it would be small tanks r "more difficult" since they have less room for error.
Would you say it’s easier to cycle a nano tank. Would it happen faster because it’s smaller?
A good CUC will take care of livestock death, I don't worry when livestock die as my 93 cube has a very good CUC.

 

[Magellan]

Sure it would but that's atleast 200$ the Triton makes everything easier but thats like 700$

What? My ATO was $60 lol

if you know what you’re doing, a small tank is easier. If you don’t know what you’re doing, no tank is easy. except with a large tank you will spend more $

 

[Zach W]

This is my tank for reference:

Would you say a large CUC helps in a nano reef. A snail or hermit per gallon?

This is my tank for reference:

If you put in a large CUC you just have to make sure you have enough of a food source for then not to starve. I do have three hermits in and I wish I didnt add them honestly. They have killed some of my snails which is annoying.

 

[The cats wrasse]

What? My ATO was $60 lol

Ato then add pumps then a place to put water and receive water

 

[ReefReadyYouTube]

13.5 Evo owner here and I haven't had any major issues but do practice good husbandry when it comes to cleaning filters and testing. From my experience, keeping my nano has been much easier than my 40B so far. That being said my urchin died about a month ago and had I not been at home and pulled it from my tank it would have crashed.

My only issue with small tanks is the potential for an ammonia crash, bad salt mix crash or something similar.

Thanks for the advice. How many fish are in your 13.5? What’s your bio load like?

 

[Magellan]

Ato then add pumps then a place to put water and receive water

It came with the pump. I stuck it in a 5 gallon bucket that cost a few bucks...

 

[The cats wrasse]

ATOs are like $80-$130. Also I think triton method is over rated.

Sorry not triton trident (by apex)

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Thanks for the advice. How many fish are in your 13.5? What’s your bio load like?

Watchmen Goby
Firefish
Cleaner Goby
Pistol Shrimp
Cleaner Shrimp
Urchin
3 Turbo
3 Blue Legged Hermits
Soft and LPS

 

[The cats wrasse]

It came with the pump. I stuck it in a 5 gallon bucket that cost a few bucks...

Interesting I like the auto aqua that's why I said the 200$

 

[destro]

I've kept a Fluval Edge (6g) salt water 7 years ago for about 14 months. It was challenging I'm not going to lie. Required daily attention.

 

[ReefReadyYouTube]

This is my tank for reference:

This is my tank for reference:

If you put in a large CUC you just have to make sure you have enough of a food source for then not to starve. I do have three hermits in and I wish I didnt add them honestly. They have killed some of my snails which is annoying.

Hermits are good sifters and they mow down some algae but they do kill snails. A lot.

 

[ReefReadyYouTube]

I've kept a Fluval Edge (6g) salt water 7 years ago for about 14 months. It was challenging I'm not going to lie. Required daily attention.

What dose daily attention Entail?

 

[The cats wrasse]

This could also just be me but I find finding the right flow is much easier in a larger tank but just me

 

[Super Fly]

Would you say a large CUC helps in a nano reef. A snail or hermit per gallon?

I keep red legged hermits (scarlet reef wont kill snails) for detritus, trochus for algae and nassarius for leftover food/dead livestock + serpent star (leftover food & dead livetock). I leave old snail shells in tank for hermits as they grow out of old shells.