Basics.

[NewSaltWaterGuy]

Ok so I know, corals absorb light for food... What else? Must I dose anything, or can I?
LED suggestions for a nano 5 gallon.
I've done about 2 years of just, interest, research and now I think I want to start my own reef tank (nano) over the next year here.
Substrate suggestions? inert sand or PFS will work?
Looking for beginner coral suggestions... And will thrive in a nano tank (5 gallons).
How often do I do water changes, and can I use well water? no chlorine, hard water and high in alkalinity which I know corals like, if I'm correct.
What do I feed the suggested coral?
I'm sure I cannot get an anemone since the tank isn't like 5 years old. (its 0 y/o)
Is an HOB an ok type of filter? (aquaclear) if so what can I use as filter media, like in fw, is there a bacteria colony that builds up to remove nitrates and phosphates, why are Nitrates and phosphates Bad for corals (and etc)?
These are questions I cannot find an answer to since some of them are pretty opinionated.

 

[savetheocean]

You will be needing RO/DI water, you can either buy an RO/DI water system or you can buy water from your LFS which I think would be easier and cheaper for a 5g. I am also new (6 months) so I dont want to tell you something I am not sure about, dont worry others will help!

 

[NewSaltWaterGuy]

You will be needing RO/DI water, you can either buy an RO/DI water system or you can buy water from your LFS which I think would be easier and cheaper for a 5g. I am also new (6 months) so I dont want to tell you something I am not sure about, dont worry others will help!

There is nothing in my well water as far as I've seen in tests, that can effect inhabitants or water chemistry negatively... Wont be using RO/DI, most likely distilled if anything.

 

[Jessi_reefer]

hi NewSaltWaterGuy!

Not all corals use light for food. There are some that you will need to dose or feed actual food. Duncan's, hammer corals, hairy mushrooms, ricordia all will eat mysis shrimp. Other corals need to be dosed with magnesium, etc. It depends on the coral.

If you're doing a 5 gal nano, are you not just buying a kit with an LED already?

A warning, nano tanks are harder than bigger tanks. Because of their small water volume any change in the parameters means a big swing. I had a 5 gallon nano two times. Once when I first started out in the hobby and I killed everything I put in there. Then I ran it again after about 3 years in the hobby and I was more successful, but eventually took it down because I didn't like the upkeep of 2 salt water tanks. I'd highly suggest buying an auto top off because with that small water volume you're going to have evaporation and it'll make the salinity swing much more. You can but the Smart ATO mini for less than $100. I think this is essential in a nano tank.

You'll want to do weekly water changes. Again, with a nano it's more high maintenance. Larger tanks can go longer between water changes. My 65 gallon I'll do every 3 weeks, but my nano had to be weekly.

I'm not sure about well water. I've always only used RODI water and I'm not familiar with well water. Have you tested your well water for any metals? Metals are very detrimental to reef tanks.

Substrate, live sand and be sure to cycle your tank properly. I use Bio Spira when I was cycling my nano this last time around and it took just over a week. Highly suggest this.

Beginner corals that I've found easy to take care of: Duncan, hammer, mushrooms. I've always had amazing luck with mushrooms and they thrive in my tanks. Ricordias. I've always had better success with the soft corals like Duncan's and ricordias. SPS are more difficult in my opinion.

Last time when I was successful with the nano I also used the tiny Marine Pure biomedia. I think this helped with natural biological filtration. And I used live rock so I could get the tank up and running faster. I didn't have to cycle the dry rock.

As for fish, you gotta keep them TINY! I had a green clown goby, court jester goby, redline goby and a green banded goby. I would say no more than 4 tiny fish.

The anemone. I wouldn't say that you'd have to have a 5 yo take for an anemone. Those things are freaking hardy! My concern would be getting one that stayed small. And, if you have an anemone with other corals in 5 gallons that would be hard to keep the anemone from stinging the other corals. you have to keep them away from other corals or they just burn them with their stings. Case in point, I have a green SPS in my big tank that is the first one that I've actually been able to keep alive and it was actually growing! The anemone decided it wanted the same spot and it burned the poor guy. It turned brown and is struggling. So, I wouldn't say that an anemone is out of the question for you, but i would say any other corals in 5 gallons would be if you chose to do an anemone. Also, they split and are a pain in the butt to try to get out of the tank. They hook themselves into rock and you can't just pull them out. Mine splits every 3 months and it's such a struggle getting the new one out. When I upgrade my tank to a bigger tank soon, i may just take him back to the fish store. My clowns will be sad, but they'll get over it lol.

Yes, there is a bacteria colony that builds up. That's why you should use live rock and live sand. Also get the Marine Pure bio balls because the bacteria will live in there and help your filtration.

Good luck!

 

[NewSaltWaterGuy]

Jessi just wanted to say firstly, thank you for writing this amazing reply, and obviously taking your time doing it.

If you're doing a 5 gal nano, are you not just buying a kit with an LED already?

No, kits to me half the time are (depending on the kit, research tells all obviously lol... that and reviews) not suitable for the actual tank... like at Petco for ex they sell those "built in one filter tank kits" things and they aren't actually suitable. I would like something I can "edit" all the time.

A warning, nano tanks are harder than bigger tanks

Thanks, this is something I am very familiar with. I have been in the Aquascaping hobby (and have entered competitions multiple times) for about 3 years and have progressed extraordinarily since I'm addicted to it. I'm familiar with the maintenance that this nano comes with, I like to keep myself very busy so that's one reason I'm planning this out

Have you tested your well water for any metals?

As far as I know, no, and I have no problem with getting it tested again unless I can find the paper from last time that's laying around... either way ill give you the list info.

live sand and be sure to cycle your tank properly

Know all about cycling, I just was confused on bacteria build up, do they absorb phosphates, nitrates, like in a freshwater system, etc.

Duncan, hammer, mushrooms.

Thanks very much ill look these up and do a lil' background research

As for fish, you gotta keep them TINY

I don't know if ill even have fish. I'm hoping to go into botany, and that should say it all lol. I'm in it for the "plants & Corals!"
But if I get (a) fish it would most likely just be a simple clownfish or similar. Or a shrimp nothing big. I would however have a clean up crew so suggestions on that would be fantastic actually.

 

[NewSaltWaterGuy]

also in corals, I do not mind feeding or doing any maintenance with them. So let me get more descriptive lel:
looking for corals that look more natural, (IE not light lime green, not super blue, etc but I don't mind light blues, just don't look like a disco party lol!) like light pink to pink, etc.
And have a more wavy appearance. And appreciates medium flow.
Along with your suggestions could you give some information on what to feed and where to buy that food? Or/and what to dose.

 

[NewSaltWaterGuy]

Also I just looked at some hammer coral information, and ill definitely be getting one(or some) of those frags.
here is a cool pic btw of hammer corals.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Ok so I know, corals absorb light for food... What else? Must I dose anything, or can I?
.

These articles of mine may help. THey are older now, but not that much is them has changed:

The “How To” Guide to Reef Aquarium Chemistry for Beginners Part 1: The Salt Water Itself by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-03/rhf/index.php

The “How To” Guide to Reef Aquarium Chemistry for Beginners Part 2: What Chemicals Must be Supplemented by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-04/rhf/index.php

The “How To” Guide to Reef Aquarium Chemistry for Beginners Part 3: pH by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-05/rhf/index.php

The “How To” Guide to Reef Aquarium Chemistry for Beginners Part 4: What Chemicals May Detrimentally Accumulate by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-09/rhf/index.php

 

[Jessi_reefer]

If you like the wavy appearance, perhaps hairy mushrooms, torch corals, rock flower anemones, sebae anemone (I've heard these are difficult but other people I talk to say they're not, so...?)

As for a kit I'm not talking about Petco kits. I'm talking about Coralife LED biocube, marine land desktop, innovative marine nuvo, or even fluval spec.

I use coral frenzy which can be ordered online. I also use Mysis shrimp that I buy either from my LFS or some petcos even carry it.

Yes the bacteria does do that in sw tanks but I won't go into the science of it, I'm sure there are articles that can more scientifically explain it than I can.

As for a clown, in my opinion they get too big for a 5 gallon tank. But, you could always give it back to the fish store once it gets too big and get a new smaller one.

Cleanup crew: hermit crabs, a small turbo snail, and you could do a shrimp like harlequin, Pom Pom, or some cleaner and peppermint shrimp are small. You may just have to swap them out if they get too big. I've had a cleaner in my big tank that I've had for 2 years that's stayed small, but the other is twice the size.

 

[NewSaltWaterGuy]

As for a kit I'm not talking about Petco kits. I'm talking about Coralife LED biocube, marine land desktop, innovative marine nuvo, or even fluval spec.

Ah ok, I have a fluval spec but right now it is home to a separate iwagumi aquascape.
But I most likely still wouldn't go for the kit thing, budget and just because I like the editing that comes with not having a kit.

As for a clown, in my opinion they get too big for a 5 gallon tank. But, you could always give it back to the fish store once it gets too big and get a new smaller one.

I thought some types of clowns where suitable for 5 gallons?... I will have to look into this. If they are not suitable then I will go fishless.

Yes the bacteria does do that in sw tanks but I won't go into the science of it, I'm sure there are articles that can more scientifically explain it than I can.

ah thank you. I will do the scientific research for you!

 

[NewSaltWaterGuy]

ok forget fishless...
just saw Stonogobiops nematodes & Stonogobiops yasha would those work ya figure?

 

[Tahoe61]

Ok so I know, corals absorb light for food... What else? Must I dose anything, or can I?
LED suggestions for a nano 5 gallon.

Corals can be photosynthetic, the zooxanthellae within the tissue of the coral produces carbohydrates as a bi-product of photosynthesis, that provide the nutrition, these corals also have the ability to catch and digest small food particles, zooxanthellae can also give corals their color. Non-photosynthetic (NPS) corals must obtain all their nutrition by the uptake of food particles, these coral types are difficult to keep and would not be appropriate for such a small tank.
Stony corals need appropriate levels of Calcium, Mag and a stable alk (other trace elements) to build the skeleton. Stony corals may or may not be photosynthetic.

You need to know the values of nitrates and phosphates for your well water.

 

[NewSaltWaterGuy]

with the well water they just tested for like ecoli and stuff.
ill have to do a sample.

 

[NewSaltWaterGuy]

These articles of mine may help. THey are older now, but not that much is them has changed:

The “How To” Guide to Reef Aquarium Chemistry for Beginners Part 1: The Salt Water Itself by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-03/rhf/index.php

The “How To” Guide to Reef Aquarium Chemistry for Beginners Part 2: What Chemicals Must be Supplemented by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-04/rhf/index.php

The “How To” Guide to Reef Aquarium Chemistry for Beginners Part 3: pH by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-05/rhf/index.php

The “How To” Guide to Reef Aquarium Chemistry for Beginners Part 4: What Chemicals May Detrimentally Accumulate by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-09/rhf/index.php

"That the alkalinity is at least 2.5 meq/L (7 dKH) and preferably higher at the lower end of this pH range. This statement is based partly on the fact that many reef aquaria operate acceptably in the pH 7.8 to 8.0 range"
Looks like I'm good when it comes to pH.

We have high calcium water, and hard water here. high in alkalinity as well.

 

[HeulittSalmi]

Send in your well water for ICP testing before you use it. It'll test for absolutely anything and everything in the water.

 

[NewSaltWaterGuy]

Send in your well water for ICP testing before you use it. It'll test for absolutely anything and everything in the water.

Yep!

 

[NewSaltWaterGuy]

I have been doing some coral research, and I think I'm going with JUST ToadStool for now... Things I don't "really" have to feed.
Not that I don't like the maintenance. But since I'm a beginner. lel.
Sound about right?

 

[savetheocean]

You could get some Green Star Polyps, some do not like them though. They grow VERY fast.

 

[NewSaltWaterGuy]

I don't mind the growing fast part, prefer it!
@savetheocean I will look into those and get back to you... thanks!!!

Well, I just looked them up a bit... they seem pretty easy to care for since I'm new. Thing is they are neon green, prefer either a light pink, pink, or white, blue, etc.. light colors. Seems more natural to me.
But idk for sure if I don't "like" them, ill still put them on my list of corals

 

[savetheocean]

I don't mind the growing fast part, prefer it!
@savetheocean I will look into those and get back to you... thanks!!!

Well, I just looked them up a bit... they seem pretty easy to care for since I'm new. Thing is they are neon green, prefer either a light pink, pink, or white, blue, etc.. light colors. Seems more natural to me.
But idk for sure if I don't "like" them, ill still put them on my list of corals

That was a warning haha, they grow very fast. If you want some awesome movement I would suggest those.