Hi there all! So I’m new to the forums and currently getting ready to purchase my first Nano tank. I plan on getting the Red Sea Max Nano 20 gal. This will be my first saltwater aquarium. I’ve been doing research for a little bit now. I plan on staying more on a simpler aquarium and not getting too many high difficulty corals and fish. So any suggestions on how to go forward would be great.
I live in a basement apartment in a large city where I get around by bike/scooter/walking. The closest LFS (that I like) is outside of the city I’ll have to take a cab to. So for setting up I plan on getting live rock from the LFS store and ordering my initial salt water of the tank online. I don’t really have the space to store a 20+ gallon of saltwater to do the intial set up. After that I plan on getting a smaller RO/DI system I can use with a 5 gallon bucket to do water changes.
So the back filtration system. I’m still trying to figure out. I’m seeing a lot of people mentioning setting up a refugium. Which I’m still learning about. The different ways everyone sets up their filtration. I’m still learning about. I know it comes with a protein skimmer and an automatic water top up. I will be getting a Colbalt heater as well.So any suggestions on filtration setups for the back would be great!
As for the tank, I’m going for more a darker look, I want to incorporate a lot of Black, purples, and greens colors in things. I plan on going with Cycled Live rock from the LFS and Black Hawaiian sand. I plan on getting a Koralia Nano 240 powerhead.
As for the fish my goal is:
1. Longfin Phantom Clownfish
2. Black Cap Basslet
3. Black Combtooth Blenny
4. Green Clown Goby (though I’d love a Mandarin Dragonet - a tank bred)
Possible 5. Pink Streak Wrasse
Suggestions on buying order would be great.
I’m still figuring out clean up crew, so any good suggestions would be great.
I know I’d like Electric Blue Hermit Crabs, an Emerald Crab, Nassarius Snails, Trochus Snails, and possible a Pincushion Urchin. (Also Copepods)
As for corals I’m still learning a lot but I definitely want to keep them on the simpler side of things. I want to set my back wall full of Neon Green Star Polyps. I want to have some Pulsing Xenia, on a rock by itself or in the sand. Any suggestions on corals would be great.
I really look forward into getting into the fish hobby again!
I live in a basement apartment in a large city where I get around by bike/scooter/walking. The closest LFS (that I like) is outside of the city I’ll have to take a cab to. So for setting up I plan on getting live rock from the LFS store and ordering my initial salt water of the tank online. I don’t really have the space to store a 20+ gallon of saltwater to do the intial set up. After that I plan on getting a smaller RO/DI system I can use with a 5 gallon bucket to do water changes.
So the back filtration system. I’m still trying to figure out. I’m seeing a lot of people mentioning setting up a refugium. Which I’m still learning about. The different ways everyone sets up their filtration. I’m still learning about. I know it comes with a protein skimmer and an automatic water top up. I will be getting a Colbalt heater as well.So any suggestions on filtration setups for the back would be great!
As for the tank, I’m going for more a darker look, I want to incorporate a lot of Black, purples, and greens colors in things. I plan on going with Cycled Live rock from the LFS and Black Hawaiian sand. I plan on getting a Koralia Nano 240 powerhead.
As for the fish my goal is:
1. Longfin Phantom Clownfish
2. Black Cap Basslet
3. Black Combtooth Blenny
4. Green Clown Goby (though I’d love a Mandarin Dragonet - a tank bred)
Possible 5. Pink Streak Wrasse
Suggestions on buying order would be great.
I’m still figuring out clean up crew, so any good suggestions would be great.
I know I’d like Electric Blue Hermit Crabs, an Emerald Crab, Nassarius Snails, Trochus Snails, and possible a Pincushion Urchin. (Also Copepods)
As for corals I’m still learning a lot but I definitely want to keep them on the simpler side of things. I want to set my back wall full of Neon Green Star Polyps. I want to have some Pulsing Xenia, on a rock by itself or in the sand. Any suggestions on corals would be great.
I really look forward into getting into the fish hobby again!