[Cims]

I know the smaller the tank, the harder to maintain. I have a lot of freetime so it's okay, plus I have experience. I think it will be a good start for a person who can't setup a permanent reef tank at this time. I will be moving within 2 years and a 24g Nano cube reef will be easy to move, versus a 90g reef. With the nano, I could drain it half way and carry it when I move. I wouldn't want to move a 2 year old 90g reef. I had thoughts on making the 90g a FOWLR but the thought of not having a reef with all it's amazing stuff changed my mind. Also my brother is finishing his 240 gallon salt, in the wall tank and should be ready for fish in a couple of months. He wants to do FOWLR for now then save up $600 for 3x pendant hanging MH w/bulbs. 250 watters. Then when he has that he can make it a reef, we'll make sure to only buy fish that are reef safe. I was wondering if this would work out because it seems like most reef fish need the reef to do well, especially in a huge 240g. It will have 120lbs of live rock, maybe it will be good enough to keep most reef fish, but it will only have 50% of the rock (120lbs->240lbs ) of what it will have when it is upgraded to a reef tank.

Anyone here have a nano cube reef tank? There are several mods you can do to make the filtration better. I was dissapointed that it doesn't come with a skimmer, but the system works well from what other people say. I was going to do 10% water changes weekly and only use R/O water.

[Poseidon]

Hey Cims, the smaller tanks are WAY more work. I wouldn't go that route until you have maintained a Salt tank for at least a year. I would encourage you to do that 55, FOWLR would be a great start.

[Samper]

Everyone has an opinion and I disagree.

Starting with a small tank is like learning to play an acoustic guitar first. If you do that you can play anything and I feel the same goes for maintaining a small tank. I started very small.

[cuttingrass]

im a beginer starting kinda small for a reef tank, only a 30 gallon and everything is going great its been running a total of 4-5 months.after live rock cured i added a reef invert package and a month later added a clown fish. added first corals about a month and a half ago. 1 frogspawn, some electric striped mushrooms, rock with some polyps, and another with some red xenias. i do give it alot of attention though but i say give it a shot.

[j_man]

If it doesn't work out for anyone, remember I am a nanoholic. see my post in for sale.....

[Cims]

It's tempting to make my 90 a FOWLR because it would only cost me $250 to get started. The 24g nano would be about $400-450 to get started.. but I would have a easily moveable reef tank that looks attractive.

I think reefs are really sweet and thats why I want the nano cube. However, the advantage of a FOWLR tank is that you have fish that you can't have in a decent sized reef tank.

1 blue tang
2 angelfish, flame and a imperator
1 butterfly
2 jaw fish
3 neon blue gobies
2 dottybacks
3 damsel
1 wrasse
1 hawk fish


And if I make the 90 salt, I dont have use for my eheim 2217 and 100lbs of lace rock, and have to sell my african cichlids.

[Little Luey]

I used to have a 90gal tank. Now I do have a 20gal. I do not think it means more work because I still spend time watching it, maintenance is way faster, instead of a 15gal WC I do a 5 gal WC, takes half the time to siphon less water, less time rearrenging rock. I also went bare bottom this time, so I do not have to worry about cleaning the sand.
You just need to be more dedicated on your maintenance with the smaller tank. The water changes on my 90gal could wait for 2 weeks, now I do it every week. You have less room for error, but by no means it is more work. I love working on my tank, that is why it is not painfull to do regular maintenance.

[Cims]

70w MH is a new option, nice. It must be considerably brighter than 72 watts with PC lights. Not sure if its worth the extra money though.

[Toni217]

I agree with cuttingrass and little luey. I have a 30g tank and i love it. I too have less work...So in my opinon if this is what you want go for it, because if your a beginner like me? I wanted to start small. I want to see how i can keep things alive. (Trial and error) once i have that pack down. then i know i can expand. Hey go for it. But regadless it is a hobby to all of us here.

[Cims]

After many hours of thinking and trying to get the best reef I can make for the money.. and still having a tank I can move in a year or two. I decided not to go with a 'nano' cube because it just is not worth near what it is sold for IMO. So I am going to do..

Tank: 40 Long (36x18x13)
Lighting: T5 36" 156w (39w x 4)
Skimmer: AquaC Remora w/overflow box
Live Rock: 55-75 lbs.
Sand: 60 lbs. aragonite, sugar sized grain
Movement: Seio M620 x2 (1240 gph total)

$600