This afternoon I finally did what I’ve been threatening to do for a while now: I”m setting up a nano reef. From what I’ve read online many people would call this a pico reef because after much dithering I decided to go with a 2.5 gal tank.

My original idea was to upgrade my 10 gal freshwater tank to a 45 gal tank (rather excessive for 3 fish and some plants). It’s over 4 years old now and I said that if I could keep it stable, I’d plump for a bigger tank. Well, stability and water quality was no problem. Although my readings were still OK, I did worry that the undergravel filter would deteriorate soon, though. So, this would be an ideal time to upgrade. The 10 gal tank would then become an experimental nano reef. Unfortunately we took way too many financial hits this year for me to be able to set aside anything for a new freshwater system.

A couple of weeks ago I pulled out the undergravel filter, vacuumed up the mess and installed a small power filter. Nitrate levels went from very good to excellent, almost negligible. The powerfilter is definitely an improvement. Though the freswhwater system isn’t any bigger, it’s been upgraded. But where did that leave my nano reef fantasies?

I was still itching for a nano reef, perhaps more than ever because of the Hurricane Rita evacuation. I evacuated the fish in my 2.5 gal tank that I kept on hand as a hospital tank. Sitting at the desk in that hotel for 4 days, blogging on the laptop, with the little tank on a shelf a level above was great. I loved having my fish right there on the desk.

So the question these past few weeks has been whether to go with a 2.5 gal tank like my hospital tank or to get a new 10 gal set up for the nano reef. I really wanted a 10 gal nano reef, but that’s not really desktop size and cost would be more than my original concept. Remember, my original concept for the nano reef would be to use my freshwater set up. I have a 28 watt compact flourescent on the freshwater system because of the plants. It would probably be passable for a reef, especially since I’m not interested in any high-light, high mantainance animals. All it would have cost me to set up would have been the salt and a hydrometer. Of course, I’d be adding substrate and live rock, but if the nano reef failed I wouldn’t be out much. Now I’d be looking at the cost of a 10 gal tank, filtration, lighting, stand, etc. Not an unbearable expense, but I’d really be p.o’ed if the reef failed.

Ultimately, lighting is what decided me. Lighting is always the biggest headache, it seems to me. It has been a real pain in the neck (and wallet) to light my freshwater tank for plants. (Replacement bulbs are expensive, short-lived, and only available at a fish store way, way, way on the other side of Houston.) Lighting is also extremely important for a reef tank. Many reef organisms, though they are animals, also depend on photosynthesis for some of their food. They have symbiotic algae within their structure. If I couldn’t find a way to adequately light a 2.5 gallon tank on a desktop, then I’d have to suck it up and go with a new 10 gal tank (and another painfully expensive lighting system).

After looking around earlier this week, I went out and made my purchases this afternoon. I’ve been researching marine aquariums, reefs and nano reefs in particular for about a year. I’m still not confident of my success, which is why I call this “an experimental nano reef” (or pico reef).