Best Nano reef tank Filtration

[Joshua Martin]

I started up my 12 gallon all in one cube reef tank, have a pair of clowns and am adding coral over time. Right now currently have just live rock in one chamber and regular sponge in the first. Just trying to figure out if protein skimmer is necessary, carbon or anything else. I’ve done freshwater for a while and never had the need for anything other than biomedia.

 

[NeedMoreReef]

everyone has their way of doing things, but I would say that if your doing 10% water change, feeding sparingly, and keep only the two clown fish, you will not need protein skimmer or carbon. just good water flow in tank.

 

[NS Mike D]

everyone has their way of doing things, but I would say that if your doing 10% water change, feeding sparingly, and keep only the two clown fish, you will not need protein skimmer or carbon. just good water flow in tank.

+1 although I view activated carbon as insurance since it removes toxins in case something gets int the water or from coral warfare.

 

[Hermie]

IMO any size protein skimmer is better than none at all for the gas exchange. There may be studies out there proving or disproving this, but I think it improves tank stability which is vital for a nano.

 

[av8soulfly]

This is my 10 gallon UN nano reef tank. It has a Seachem Tidal 55 hang on back filter. For media I use Polyfilter, Marinepur balls, and Red Sea carbon. I try to do a 30-40% water change weekly. Lighting is a Kessil 360 Tuna Blue. Zoas and leather corals are thriving. The fish are: coral beauty, valentini puffer, springerie damsel, chalk bass, and a coral banded shrimp. It started out as a frag tank and I guess it still is...kinda. I place the frags from my 100 gallon reef in it.

 

[NS Mike D]

IMO any size protein skimmer is better than none at all for the gas exchange. There may be studies out there proving or disproving this, but I think it improves tank stability which is vital for a nano.

I am pretty sure an open top nano with decent flow is going to be in stable equilibrium with the ambient air. So I am not sure the protein skimmer really adds to this gas exchange. Add that the water exiting the out flow will have also have a relatively significant surface area exposure to the air.

If the tank is covered, I would agree.

fwiw, BRS did a tour of all the employees tanks in their facility. One employee had two identical nanos side by side. To Randy's surprise the tank that relied on nothing more than weekly water changes was looking better than the higher maintained tank. That was an eye opener.