Needing advice thinking about starting a smaller reef aquarium.

TitansFan32 · Dec 6, 2016

Hey there everyone I need some advice. I have been keeping some medium sized reef aquariums over the years and I am considering putting a 29 gallon cube in my room.

I am looking at some different filtration and lighting options.
I am looking at the A80 Tuna Sun Nano LED light from Kessil for my lighting. The description of this light says that the spectrum range is from 6,000K-9,000K. Is this enough light to grow some soft coral species in this size aquarium?

And for filtration I was looking at the Reef Octopus BH50 Multi-Mount Protein Skimmer.
This skimmer is said to be sufficient with up to a 50 gallon aquarium. Is this a good brand of Skimmer for the size tank i am looking to start?

I am not new to the hobby I have just never kept a smaller aquarium than a 60 gallon so I am looking for some advice.

Brew12 · Dec 8, 2016

Do we have anyone on the #reefsquad that can help with this? Seems to have slipped through the cracks and I don't have experience with smaller aquariums.

melypr1985 · Dec 8, 2016

I can say that I like Reef Octopus as a brand, but I've never used that HOB skimmer before. I'm sure it would be fine, but if your plan is to grow softies, then you might not want to get such a large skimmer for that small tank. If you overskim, the softies might not have enough nutrients to grow and have that great color your looking for. IDK about the light. Never been a kessil fan.

saltyfilmfolks · Dec 8, 2016

The skimmer is prob fine. My tunze in tank was quieter. That's an astetic call there. I have one in my 30 cube now. One thing to look at in the price range is a hob skimmer fuge combo. I love fuges and have had one on every tank from 5 10 20 30 all hob. Pretty sure I got a bigger tank so I could have a bigger fuge.
For light anything really. That light may be too small for the depth. I'm not sure. I'd also go with a higher kelvin of around ten or higher. Several folks make a nano style sbreeflight is one example. I don't know how powerful it is. Or if there's a price difference on them. A standard kessil would work too.
IMO IME on filtration mechanical or floss sponge etc has always worked a bit better for me than skimmers. Many don't realize a sump is a large gravity filter a mechanical filter. So keeping extra food and poo out was always easier with an Aqua clear or lots of floss in my jbj.
It's also the advantage to the hob fuge skimmer. It's closer to a mini sump as it does work as a gravity filter too. And you can put floss in it.
You will prob find you clean only the fuge and floss. On my jbj I did all the WC from the back.

You can fwiw go with no filter but the rock

glb · Dec 8, 2016

I have a 12g cube and here's what I use:

Coralife airstone skimmer (yes I know they're not the greatest but it skims like crazy in my tank)

Two Little Fishies Phosban Reactor: Really keeps PO4 down, which can climb up quickly in a nano.

Steve's LED's retrofit kit with Typhon Driver: I've been happy with the lights, but the driver and cooling fan units are unfinished (not encased enough imo), so they need a little extra protection.

Tunze nano osmolator ATO

Some of my choices (like the skimmer) were limited by space. A 29g gives you more options.

And finally some advice. A nano is much more difficult to keep stable, especially if you're used to a bigger system. I don't have a reef contoller like an Apex but I would recommend one. Mine has crashed a few times, almost always my fault, but a controller would help keep an eye on things.

Plusses: Nano's are less expensive (in most every way) to run and water changes can solve a multitude of problems in such a small tank. Good luck!!