What size tank is too small?

Cmonicarl · Mar 26, 2018

So I go to my somewhat local aquarium store to buy some supplies for a small (5 gal.) tank that we have stored in the garage and decided to see if I could make it a "mini reef tank". When I showed it to the guys at the store they said I was wasting my time and did not recommend that try that. They said it was too small and it would not work and that maybe I could only have one fish and not to even think about putting a coral in there. I decided not to then. But a soon as I left there I thought, these guys just aren't good sales people. I read about success stories with very small tanks all the time and horror stories too but hey it's my money what do they care what I do with it. If anything they could have mentioned it and then said "we're gonna see how we can help you, let's give it a try". I'd like some opinions. I have a 15 gallon and a 20 gallon tank that I've had for 6 and 7 years respectively and have not had any major problems.
Thanks for your input.

Dsnakes · Mar 26, 2018

You can do it

There are some very cool pico reefs on here. You will see 1 and 2 gallons jars being used.

Somuchflo99 · Mar 26, 2018

Do it

SashimiTurtle · Mar 26, 2018

Look up reef jars... there are guys growing acros in a flower vase. I think you need a new LFS.

TinyChocobo · Mar 26, 2018

Reef jars... You learn something every day.

Cmonicarl · Mar 26, 2018

Dsnakes said:
You can do it There are some very cool pico reefs on here. You will see 1 and 2 gallons jars being used.

Thanks for your advice. I will do that.

Tahoe61 · Mar 26, 2018

You really have to be a dedicated hobbyist to keep Picos. Absolutely need an ATO.

Member Brandon has the most recognized picos.

andrewkw · Mar 26, 2018

I had a 2 gallon pico for about 7 years. It was probably my most successful tank. There are plenty of people who have had small tanks longer. That being said unless you are looking for the simplest of simple tanks for your first. I'd recommend at least a 10 gallon. Get 2 clown fish and some easy corals. In a 5 gallon tank you could have one, maybe 2 clown gobies or similar species but if this is your only and first tank I think you would enjoy a 10-20g more and have at least 2 clown fish or something that sized.

If fish are even 25% of why you want a nano reef go for slightly bigger. If you just want to try growing a couple of corals then by all means start with the 5 gallon. It can work but I'd temper expectations of what can be done in such a small tank as a first attempt.

jda · Mar 26, 2018

The smaller you get, the harder they get. A 2 gallons is going to be harder than one of my 240g tanks. They are difficult to learn with... they have issues that even the most experienced never figure out. You need to be meticulous.

This is one argument, were "can" needs to be replaced with "should." I would argue that most successes with pico tanks are outliers where you rarely see the piles and piles of failed attempts.

vlangel · Mar 26, 2018

I just started my first pico jar last Oct. as a contest. I bought a 3 gallon cookie jar and used a cheap par 38 bulb. It had no mechanical filtration, no heater, no chemical filtration. Just an open airline tube for surface agitation and a rio 90 for circulation. I chose mostly soft coral and some LPS and fed it heavy 2Xs a week and the day after I fed I did a 100% water change. Many folks just feed once and change water once a week. I was trying to force fast growth and get good color. If I saw some hair algae, I just lifted the rock (coral and all) out of the water and dabbed hydrogen peroxide with a cotton swab on the algae and then quirted with tank water. Its been super easy. Here is a video link of a feeding and water change. I have feeder shrimp so its more like a 90% change.

2018-03-18_04-50-49 by Dawn Gilson, on Flickr

2018-03-21_05-08-17 by Dawn Gilson, on Flickr

chipmunkofdoom2 · Mar 26, 2018

Small tanks are completely possible. I'm in the process of setting up a 5.5g SPS pico modeled loosely off this older Reef Breeders article.

Most pico jars use what I'll call, for lack of a better term, the "pico" method. Basically, only put corals or smaller inverts in, then feed heavily a few times a week and do a 100% water change shortly thereafter. The method I'm attempting is a modified version of how we keep our full reef tanks. I'm going to be siphoning daily and doing 10% water changes, and I'm going to have a neon goby or another small fish to maintain "background" nutrients. Basically, more similar to what we do in full-sized reef tanks, but relying on the 10% daily changes and siphoning for mechanical filtration.

Greybeard · Mar 26, 2018

Waste of time? It's your time to waste... and yours to decide if it was a waste.

I kept a 2.5 gallon rectangular tank for many years. A good number of folks would consider it less than attractive by today's standards, but back then, I was happy with it. Set on a window ledge, indirect natural sunlight, had xenia and mushrooms, along with a banded coral shrimp, a pair of clown gobies, and a little barnacle blenny.

One thing about small tanks... when something goes wrong, it can go wrong in a big hurry. Keep a close eye on it, respond to problems quickly.

40B Knasty · Mar 26, 2018

Whether or not you have success. A 5g is a tiny tank. A 20g is small. 25-32g is decent.
Honest opinion.. A perfect size small tank is a 40 Breeder. So I agree with the LFS not trying to sell you something. Just to sell you something. That's the kind of store you go back to and trust with their opinions.

rstrann · Mar 26, 2018

I had a 5 gallon fluval spec IV that I ran for about 3 years. I used carbon bags on the back that I'd change out once every couple months. I kept a purple dartfish and a cave goby in there, along with soft coral and some pretty macroalgae, and lots of live rock. It was such a simple tank and did so well. BUT I finally ditched it because of the top off routine. Had to top it off every other day. If you're gonna do it, ya gotsta get an ato for it!

jda · Mar 26, 2018

Greybeard said:
Waste of time? It's your time to waste... and yours to decide if it was a waste.

I am OK with this sentiment if that it all that it is. The inhabitants/animals might feel different about being treated as waste... if they had feelings, of course.

Greybeard · Mar 26, 2018

jda said:
I am OK with this sentiment if that it all that it is. The inhabitants/animals might feel different about being treated as waste... if they had feelings, of course.

I would never suggest that any pet owner do anything less that their best for _any_ animal they are keeping. However. All of us... every single person here that has been in the hobby for any length of time, has lost fish. If you haven't... give it some time. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with a small aquarium, as many have shown. Do your due diligence in researching small tanks, and you stand as good a chance as any of making a success out of it. I'd argue that the original poster, having joined a forum and started asking questions, is on the right path, and deserves nothing but encouragement.

I once was pretty serious in the seahorse game. This was in the mid 90's, before anyone was commercially breeding horses. I spent many months researching and setting up my first seahorse tank, joined (and later volunteered for) Seahorse.org, talked to successful breeders, and tried to leverage several decades of marine aquarium keeping into a new direction. I failed. Over the course of 2 years, I killed off a dozen adults and countless fry. At the end of two years, I accepted defeat, and haven't tried to keep a seahorse since. IMHO, with the techniques and knowledge we had at that time, these animals were simply better off left in the ocean. Other people didn't give up. They struggled on, found treatment and prevention methods for some of the major challenges with seahorses, and have been largely successful, to the point that there are many breeding facilities selling captive bred horses today.

Was that a waste? I don't think so. I have many fond memories, a few photos, and a much better understanding of these animals.

Cmonicarl · Mar 26, 2018

That is amazing. Thanks for the pics and video.

Harry Drum · Mar 26, 2018

vlangel said:
I just started my first pico jar last Oct. as a contest. I bought a 3 gallon cookie jar and used a cheap par 38 bulb. It had no mechanical filtration, no heater, no chemical filtration. Just an open airline tube for surface agitation and a rio 90 for circulation. I chose mostly soft coral and some LPS and fed it heavy 2Xs a week and the day after I fed I did a 100% water change. Many folks just feed once and change water once a week. I was trying to force fast growth and get good color. If I saw some hair algae, I just lifted the rock (coral and all) out of the water and dabbed hydrogen peroxide with a cotton swab on the algae and then quirted with tank water. Its been super easy. Here is a video link of a feeding and water change. I have feeder shrimp so its more like a 90% change.

2018-03-18_04-50-49 by Dawn Gilson, on Flickr

2018-03-21_05-08-17 by Dawn Gilson, on Flickr

That

vlangel said:
I just started my first pico jar last Oct. as a contest. I bought a 3 gallon cookie jar and used a cheap par 38 bulb. It had no mechanical filtration, no heater, no chemical filtration. Just an open airline tube for surface agitation and a rio 90 for circulation. I chose mostly soft coral and some LPS and fed it heavy 2Xs a week and the day after I fed I did a 100% water change. Many folks just feed once and change water once a week. I was trying to force fast growth and get good color. If I saw some hair algae, I just lifted the rock (coral and all) out of the water and dabbed hydrogen peroxide with a cotton swab on the algae and then quirted with tank water. Its been super easy. Here is a video link of a feeding and water change. I have feeder shrimp so its more like a 90% change.

2018-03-18_04-50-49 by Dawn Gilson, on Flickr

2018-03-21_05-08-17 by Dawn Gilson, on Flickr

That’s awesome! Now I have to try it. How are you lighting it?

urfavoritehoboinkc · Mar 26, 2018

My current tank fluval spec, HOB refuge to add more water volume & room for a skimmer & heater. Total water volume is about 7.25 gallons tank has been running for 15 months. Clown & sixline wrasse with no high nitrate problems. Read & just plan for a daily routine to keep the things stable.