ClarkiiClownfish
06/12/2006, 08:45 PM
Hi and thanks for reading.
I need some advice on a nano. I recently became a union officer after being out in the field for nearly 18 years. Now I sit in an office most of the day. I want to do a nano in the office. I am not the type of person that does DIY or tries to skimp on equipment. I want to buy the best, and I do realize that you get what you pay for and money is not an object. That being said, one of the LFS near me has nano cubes for sale (24g) with a clip-on 100 watt MH fixture that is very cool. The price tag I believe was way out of line at nearly $900.00 for the light fixture and tank, which comes with built-in filter and pump. I was told I can add a stand to this set-up for another $90.00. After some thought, I decided against it and got the heck out of there. Glad I did because I am usually an impulse shopper and 9 times out of 10 would have bought it right then and there, but after coming home and doing some research I am finding all kinds of cubes of different shapes and sizes, pumps, filters, lights, and price ranges.
I do not remember the name brand of the cube at the LFS, but it was acrylic and it did have a curved front.
I am wanting at least a 24. Do they make them bigger with the intergrated filter system? I realize the clip on metal halide light is not included, but it was just so cool........I definately will ditch the lighting that comes with the nano that I buy and use it if I cannot intergrate it into use along with the MH. I also want moon lights.
Here is a link to a clip-on MH fixture. This is not the same one they had at the LFS, but similar.
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/lofiversion/index.php/t54413.html
Do any of these nanos use or need a protein skimmer. I am a firm believer in skimming and I also believe you cannot "over-skim", hence the Deltec AP902 on my 180.
Just how good are these intergrated filter systems? Do they come with cheap pumps that will fail in a year? Are they hard to maintain/clean? Are they easy access?
Would I just be better off getting a 30g or 40g tank and a small 10g sump for a skimmer and going that route?
I have always had large tanks. I know that one false move on a tank as small as a nano can be fatal as you dont have as much leeway as you do with a larger tank.
Anyway, if any of you nano experts could offer any advice I would greatly appreciate it. If you guys could fire any questions at me that you think I may be overlooking, please do so.
I am leaving for a dive trip to Cozumel (WOOOO-HOOOO) on Wednesday morning, so I may not get back to this thread for 10 days or so.......but I will try to pop in tomorrow b4 we leave.
Thanks
I need some advice on a nano. I recently became a union officer after being out in the field for nearly 18 years. Now I sit in an office most of the day. I want to do a nano in the office. I am not the type of person that does DIY or tries to skimp on equipment. I want to buy the best, and I do realize that you get what you pay for and money is not an object. That being said, one of the LFS near me has nano cubes for sale (24g) with a clip-on 100 watt MH fixture that is very cool. The price tag I believe was way out of line at nearly $900.00 for the light fixture and tank, which comes with built-in filter and pump. I was told I can add a stand to this set-up for another $90.00. After some thought, I decided against it and got the heck out of there. Glad I did because I am usually an impulse shopper and 9 times out of 10 would have bought it right then and there, but after coming home and doing some research I am finding all kinds of cubes of different shapes and sizes, pumps, filters, lights, and price ranges.
I do not remember the name brand of the cube at the LFS, but it was acrylic and it did have a curved front.
I am wanting at least a 24. Do they make them bigger with the intergrated filter system? I realize the clip on metal halide light is not included, but it was just so cool........I definately will ditch the lighting that comes with the nano that I buy and use it if I cannot intergrate it into use along with the MH. I also want moon lights.
Here is a link to a clip-on MH fixture. This is not the same one they had at the LFS, but similar.
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/lofiversion/index.php/t54413.html
Do any of these nanos use or need a protein skimmer. I am a firm believer in skimming and I also believe you cannot "over-skim", hence the Deltec AP902 on my 180.
Just how good are these intergrated filter systems? Do they come with cheap pumps that will fail in a year? Are they hard to maintain/clean? Are they easy access?
Would I just be better off getting a 30g or 40g tank and a small 10g sump for a skimmer and going that route?
I have always had large tanks. I know that one false move on a tank as small as a nano can be fatal as you dont have as much leeway as you do with a larger tank.
Anyway, if any of you nano experts could offer any advice I would greatly appreciate it. If you guys could fire any questions at me that you think I may be overlooking, please do so.
I am leaving for a dive trip to Cozumel (WOOOO-HOOOO) on Wednesday morning, so I may not get back to this thread for 10 days or so.......but I will try to pop in tomorrow b4 we leave.
Thanks