Thinking of setting up a nano tank

[Dlstn]

Hello

I used to keep red bellied piranahs and have had various other tanks set up over the years, but now im thinking of setting up a nano tank. I have browsed this forum and other websites and have settled on getting the D&D 24 gallon. I just want to have some live rock a couple of fish and maybe in time get some soft coral. Everybody says I should get a RO unit but I havnt really got the space so my question is would it be ok to just rely on buying water from my lfs?

thanks in advance

Glen

[Twistedpro]

Yes you can get buy with buying the water from the LFS for a 24g tank you will only change 2.4g per week maybe 5g. So roughly a 25l drum should last u just over 2 weeks with a 10% change. Evaporation should not be as much with the tank being covered. £2.50 for 25l £60 per year from your LFS. I would make sure u test the water u buy i have heard a few horror stories of high phosphate and nitrate

Or buy an R/O for £50 then its on tap

[Dlstn]

so i could store 2 drums, one for salt water (water changes) and the other for ro water (for evaporation). would they have to be kept at the right temp whilst being stored or can i just heat them to the right temp as and when i need it?

[Twistedpro]

you can store them at what temperature you like, R/O does not really need heating if you have an auto topup. Your salt water will reading will be off dependant on temperature and what decive you use to read it. Make sure its at the tanks temp before you do your change

[Dlstn]

thats what i thought about the salt water, regarding the auto top up i dont know much about them but im guessing i would need to store the ro water next to the tank? if this is the case im not sure i would have the room. surely as its only a small tank i could keep with up the evaporation by sight on a daily bases.

thanks for answering my questions

[Twistedpro]

yea that should be fine, i dont know what the evaporation is like i know someone who is makng a few auto topups for nanos where you only need to store a 2l drinks bottle

[Dlstn]

how much would they cost? and where could i get one?

Also i would like to ask how much live rock you would recommend i put in?

[DC110770]

Living seas are doing them with the stand for £230 which is the cheapest I can find.

I am not sure about the standard pump, only 10X turnover an hour. Will the Maxijet 1200 fit?

[Dlstn]

thanks, but i was talking about the auto top ups not the actual D&D nano.

[jacksprat]

Ok i would say you need 7KG's maybe 8 or 9 max. Thats what i have in mine. Look at my thread in members tanks specs and also Jays nano thread.

The auto top up is £30 off ebay and i am using a tuppaware container inside the stand using the original pump the tank came with as i have bought a maxijet 1200.

And yes it does fit. I have also just bought a microjet to go behind my rocks in the display so i can keep good flow and also make sure no debris gets trapped and rots!

So any questions ask away mate i have done a few mods to my nano and i am uploading a load of photos tonight of them in my thread so check it out later!

HTH

[DC110770]

So if I replace the original powerhead with the 1200 it will fit fine, good!

Microjet, where and how much please.

I would like to see some pics if possible mate.

Thanks

[Dlstn]

thanks mate, I have read though the threads you mentioned they were very helpful. I am still in the planning stage at the moment, I want to get as much information as possible so I can buy everything I need in one go.