Is this nano reef system a recipe for frustration?

Question

The system in question is the 24 gallon Aquapod #7051 as found here: http://www.globeaqua.com/aquapod_nano_aquarium.html

I have 10 years exp in freshwater, but this would be my first foray into salt water tanks.
I have read (re-read, and understand) all the information found on this site: http://www.nano-reef.com/articles/ The information found there is the sum of all I know about the salt water reef aquarium.

I would plan to use about 36lbs Fiji Cultured Live Rock
(Scleractinia pcs.) from http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=2565
I would plan to use 40 lbs South Pacific live sand from http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=403
It seemed from what I read that fish/inverts go in just after rock/sand-- True?
You now know my level of knowledge, and exactly the system I am looking at, I ask you: Assuming I am diligent in water mixtures/maintnance, would using this system be rewarding or a disaster, and why?

Answer 1

Looks like you've already been doing the research, so good for you! This will make things much easier for you in the long run.

I've never used an Aquapod, but it appears to come with all the equipment that you should need for a small reef tank. You already seem to be aware of the potential problem of nutrients in a tank this size, but also keep an eye on the water temperature - it will change more quickly, the less volume there is in a tank. A 24 is doable - I've done reef tanks of 10 and 2.5 gallons but the smaller you go, the less room you have for any errors.

The 36 lbs of live rock will provide lots of biological filtration - the usual recommendation is 1 lb of Pacific origin rock per gallon of tank volume, so this should adequately remove the ammonia and nitrite before they become a problem.

You want to watch your water chemistry after you add the live rock - if you're ordering this online from Drs. Foster & Smith, you may get some die-off after shipping. Wait until you see the ammonia and nitrite levels dropping before you try adding fish. Inverts are the most sensitive, so add these last.

In a 24 gallon, you won't be able to keep too many fish - because of the small size, and the general territoriality of most marine fish, consider the stocking rate at about 1/2-1/3 of that you get in freshwater. Stick to the few small, peaceful fish, and those that don't resemble others in your tank (unless you're purposely getting a pair, or one of the few schooling species). Add the fish in order of most peaceful to least.

I think such a system could be quite rewarding, but a lot depends on your selection of organisms and committment to mintenance. I would also encourage you to look into using reverse osmosis water for mixing the saltwater and using a phosphate absorbing pad from the start to head off algae problems before they begin. And be careful how you place the live rock - if you stack it against the sides, you may regret it when you have trouble using an algae scraper to clean.

Another website I like for info/advice on marine aquaria is this one: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ And should you ever have to deal with disease in any of your fish, this is a good link for diagnosis and cures: http://home2.pacific.net.ph/~sweetyummy42/disease.html - all the names in red are links to pages with more information on the biology and treatment of marine diseases.

Good luck with your tank, and welcome to the hobby! Have to warn you, though - this is addictive. I started with a 29 gallon and got a second 55 gallon in 6 months (I now keep three marine tanks, and several saltwater).

Answer 2

rock yes, the sand no, you wouldnt have alot of water, a deep sand bed is hard to emply in such a small tank. i would say if you are diligent you should do fine, join a forum and look on wetwebmedia.com, and advancedaquarist.com. fish go in after the tank is cycled, roughly a month but you will need a test kit, the reason i think joining a forum or group is to get advice on products, theyre are nano skimmers that may be a big help for that size tank, good test kits, ect reef-central.com is good. i think you will do fine, you have done a bit of research, and they really are not rocket science.

Answer 3

Start slow. Give the system plenty of time to cycle. Your best bet is to start with snails and damsels. Once your nitrogen cycle has had plenty of time establish w/ these creatures, you'll probably want to get rid of the damsels, they can be aggressive and bothersome to even tempered fish. They'll be hard to get out, so be ready to remove some or all of your rock to get them out. It sounds like a big hassle, but they are extremely hardy and will give your tank a good jumpstart. Plus they're cheap. Going small isn't that big of a deal. Be prepared to be patient and test OFTEN.

Answer 4

well since u have experience in freshwater, you should know the smaller you go the increase chance for failure.

With fresh and salt, the larger the tank, the great chance for success.

So with that in mind, a small 24 gallon might be problems, even more so since it is your first saltwater tank.

Generally i would stay about from products like that, and it very well lead to disaster. Again, only because saltwater needs alot of room to be succesfful and again smaller tanks always have a lesser room for error than larger tanks.

In my opinion, get a regular tank and a larger one and try it out on your own.