Tips for Beginner Reefers | Nano Saltwater Reef Tanks

[@brucebmendoza]

Man I miss my daughters nano tank but yup it is work to maintain it but the pleasures of seeing the hard work is worth it.

[@The_Nameless_Entity]

Ive been in the hobby for many years and dealt with many of the problems that others have gone through. Even with my experience, I find myself coming back to the basic needs of keeping a nano reef. Videos such as yours is very informative for the newcomer. Your presentation was spot on. Thank you Sir sharing with the rest of us.

[@sayurasem]

Thank you for the update and tips! Coming from a fresh/ planted tank side of the hobby and just started my first reef tank a month ago. There is so much to learn! For instance I was going to use canister filter for my tank, but after researching I understand why nobody uses it for reef tanks. The amount of waste you have to export in a reef tank to keep the water parameters stable is a challenge.

[@harrison127]

I have never seen a video this helpful. As I've been gearing up to start my tank, I've done a lot of research and most other videos give very generic advice that isn't very helpful. But this video gives very specific and helpful advice, thank you so much.

[@CichlidBros]

Glad it was helpful, and thanks for watching!

[@KlikAndSeuss]

Man I love you guys over a year ago I watched your videos and have a gully stocked 55 gallon mbuna flourishing And now im getting my toes wet with saltwater and back to yalls channels! You guys rock!

[@CichlidBros]

That is awesome! Thank you for following along!

[@mightymick17]

Awesome vid. Got a kick out of the video clips thrown in! Great tips and info.

[@CichlidBros]

Thank you - glad you enjoyed/found helpful!

[@syntaxerrorsix3137]

I learned that as cool as these tanks are it sounds more like a full time job than just a full time hobby. I'll just watch the videos I suppose.

[@tonydinh21]

Starting out is the hardest part but after that it’s not too bad. If you’re looking to get a nano tank I.e 10 gal or less, you don’t need even need a refugium or skimmer. You can look up all in one tanks like innovative marine and you can start your reef day 1. Top off the water when it evaporates, feed as little as possible, and do water changes every 2 weeks.

[@davidmurphy4672]

@@tonydinh21 Or you can be like me with refugium and skimmer in a nano and feed as much as you want haha 😂

[@davidmurphy4672]

@@tonydinh21 Refugium stabilizes PH more as well. I feed a lot to keep nitrates high enough for coral and refugium. I am still a noob.

[@PR-qo5cn]

A reef tank was probably the easiest ecosystem to maintain. It's all about patience in the beginning don't rush it and after some time and trial and error it will almost takes care of its self if you maintain proper water parameters. Expensive to get into very rewarding in the end

[@davidmurphy4672]

@@PR-qo5cn Algae issues will never go away haha. I had three corals die so far on my learning curve. I had to do endless research.

[@makulet06kiko]

Really great tips for beginner like me. Thanks

[@CichlidBros]

Thanks for watching!

[@badwolffangproduction]

Ive only done freshwater tanks and really want to give a shot at saltwater. Thanks

[@CichlidBros]

Best of luck!

[@davidedutremblay5050]

Dive in ?! Oh I see what you did there !

[@RWAquariumPages]

Great tips! And great video as I am starting up an nano tank shortly

[@CichlidBros]

Thanks for watching, and best of luck!

[@stephaneaudette6665]

Lots of information.. Thank you very much.

[@captainrex1503]

You just solved half of my problems

[@susantyse667]

Thanks for the tips...I need much much tips before start.... So simple and nice reef tank....👍🙏

[@justbaquatics2512]

Nice I want to go from a experiences fresh keeper to try my hand in salt water thanks appreciated

[@vai_ser_marinho]

Great tips, thank you!

[@Fifthimagez]

Great vid vary helpful thanks

[@ultramaximusreviews]

The clownfish were helping clean the rocks LOL

[@WONDERFULREPTILES]

VERY NICE SALTWATER REEF TANK LIKE

[@evoryann]

Come reefers we must help this freshwater worm😤 lol good start bud nice nano

[@mitchellrodriguez1794]

I love saltwater aquariums

[@evanhunterblbier]

Great video but was trying to keep track of your filtration chambers. Can you please recite what you have in your first two?

[@atkinsnatureaquariums3552]

Great video!

[@CichlidBros]

Thank you!

[@tazccl]

Thanks for the video I have the same tank. I was thinking about putting a refugium in the middle chamber and that's what I was worried about. I am still thinking about a refugium reactor under the tank. I have inTank media basket in the first chamber with filter floss, chemi pure blue. Second chamber heater, reef glass skimmer and matrix in a bag. Third return pump I do every thing you do and my nitrate are a 25 but everything looks great in my tank.

[@CichlidBros]

Very nice! For some reason the in tank basket I ordered didn’t fit perfectly. But I plan on getting another one to replace the filter sock eventually

[@cristianmorales3889]

@@CichlidBros so i was curious whats your next plan with the chaeto? are you going to build a refugium out of the tank or you just discard it and you will keep going without it?

[@sharond1710]

Great tips! Now I don't want to set up tank. Too much work!😅

[@Kriswendorf]

You had me at a heater in your ato

[@julierossberger2362]

Awesome video! Do you guys sell Cichlid Bros tshirts?

[@CichlidBros]

Thanks! Tshirts and merch coming soon 👌🏻

[@adrianmelendez5447]

loved the video, btw where can i get a tank like that

[@CichlidBros]

Thanks! WaterboxAquariums.com

[@georgeduncan8946]

Too much heat is an enemy☝🏿 i had No issues after adding a $600 chiller on my 55gl ✌🏿🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗

[@JT7POV]

the values indicated in the point 6:00, are the correct values that the aquarium water must have?

[@zachniedfeldt]

They are pretty normal specs yes. Most ocean water is about the same - give or take. Stability is more important than targeting a specific number 100% of the time. As in dont chase up and down. just within the range but stable.

[@bluecollarcoral9088]

Awesome info! Are you running your ai prime at 100% during the 9 hour lighting period?

[@CichlidBros]

thanks! I reduce it most of the day. I show the full cadence towards the end of the video

[@CooperAquatics]

👍🔥do u have channel stickers?

[@CichlidBros]

We do. If you DM us on Instagram we can get you some!

[@Ca4rless6969]

Can you make a video on good ways to cycle tank

[@CichlidBros]

That’s a good idea! I know my brother Troy is going to explain how he’s cycling his new reef tank in his next video

[@datzdoe3767]

good video man! what top do you have on that tank ? I’ve been looking for one for my 25 peninsula mini but no luck..

[@CichlidBros]

Thank you! It’s a lid from The Kraken Reef online. They make the mesh tops for a lot of the smaller size tanks

[@Newtscoot860]

carful with those peppermint shrimps once there's no more aiptasia they might go for your coral

[@AlbertHoffman-mb6tv]

Just one of my 1st saltwater aquarium in a raffle at rifa bluza and I am stuck on rockscaping I have not moved forward I cannot decide..

[@heathweitzel9803]

Why should you run chemical filtration before bio media ?

[@vickiprantera1038]

Do you need to put the cleaner in vertebrates in at the start or do you wait?

[@fisharefwends]

Do you have pods In your tank? I am thinking of trying to keep a good sized colony in mine

[@Lucy-ls3hu]

Hello! I’ve been doing my research for awhile to start in the reefing hobby. I’m having trouble understanding what a refugium really is and if it’s necessary. I’m starting a 20 gallon.

[@trevor1752]

No it’s not required, a refugium is essentially a sump with algae. It mainly is good for stabilizing ph

[@maleknasrallah2601]

Just a correction. You do not need a heater in your ATO reservoir what so ever. If anything its bad because it will cause evaporation and you'll unnecessarily lose rodi water.

[@CichlidBros]

My evaporation rate from the tank itself is fast enough that I find the heater in the reservoir necessary. Otherwise i see dips of 1-3 degrees at times. Since adding, my temp has not moved a degree in weeks

[@maleknasrallah2601]

@@CichlidBros Thats odd. Ive never seen anyone use a heater for an ato container but i mean if it fixed your issue and its working then thats great!

[@CichlidBros]

@@maleknasrallah2601 thanks! Noted on your callout though. I’ll keep a close eye on the reservoir 👍🏻

[@jmboulware]

@@CichlidBrosI take you at your word, but your ato isn't moving more than a quart or two of water at any given time, and unless your reservoir is in the fridge it's hard to believe you're going to get a 3 degree drop in temp.

[@yadieldiaz6395]

I always recommend to dip your cheato in RODI water, you can even put coral dip with the fresh water when dipping your cheato, any saltwater creature won’t survive a 2 hour freshwater dip plus 15 minutes with coral dip 👍

[@yadieldiaz6395]

You can even dip the cheato for 6 hours

[@sometinsometin1]

what skimmer are you using?

[@waynegrayson5854]

Do you use tap water for water changes

[@CichlidBros]

RODI / saltwater

[@jessejames4757]

This guys like, u know what, let’s hire someone full time to take care of your nano tank and then you only have to work part time on it lol

[@rickdroesch5084]

what kind of snails were those burrowing fellas?

[@CichlidBros]

Nassarius snails

[@rickdroesch5084]

@@CichlidBros haha just ran to aq adv in Bolingbrook and picked up some of them zombie snails and a 🔥 shrimp. They are so 😎

[@rajaraditya9350]

What light you use in that tank bro?

[@CichlidBros]

It’s an Ai Prime

[@rajaraditya9350]

@@CichlidBros thx y myboss 🙏

[@vickiprantera1038]

I am a total beginner with the reef aquarium I had saltwater in the 80s and it was extremely difficult! I went to freshwater and aquatic turtles! I am back into the reaping and starting up a new 32 BioCube with live rock do you need to put the cleaner

[@pramoodas5405]

I think the flow is bit high for the tank

[@batman6540]

You dont need to do all of this for a tiny nano bro :D I own a nano for 15 years made like 2 times a test. The water changes do that for you.

[@CichlidBros]

Didn't say you have to do all of this. Just some of the things that helped my tank run smoothly

[@thegreekanimalkeeper]

how big is this nano reef tank??

[@CichlidBros]

20 gallons

[@zachniedfeldt]

I like the video, good informative and not too long. As a side note the AI Prime in your tank has way to much disco effect for me. I haven't seen it as clearly in other videos and I know its a good light. Ive been trying to convince myself to move away from Kessil but i cant do disco.

[@kristians7377]

A little late here, but check out the diffuser/shade by 3d reefer

[@zachniedfeldt]

@@kristians7377 i will thanks

[@keith6744]

Careful putting anything metal in the tank (wire brush)

[@RaulsAquaticsandReptiles]

✊🏽💯

[@jtm6671]

I’m missing something!??? You do all that job day, weekly etc ! If one day you get a bigger aquarium and you do same you will have a full day job 😅

[@andydiep4162]

Is it worth all this work?

[@joethefish1949]

Can 2 clownfish fit in a ten gallon tank? I’m a beginner at saltwater (already know freshwater) and some people say 2 clowns in a 20. I see people that have them in a 10 though

[@aarushmadhireddy4326]

depends on how much filtration

[@N7Narc0sis]

You can but I'd highly recommend a skimmer if you plan on doing that

[@arminzacher4623]

Can’t understand why so many put in Nemo fish in so small tanks… especially when no big anemones are there

[@CichlidBros]

They're the most common saltwater fish kept in nano tanks...

[@benperry490]

and the thing you left off the list if you have a nano reef tank...#1NEVER GO ON VACATION! or enjoy your time outside of fish keeping because you will be tied to this tank like a ball an chain

[@MiniManAu]

Haha or never go on vacation for more than a week :)

[@samiam159007]

These are all great tips. But this all seems absurd personally. Why would anyone go through all of this to maintain a tank? You must really love this. The reward/labor contrast seems lopsided. You have the benefit of having a nice looking marine tank but it requires it seems endless maintenance. Who has time for this? Great videos as usual, but this was extremely discouraging. It's safe to say I will never own a marine tank as cool as growing coral seems.

[@jmboulware]

Dude this is literally an hour a week.

[@samiam159007]

@@jmboulware Oh really? Well if that's the case then I take back my comment.

[@wisconsinaquatics]

Go graboids!

[@myownprivateglasgow280]

It does seem like a lot of work to keep God's little creatures in cages. But it's very pretty.

[@sombre101010]

This Tank is too small for Nemo´s !!

[@CichlidBros]

It’s not

[@Andy_Leored]

Dude.. Seriously? Why you make it looks like so complicated? you scary new people like me. If I I must do all your tips like daily and weekly maintenance like that.. Than my life is over! We have to live our live.

[@CichlidBros]

It’s not hard or meant to dissuade anyone. These are just tips to implement over time. Some of these things are basics for any aquarium though

[@Andy_Leored]

@@CichlidBros yea bro is okay, I am a fresh water Aquascaper and I do also with brackish water tank, i do maintenance but not daily😅 and almost never do water changed too , I only add water to refill evaporated water from those tanks and I have no algae problems. I was planning to run salt water tank and after I saw this video, I have to over think again about it, but if there is a way to do low maintenance for salt water tank I would like to see it.

[@MrDJLeeE]

Sounds like a lot of work. PASS

[@redgamingbsehkstreamer2371]

Tips: Dont do saltwater aquarium! XD just freshwater is fine..