The oceans are vast, but now you can have your own little one.

Mini Reef Aquariums are now possible: They vary in size and terminology:

• A Nano Reef aquarium is basically a small reef tank of less than twenty gallons. Small Nano Reef Tanks are fairly easy to maintain and can be run easily.
• A pico reef aquarium is simply anaquarium under 3 gallons.

So you’re craving one of those gorgeous salt water tanks that you see in all the fancy restaurants. Unfortunately, you live in an apartment, and can only afford a 10 gallon fish tank. According to all the experts, your dreams of daily visits to the reef are a thing of the past.

Guess what? I’m about to prove them wrong. Don’t worry, you can thank me later.

A pico reef aquarium is a great bet for small areas. As always, the term “reef” in the title implies that the focus of the tank is upon the living coral reef. This is as opposed to a marine aquarium, where the focus is upon the fish, with plants, rocks, etc. serving as accessories. The term pico or nano refers to the size of the tank, which I’m sure all you engineering types already knew, right? And you mathematicians of course. But for us laymen, a nano aquarium is considered to be anything up to about 40 gal US and a pico reef aquarium is smaller yet, generally anything from a couple of gallons up about 20 gal US. These types of aquariums have grown in popularity recently due to their smaller size (very apartment and limited budget friendly!), and the lower upfront investment costs.

Pico and nano reef aquariums are commonly sold as complete kits, with sterilizer, filtration, skimmer, heater, and lighting included along with the tank and stand. You may choose to buy these items separately or upgrade the additional equipment as the size of the tank makes hardware dependability much more important than in larger tanks. Due to the small size, a pico reef aquarium generally requires more frequent attention and care than its’ larger brethren. With a relatively small tank, an equivalent change in water quality will have a greater impact simply because of the size. For example, a stuck thermometer on your heater can rapidly raise the water temperature to 100 degrees F. Fine if you’re needing a tan before hitting the clubs on Friday night, but not so good for any fish and coral! Therefore a little more $ spent upfront to insure better quality could be money well spent. Additionally, water needs to be tested at least twice weekly, with partial water changes (10-20%) each week. In particular, phosphates, calcium, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, ph, and salinity must be closely monitored.

In setting up your tank, lighting is an important issue. Most high density lights will give off too much heat for your smaller tank and should be avoided. There are many species of coral that thrive in low to moderate lighting. Also, in the smallest of pico reef tanks, small invertebrates with coral live rock and live sand (but with fish excluded) make the most sense. You do not want to overload the ability of the tank to process wastes. It would be similar to the disastrous incident at Aunt Rosa’s when the ENTIRE family came over for Thanksgiving dinner and the bathrooms went out. Not fun for anyone. Filtration is accomplished with live sand and rock, and you may want to invest in a protein skimmer as well. Live sand and rock provide a biological filter and are populated with beneficial bacteria and other organisms. The skimmer is a mechanical filter. Both break down waste (feces, uneaten food, etc.) in the water.

One additional highly suggested item is a powerhead. And by highly suggested I mean go out and get it, you’re going to need it. The powerhead keeps the water moving and mimics the wave action the reef gets in its natural environment.
A pico reef aquarium is an excellent alternative for someone with definite space or budget restrictions. Be prepared however, for more frequent maintenance and attention. Also remember the number and size of tank inhabitants will be more restricted. No massive fish crammed into your small tank. Even Aunt Rosa would frown on that.

You can often get good deals on equipment on Craigslist and Ebay, but it is best to buy your actual tank new.  Some of the things you will need/want when starting your reef aquarium are: 

1. Tank – 55 gallons or larger.
2. Aquarium background – this goes on the outside of the back of the tank, sort of the picture inside the frame.  Make sure it fits your new tank.  Many, many designs available.  Some people choose not to have a background, and that’s okay too.
3. Aquarium stand – don’t be cheap.  Remember the tank will weigh about ten pounds for every gallon of water you put in it before adding rocks, sand, etc.  Get a sturdy stand that can easily bear the weight. 
4. Lighting – most tanks come with a cover or hood that includes bulbs.  These are generally for freshwater tanks however, and reef aquariums require special lighting, ESPECIALLY if you will have live coral in your tank.  The hood should stay, but the standard bulbs will need to be replaced.
5. Substrate – sand, live rock, crushed coral.  Your choice.  Live rock is a good biological filter and helps break down waste, but can be pretty expensive.  Whichever you choose, get about ¾ lb per gallon of water.
6. Filter – needs to appropriate for the size of your tank and again, MAKE SURE IT IS A SALT WATER FILTER.  Try to put a fresh water filter in your reef tank, and the salt is literally going to eat it for breakfast.
7. Heater – should be appropriate for the size of your tank and for the types of fish you are hoping to keep.
8. Thermometer – an absolute necessity.  A sudden change in temperature can kill an entire tank, fish, coral and all.  It’s best to know what your tank’s standard temperature is so if it starts to drop you can start testing right away to see what’s going wrong.
9. Saltwater test kit – to test PH, alkalinity, and nitrates
10. Power heads – to maintain oxygen level
11. Sea salt – You can buy already prepared salt water, but it will most likely be an expense you will want to avoid.  Sea salt is available at most salt water supply stores and directions come right on the bag.
12. Saltwater Hydrometer – gives you the  reading on the salinity of the water

Many of the above are often combined in “marine starter kits” at your local pet store.

Do your homework.  Lack of preparedness, knowledge, frustration, carelessness, or trying to do things too quickly can lead you down the road to failure and perhaps deter you from continuing with your new hobby.  We will touch on the basics in a moment, and keep in mind that there are many, many available resources for preparing prior to starting your aquarium.  The internet, the local library, and your local pet store (those that sell salt water supplies that is), are all excellent resources for detailed guidance on getting started and maintaining your aquarium.   

To start, think about the size of aquarium you want. A reef aquarium should be started in no less than a 55 gallon tank, and the bigger the tank the better.  How much room do you have?  Are you in a house or an apartment?  Do you have financial restrictions on how much you can spend on your new hobby?  Saltwater reef aquariums require more specialized equipment, specific filters, special lights, etc.  How much time are you willing to spend on maintenance?  Maintenance when setting up a salt water tank is absolutely essential.  Once your tank has been going awhile it will start to maintain its own ecosystem, but until then, the maintenance requirements must be filled by yours truly.