Pick tank

[Aratz26]

Hey guys so I run a 65 gallon but have no experience with tiny tanks. My tanks going great! My roomate really wants to get into saltwater but will only do it if it’s a nano/pico and I think he wants more along the lines of pico. (I told him it’s harder the smaller it is). I’m looking for advise as I’m trying to do a lil research myself. I had a nano 11 gallon aio however for some reason the pumps would always pull water faster then it would enter and would run dry after a day (the filter sponge or media would slow it down to fast tried a ball valve but didn’t fix much.) so I’m looking for advise from yall.

Any brands that are affordable?
should he get one of those aio, or a bookshelf tank with a hang on the back?
What brand of light that’s cheaper?
Does he need a wave maker?
Anyone with experience they’re willing to share?
Also if anyone just has one they’re trying to sell or get rid of feel free to pm I’m going to be helping him and he wants to join ARC when he gets into the hobby!

 

[ecoreefguy]

Water box 15, Red Sea nano, and innovative marine 10 are all amazing aioz

 

[ichthyoid]

Whatever he gets, unless he invests in an ATO, one big problem is likely to be salinity swings.

Please tell him, more than once, that stability and patience are two of the most important things in salt water aquaria.

 

[Cook]

I ran a 5 gallon tank for a couple of years without an ATO and it can be done if planned out in advance and livestock and corals are chosen conservatively.

 

[hiimsean]

It can be done it’s just a lot easier with an ATO. I ran a 5.5g pretty easily as my first tank. I used a aqua clear HOB filter that held my heater and matrix and ATO and that was about it. Made things super easy