NANO ANYONE?

OK IM THINKIN ABOUT STARTING UP A NANO TANK, I already have a(IMO) killer 55 reef tank for 3 years now. why when ya have a big one right? lol cuz i want a little one toolol

i just have a few nano noob questions.. for whom ever wants to answer... I know one of the things ive read with nanos is the lack of equipment used on them due to the small size. alot of people have nothing more the LR, LS and powerheads and alot have full ref's and sumps..

i like simplicity..the less stuff i need the more i like it. without sacrificing time and extra energy to keep up,

the goal- low cost, ease of operation/ upkeep,

the idea- 20-30g (nothing over 24" long) standard tank(maybe rimless) 15-20 lbs sand(or enough for about a 2-3"bed) 20 lbs or LR give or take.. (i go more for volume of rock then actual weight) 24" 2 bulb t-5(might do LED's), penguin 250 and a powerhead or two...

1. what is a good size for a "low" maintenance nano. i no the smaller the tank the more you "work" on it so to speak but does it really make that big of a difference in nano's?

2. type of tank.. can i just get a regular say 20g tank and set it up, LR, LS and powerheads maybe HOB filter? or should I go like a jbl nanocube or some type of AIO system...

does the sand depth vary for tank size...like would you use say 2-3 inches in a 30g and1/2-2" in say a 15g?

I had a 14 gallon Bio Cube and really liked it the only issues I've found with the aio systems is they tend to over heat even with my RSM 250 I needed to either remove the hood and use a different light to let the heat escape or buy a chiller. I went chiller although I still worry about adequate gas exchange. when I was running the 14 I didn't use any mechanical filtration I felt with the tank being so small that a 1-2 gallon water change weekly worked fine. as far as sand depth I went shallow only because the tank itself was shallow the more sand the more height I lost but I had plenty of super rock in its place. I think the nano's are pretty easy to care for it's the stability thats harder to achieve in my opinion, even then the easy coral I kept in it were happy. its gonna be a fun project! good luck and post lots of pics:)

thank you the response and input. ive heard that about those systems and im not trying to mod anything or add to an AIO lol that defeats the purpose to me lol. yea stability is they key from what im reading but it doesnt seem too hard to maintain.(could just my larger tank experience coming out lol) i will def post the build. im thinkin of doing mainly lps, acans, brains.. slow growers maybe a nice encrusting monti..couple nice zoos. as far as corals go

i was thinking of doing all inverts..but i really want another fu man chu and i think thats perfect for on of those, fu man chu lion fish and maybe a pair of skunk clowns or black perculas. im too too big on fish lol im way more into corals and critters

"im not trying to mod anything or add to an AIO lol that defeats the purpose to me lol"

yes, I realize that but with the AIO systems being totally inclosed they over heat
which gives you no choice. thats why I went with a chiller I didn't want to mod it, yet I couldn't run a successful tank with the heat issues. in the am the tank would run 77 degrees by 2pm the tank was pushing 90. thats the biggest down fall with these type of tanks. it sounds by your stock wish list you should go with a 30g.
I'm sure what ever you decide it will turn out fantastic!

20g tank is a perfect starter tank for nanos anyway.

to keep it as simple as possible get a AC70 and mod it into a fuge
and get a simple light fixture ( not to expensive and not to cheap,)
aside from all the LS and LR and a small powerhead youll throw in the tank be fine with a weekly or by weekly water change
and Bam! simplicity like Whoa!

or you can even just go with the flow output of the AC 70 on a 20g lol


no need for a skimmer or calc reactor or any of that pricey get in the way junk.
just water changes:)

thanks for all your input. i made alot of mistakes with my 60g reef at first(still learning little tricks three years later) but it is pretty forgiving but a small tank a minor problem ould lead to a big mess and i dont want to risk too much out of ignorance ya know. yall are a great help! on a dif not.. this is the first post ive made where im taking advice instead of giving it!! feels kinda good to be a newbie again lol