What got me started...

In June, Marine Depot featured a video and blog post about setting up a nano reef aquarium for $275.  I maintain no delusions that I will get out of this adventure for under three hundred bucks, but the small size combined with the relatively low cost of entry was intriguing enough for me to start doing some research.  To be fair, intrigued is probably not the right word.  I've been so excited, like a kid on Christmas eve, researching all of the equipment that will support my tank!  So much has changed since 20 years ago when hang-on and canister filters were all the rage, it's like going back to school.

I've linked the video below, and have posted some thoughts based on Marine Depot's recommendations and where I plan to diverge from them:

• Tank - $99.00

• Marine Depot is using the Innovative Marine NUVO Fusion 10 gallon aquarium, which has an integrated filter section behind the display tank and is designed with a complete line of accessories.  I briefly considered a BioCube 14 gallon all-in-one aquarium because I thought the design seemed cleaner and there would be less light bleed out into the room, but for a couple reasons I have decided to go with the NUVO Fusion 10.

• First, I was originally planning on putting the aquarium in my son's bedroom.  We live in a two bedroom apartment and the only rooms on the north side of the unit are the kitchen, the second bathroom, and the second bedroom.  The kitchen is a galley and our bathrooms barely have room to stand when toweling off so neither is large enough for a fish tank.  The second bedroom is nice and dark, it seems to have good temperature control throughout the year, but I am concerned about the light from tank disrupting my son's sleep.  He takes a lot of naps, and I can't be turning the aquarium lights on and off during the day.  Further, if I end up with a 12 hour light cycle, it might even encroach on his nighttime sleeping hours--I pray that he someday sleeps 12+ hours, I've heard this is possible.  So, in order to keep the peace of the household, I have decided to put the tank in the living room.  There is a dead corner near the TV that is begging for an aquarium, and although the three large windows in the room face south, the shades are nearly always at least partially down and the location is almost 20 feet away from the windows.  I'm hopeful that this should be dark enough to avoid unwanted algae blooms from over-lighting.

• Second, the open-top design of the NUVO seems like it offers more long-term flexibility in filtration options over time.

• Third, the open-top design has way more lighting options than the BioCube, which I believe uses fluorescent tubes.  My days of fluorescent lights are over and I welcome the bright, efficient LEDs that will be lighting my tank.

• The only thing to solve now is a stand, as Innovative Marine does not seem to make a stand for this tank.  I found a cabinet at Ikea that is almost the exact dimensions of the tank and either 30" or 40" tall.  I'm leaning towards the 30" as it should be more stable, better viewed by the little guy, and easier to access deep into the tank from above.  Of course, I will still attach the stand to the wall so as to avoid a toddler-toppling incident.

• Lights - $76.49

• While Marine Depot considered two very inexpensive lights for their setup, I am fortunately not bound by absolute minimal cost.  Based on reviews and reputation I am planning to use an AquaMaxx NemoLight AquaMarine Nano LED Fixture with Controller.  This is still 18 watts, but the shape and mounting bracket are much nicer looking than the Wave Point LED that Marine Depot is using.  Also it comes with a built-in controller, which means I don't need a separate timer.  As a result I'm only spending $3.55 more for what I hope will be a much nicer light.

• Circulation - $49.99

• Marine Depot proposes a Hydor Koralia Nano 240gph pump for water circulation.  Some reading suggested that the Jebao PP-4 is a better choice for a few dollars more.  It has 8 speed settings from 125-1,000gph and has some basic wave functions built in.  The size and shape are pretty similar.  I am a bit concerned that Jebao seems to be a vapor company--I cannot find the company's website and they seem to sell a lot through ebay--but for $50 I'm game to possibly be scammed.  The reviews of these pumps are very good, and they're low voltage, 24v, so less concern for shocks which makes me happy.

• Temperature - $23.99

• Again, here I'm stepping up slightly from the ViaAqua 50 watt heater to an Eheim Jager heater of the same size, which has better reviews for reliability and thermostat accuracy.  Plus it has an adjustable dial so the thermostat gauge can be corrected.  EJ also seems to have a great reputation as a company.

• Filtration - $21.48

• I am following Marine Depot's advice with the ChemiPure Blue, and also heeding some advice I've read elsewhere for Seachem Purigen.  I'll be asking my local fish store whether it's ok to use both at the same time.

• Substrate - $86.79

• Here's where I'm making my first big divergence from Marine Depot's strategy.  While I commend them for using AquaMaxx Eco-Rock Dry Live Rock, which is harvested from a land-based quarry in Florida, I am a bit concerned that I will never get any corraline algae on the rock without introducing it from outside, and live rock is one of my favorite visual elements in the tank.  Similarly, with the live sand I'm looking for something a bit more "live" to get some good biodiversity in my tank.

• The real crux here is I don't want to contribute to the busting up of virgin reefs in Fiji so that I can have a few pounds of live rock in my living room.  Enter Atlantic Reef Conservation (ARC).  After stumbling upon, reading about, and subsequently falling in love with ARC, I will be sourcing aqua-cultured live sand (6 lbs) and premium live rock (15 lbs) from them to support sustainable aqua-culture and the conservation of our precious natural reefs.  I am very excited about this company and their products, so expect a full post about this in the future.

If you're keeping track, that's an apples-to-apples comparison of Marine Depot's selections and the ones I plan to make.  While they are at $275 and I am closer to $357.  I'm very happy and comfortable with the benefits I will get for the additional $82.

Of course, this is not everything I need, so I am currently putting together a master list of all the other items I'll need to first cycle the tank, and then for long-term purchases like a protein skimmer, etc.  More to come about the other items in a future post.