IF you buy second hand..........you could get out probably around 600 or 700......depending on size. I have a nano.....29 gallon that I set up for right at 750. originally.......but if i would have known then what i know now.......i could have saved 100 bucks with the protein skimmer.........Im using mangroves to filter and they only cost me 25 bucks. HUGE price difference there.........They take a few weeks to root properly.....but worth there weight in gold for sure. Boss..........would my tank be considered a nano.........29 gallon main.......but a 20 gallon refuge. So right at 45 gallons total volume.

mangroves are plants, he is useing them in a refugium {and area in his sump} they remove nitrates from the water {which is bad for the fish} and replenish O2[ which is good for the fish} similar theory to us humans and plants on the earth

I would seriously keep it simple for the first 6 months to a year though, especially when your that far away from a store or supplier ..........
www.live aquaria.com
www.petsolutions.com
these are two places ive dealt with and had very good luck as far as online ordering

you might look at this system for your tank - -its, the filter, skimmer, overflow and an auto top off system all in one unit and would be great on a fish only or fish only with live rock tank _ IMO it's a little light duty for a full blown reef


http://www.petsolutions.com/Rapids-Pro- ... 01315.aspx


Boss



Fishboy,
I wouldn't consider it a nano, but yes according to the rule of thumb you are in the nano {large nano} catagory - - -probably because 30 and under really does limit us to the types of fish we can keep - where as almost anything will work in a 55-75 gallon rig.........you know..........

but success in a nano is very rewarding because we work much harder to keep parameters balanced - - my tank is almost maintenence free now i havn't done anything other than clean the glass with a magcleaner and do a 10% water change every other week in months now ......it's friggin awsome - -i gotta get some updated pics posted

Boss

thats basically what i do - - -i'm past the major detritus stages now so the cleaner crew keeps everything looking pretty good so i just siphon out 2 gallons and then dip the filter sponge or bioceramics bag in it {alternate every other change} in the removed water - -then top it all off and clean the glass - - in 10-20 minutes the filter catches up with the floating stuff and she's clean and shiny again


i do keep 3 gallons of salt mix running in a tub in the basement with a power head and heater in it at all times then i can do maintenence or emergancy changes at the drop of a hat


if you have a lot of crap on the rocks - -try bumping up the current in the tank and back off on the food a little - -that might help some - - -i read somewhere that a fishes stomach is the size of it's eye - - - so in reality a small clown only needs like 2 pellets per feeding - - -i don't know how true that is but i've watched them eat and 2-5 pellets is all they ever eat - - -the crabs like the pellets too so ..........lol