A nano reef is a reef tank of less than 30 gallons. The exact limit that distinguishes a nano reef from a regular reef is somewhat ill-defined (some claim that anything less than 40 gallons would qualify), but 30 gallons seems to be the generally accepted limit.
General
Nano reefs have become quite popular in recent years among fishkeeping hobbyists, primarily because of low costs, smaller size, and maintainability. The burgeoning interest in this niche of marine aquarium science has fostered several notable contributions ranging from a host specific consumer products such as specialized tiny aquarium filters, lighting systems and circulation pumps, to a focused approach on the pure biology of the interactive reef ecosystem allowing a host of complex organisms to grow and reproduce in an incredibly small volume of water.
Pico reef
Another term gaining popularity is pico reef, which is used to refer to the smallest nano reef aquariums of three gallons or less. These tanks require even more dilligence with regard to water changes and attention to filtration because the small water volume provides little room for error. One must take care when stocking these tiny tanks because introducing too many inhabitants can easily overload the tank’s ablility to process wastes. Quite often, the inclusion of even one fish can produce undue bio-load. In April 2006, Nano-reef.com held a pico reef contest that required photos and tank journals to show progression and growth over a six-month period.
Water quality
Precisely because of the small water volumes, nano reefs require extra attention to water quality. Many experienced reef aquarists recommend water testing twice weekly, with weekly water changes. A generally accepted minimum list of parameters to be monitored would include:
Ammonia
Nitrites
Nitrates
pH
Salinity
Alkalinity or Carbonate hardness
Calcium
Phosphates
Protein skimmers, at one time difficult to obtain in sizes suitable for nano reefs, are now considered by most experienced reefkeepers to be a necessity.
Trace element maintenance
Corals and other reef inhabitants require the adequate presence of certain trace elements, including calcium, strontium, and iodine to grow and thrive. This is often accomplished with additives in larger aquaria. However, because of the commercial availability of actual seawater, these elements can be economically replenished by frequent water changes in the nano reef aquarium.
Species selection
Nano reef tanks require extra care in the selection of occupants. There are two major factors to be considered: biological tank load, i.e. the ability of the tank to process the wastes produced by the occupants, and species cohabitability, i.e. the ability of any two given species to coexist peacefully. These issues, though present in larger tanks, are magnified in the nano tank. Species normally considered reef safe and able to coexist in larger tanks may not do well in a nano tank simply by virtue of the close physical proximity.
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