Nano Reef Aquariums

With the latest increases in technology, it is now extremely possible and easy to keep aquariums in smaller sizes and shapes. Even just a few years ago, trying to keep an aquarium smaller than 55 gallons was unheard of, and only the most experienced and knowledgeable marine aquarium keepers could successfully handle anything smaller than that.

But now, there have been rapid advances in marine aquarium technology that make it possible and relatively simple to keep reef aquariums as small as 6 gallons, or even smaller. These aquariums are called nano reefs. Nano reef aquariums are generally classified as aquariums that are under about 29 gallons in size. Of course there are many definitions of a nano reef, but 29 gallons or less is considered the usual definition by most people.

There are many popular brands and styles of nano reef aquariums, with the most popular brands being the Oceanic Biocube, Nano Cube, and AquaPod Aquarium. These all have become very popular because they were the pioneers in a line of all-in-one aquarium setups. Each of these brands of aquariums combines all the necessary parts of a reef aquarium into one single box: filtration, lighting, and of course the aquarium itself.

While each brand has its own special features and advantages, all of them feature a space saving cube design that is simple and easy to setup and maintain. Some of them, such as the Oceanic Biocube HQI, feature an advanced lighting system and extra filtration features like a protein skimmer, which allow you to easily keep advanced corals and invertebrates such as anemones and clams.

Modern advances in lighting technology have made it extremely simple to keep corals and invertebrates that demand a large amount of light. Before, it was difficult and risky to try to keep small aquariums because the only lights available were expensive and hot. Because they ran so hot, it was hard to keep the aquarium temperature where it needed to be, or the lights needed to have fans constantly running to keep the heat levels down.

Besides generating a lot of heat, lights also ran electric bills very high. But now, with the availability of much cooler lighting technologies like compact fluorescent, LED, and T5 lighting, it's now super easy to keep a small aquarium running cool and the electric bill stays down.

Filtration has improved dramatically over the years in the aquarium, and nowadays it's simple and inexpensive to purchase and run the necessary filtration to keep your nano reef aquarium clean and healthy. Filters are now also whisper quiet and very low maintenance, so you can spend less time on aquarium maintenance and more time on viewing your beautiful aquarium.

Many of the nano cube aquarium setups have all of the three necessary filtration methods: chemical, biological, and mechanical, which are all very important to have, especially in a small nano reef tank. However, proper filtration has become even easier with the increased availability of live rock.

Live rock is chunks of rock and coral harvested from the ocean that are loaded with beneficial bacteria and microorganisms that break down waste in the ocean (and in your aquarium!). With a good amount of live rock, about one pound per gallon of aquarium water, combined with an efficient filter, your nano reef will be its absolute best.

The 24g Deluxe Nano Cube by JBJ is the perfect choice for anyone wanting to get into the hobby of nano reefs. Nano cubes are among the most popular nano reef tanks available, and with good reason.

They are well-crafted, built-to-last, and designed with the needs of a nano aquarium in mind. If you're looking to start your first nano reef tank, the JBJ Nano Cube Deluxe is the best choice you can make.