The Ultimate Showdown |
Along with less water volume comes the necessity to conduct more water changes in order to maintain proper water chemistry. With less water volume, contaminants and waste build within small tanks more quickly. It's certainly a good thing that small tanks require less time for water changes, because you will probably be engaging in this chore more frequently than larger tank owners. Pico and Nano aquarium owners need to be prepared to conduct weekly water changes. Additionally, filtration for nano tanks will also be exceedingly important to try and assist in maintaining necessary water chemistry parameters. |
Small aquariums also provide less room for both your design aspirations and fish movement. Part of the enjoyment of establishing a tank is designing a naturalistic piece of art to remain within your home while observing fish as they enjoy their home. Smaller tanks limit the materials (e.g. driftwood & rock) which you can utilize to develop an aquatic landscape due to spacial constraints. While aquaqscaping, you will also need to bear in mind that fish will already be limited in swimming space. Aquascapes need to leave sufficient room for fish to maneuver or hide.
Finally, smaller aquariums also mean a sacrifice towards the best part of owning a tank, the fish! There is a much greater limitation on the species of fish you can choose from when stocking nano tanks. Fish should not be placed in pico tanks...period. Every fish has a minimum tank size within which they should be housed. Many fish require either 30 gallons (114 L) or more due to their size and behavior. This constraint can make it difficult to find suitable tank inhabitants. To assist you with this endeavor, in the chart below we have included a few aquatic species to consider for both freshwater and saltwater tanks.
As with most options in life, Pico & Nano tanks come with their own array of pros and cons. For those living in apartments or college dorms, small aquariums might be your only option. Despite the drawback, pico and nano tanks have their own unique appeal. Our first saltwater reef tank was a nano tank with a sump bringing its total water volume to around 15 gallons (57 L). Nothing can quite match the serenity or allure the tank brings us.
That’s it for part 1. Make sure to check out Part 2: Pros vs. Cons of Large Aquariums!
Until next time, Keep Krill’in!
Until next time, Keep Krill’in!
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