What exactly makes a nano reef??

[Timbo]

K guys,

What do you all think makes a nano reef tank different from just a small reef tank? For example, I also have a 29 gallon reef in addition to my 7 gallon bow front nano. Despite the 29 being small, I do not consider it a nano because of the kind of equipment I use on it. Specifically, a sump, heavy duty return pump, sea swirl, multiple powerheads and a big skimmer. Nano tanks for me are more like a rock garden... less is more. On my bow front I don't even have a skimmer and barely any corals yet.

So what do you all think?

Tim

[Q-ball]

Hiya...I guess to me it's anything 20g & under? I agree, I don't consider a 29g a nano. Had a 29g and while they're small, I just don't see them in my mind when I think nano. JMO

Q!!!

[Nagel]

I think a 29 falls under the micro-reef more then nano reef. I remember reading a whole page on the "size definitions" of reefs somewhere but can't seem to remember where. Pico were like 1 gallon, Nano 2-12 gallon, Micro 13-55 and Macro reefs were above 55, but some people would consider micro to go to 90 or 110.

Personally, in the grand scheme of things, even a 300 gallon is a nano by comparison to the real thing in the ocean (j/k)

I'll look for that page, but it was a while ago that I saw it.