5 Best Nano Reef Tank Kits

The presence of ocean life around you will surely help to reduce the stress you will accumulate through your daily life. This is what nano reef tanks are there for, they help you to relax and also enjoy the colors and the life of the ocean, and the corals will certainly help as well.

For this, you will need a nano reef tank in the first place, though. Nano reef tanks are perfect if you wish to have a small tank if you do not have a lot of space and they also look great and provide you with a hint of ocean life.

A nano tank is a small tank (usually they come in sizes of 30 gallons or below) that is suitable for you if you do not have too much space and you want to have an aquarium still. Reef tanks are unique and different from regular freshwater tanks, as they can contain corals and that makes them even more colorful.

You may wondering what fish you can keep in a nano reef aquarium. Well, I’ve created an article, where I present the best fish for small reef tanks, check it out.

For beginners, buying a nano tank alone can be quite a challenge, especially if you don’t have prior experience of owning one.

This is the reason why tank kits are often recommended for beginners, as they contain everything you need to own to start a nano reef tank right away and saving you the hassle of having to look for specific parts of aquarium and buying them separately, which can be time-consuming and even more expensive.

If you are looking for a nano reef tank kit, then you have come to the right place. In this article, we will take a look at some of the best nano reef tank kits and help you choose the right one for you.

Let us dive right in with the first item on the list.

1. Fluval 10531A1 SEA EVO XII Aquarium Kit

The Fluval aquarium kit is a perfect choice for beginners and for people aspiring to own a nano reef tank. It is a small tank of 13,5 gallons (56x29x38 cm) that is great if you don’t want to go through the process of looking for a tank and then having to buy all the equipment separately.

This tank kit contains the glass aquarium of 13,5 gallons with cover, a fully integrated LED lighting system that provides night and day illumination, a safe transformer that is also low-voltage, a circulation pump with an output nozzle that will make sure that the filtration is on point.

The kit also contains a Biomax filter insert for beneficial bacteria growth, a foam block for filter and an activated carbon insert.

So you will get everything you will need to start the tank immediately – a quality glass tank with aluminum water casing, strong 3 stage filtration system and quality LED lighting system that will make sure that the tank’s lighting is on point.

The only thing you need to buy now is the fish, of course, and some materials to fill up the tank and you are all set!

2. Coralife LED Biocube Aquarium

The second tank kit on this is a little more expensive, but it does contain a bit more complex and higher-quality lighting system that the Fluval 13,5-gallon aquarium kit.

This nano reef tank comes in two different sizes – 16-gallon and 32-gallon, so you can choose the right size for you. Both are still in the range of nano tanks.

The Coralife LED Biocube tank kit contains a 16 or 32-gallon glass tank with a built-in filtration that is easy to use and very effective. The best part about this kit is the lighting system that comes with it.

It is an LED lighting system that is high-quality, and it has an integrated 24-hour timer that will recognize what time of the day it is and adjust the lighting accordingly.

This timer system will try to replicate natural lighting by the time of the day –  it will replicate the sunset or sunrise lighting for 30 minutes each day, and then also 60-minute periods of moonrise and moonset.

This feature is great for replicating the natural conditions in your tank. All in all, this tank kit is a good choice for beginners.

3. Fluval Evo V Marine Aquarium Kit

This tank kit contains the smallest tank size of all the items on this list. It is a 5-gallon saltwater nano tank kit that is perfect for you if you are looking for a really small tank kit that will fit your living space. Of course it will also contain everything you will need to properly set up the tank without too many problems, to begin with.

A 5-gallon tank kit such as the Fluval 10528A1 Evo V Marine aquarium kit is also great if you are looking for a budget option of the aquarium.

Besides the 5-gallon glass tank, this kit includes a 11000K LED lighting system, a circulation pump with an output nozzle, a foam filter block, an activated carbon insert and a BioMax insert for better water quality.

This mini tank kit will provide you with essential tools to start a small aquarium that will fit basically everywhere – your desk, your computer desk, a small table or a counter. It is a good starting point that you can then reimagine it with your own ideas and create a tank of your own.

4. GankPike Saltwater Aquarium Kit

The GankPike fish tank kit contains a 6-gallon acrylic glass aquarium that is suitable, of course, for the saltwater fish. This tank is small and is a great option if you are looking for a miniature tank that will fit anywhere you want. It is essentially a 5-gallon tank, as there is a filtration system at the back of the tank that takes up 1 gallon of space.

As mentioned above, the tank kit comes with a filtration system included. It is a quality biochemical and mechanical filtration system with an adjustable pump and a protein skimmer that will make sure the water will stay clean at all times.

The kit also comes with a double-color LED lamp (bright-white and sparkling blue), a heater, a digital thermometer, two filter sponges and a pack of ceramic rings.

This saltwater kit is great for beginners, as it is small, easy to set up and not so expensive.

5. BiOrb Tube 35 MCR Black Aquarium

This item is quite unique regarding its shape and design. It is designed as an orb which makes it look unique and different from the rest on the list.

It is a small, acrylic glass aquarium kit that contains everything you need to start your nano reef tank instantly. The tank is 16 inches wide and 14.5 inches high.

Aside from the aesthetically-pleasing thank you will get a strong filtration system that has a 5-stage filtration – biological, mechanical, chemical, water stabilization and oxygenation stage.

The shape and design of the orb are unique and very appealing, especially after you have set it up and everything is in place.

It is also very low-maintenance, and the shape of the tank makes it a lot easier to open it and maintain it. Once you add the right fish (which we will discuss later in the article) and the right substrate and the props, this tank will look great.

If you want a round, orb-shaped small saltwater tank, the the biOrb is the right choice for you.

What to Look for in a Nano Fish Tank Kit?

Choosing a Nano Reef Tank Kit

When you are browsing for a nano reef fish tank kit, then you must consider multiple factors and compare the products between them.

Firstly, you need to consider the size of the tank included. This depends on the size you are looking for and how much space you have for your aquarium and where you want to put it.

Also note that it will take more maintenance and also more commitment to larger aquarium sizes. But this does not mean that small tanks require no maintenance.

Then you will want your tank kit to have as many additional features and props as possible.

A good tank kit will include a filtration system (make sure that it is strong enough), a lighting system (preferably LED) and also some other products that you will need to start the aquarium right away. Couple that with the fish and you are ready to go.

Another consideration is a bit more personal, and that is how much money you are willing to spend and how much time are you prepared to dedicate for the aquarium.

If you are looking for a budget option, then nano tanks, in general, are great for you. Usually the smaller sizes will cost less, which is logical but do not think that these sizes will require none of your time.

Lastly, look for a tank kit that looks best in your opinion. This is a matter of personal preference and taste, of course.

What Fish Can You Put in a Nano Reef Tank?

Neon Goby

Choosing the right fish for your new nano reef is an important choice. You want to choose smaller fish that will get along well with each other and with a peaceful character. There are plenty of options out there, so make sure that you choose the right fish together.

Some of the best choices are:

• Neon Goby is a fish with a great personality and is also a cleaner fish. It also looks beautiful
• Firefish Goby is also a peaceful fish and also a bit unique-looking
• Royal Grammas are great if you want more exotic-looking fish – it is purple and yellow, which will surely liven up your tank and add some flair.
• Blue-green Chromis is one of the most popular choices out there for nano reefs due to many reasons – its looks, behavior and very low demands.
• Clownfish is one of the most common fish that are seen in nano reef tanks. It is famous for its orange body with white stripes all over it, which makes for a pleasant sight. You may recognize it from the movie “Finding Nemo”.
• Shrimp Goby is a unique fish that prefers to live together with a shrimp. It is a shy fish that will float around the bottom of the tank and it will act as a protector for the shrimp.

These are some of the best options for you when you will be choosing your tank fish. Make sure that you don’t overstock the tank, though.

How Much Does it Cost to Maintain a Small Reef Tank?

In general, nano reef tanks do not require too much maintenance for it to run properly (at least compared to larger reef tanks). The expenses will be the electricity for your LED lighting, the water when you will be changing the water, the food for fish, which will arguably be the biggest expense.

You may also need to add some chemicals from time to time in order to maintain the water quality, but in terms of money, it is quite low maintenance. You will have to use some of your time, too.

Is it Hard to Run a Reef Tank?

The hardest part is probably to set it up properly and then to maintain it. It is not too hard, but you will have to be constant about maintenance. It might take some time for you to get used to it, but you may want to perform maintenance checks once or twice a week.

This includes checking the water temperature, changing the water, cleaning the tank and feeding the fish, of course. All in all, it should not be too much.

Conclusion

Owning a nano reef tank can be a bit overwhelming, especially if you are a beginner looking to buy one for the first time. Luckily, there are nano reef tank kits out there that make the important choices for you so you do not have to worry about them.

Nano reef tank kits are a good option for beginners, so consider these kits on this list as the best nano reef tank kits.