As reef aquariums become more popular, aquarium companies are making it even easier to get started. You don't even have to have a large area dedicated for your reef tank anymore, some tanks are as small as 2.5 gallons and can fit on your computer desk. But small tanks aren't the only option for kits. There are normal size tank kits available too, such as the Red Sea Max 130.
Pico, derived from Italian for "small", is the smallest tank size. They are around 2.5 gallons, though you can find smaller ones. Think of them as the simple goldfish bowl, but smaller and with a full reef ecosystem instead of a solitary fish. Typically you won't be able to easily keep fish in pico tanks but you can keep a small coral reef. You will need to take extra care of a pico tank though, coral requires a specific balance of chemicals in the water so even a small mistake can wipe out your entire tank.
Nano is the next size up from pico. There isn't a set standard for the size of a nano tank, some people think they are anything under 40 gallons while others think it's anything under 30 gallons. If you want to get started with reef tanks, a nano is a good size to start with. It's large enough that you won't have to be as careful with the water as a pico, but it's not so large that you need to take out a second mortgage to pay for it.
Next up is the full size reef tank. These tanks actually vary in size from 34 gallons and up. It is harder to find kits for these size tanks, but it is possible. One such kit is the Red Sea Max 130. It is a 34 gallon tank and it comes with the mechanical parts needed to get started. If you wanted to buy everything at once, you would have to purchase the Red Sea Max 130 starter kit separately. It includes the reef base and chemicals needed to balance the water chemistry of your tank.
There are many choices to make when you first decide to start a reef aquarium, tank size is just one of them. Once you decided on a size though, you can get started almost immediately by purchasing a reef aquarium kit.
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Before you go, I have the detailed specifications on the Red Sea Max 130 aquarium. It's a great one for getting started with reef aquariums.
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