Experience nature

Easy-care mini-reefs for the home

Nano MarinusNano-style sea water aquaria

Simply fascinating

- fascinatingly simple

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Nano sea water aquariaDiscover the fascinating new world of nano sea water aquaria – bringing themagic of tropical coral reefs into your living room!

An aquarium with coral reef dwellers need not be a big, complicated andexpensive affair. If you just observe a few basic principles regarding set-up,stocking and care and keep to the Dennerle Nano Marinus system, every-thing is very simple.

The following pages explain what you need to know in order to get youraquarium off to a successful start. In next to no time, you will be able to sitback and enjoy your very own little piece of marine paradise.

FascinationFascination

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An old rule states that the larger a sea water aquarium is, the greater its abilityto cope with stress and to maintain biological stability. This does not mean that small aquaria are necessarily unstable, however. Onthe contrary – with the right equipment and a well balanced stock of creatu-res, nano aquaria with a water volume of 30 to 60 litres can be run with long-term biological stability today.

While many creatures only feel at home in a large sea water aquarium, sometiny reef dwellers will thrive substantially better in a small aquarium. Most ofthese nano reef dwellers are fascinating in appearance and behaviour. In nature they lead extremely stationary lives, e.g. in or on a tiny den, and remain within a highly restricted terrain. In large aquaria they are barely visibleand may well be eaten quickly by the fish. A Nano Cube is ideal for such creatures!

Nano opens up a totally new world - even for experienced sea water aquariumenthusiasts.

What do I need for a nano sea water aquarium?

Basic requirements� Nano Marinus Cube� Base support� Flow pump� Heater� Lighting� Bed material� Thermometer� Sea salt� Densimeter� Trace elements� Feed for the various reef dwellers

The Dennerle Nano Cube Complete Plus set provides a perfectly coordi-nated system covering all these basic requirements.

Accessories� Time switch� Long tweezers (preferably made of plastic)� Glass cleaner (magnetic or blade-type cleaner)� 1-2 litre measuring beaker with scale� Clean bucket� Starter bacteria

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What is special about the new Dennerle Nano Marinus system?To date, sea water aquaria have been regarded with marked scepticism. Theyhave been considered too complex and expensive, requiring complicatedequipment and stocked with over-sensitive creatures.

Dennerle has developed a whole new approach to the topic of nano-scaleseascapes. It now offers a simple, perfectly coordinated system combining� reliable operation� minimal care needs and� a low entry-level price.

Dennerle has consistently followed nature's model in developing this newsystem.

What do sea water organisms need?� An ideal flow of water � Suitable light for photosynthesis� Limy settlement substrate� Stable water values in a range corresponding to the natural maritime habitat

� Vital minerals and trace elements� Fellow Cube dwellers which will integrate well� Appropriate nutrition for moving creatures and filter feeders

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The Dennerle Easy Care system for effectively functioning nano sea wateraquaria consists of seven modules designed for optimum combination onthe basis of extensive practical trials.

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Nano Marinus Reef SandNatural, limy bed mixture with an ideal grain size of 0.7 – 1.2 mm.A perfect habitat for filtering bacteria and all creatures from thesand zone.

Nano Marinus Reef Salt Special sea salt for nano sea water aquaria with a precise balanceof trace elements for healthy growth and magnificent colours.

Nano Marinus Bio-Circulator 4in1The core element of the Easy Care system: Water flow, surface extraction, filtration and 24-hour feed unit for filter feeders.

Nano Marinus Reef LightSunshine for the nano reef in your home: Powerful light and anideal colour spectrum for light-loving corals.

Nano ThermoConstant 25°The electronically controlled fully automatic mini-heater for anideal feel-good temperature of 25 °C.

Regular water careReplacing 10-15% of the water each week removes undesiredwaste substances and adds fresh minerals. Depleted trace elementsare replenished with Nano Marinus Reef Elements.

Living rocks and a carefully chosen stock of marine creaturesHealthy living rocks from the sea and a stock of creatures tailoredto nano aquaria provide long-term stability for a biosystem inwhich corals are able to flourish.

Just keep to these rules, and it's sure to work!

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Set-up and start-up - This is all there is to it!The quick-start method – just 60 minutes!

This method enables immediate, complete set-up of the Nano Cube. Experience shows that biological stability is ensured from the outset.

You need the following from an up-and-running coral reef aquarium: � Biologically mature aquarium water and bed material � Living rocks: approx. 4 kg (Cube 30) / 8 kg (Cube 60)

The right location

Choose a relatively dark spot – in a corner, for example. Direct sunlightshould be avoided as it may lead to algae formation and overheating.Before you begin, rinse the aquarium with warm tap water (withoutcleaning agents). The black decorative foil provided can be stuck ontothe back of the Nano Cube.Place the aquarium with the safety underlay on a smooth, horizontalsurface of adequate load-bearing capacity. Total weight of the filledaquarium: approx. 40 kg (Cube 30) / 75 kg (Cube 60).

Fit base support. Fill aquarium with matured, uncleaned bed material up to a height of 2-3 cm.

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Pour the mature sea water into the aquarium carefully over a plate, so as to avoid swirling up thebed.

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The living bed, which is permeated with filtering bacteria and sediments andcontains countless small marine creatures such as crabs and worms, will en-sure that the desired biological balance is swiftly attained. In order to avoid removing these important small organisms, the bed mixshould be rinsed only very carefully (if at all) in a little aquarium water beforepouring it into the aquarium. Sediments may cloud the aquarium water slightly at first. The water will clearin a matter of days, however.

After a week, place the first small and robust soft corals in the aquarium.After the second week you can add other sea creatures, such as hermitcrabs or shrimps.

Install heater and flow pump.�

Place living rocks and macro-algae in the aquarium.

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Install lamp and cover panel and start up the sy-stem. Lighting time: 1st week 8 h/day

From 2nd week 10 h/day

That's it. In the following days you will beable to observe which small creatures have al-ready found their way into your Nano Cube®

aquarium with the rocks.

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The running-in method

Biological running-in of the Nano Cube® takes place in several stages. More sensitive sea creatures can be added after 8-10 weeks.

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Fit base support. Wash Marinus Reef Sand and pour in to a height of 2-3 cm. Add the prepared sea water from a separate container.

After a week, add approx. 4 kg (Cube 30) / 8 kg(Cube 60) of living rocks and, if possible, a handfulof living bed material from an up-and-running reefaquarium. You should now also add a bundle of macro-algae,ideally the green wire algae Chaetomorpha linum.Switch on the lighting as follows:

1st–2nd week 6 h/day3rd–4th week 8 h/day

From 5th week 10 h/day

Install and start up flow pump and heater. As freshly mixed salt water is initially too chemicallyaggressive for many small organisms, a little patience is now required.

Robust soft corals can be added after the six-week running-in phase, when the water andbed are biologically active and the brown diatomswith oxygen bubbles have disappeared.

Other sea creatures such as shrimps or hermitcrabs can be added after 8-10 weeks. Nano fishwhich remain small and are to spend all their livesin the nano environment should be introducedinto the aquarium after 14 - 16 weeks at the earliest, with no more than two such fish to bekept in a Cube 30.

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The running-in phase

In the running-in phase, numerous algae will fight for predominance in youraquarium, spreading abundantly. As a result, the aquarium will acquire aquite unsightly appearance during this period. This is a normal process andno cause for concern.

Diatoms, which produce slimy brown coverings, generally become establis-hed particularly quickly. A brown covering to which tiny oxygen bubbles areattached appears over the bed and living rocks. During this phase, the pre-vailing conditions are highly unfavourable for corals and other invertebrates.They would fail to acclimatise, and would actually perish for the most part.

These algae need a great deal of silicic acid in order to grow, however. Assoon as the supply of this substance is exhausted, they will diminish of theirown accord. The macro-algae which you have added are of assistance here,competing with the undesired micro-algae. If the algae coverings becometoo extreme, they should be extracted with a thin hose during the weeklywater change or removed by mechanical means.

Diatoms are normal in the running-in phase. A little patience is required until a biological balance is

established.

TIP:

For a more reliable running-in phase, you can use Nano MarinusFB7 BactoClean ClearWater filtering bacteria.

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A few tipsPreparing sea waterThe starting water which you use when preparing the sea water should beas pure as possible. Water from a reverse osmosis system or distilled waterare best. You should use tap water only if it is guaranteed free of harmfulsubstances (copper, nitrate, phosphate, etc.).

The water should not be too cold when mixing. Around room temperatureis ideal, in order to prevent subsequent lime deposits on the inside of thebucket.

40 g =1 slightly heaped dosagespoon of Nano Marinus Reef Salt per litreproduce sea water with a density of 1.023 (at 25 °C). The water can be usedas soon as all salt constituents have dissolved and it is clear. The densityshould always be checked with the densimeter beforehand, however. If thedensity is too low, add a little salt. If the density is too high, add a little star-ting water.Never pour sea salt directly into the aquarium!

Nano Marinus Reef SaltSpecial sea salt for small sea water aquaria� Natural mix of all the main and trace elements contained in tropical seawater

� Premium quality, pharmaceutically pure salts� Ideal basis for coral fish, rock and soft corals, shrimps and all other creatures which inhabit coral reefs

� Tailored to the sensitive nutrient situation in nano aquaria

Measurement procedure:� Grip the tip of the dry and clean densimeter with dry fingers and

submerge in the water until it floats on its own.� The densimeter must float freely.� There must be no air bubbles on the densimeter, as these will

falsify the reading.� Read the value from the scale at the level of the water surface

(not at the level of the water which is "climbing" up the densi-meter above the surface level).

Measuring the density of the sea water

The density is a measure of the correct salt content and is thus themost important water value in the sea water. Marine creaturesreact highly sensitively to lower or higher salt levels and brief fluctuations in density.

1.023

1.024

1.022

The right way toread the density:

Recommended density: 1.022 to 1.024 (at 25 °C)Ideal value: 1.023 (at 25 °C)

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Wash and pour in bed compoundRinse the Nano Marinus bed compound thoroughly in a bucket under flo-wing tap water to remove fine waste. Any initial slight clouding of the aquarium water will quickly disappear.

Do not build up the bed to a height of more than 2 – 3 cm, in order to avoidsubsequent oxygen deficiencies in the lower area.

Nano Marinus Reef SandSpecial bed mix for small sea water aquaria� Natural high-purity calcium/magnesium carbonate� Ideal grain size of 0.5 - 1.2 mm� Ideal for shrimps, crabs, gobies, tube worms, sea anemones, snails and diverse microfauna

� Free of harmful substances. No release of nitrate or phosphate� Stabilises the pH value, supplies valuable carbonate hardness

What are living rocks?Rocks themselves are not alive. But in a coral reef rock-like lime substance iscontinually produced from the skeletons of dead rock corals and the shellsof mussels and other creatures which are bound together by sponges andcalcareous algae. This soft, porous rock is inhabited by countless marine creatures and contains the most diverse range of useful bacteria. Every piece of living rock is a veritable microcosmos in its own right.

After placing such a rock in an aquarium without epibacteria-eating fish –i.e. in a Nano Cube, it will soon be possible to observe how the most diverseorganisms develop on the rock. These may take the form of corals, sea squirtsor magnificent decorative algae – and no-one knows beforehand what willgrow there. As such, a piece of living rock from a coral reef is a never-endingsource of unique surprises.

It is important for the rock to have been stored in healthy sea water for severalweeks at the retail outlet, so as to ensure that there are no dying organismssuch as sponges on its surface. Choose attractively shaped and porous piecesof rock.

Good reef rock does not look grey and "dead", but is covered in diverse or-ganisms, e.g. pink-coloured lime red algae, green or red macro-algae, tubeworms or small corals.Always place the rocks in the aquarium with the side covered in such organ-isms facing upwards.

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The Bio-Circulator The Nano Marinus Bio-Circulator 4in1 is the core element of the Nano Ma-rinus system. This world first has been developed especially for the NanoCubes. Its combination of four functions provides for a biologically stable ha-bitat and simple care of healthy and fascinating acquascapes featuring active,colourful corals, fish, crabs and shrimps.

The powerful, quiet pump ensures idealflow conditions. The flow direction canbe controlled with the aid of the flowdiffusor.

With small bio foamfor 30 l

The skimmer provides for a crystal-clearwater surface (a greasy-looking layer ofbacteria, algae and other micro-organ-isms which impairs gas exchange will otherwise form on the surface of thewater).

A fine bio foam ensuresswift clarification of thewater after cleaning theglass, for example.

Continuously distributesmicro-organisms extractedfrom the surface as naturalplankton food in the aquarium, providing asource of basic nutrition forall filter-feeding reef dwellers.

With large bio foamfor 60 l

Without bio foam

With angled biofoam for compact fitting in corners

TIP:

We recommend running aquaria withlarge numbers of filter-feeding reef dwellers(corals, mussels, sponges, tube worms,etc.) without a biofoam, so that thesecreatures benefit fromthe available planktonin full, without filteringout any of this source ofnutrition.

A natural reef: The water flow is one of the most vital factors

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Reef LightLighting is required for your Nano Cube not solely to enable you to observethe creatures in the aquarium, but also and above all to ensure proper nutri-tion of the corals. Almost all corals incorporate single-cell algae in their bodytissue which cover the major portion of their nutrition needs.

These so-called symbiotic algae (zooxanthelles) require ten (recommended)to twelve hours of light of a suitable strength and in an appropriate spectralcomposition each day for the purposes of photosynthesis.

Daily illumination with the attachable Nano Marinus Reef Light is thus of vitalimportance to corals. We recommend fitting the light with a timer to switchit on and off on a regular basis.

The Nano Marinus Reef Light creates light conditions akin to those in a na-tural coral reef. With the specially developed Nano Marinus Blue/White 1:3compact fluorescent tube it guarantees� fresh, vivid 10,000 kelvin light plus actinic blue light� brilliant, fluorescent colours for corals and other sea creatures� outstanding growing light for corals

The Nano MarinusReef Light bathesyour aquarium inglorious sunshine

The deeper one ventures into the sea, red gives way increasingly to the blue range of the spectrum.All the organisms are adapted to this light.

Many corals are inhabited by symbiotic algae. These live entirely or predominantly from light.

This is what the generally brown-coloured symbiotic algae(zooxanthelles) look like under the microscope.

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Ricordea florida

Discosoma sp.

Rhodactis indosinensis

What creatures are suitable for theNano Cube®?A small Nano Cube® should only be home to creatures for which such anaquarium offers a viable long-term habitat. A small coral requires little space, for example - and the same goes for a livingsponge, a colony of mushroom polyps or tube worms. Other suitable creatures include 2.5 cm long gobies, which have a reducedair bladder and are not very active swimmers, tiny shrimps and other crusta-ceans, small snails or echinoderms such as serpent stars or starfish.

Recommendable creatures for a Nano Cube®

� Sessile invertebratesee.g. mushroom polyps, soft corals, tube corals, cabbage corals and seafans, tube worms

� Moving invertebratese.g. shrimps and hermit crabs, tiny starfish and serpent stars, snails

� Tiny nano fishe.g. of the Gobiodon, Elacatinus, Trimma or Eviota varieties, which lead verystationary lives in their natural habitat and are not active swimmers

Rock corals are relatively demanding in terms of care and are thus not recommendable for inexperienced sea water aquarium owners.

Mushroom polypsMushroom polyps are among the least demanding creatures suitable for theNano Cube habitat. Due to their symbiotic algae, they require nothing butlight and gentle water movement. Suitable varieties include the beautifullycoloured Ricordea florida as well as Discosoma and Rhodactis.Some varieties have adapted to life with little light and thus also colonise dar-ker areas of the reef.

Protect marine creatures!

Dennerle would urge you to buy marine creatures responsibly. Please only stock your Nano Cube® with creatures which are suitable forsuch a habitat because they require only minimal space in their naturalenvironment, too. Wherever possible, buy specially bred creatures!

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Button polypsButton polyps form extensive colonies. They often occur in two different co-lours and look like a colourful "carpet of flowers" – as illustrated by the par-ticularly recommendable example from the Zoanthus variety.Thanks to their symbiotic algae they are not reliant on any additional feed,although many varieties will accept feed and will grow more quickly as a re-sult. Button polyps are highly robust and undemanding creatures which are fondof a somewhat stronger water flow.

Soft corals Soft corals of the Xenia variety are very popular, particularly the types whosepolyps "pump", i.e. whose tentacles perform a rhythmic closing motion.

Flower corals of the Litophyton, Nephthea and Capnella varieties are amongthe most interesting corals for the Nano Cube®. They possess symbiotic algaeand are easy to breed. Soft corals are always eye-catchers, swaying gracefullyin the water flow.

Cabbage coralsThe umbrella-shaped toadstool corals of the Sarcophyton variety are very robust and undemanding, as is the Sinularia variety. They have been firmlyestablished as standard stock for sea water aquaria for many decades. Whendisturbed, they are able to retract their polyps entirely.

Sarcophyton sp. Sinularia sp. Sinularia dura

Xenia sp.

Litophyton arboreum

Capnella imbricata

Zoanthus sociatus Caution:

Button polyps should always be handled with the greatest of care.Some varieties contain a highly toxic bodily secretion – palytoxin (firstand foremost the Palythoa and Protopalythoa varieties). Handling thesevarieties without adequate protection may result in serious injury.

Tube corals Tube corals take their name from the tube-like latticework from which theflower-like polyps spring up. The daisy polyp of the Knopia variety, named after the German aquarium ex-pert and author Daniel Knop, is one of the prettiest corals at home in a NanoCube by dint of its flower-like appearance. Similarly to the tube corals of theClavularia variety, they are ideal for all sizes of Nano Cube.

Sea fans Sea fans are also known as sea whips or Gorgonians. They grow upright andwith thin branches, as illustrated by Pseudopterogorgia americanum, for example.Some Gorgonians, which possess symbiotic algae, are ideal for Nano Cubes.They are also simple to breed.

Close relatives of the sea fans, the star polyps (variety Briareum) embellishthe rock substrate with a pretty cushion covering. They are extremely hardyand undemanding. Their flower-like appearance makes them a must in everyNano Cube®.

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Caution: "Trojan horse"!

Despite their attractive appearance, Aiptasia should be kept out ofaquaria, as they can spread so abundantly that they may cause harm toother invertebrates.

Knopia octocontacanalis

Pseudopterogorgia americanum

Briareum asbestinum

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Tube worms Tiny feather duster worms such as Bispira viola (approx. 35 mm) often findtheir way into Nano Cubes unnoticed, together with the living rock. Theyreproduce asexually there, sometimes forming dense groups. They filterplankton out of the water with their garland of feeding tentacles, which lendsthem a flower-like appearance.Calcareous tube worms such as this Microprotula ovicellata (approx. 30-50 mm) may also enter the Nano Cube® together with living rock, on whichthey breed abundantly.

Bristle worms Bristle worms are related to earthworms. While their appearance may not beto everyone's taste, they are extremely useful in aquaria as they eat feed re-sidues and other waste. Some varieties also clean up algae from the glasssides. Caution: Do not touch with your bare hands – the bristles can cause"burns".

Starfish The Asterina burtoni starfish measuring 10-20 mm in size are interesting can-didates for the Nano Cube®. As grazers they eat epibacteria from rocks andthe glass sides of aquaria.Asterina burtoni starfish reproduce by division. Missing arms subsequentlygrow on the next generation - a fascinating spectacle. They should be keptin check to prevent them from breeding too abundantly, however.

Serpent stars Little serpent stars also easily find their way into Nano Cubes together withliving rock. They reproduce by division. The Amphipholis squamatameasuringonly around 10 mm in diameter actually reproduce sexually. Serpent stars are omnivores, also devouring residual feed and waste. Theyare fond of sitting in narrow gaps, from which just 1 or 2 arms stretch out insearch of food.

Sponges Sponges come in a great variety of shapes and colours. They live by filteringfine suspended matter out of the water. The photograph shows a bluesponge of the Haliclona variety.

Bispira viola

Mikroprotula ovicellata

Bristle worms

Asterina burtoni

Serpent star

Haliclona sp.

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SnailsAlgae-eating snails are an absolute must in every Nano Cube®. They help tolimit algae growth and are self-sufficient.

Some varieties may even reproduce in the aquarium, but this never becomesa problem. It is fascinating to watch baby dove snails (Euplica sp.) grow in the spawnon the glass sides of the aquarium.

Nerita snails (variety Nerita) grow to around 25 mm in size and are amongthe best algae-eaters. Their shells often feature pretty markings.

Turban snails of the Turbo and Astraea varieties (Turbo petholatis is shownhere) are also excellent algae-eaters. The adult snails measure around 40 mmin length.

Algae are also the preferred source of nourishment for trochus snails of theTrochus (picture shows Trochus conus) and Tectus varieties. They also growto a length of up to 40 mm.

Worm snails of the Vermetidae family spend all their lives in a stationary position inside a tubular shell which they produce themselves. The tubularshell is closed by a lid, with just 2 small antennae protruding out. They capture their food with the aid of a sticky, slimy net which they producethemselves and duly devour together with the suspended matter whichforms their catch – a fascinating spectacle to behold.

TIP:

For some varieties of snail it is helpful to refrain from cleaning the rearpane or areas of the side panes on a regular basis, allowing the snails to"graze" over these surfaces.

Nerita sp.

Turbo petholatus

Trochus conus

Worm snail

Euplica versicolor Euplica with spawn Young Euplica snails

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Crabs & shrimpsHermit crabs (Paguristes and Clibanarius)Small hermit crabs help to keep the Nano Cube free ofalgae. It is delightful to watch them climbing aroundthe decorative rocks. The Cube should only contain one variety, however.Fiery red Paguristes cadenati or blue-legged

Clibanarius tricolor are an ideal choice. Ensure that there are always a few larger snail shells –Nano Marinus Reef Shells – in the Cube, so that theycan move into a new home the next time they moult.

Boxer crab (Lybia tessellata)The boxer crab holds two tiny sea anemones in its pincers. In case of danger

it uses these to defend itself like a boxer using his fists.

The sea anemones derive food from this symbiotic relationship, as the crab

drags the anemones through nutritious bed sediments, eating some of the

particles which become attached to the anemones itself.

Thor amboinensisThor amboinensis (20 mm) is a comical character – it wiggles its rear when-ever it is excited, earning it the alternative name "sexy shrimp".It lives in small groups on a coral, a sea anemone or a mushroom polyp.

Northern cleaner shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis)This is probably the best-known type of shrimp in sea water aquaria. Cleanershrimps are agile, peaceful creatures which integrate very well into existinghabitats. They are not discerning eaters, and will even take food directly fromyour hand. They should be kept in pairs.Related varieties include the pretty peppermint shrimp, Lysmata wurdemanni,and L. boggessi.

Commensal shrimps (Periclimenes, Urocaridella)Commensal shrimps are sometimes transparent and have a fairy-like air. Crea-tures belonging to the Periclimenes and Urocaridella genuses live togetherwith a sessile invertebrate, e.g. a coral or a mushroom polyp. A Nano Cube®

is the perfect aquarium for these shrimps.

Lybia tessellata

Thor amboinensis

Lysmata amboinensis

Lysmata boggessi

Urocaridella antonbruunii

Einsiedlerkrebs

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FishThe overwhelming majority of coral fish, including those that remain small,are active swimmers and thus not suitable for keeping in a Nano Cube®. The popular clownfish, which rose to prominence in the film "Find Nemo" isa typical example. It requires more space than a small aquarium is able tooffer – at least 100 litres.

Gobies are a different story. They swim only extremely short stretches, spen-ding most of their time observing their surroundings from a coral or rock.The smallest gobies measure barely more than 20 mm in length. The radiuswithin which they move in their natural environment is also smaller than thebase area of a Nano Cube with a volume of 30 l.

These little fish feel at home in such an aquarium and do not feel constrainedwithin the bounds of this habitat. On the contrary – they suffer from the hec-tic pace of life in a conventionally sized reef aquaria with numerous large,highly active fish darting around and hide themselves away with barely achance of survival. A 30 or 60 l Nano Cube is much more suitable for them.

The Nano Cubes have not been developed primarily as a habitat for fish, however, but rather for corals and other invertebrates - creatures which re-quire little care and technical support. The aim is to bring a small cross-sec-tion of life from a natural reef into your living room in the form of asmall-scale habitat which will retain its biological stability in the long termwith a minimum of care.

Fish with a high metabolic rate require larger amounts of feed. This meansthat a more extensive range of technical equipment, such as a skimmer, isnecessary in order to maintain the water quality.As a rule, an invertebrate aquarium containing corals and shrimps is biologi-cally much less complicated than an aquarium with fish – but no less fasci-nating.

With this in mind, you should run your Nano Cube for the first fewmonths without any fish. Wait until it has become biologically stable before adding fish – two members of a nano fish variety with the Cube30, for example.

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Who's taboo?No creatures which are unable to survive in the long term under the prevai-ling conditions in a Nano Cube® should ever be kept in such an aquarium.It is important to heed the needs of the creatures in your Cube at all times.This means that the Nano Cube® is not suitable for particularly active swim-mers or for young fish which will be too large for these aquaria when theyreach adulthood. Species with specialised nutritional needs or which require extremely con-stant conditions will also fail to thrive in nano aquaria in the long term. All the creatures in the aquarium, such as shrimps or crabs, should be as pea-ceable as possible to ensure their easy integration.

Fish for the Nano Cube®

The white-lined coral goby (Gobiodon albofasciatus) grows to a length ofonly 25 mm and requires little space. It spends most of its time sitting on acoral or a mushroom polyp. Numerous other Gobiodon varieties are ideal forkeeping in a Nano Cube.

The Trimma genus comprises a wealth of magnificently coloured tiny fishes,none of which are very active swimmers. The photograph opposite shows thepretty red-stripped goby (Trimma cana), which grows to just 30 mm in length.

Gobies of the genus Eviota usually grow to between 25 and 30 mm in lengthand enjoy sitting on a coral, observing their surroundings. The photographopposite shows Eviota bifasciata.

The genus Elacatinus (formerly Gobiosoma) comprises numerous varietieswhich attain a maximum length of just 40 mm, making them suitable for aNano Cube. The photograph shows Elacatinus multifasciatus.

The spikefin goby (Discordipinna griessingeri) is surely one of the most attractive gobies imaginable. It only attains a length of around 30 mm andis much too small for a normal-sized aquarium. In a Nano Cube it is in itselement. Always keep this variety in pairs.

TIP: Keep fish in pairs!

While you should not keep more than two nano fish in a 30 l NanoCube®, the two fish you choose should ideally be a pair. These fish willnot feel at home if they are forced to live on their own, without a partner.

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Nano Marinus Cube 30 – Example 1

Here is an example of a well balanced, biologically stablenano sea water aquarium.The stock is dominated by various types of soft corals and agroup of 12 Thor amboinensis.These pretty shrimps do not liketo be alone and only feel athome in a group.

The aquarium had been runningwithout any problems for a yearat Dennerle's research laboratorywhen this photograph was taken. Only very minimal care is required.

Toadstool leather (Sarcophyton sp.)

Mushroom polyp (Discosama s

Daisy polyp (tube coral, Knopia octocontacanalis)

"Sexy shrimp" (Thor amboinensis)

Button polyp (Zoanthus sp.)

Mushro

Seaweed(Caulerpa prolifera)

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sp.)

Toadstool leather coral (Sarcophyton sp.)

Mushroom polyp (Discosoma sp.)

Button polyp (Zoanthus sp.)

oom polyp (Discosoma sp.)

Finger leather coral(Sinularia sp.)

Wire algae(Chaetomorpha sp.)

Nano Marinus Cube 30 – Example 2

The stars of this beautiful nanoreef aquarium are two northerncleaner shrimps (Lysmata amboinensis). These highly attractive andagile shrimps are very tame andwill even eat their feed – CrustaGran Marinus – directlyout of your hand.

This aquarium had also been run-ning with full biological stabilityfor over a year at the Dennerle research laboratory when thephotograph was taken.

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Fan coral (Gorgonie, Pinnigorgia sp.)

Daisy polyp (tube coral, Kn octocontacana

Wire algae(Chaetomorpha sp.)

Floridamushroom polyp (Riccordea florida)

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Seaweed(Caulerpa racemosa)

Mushroom polyp(Discosoma sp.)

nopia

lis)

Cactus algae(Halimeda opuntia)

Toadstool leather coral (Sarcophyton sp.)

Seaweed (Caulerpa prolifera)

Northern cleanershrimp (Lysmata amboinensis)

Button polyp (Zoanthus sp.)

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Continual changeAs soon as your Nano Cube® is set up and illuminated, numerous varieties ofmarine algae begin to fight for predominance. Each variety reproduces upto the limits of its "ecological niche", in order to exploit nutrients, mineralsand light for maximum growth. In nature, the algae behave in this way inorder to counter the ravages of frenzied feeding by the creatures to whichthey are exposed.

While algae are essentially always unwelcome in fresh water aquaria, in seawater aquaria apart from the troublesome micro-algae there are also verypretty and useful leaf algae, which are referred to as macro-algae or decora-tive algae. These macro-algae are also able to check the growth of trouble-some micro-algae by providing them with competition for nutrients.

This is particularly important during therunning-in phase. The green wire algaeChaetomorpha is most effective here, be-cause it grows very fast without becomingfirmly attached and is easily removablefrom the aquarium at a later juncture.

If you would like to have macro-algae inyour aquarium after this phase, attractive decorative algae such as red algaeof the genus Halymenia or green calcareous algae such as Halimeda are avai-lable from your specialist outlet for sea water aquaria.These help to suppress micro-algae while also producing vital oxygen. Thesame goes for the highly desirable lime red algae, which cover rock surfacesto produce a lichen-like appearance.

Red algae Halymenia sp. Cactus algae Halimeda sp. Lime red algae Mesophyllum sp.

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The creatures in your Nano Cube® also influ-ence each others' behaviour. These behaviourpatterns are readily recognisable if you take aclose look at your Nano Cube, also observingthe micro-organisms.

Every species of creature will reproduce up tothe limits of its "ecological niche", thereby af-fecting other species – either by competing fornutrients or through predatory activity.

If several different species of creature eat thesame micro-algae, for example, they will eachattempt to expand their population morequickly than the others, and one of them soonwins out as a rule.

In this way, each individual Nano Cube® deve-lops its very own fauna population. As such,each Nano Cube® is quite unique – no twoCubes in the world are the same. And the spec-trum of species and the population continue tochange - day-in, day-out. That's what makes aNano Cube so exciting! Take a close look atyour Cube and try to discover and follow thesechanges for yourself.

Gammaridea are onlyaround 5 mm long andnormally enter the aqua-rium together with livingrock. Would you haveimagined that such smallcreatures could be suchassiduous cleaners? Theyimmediately form sludgewhich drops into thetubes in which they liveinto small balls whichthey subsequently dispose of outside of thetubes.

The beauty is in the tiny details!

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Feeding The diets of the creatures which inhabit reefs are as varied as their anatomyand behaviour. Some are predators which hunt other creatures, while plank-ton eaters such as sessile coral polyps or tube worms wait for their food tobe washed their way by the flow of the water. The Dennerle Nano Marinussystem covers three diet categories.

Basic rules for feeding:

Shrimps and other crustaceans� Basic feeding with CrustaGran Marinus: 1-2 feed pearls per day per crea-ture, depending on the size and activity of the creatures

� Frozen feed, e.g. Mysis (suspended shrimps) or Artemia (brine shrimps)should be used in place of CrustaGran as a feed supplement at least onceor twice a week.

Filter feeders and small creatures(corals, tube worms, mussels, sponges, etc.) � Basic feeding with Nano Marinus CoralActiv: 1/2 – 1 flat measuring spoonto 30 l of aquarium water every 3-4 days, according to density of stock inaquarium

� Freshly hatched Artemia nauplien as a feed supplement once a week

Stir CoralActiv briefly with sea water in a small container until all constituentshave "dissolved", then pour into aquarium (do not pour powder directly intothe aquarium). Remove the bio foam of the Bio-Circulator or raise by several cm as appro-priate in order to prevent the feed from being filtered out.

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Fish� Basic feeding with NanoGran Marinus (pro-vided that the fish accept dry feed): One pinch once or twice a day, according tothe size and activity of the fish

� Frozen feed (e.g. Mysis, Artemia) as a feedsupplement in place of NanoGran at least once or twice a week

� If the variety of fish in your aquarium doesnot accept dry feed: A tiny amount of frozen feed (Mysis, Artemia, etc.) twice a day

Do not overfeed!

Too much feed imposes an unnecessarystrain on the water and may lead to poorwater quality and excessive algae forma-tion. Overfeeding is the most commoncause of problems with sea water aquaria.Remember that in an established aquariumthe creatures will also find a fair amount ofnatural food.Creatures which do not go directly to thefood can be fed using tweezers or a pipette.Feed moderately, but regularly. In case ofexcessive algae formation, temporarily reduce the amount of feed.

TIP:

A break for foodUse an adapter with a switch for the Bio-Circulator. Youcan then simplyswitch off the waterflow while feedingyour creatures. But don't forget toswitch the Bio-Circulator on again!

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Aquarium careA few simple measures are all it takes to ensure the well-being of the creaturesin your Nano Marinus Cube.

Daily� Carry out a visual check of the technical equipment (pump, skimmer,lamp, heater, timer)

� Is the temperature correct? (25° C)� Replenish evaporated water up to the marking on the water level indicator(reverse osmosis water, distilled water or pollutant-free tap water)

� Take a look at the creatures in your Cube: Do they look normal? Are theybehaving normally?

� Feed the creatures in your aquarium

Weekly� Replace 10-15 % of the water with sea water at the appropriate tempera-ture. Important: Use special Nano Marinus Reef Salt!

� Clean the panes of the Cube, ideally with a blade-type cleaner. The "roundcorners" can be cleaned using Dennerle Filter Wool, for example. If a sub-stantial amount of biomass is scraped off the surfaces, remove it from theaquarium by manual means (e.g. by drawing it off with a pipette) or filterit out with the Bio-Circulator.

� Clean Bio-Circulator bio foam, ideally pressing it out in a container filledwith the sea water removed during water-changing, in order to avoidstressing the filtering bacteria.

� The cover panel should also be kept clean at all times, to ensure that thefull light output enters the aquarium at all times.

� Replenish vital trace elements with Nano Marinus Reef Elements.� Check the density. Recommended value: 1.023

Monthly or as necessary� Trim or thin out macro-algae� Thin out corals

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Introducing creatures into the CubeBefore introducing a newly purchased creature into the Nano Cube, youmust adapt the transport water to the aquarium water over a period ofaround 45 minutes, to avoid any shock resulting from divergent water values.

Introduce the new creature as follows:Place the newly acquired creature in a clean plastic container together withpart of the water from the transport bag. Then slowly drip aquarium waterinto this container using a thin hose with hose clip, or add small quantitiesof aquarium water every couple of minutes. After approx. 45 minutes around three quarters of the water in the plasticcontainer should consist of aquarium water and only one quarter of transportwater. The new addition can now be introduced into the aquarium. If possible, youshould introduce the new creature under water, without removing it fromthe water.

Why is it necessary to replace part ofthe water?

Replacing part of the water removes waste matterand supplies the aquarium with vital minerals (e.g. calcium, magnesium) and trace elements.A fully set-up Nano Marinus Cube 30 has a net watercontent of approx. 22 l of water.The practical Dennerle water level indicator facilitateswater changing. A water replacement volume of 2 lcorresponds to approx. 10 % of the total water content, while 3 l corresponds to approx. 15 %.Never replace more than 20 % at any one time. The replacement water must have the same temperature and density asthe aquarium water. Always avoid sudden changes to the water values(temperature, density, etc.), as these cause major stress to the creaturesin the aquarium.

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When things get out of hand...Corals and other sessile cnidarians grow at varying rates. Some species havedeveloped an extremely fast mode of reproduction in nature, in order to con-tend with the ravages of predators. When such large-scale assaults by pre-dators are absent in an aquarium, the level of propagation may suppress thedevelopment of other creatures. You need to intervene here with a spot of"gardening" to make up for the lack of predators.

When much sought-after corals are involved,you may be able to cut off parts of the speciesconcerned and pass them on to other aqua-rium enthusiasts. Many cabbage corals andsoft corals can be bred by taking cut-off piecesand allowing them to grow on new substraterocks.

In the case of so-called "trojan horses", i.e. troublesome organisms which areharmful to other creatures (e.g. Aiptasia), you should remove the culpritsfrom the aquarium. This is best done by taking the piece of living rock concerned out of the aquarium and replacing it with another piece of rock,as any attempt to remove these organisms by mechanical means may actually further their propagation in the aquarium.

TIP:

If you intend to breed corals by cutting off pieces of living coral, youshould remove these pieces from the aquarium quickly, so as to avoidreleasing too many bodily secretions into the aquarium water. Youshould also try to minimise harm to the corals' tissue, as they will thenheal more quickly and effectively.

Gloves recommended

Many corals and sessile invertebrates protect themselves by means ofstomach poisons. While these are usually not poisonous for humans,they may cause skin irritations in sensitive people. Nettle poisons released by creatures may cause unpleasant burns on sensitive areas ofskin (e.g. on the insides of the lower arms). In addition. some varieties of button polyp (Zoanthiniaria) contain thetoxic substance palytoxin, which is very dangerous for humans. We recommend wearing clean latex gloves to protect yourself from thecnidarians' bodily secretions when working in the aquarium.

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Special aspects of the running-inphaseNitriteThe running-in phase sees a propagation of filtering bacteria which convertammonium into nitrite and nitrite into nitrate. For a time, there is a risk thatwhile the first step is completed the second step is still in progress. The wateris then toxic for aquarium dwellers, because it contains too much nitrite. Youcan check the nitrite level quite simply, using a standard test solution. If youfollow our recommendations for running in your Cube, experience showsthat you will not encounter raised nitrite levels, however.

Undesired algaeIn the first few months there is always a danger of one or more undesiredvarieties of micro-algae spreading excessively. Brown diatom coverings generally recede of their own accord after a short while, but other algae,such as red slimy algae or green thread algae, can be very persistent. Countermeasures:� Do not overstock your aquarium� Avoid overfeeding, temporarily reduce amount of feed if appropriate� Replace part of the water (15 %) on a regular basis� Keep density in the normal range (1.022 – 1.024)� Extract micro-algae or remove by mechanical means

Optimum sea water

Many water quality parameters are measurable. Some should be mea-sured regularly (e.g. temperature, density), others only when problemsarise (e.g. nitrite, nitrate or phosphate). Simple test kits are availablefrom specialist retailers for this purpose. If you set up and maintain your Nano Marinus Cube in accordance withthe Dennerle Easy Care system, replace part of the water on a regularbasis and if the creatures in the aquarium look healthy and are thriving,experience shows that many water chemistry factors do not require tobe measured.

DiatomsThread algaeSlimy algae

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Accurate measurements of individual water values are only necessary whencorals appear unhealthy, display poor growth or even die.

Discover the fantastic world of tropical coral reefs.

With the new Dennerle Nano Marinus system:Fascinatingly simple – simple fascinating.

Welcome to a whole new world!

When things get too hot...

The ideal temperature for keeping tropical marine creatures is approx.25 °C. During hot summer periods, several days involving a highertemperature of 26-27 °C do not pose a problem for most of the creatu-res. The water temperature should not rise above 28 °C, however!

Aquarium fans are commercially available which enable the tempera-ture to be lowered by 2-4 °C by means of evaporative cooling (evapo-rated water should be replaced at regular intervals!). Alternatively, youcan place the Nano Cube in a cooler spot during hot periods.

What about holiday times?

You need to leave your Nano Marinus Cube unattended for a week? Noproblem, provided that you use the supplied cover panel, which drasti-cally reduces water evaporation, and that the temperature in the roomcontaining the aquarium does not rise above 26 °C during the day.

3-4 days without feeding are no problem for an up-and-running, biolo-gically stable Cube. If you are planning to go on holiday for a longerperiod, it is best to instruct friends or neighbours on feeding and waterchanging and to prepare the sea water in advance.

Recommended water values

Density 1,023 Temperature 25°CpH value 8,0–8,3Carbonate hardness 6–12 °dCalcium 400–450 mg/l

Magnesium 1300-1350 mg/lNitrite 0 mg/lNitrate < 20 mg/lPhosphate < 0,1 mg/l

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Publisher's details

Concept and text (responsible): Dr. Carsten Gretenkord, Dennerle GmbHPhotographs: Nautilus picture archive Daniel Knop, Martin Grund (Dennerle GmbH), Chris LukhaupComputer graphics and composition: Timo Fledie (Dennerle GmbH)

© 2010 Dennerle GmbH, D-66957 Vinningen, Germany.Dennerle GmbH holds all the rights to this work. The entire work is protected by copyright. Any ex-ploitation beyond the limits defined by copyright law shall be inadmissible without the consent ofDennerle GmbH and shall constitute a punishable offence. The same shall apply in particular to dupli-cation, microfilming, storage and processing in electronic systems and translations.All the information provided in this guide has been checked thoroughly and corresponds to currentknowledge and findings. No guarantee can be provided for this information, however. The authorsand Dennerle GmbH shall not be liable for any cases of injury, damage to property or financial loss.

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