Stupid queston

Ok so in my past I had a 55 gal with a sump drip filtration system . Protine skimmer and used DI water for changes n top off . My question is I'm building this 10 gallon with none of the extras . I plan on doing weekly water changes . Is there anything I should be doing besides that on a tank this small with out such a good filtration system and no protein skimmer

 

If your running no mechanical filtration then waterchanges and live rock will be your only means of nutrient export. Shouldn't be a problem if you keep your feedings low.

 

Just keep bio-load small and do not over feed. If you are going to use a HOB filter you can modify it to hold chaeto.
You can use some decent charcoal like Chempure Elite and or Purigen in a HOB as well.

I would however continue to use DI water at least, RO even better.

 

I think you had those reversed? Definitely still use DI

 

When I had no unit and I had to buy water I bought bottled DI or RO, both from Walmart. RO was always better in my nano than the DI. I had to buffer more to bring up and maintain the pH value I wanted. When I solely use RO I do not have to buffer as much. Perhaps it's the brand of DI I used but I have tried a couple and always end up lower pH.

Unless reversed was a pun on Reverse Osmosis.:

 

No pun! I was curious if you meant RO instead of DI; now I see why. We are going a little off topic here, but do you currently use RO or DI water in your nano?

 

Yes when I do changes but for top off I use bottled (lazy) RO with Kalk mixed in. You would think mixing the Kalk in the DI would have the same effect but it did not. Your starting out with close to the same pH with both but for some reason.

Sorry for the kind of high jack.

 

Interesting; good to know. Hopefully the OP doesn't mind. It's all kind information anyways

 

I meant DI . I have a unit to make DI water .

 

The only "stupid" question is the one you don't ask.

FTR, I have a 29H with "none of the extras", and it's been doing fine for nearly two years, now. I do have a HOB (Whisper 60) in which I hang a media bag with GAC. As already stated, just keep your bioload low, don't overfeed, and keep up with testing and maintenance.