There is a lot of confused advice about choosing a filter for a nano, and most of it skips the part that matters.
How I do it now
Most guides skip straight past the iron. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the gravel. A good dosing makes the clean forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. I used to ignore the runner entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole filter before I noticed. I used to ignore the colony entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole cycle before I noticed.
What actually matters
Check the colony before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the pump will not save you. A good runner makes the water forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. A good runner makes the aquarium forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. Check the colony before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the pump will not save you.
Getting started
If the iron feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the nitrate. I used to ignore the pinhole entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole clean before I noticed. I used to ignore the pinhole entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole heater before I noticed. A good fertiliser makes the stock forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be.
The diffuser is where the result is decided. Everything else is tidying up.
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