Jump to content
Top Shelf Aquatics

3 Gallon Reef just might be BACK!


musthaveitall

Recommended Posts

musthaveitall

:welcome: fellow reefers!!

 

This is the story of my 3 gallon pico, here is what I start with...

Newreef2013.jpg

 

First coral...

Newreef4007.jpg

 

More progress...

Blackpairs063.jpg

 

...

Newreefpics018.jpg

 

...

ContestMacros058.jpg

 

Most recent

ContestMacros108.jpg

 

About the tank

30ga xH AGA 12x24x24

 

Filtration

2 cascade 150's and a plennum

 

Lighting

I have a double 65w PC with lunar lights one bulb is 50/50 the other is actinic.

 

 

Water

I use RO water, and instant ocean (I just recently switched to reef crystals) at a SG of 1.025-1.026, I only add additives when I skip a water change, which I do every 2-3 weeks. The Calcium is normally between 400-500 pH is around 8.3-8.4 and the temp is 79.7 and rarely changes.

 

Sand/rock

The sand is actually arag-alive fiji pink with some caribean from my 72ga mixed in, the Fiji live rock is also from my 72ga, and has been established 2 years before this tank. There is about 30 lbs of LS and ~30lbs of LR.

 

Live stock

Corals:

3 Long tenticle Toadstool leathers

Colt coral

Kenya Tree

GSP

EGSP

NGSP

Wood Polyps

Yellow Polyps

Pulsing Xenia

Green Clove polyps

Frog spawn X2

3 headed Hammer

Red tree Fan

Encrusting Gorgonian

8+ Varieties of Zoanthids And Palythoas

3 Mushrooms

 

Other Stuff:

100+ White feather dusters (they're EVERYWHERE!!)

6 Blue leg hermits

2 Dwarf White leg hermits

TONS of Pod's!!

4 SEXY shrimp

 

We have fish now!!!

Maroon clown

Bangai cardinal

 

:eek:Newest Addition :eek:

GREEN FROG SPAWN

ContestMacros118.jpg

 

Please let me know what you think of my tank!!!

 

Thanks for looking!!

-Clint

Link to comment
  • Replies 155
  • Created
  • Last Reply
musthaveitall

Oh! Pictures I almost forgot!

Here they are!

 

The empty tank

Newreef012.jpg

 

w/sand and water

Newreef015.jpg

 

w/sand and water (after 2 hours)

Newreef016.jpg

Link to comment
musthaveitall

I decided (after 4 hours of watching the sand in the tank blow around) that a 400 gph pump + 3 gallon nano tank = too much current. So I went ahead and switched the power head out for a cascade 300 internal filter with a spray bar and adjustable flow, it does not blow the sand around and puts an even flow of water through out the tank. And wile I was at it I found an Azoo palm filter (power filter) that has clear sides and would be an awsome mini refugium, so I hooked it up with some calurpa and chaeto (forgive my spelling) from my other tank, I have the flow on the palm filter turned all the way down so the water moves slowly through the mini refugium (is this right? I haven't had a refugium before)

 

And some updated pic's...

Newreef017.jpg

(I messed with the sand a little so it got all cloudy again)

Link to comment
musthaveitall
Very nice job. Would you mind telling how much money you have in the tanks construction?

 

Thanks, I cant wait to put livestock in it!

 

I have about $20 in the glass & silicone

$40 in the light

$7 in the palm filter

$7 in the internal filter

~$10 in sand

total--$84

(I am sure there is much more to come)

Link to comment

nice job, but i woudl get teh biggest AC filter and fuge mod it to get the heater, and less equiptment shown

Link to comment
musthaveitall
nice job, but i woudl get teh biggest AC filter and fuge mod it to get the heater, and less equiptment shown

 

What do you mean by AC filter???

Thanks

Link to comment
musthaveitall

Ok, I had some established live rock on hand so I put about 3 lbs in and it looks awsome!! I also put some Calurpa (forgive my spelling) in there and it looks great....

 

More updated pic's....

Newreef018.jpg

Link to comment
musthaveitall

Well, I decided the Cascade filter was taking up too much space in the tank, and over the day today it slid down into the sand and sucked a bunch up, cloging the filter and churning the heck out of the sand :angry: , so I got a Lee's sub power filter, (it is smaller) I will put it in in the morning... The tank looked good before the filter fell... I am going to do a water change in the morning when I put this new filter in... Then I will post some updated pic's.

 

-Clint

 

Any suggestions would be helpful :happy:

Link to comment
musthaveitall

Well I changed the cascade out for this little sub filter, and boy does it work better!! It made the tank so clear in just a couple hours and it is putting just about as much current into the tank as you possibly can with out blowing the sand around (is this good????) But there's never good news with out bad news... I found some Aiptasia in the tank and I must have over looked it in my other tank because there is a lot of it, How do you get rid of it? Please help! This is Aiptasia isn't it? Here's a pic...

 

Newreef2016.jpg

 

 

As for the current this is what the surface of the water looks like...

Newreef2008.jpg

 

And here is a shot of the tank with the new filter in it...

Newreef2013.jpg

Looks AWSOME!!! Any suggestions for hearty coral that would live in it that looks good :happy:

 

-Clint

Link to comment
musthaveitall

Well today I decided to add some livestock... I added 2 blue leg hermits and a condy anemone (all from my 55) they are doing great and the hermits are exploring the rockwork-they look very happy! I was thinking about adding some GSP, what do you think???? Suggestions PLEASE!!! omgomgomg

 

Here's a pic of my clownfish in my 24g Aquapod... so cute!

Clownfish.jpg

Link to comment
Deleted User 7

I would probably move the condy out of there. They get very large and have very long tentacles. I worry that it may sting everything else in your tank and leave you with nothin' but a condy. As beautiful as they can be, I'm sure you want more than just a condy. Other than that, I would definately go with some GSP. Maybe grow them up the glass. Maybe some pulsing xenia would be nice too. I'm really starting to love these picos. I may start one now too. (I'll just go ahead and have you give me the money as I am now holding you personally responsible for my next tank.) haha. Good luck and great start!

Link to comment

you should drill the back and add a 100 gallon sump.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

hey, you said ANY suggestions! :P

Link to comment
musthaveitall
I would probably move the condy out of there. They get very large and have very long tentacles. I worry that it may sting everything else in your tank and leave you with nothin' but a condy. As beautiful as they can be, I'm sure you want more than just a condy. Other than that, I would definately go with some GSP. Maybe grow them up the glass. Maybe some pulsing xenia would be nice too. I'm really starting to love these picos. I may start one now too. (I'll just go ahead and have you give me the money as I am now holding you personally responsible for my next tank.) haha. Good luck and great start!

I put the condy in there more to see if the water is ok to add stuff, and it is, the condy can go back into the 55, any suggestions on where to get the GSP?? I have a couple xenias that I can stick in there soon.

 

Do the pepermint shrimp bother the coral? Or do they just eat the Aiptasia? I want to pick a couple up at the LFS but I want to learn a little about them first.

 

der1311-Definently... When I win the lottery, but I was thinking about adding a small aquafuge, I measured the tank and one just might fit. It may tip over the tank though...:)

Link to comment
musthaveitall

I would like to have an anemone though, is there one that would do good with corals in this small of a tank? How about a flower, bubble tip, or a sebae (forgive my spelling)??? If they grow out of my tank I can always move them to my under stocked 55g...

 

-Clint

Link to comment
irishtexan

Look great so far! I only have one little suggestion. I would add a little more rock to the right side of the tank and try to cover up the pump a little bit more. More space to put coral too.

 

Yeah I say go for the GSP and xenia. Xenia is one of my favorite corals. I would put some on the top of the right rock, and add some GSP somewhere on the right "mountain".

Link to comment

You could go with some type of rock or flower anemone, but none of the clown hosting anemones will fit. I like this tank alot, but I second the AquaClear (AC) HOB filter modded to a fuge idea. Then you could put your heater in there and lose the internal pump, and still keep your fuge.

Link to comment
musthaveitall
Look great so far! I only have one little suggestion. I would add a little more rock to the right side of the tank and try to cover up the pump a little bit more. More space to put coral too.

 

Yeah I say go for the GSP and xenia. Xenia is one of my favorite corals. I would put some on the top of the right rock, and add some GSP somewhere on the right "mountain".

 

Thanks!! I completly rearranged everything when I put the condy in, so here are some new pic's of the new aquascape, I think I like this one... When I take the condy out I will add more rock on the right side to help cover up the filter.

 

Newreef3003.jpg

 

The whole tank w/light

Newreef3004.jpg

 

The condy..

Newreef3002.jpg

 

 

-Clint

Link to comment
irishtexan

Looking good! You could put the pump down near the sand like you had it before, and then use the rock that you used to make the bridge, to cover it up. Just and idea.

 

 

-Andrew

Link to comment
ReadyReefer

I kind of like the condy, they do get big, but under the right lighting they get really colorful, and some species of shrimp (not sure which, you'd have to ask someone more experienced) will form symbiotic relationships with them.

 

JMO though, but I think it could become a very interesting and unusual display

Link to comment
musthaveitall

Gues whats next???

 

A 125 GALLON REEF!!! Here is a pic of it, you can see my little pico on the left, I built the stand and canopy in Wood shop at school last year, it is made of red oak and walnut, I got second place in this years wood working show!! Oh I guess I havn't said I'm 16 and going into 11th grade!! :P

Newreef3007.jpg

Nice!!!!

Clint

PS I also have a web site www.gabbysangels.com, I raise freshwater angelfish (thats how I pay for all this) I would like to add a salt water section to my web site soon, maybe I could get you all some deals :happy: Oh, I can get scavengers for way cheep for you all, and some corals...

Link to comment
musthaveitall

Today I tossed the condy back into the 55 and got some new stuff!!! I got a rock with about 15-20 zoa's on it and a rock with 50+ little feather dusters on it, IT IS SOOOO COOL!!! And I also got a couple assorted shrooms, and everything is doing fantastic! I will post some up dated pictures later!

 

-Clint

Link to comment
irishtexan

Clint,

 

Looking good! I am actually 15 and going into 10th so your a little older than me. Do you have any pics?

 

Cant wait to see the 125G set up!

Link to comment

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recommended Discussions


×
×
  • Create New...