gregzbobo Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 I read El Fab's pico thread from beginning to end and the pico bug bit me, and bit hard. So on 9th October 2009 I placed an order on Marinedepot for a JBJ Picotope. Just received it this morning (a day earlier than expected), unpacked it, removed the infamous sticker, washed it, and spray-painted the back with black Krylon Fusion. I decided to set it up on my bedroom nightstand where I have an architect lamp I may try to use for a PAR38, if I go that route, but for now its stock lighting. (Bought and installed a 12" Current single Satellite 18w till I mod it for LED or do something else in the future) I bought a new Aquaclear70 on ebay on the 10th, should arrive on the 15th, and I'll be modding that into a 'fuge. (arrived, modded, installed) I've placed about 2-3 pounds of oolite sand in it (maybe a bad idea, but gonna seed with LS from my NC12 which has some bigger grains), and about 3-4 pounds of LR (from the sump of my 65g and a LFS), including a rock I've been seeding in my NC12 for about a month. Granted, some of the rock thats now in the pico is really no better than fully cured base rock, but its a start, but I am considering some rock from Sealife Inc. I cut a piece of acrylic to cover the tank for now while it cycles to cut down on evap and cat paws. I also have one of Bonsai's excellent plexi-lids, arrived with the hinge popped loose, will re-glue it and use it. May have to trim it in the back to clear the ATO and cord of the Rio. Currently have a 50w Finnex titanium heater, nice rock-solid 80 degrees. Will likely keep it unless it fails, seems very reliable. Future hardware plans: LED lighting Rio 50 PH (received from PremiumAquatics) DIY ATO system (installed) Reefkeeper (not sure which, leaning toward Elite, want to get the ALC module to control LED lighting if I go that route). I've got so many ideas floating in my head, just listed the definite/probable ones. Livestock plans (once lighting is figured out): Monti. Plate Acans a few varied zoas (Found a single polyp hitch-hiker on a piece of rubble, opens about halfway compared to the ones in my nano) maybe some 'shrooms/rics (wanting to lean more toward LPS/SPS in this tank, and shrooms don't like the flow and light as much) trio of Sexy shrimp a hermit a Nass snail or 2 (added, then removed, I rarely feed this tank right now, letting it mature fishless) a Cerith snail or 2 an LTA j/k a small fish. MAYBE Those additions are definitely in no order, and I threw this post together off the top of my head, so by no means is it complete as to stocking list. As the LFS around this area tend NOT to carry many LPS and almost NO SPS, I'll have to order those online probably. I may frag a shroom from my NC12 for the pico, might even hit up deathco for a shroom or zoa (dipping will become my FRIEND). Will also likely have to order my as yet unchosen fish online also, unless I can get one of the LFSs around here to order for me, but the cost would be higher than if I order myself. Link to comment
gregzbobo Posted October 14, 2009 Author Share Posted October 14, 2009 Full tank shot, sand, water, and LR in, cycle in progress: Rocks are just kinda sitting in there for now, can't see a thing yet to do any aquascaping. Link to comment
el fabuloso Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 Yay! Cloudy tank!! Sounds like you've really got this thing planned out. Everything sounds good, and you should have no trouble keeping SPS once your tank is ready and with the right amount of LEDs. Welcome to the club! Link to comment
gregzbobo Posted October 14, 2009 Author Share Posted October 14, 2009 Yay! Cloudy tank!! Sounds like you've really got this thing planned out. Everything sounds good, and you should have no trouble keeping SPS once your tank is ready and with the right amount of LEDs. Welcome to the club! Why thank you sir, glad to be a member. On a side note, I may try to figure a way to dose 2 part solutions automatically, that ones gonna be a toughie to figure out. Link to comment
el fabuloso Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 Yes! Let me know when you figure that one out. Link to comment
gregzbobo Posted October 14, 2009 Author Share Posted October 14, 2009 Yes! Let me know when you figure that one out. Saw a post on another site about doing so involving digital timers and aqualift pumps, but it was designed more for a large tank. I'll have to dig that post up and see if it can be adapted for picos safely. Actually, dosing the 2 part might end up the easy part, but then things might start getting cluttered once you throw in an ATO float switch for topoff water, mebbe I could dose into the 'fuge. Link to comment
el fabuloso Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 The problem with a pico is that it's too small for any type of auto-dosing system. Kalkwasser in the top-off water would be a nice solution except that you don't really go through enough RO water to make it work. Link to comment
gregzbobo Posted October 14, 2009 Author Share Posted October 14, 2009 The problem with a pico is that it's too small for any type of auto-dosing system. Kalkwasser in the top-off water would be a nice solution except that you don't really go through enough RO water to make it work. Aye, and the PH shock might be too much for the livestock in such a small tank. The 2part doser I saw with the timers and aqualifts essentially pulled straight from the A & B bottles at set intervals throughout the day and pumped right into the sump. Took alot of calculation and so forth for the poster to figure exactly how much his tank utilized in a day, how much the pumps moved in a period of time, and to then divide that up into short doses that the timers could manage with the aqualifts plugged into them. But he got excellent results and maintained essentially perfect calcium and alk levels in his tank. A Litremeter of course would be pretty easy to setup in such a fashion, but those things are ungodly expensive . Link to comment
el fabuloso Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 I've figured out exactly how much to dose my tank and when but I'd be afraid to rely on a timer to do that and have it all go wrong. Link to comment
gregzbobo Posted October 14, 2009 Author Share Posted October 14, 2009 I've figured out exactly how much to dose my tank and when but I'd be afraid to rely on a timer to do that and have it all go wrong. Quite a good point. A few replies in that post also expressed similar concerns. But many of those that tried it got it working well, whereas others had problems finding quality digital timers locally. Can't do it with clockwork timers, too imprecise unfortunately, and the cheaper ones aren't worth the plastic and spit they're made of half the time. I may have to try it out myself, sort of a beta test, maybe on my NC12, little more room for error on that tank. But I'll likely just dose manually, once I get to that point. I might be able to get away with just waterchanges at first, like you did. My LFS uses Instant Ocean however, good alkalinity, but a bit lacking in calcium as mixed. May be a good excuse for me to get my own RO/DI unit and mix my own from some other salt mix. Link to comment
el fabuloso Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 I use Oceanic and I'm really happy with it. If it makes it any easier I didn't start dosing until my tank got heavily stocked with SPS. Prior to that, weekly water changes were more than enough to keep up with calcium and trace elements even with a monti cap, a birdsnest and a bunch of LPS. Link to comment
gregzbobo Posted October 14, 2009 Author Share Posted October 14, 2009 I tested some saltwater I bought at my closest LFS, came out to about 360 calcium, and about 9dKh, great alkalinity, rather low calcium. They use Instant Ocean on their tanks and for sale to aquarists, but they have told me that they dose calcium in their coral tanks, which are mostly dominated by softies, 'shrooms, zoas, and a few LPS. I've only seen an SPS displayed or on sale at that store maybe 4-5 times in the 12ish years I've been going there, so they don't really NEED to use much in the way of calcium additives. Incidentally, I only buy 'shrooms and an occasional zoa there, might buy a fish or shrimp, but otherwise just water. Not a single skimmer on any of their tanks. They run Emporer 400's on all their tanks except the daisy-chained sale tanks which are all closed looped together with a hunk of live rock in each tank. I've asked why no skimmers and they say its not worth the hassle. I can see that on a small tank, but on 125g tanks full of corals? Incidentally, thats the only salt brand they carry, that and Reef Crystals, if I want another brand locally, I need to shop Petsmart and get Coralife. I've heard MANY good things about the Oceanic, I may have to try it, especially if it comes in big buckets. Link to comment
gregzbobo Posted October 14, 2009 Author Share Posted October 14, 2009 Been a few hours, water is beginning to clear a bit, I can actually see one of my rocks now. Still much too cloudy to arrange the rocks. Even so, not all that sure I WILL arrange them, these rocks are base rock, good for seeding sand with bacteria, and growing a boatload of algae. gotta order me some good uncured stuff ASAP. Link to comment
gregzbobo Posted October 14, 2009 Author Share Posted October 14, 2009 Just placed an order for some chaeto, Rio 50 PH, and a cheap suction-cup glass thermometer on Premium Aquatics. Gonna go to an LFS about 40 minutes south of me and see what hes got for LR as I'm thinking I can't swing 50-106 bucks for 3-16 pounds of rock online, and perhaps end up with who knows what, plus I can pick and choose what I want, hopefully aiptasia-free. On another note, my AC70 should arrive tomorrow, have an afternoon doctor appt for my blood pressure, hope the Fedex driver arrives before that, or after I get home. My UPS driver knows my schedule so he always delivers within an hour of noon, unless hes off that day. I should sleep. Link to comment
gregzbobo Posted October 15, 2009 Author Share Posted October 15, 2009 I went to that LFS I mentioned thats a ways from here, came away with 4 pounds of rock, including a piece from a display tank he uses to get coralline going on rock he's cured. Its a little flat piece, but very porous, also got a piece that was a bit large but really light and quite gnarled looking and full of nooks and crannys. I also bought some Kent Marine 2part for use in my nano. All together, I walked out spending 42 bucks, which I think was a pretty good deal. I'm really thinking of getting a small bag of larger graded substrate though, I'd forgotten just how powdery oolite is when its brand new, the AC70 is gonna blow it all over if I don't cover it with larger-grained stuff. I took a couple tiny scoops of established sand from my nano, but I may have to take some more and replace what I take with dry sand. I'll play with the scape in the pico a little bit today and grab a few photos. I'm not a very good photographer, and need reminded to take pics sometimes. Link to comment
gregzbobo Posted October 16, 2009 Author Share Posted October 16, 2009 Its much less cloudy, but until bacteria get settled in the sand and does its diatom bloom, the sand is gonna be a pain. Got my AC 70 today, have mostly modded it up, gotta sand the place on the filter housing where the intake is held in place, had to mod the u-tube so short that it doesn't seat right because of the extension bulge. Also noticed some aiptasias, got a couple with some kalk paste, the rest are awfully tiny, might get a peppermint to try to clean them up once the tank totally cycles. Still no new pics, am somewhat frustrated with trying to get my camera to take decent pictures, that and I don't own a tripod, so that makes it even tougher. Link to comment
spankyleatherlips Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Keep us posted with more pictures please, I love pico tanks and have my mind set on one. I just need to research more. I have a jbj 24 dx with 150 MH. I think i am leaning towards the jbj pico more than the Deco acrylic pico tank although I like that lighting better. Today was friday and payday, I have had both tanks in my "check out now" at Dr fosters. I can't seem to make up my mind. Good Luck to you and your pico, I am positive you will have great results!! Link to comment
gregzbobo Posted October 16, 2009 Author Share Posted October 16, 2009 Keep us posted with more pictures please, I love pico tanks and have my mind set on one. I just need to research more. I have a jbj 24 dx with 150 MH. I think i am leaning towards the jbj pico more than the Deco acrylic pico tank although I like that lighting better. Today was friday and payday, I have had both tanks in my "check out now" at Dr fosters. I can't seem to make up my mind. Good Luck to you and your pico, I am positive you will have great results!! I went with the JBJ Picotope because its glass so much less likely to get scratches over time, plus I like how the bottom has a bit of "moulding" to the edge. Its stock filter is not very good for reefing really, but I guess it can be used for a little extra flow and surface agitation. The stock light is also rather weak, but sufficient for mushrooms. I plan to use it over my AC 70, and have a Current Satellite 12" 18w PC light on its way right now to tide me over till I can put LEDs over this tank. Link to comment
el fabuloso Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 We want pichers! Today was friday and payday, I have had both tanks in my "check out now" at Dr fosters. I can't seem to make up my mind. I would definitely recommend the JBJ Picotope. The Tom's Deco is made of plastic and scratches easily. Almost everyone who went with the Tom's Deco became unhappy with it within a few months. Link to comment
Warehouse41Ant Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 We want pichers! I would definitely recommend the JBJ Picotope. The Tom's Deco is made of plastic and scratches easily. Almost everyone who went with the Tom's Deco became unhappy with it within a few months. +1 to some pics +1 to many great reviews on the JBJ Link to comment
gregzbobo Posted October 16, 2009 Author Share Posted October 16, 2009 Ya'll wanted some pics, so heres some: With flash. The top two rocks have the best coralline coverage, the big rock on the tank floor on the left has some too, but its still pretty dusty from the sand, gonna follow the LITHA mandate for a while. No flash, kind of an idea how the color of the tank will be later on down the road. I've a new heater coming that I intend to shove into my 'fuge, just hope it fits. Link to comment
spankyleatherlips Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 Looking Good!! Link to comment
Jacobnano Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 I am glad you are putting the heater in the fuge haha Link to comment
gregzbobo Posted October 17, 2009 Author Share Posted October 17, 2009 FYI, dry oolite/sugar-sized sand doesn't seem suited to a pico. If I'd known, I would have spent a few bucks on a small bag of flamingo pink or special-grade. Live and learn. I am glad you are putting the heater in the fuge haha So am I. Found a really good deal on a Finnex 50w titanium, looks fairly short, will try it out. Once Marineland releases the Stealth Pro heaters, I plan to get one of those, and keep the small titanium around for a spare. Link to comment
el fabuloso Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 That's better! You've got some nice looking rocks in there by the way. Can't wait to see it come together! Link to comment
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