Funktastic Wint Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 So i just thought id show off my new little project that i've been working on. its a jbj 3 gallon Picotope. i had the bottom of it drilled with a 1" bit and ran the drain and return through the same hole. i have a 5 gallon tank that i custom built with 4 baffles that is working quite well. i have about 5 pounds of live rock in the display and 2 pounds in the fuge along with some rock rubble and and a deep(ish) sandbed. EQUIPMENT 3 gallon Picotope tank RapidLED PAR38 with 80 degree optics (3 royal blue, 1 blue, 2 cool white, 1 warm white) Standard 5 Gallon tank (refugium) with 4 baffles Coralife Mini Aqualight (2x 9 watt) over the fuge JAD WG-310 Protein Skimmer RIO 400 as a return pump 50 watt Stealth heater Lifeguard Little Digital Thermometer Koralia Nano Nanomag glass cleaner 50 watt Via Aqua heater Livestock 6-7 Pounds Live Rock from YourReef Chaetomorpha Algae (a football sized piece) 5-6 Bumblebee Snails 1 Scarlet Hermit 1 Cerith Snail KIA by Scarlet Hermit (learned my lesson) 1-2 Chitons (in the fuge) Blue and Green Sympodium Polyps Blue Clove Polyps (Anthelia) Clam HH Peach Palys Pink Galaxy Zoas Rose Nebula Zoas 1 head of Frogspawn Brown/Green Mushrooms Blue/Orange Ricordia Mushroom Amphipods Copepods Asterina Starfish 5 Blue Mushrooms 5 Limpets 1 Peppermint Shrimp 1 polyp of Purple People Eater Palys Birdsnest SPS Zoa tonga branch with many Zoas on it Staghorn Hermit Crab Blueberry Gorgonian Tiny Turbo Snail Maintenence .2-.4 ml Oyster Feast - Daily Frozen Cyclopeeze - Daily .3 ml Purple Up - Daily .5 ml Kent Marine Tech 1 - Weekly .6 ml Kent Marine trace essential elements - Weekly .5 ml Kent Marine Strontium/Molybdenum- once every 4 days Water change 1 gallon - Monthly (i should be doing more but my skimmer lets me slack) Replace Purigen when depleted Replace Chemi Pure Elite when depleted January FTS February FTS March FTS coming soon... Link to comment
andrewkw Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 how are you running the drain and return through the same hole? Also while your tank looks good I think you have too much rock. Not because of how it looks but because you won't be able to clean the glass. Link to comment
Funktastic Wint Posted January 7, 2011 Author Share Posted January 7, 2011 how are you running the drain and return through the same hole? Also while your tank looks good I think you have too much rock. Not because of how it looks but because you won't be able to clean the glass. heres how i did it. and some more pics the little fuge (has cheato in it now) and yeah im still working on the rockscape. seems to be the hardest part of the darn thing. lol Link to comment
DaJMasta Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Scaping can be difficult... but I think you've got a bit too much rock/too large pieces in the display. I've got a lot in both of my displays and while I like having lots of filtration capacity and places to hide - I think it would look better with less rock and more open space. Neat idea for the plumbing, with a pipe that big it should be no problem getting enough drainage. Link to comment
Funktastic Wint Posted January 7, 2011 Author Share Posted January 7, 2011 Scaping can be difficult... but I think you've got a bit too much rock/too large pieces in the display. I've got a lot in both of my displays and while I like having lots of filtration capacity and places to hide - I think it would look better with less rock and more open space. Neat idea for the plumbing, with a pipe that big it should be no problem getting enough drainage. yeah ill probly break some of it up or trade pieces out from my other nano tank after it cures more. or maybe ill just put some in the fuge. idk. heres a pic from my older tank. just cuz i like pictures. Link to comment
Mr. Microscope Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Neat project! I like your older tank too. Did you attach rocks to the pipe in your display tank? Looks nice! What are your stocking plans? Link to comment
Funktastic Wint Posted January 7, 2011 Author Share Posted January 7, 2011 Neat project! I like your older tank too. Did you attach rocks to the pipe in your display tank? Looks nice! What are your stocking plans? yep i have attached a bunch of rock rubble to the pipe using aquastix putty. i still hafta attach more but ive been struggling to find the right pieces. i was thinkin i def want some sexy shrimp. and a big ricordia garden. maybe some birdsnest down the road. also probly an emerald crab or a pom pom crab. and a mini carpet anemone. im also interested in getting a couple zoas in here. however i have always struggled with them in my larger tank. they just die in there for some reason. idk y. Link to comment
Funktastic Wint Posted January 7, 2011 Author Share Posted January 7, 2011 also does anyone have suggestions for a more reliable heater. im having temp fluctuations of about 4 degrees. Link to comment
gulfsurfer101 Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 I like the look the old tank but I gotta say that that metal stand is not the most attractive stand. I built one out of some book shelf board I bought for around 8 bucks at lowes for my small cube tank. I spent about 15 tottal with paint and water sealer. As far as rocks go for smaller displays, I know what you mean by hard to find. If I find that I really want a peice to work that is too big I start taking some off with a small hammer and a nice sized chisel. Link to comment
Funktastic Wint Posted January 7, 2011 Author Share Posted January 7, 2011 I like the look the old tank but I gotta say that that metal stand is not the most attractive stand. I built one out of some book shelf board I bought for around 8 bucks at lowes for my small cube tank. I spent about 15 tottal with paint and water sealer. As far as rocks go for smaller displays, I know what you mean by hard to find. If I find that I really want a peice to work that is too big I start taking some off with a small hammer and a nice sized chisel. yeah it was cheap tho and all my stuff in my room is either silver or black so it kinda goes. i have some sheet metal that im getting machined to fit on top of the wire tops.so its more aesthetically pleasing. Link to comment
Mr. Microscope Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 For filling in the rest of your pipe, maybe wait and use some frags. Some cool SPS sticking out sidways would be cool or cover it in zoas/palys (maybe you'll have better luck in this tank, don't forget to feed them!). What are you using for a heater? I've used the Hydor Theo 25 Watt and now have the Marineland Stealth Pro 25 Watt. I'd recommend the Marineland. It seems pretty stable. My Hydor kept getting hotter and hotter. Also, I'd recommend listing all of your equipment in your first post. Link to comment
Funktastic Wint Posted January 7, 2011 Author Share Posted January 7, 2011 For filling in the rest of your pipe, maybe wait and use some frags. Some cool SPS sticking out sidways would be cool or cover it in zoas/palys (maybe you'll have better luck in this tank, don't forget to feed them!). What are you using for a heater? I've used the Hydor Theo 25 Watt and now have the Marineland Stealth Pro 25 Watt. I'd recommend the Marineland. It seems pretty stable. My Hydor kept getting hotter and hotter. Also, I'd recommend listing all of your equipment in your first post. yeah that would be cool! your supposed to feed zoas?? 0.o uh ohhhh spadoodie ohs. no wonder they always died. :'( i starved them! im using a via aqua 50 watt glass heater. thanks yeah i will probably get a stealth. but im not sure if 25 would be enough? i have my heater in the sump return. Link to comment
Mr. Microscope Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 yeah that would be cool! your supposed to feed zoas?? 0.o uh ohhhh spadoodie ohs. no wonder they always died. :'( i starved them! im using a via aqua 50 watt glass heater. thanks yeah i will probably get a stealth. but im not sure if 25 would be enough? i have my heater in the sump return. They don't necessarily need to be fed directly, but you need to be feeding your tank. If you have a few fish in a larger tank, or some LPS that you feed, they should be fine. They at least need some nutrients in the water. I was running an ultra low nutrient system and thought that they'd be fine on just photosynthesis. Nope! I starved a good deal of mine as well. Don't feel bad. It took me about a year to figure that out. Yeah, perhaps the Marineland Stealth Pro 50 Watt would work better for you. Link to comment
Funktastic Wint Posted January 7, 2011 Author Share Posted January 7, 2011 They don't necessarily need to be fed directly, but you need to be feeding your tank. If you have a few fish in a larger tank, or some LPS that you feed, they should be fine. They at least need some nutrients in the water. I was running an ultra low nutrient system and thought that they'd be fine on just photosynthesis. Nope! I starved a good deal of mine as well. Don't feel bad. It took me about a year to figure that out. Yeah, perhaps the Marineland Stealth Pro 50 Watt would work better for you. thanks! my larger system will appreciate some food i guess as well. what sort of food should i dose? stuff like marine snow? i thought that stuff was a gimmick Link to comment
Mr. Microscope Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 thanks! my larger system will appreciate some food i guess as well. what sort of food should i dose? stuff like marine snow? i thought that stuff was a gimmick I think marine snow is okay. I like coral frenzy. Stuff that is refridgerated or frozen is typically better. Just make sure to have an adequate CUC and avoid overfeeding. Watch your nitrate levels. Also, replace your filter floss weekly. Link to comment
will46r Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 I grind up my pellet food pretty fine so it suspends in the water column. I think it's more natural feeding for my goby. The palys and zoas seem to appreciate it too, the palys will close around the powder when it's near them. I'm not sure if it's proper but it seems to be working. Link to comment
Funktastic Wint Posted January 7, 2011 Author Share Posted January 7, 2011 I think marine snow is okay. I like coral frenzy. Stuff that is refridgerated or frozen is typically better. Just make sure to have an adequate CUC and avoid overfeeding. Watch your nitrate levels. Also, replace your filter floss weekly. just got back from the fish store and got some oyster feast which is good for lotsa different corals n featherdusters n stuff and u refridgerate it. has anyone had any experience with reefbugs from foster smith? they look super cool if they work!! i kinda wanna get sum i also picked up a baby frogspawn. it was too cute to pass up and i will add it to my 29 gallon for later use in my 3 gallon. the zoa collection was sub par. no astonishing colors or anythin so i didnt get those Link to comment
Funktastic Wint Posted January 7, 2011 Author Share Posted January 7, 2011 so ive noticed a small diatom bloom on the sandbed in the fuge. not in the display. also i saw a large lookin copepod and a flat worm crawlin around down there. I grind up my pellet food pretty fine so it suspends in the water column. I think it's more natural feeding for my goby. The palys and zoas seem to appreciate it too, the palys will close around the powder when it's near them. I'm not sure if it's proper but it seems to be working. hey thanks! what sorta pellet food do u use? Link to comment
gulfsurfer101 Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 yeah it was cheap tho and all my stuff in my room is either silver or black so it kinda goes. i have some sheet metal that im getting machined to fit on top of the wire tops.so its more aesthetically pleasing. I would because that wire frame doesn't look too sturdy. I like the way you got that drainpipe return flow set up. It's definately more bang for buck there. It will look real cool once coraline algea and coral take over. Link to comment
.Newman. Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 cover the flow nozzle output thing with rock? or coral Link to comment
Funktastic Wint Posted January 7, 2011 Author Share Posted January 7, 2011 cover the flow nozzle output thing with rock? or coral yeah im not gunna have any visible equipment in the tank. probly glue some zoas on it or somethin Link to comment
Funktastic Wint Posted January 7, 2011 Author Share Posted January 7, 2011 more pics. i moved the rock around and broke a piece and put some of the pieces in the fuge. heres an updated rockscape top down shot in the fuge lid for the fuge cuts down on evap considerably! whole system with a 1/4" piece of acrylic underneath for support until i can get my sheet metal base machined Link to comment
Funktastic Wint Posted January 8, 2011 Author Share Posted January 8, 2011 whoa! i just saw this wierd thing crawling on live rock in the fuge!!! it looked like a rollie pollie (spelling?) it was strangeeeeeee it might be a snail. its odd ill try to get pics later Link to comment
.Newman. Posted January 8, 2011 Share Posted January 8, 2011 either a chiton, of if you saw obvious legs, it was an isopod (exactly what a pillbug is except obviously marine not terrestrial ) Link to comment
Funktastic Wint Posted January 8, 2011 Author Share Posted January 8, 2011 either a chiton, of if you saw obvious legs, it was an isopod (exactly what a pillbug is except obviously marine not terrestrial ) oh thanks! no visible legs tho. i think it IS a chiton! wierd lil creature. Link to comment
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