To show my girlfriend's support, she added her own touch.

Ahhhh isnt that cute!
now get some water in that bad boy!

Yup, just got done digging up some of my old FW Aqua Clears and Heaters. Cutting the glass top for an AquaClear 150 to fit while minimizing evap, and painting the back of the tank. Rock and Sand to go in next.

Will a Tronic 50w be too much? Are there any heaters that will fit in an AC 150?

Day 1:

Sprayed Back of Tank, setup 3lbs and Sand and 4lbs of live rock. Waiting on 18w Current light from NanoTuners - Using a single 10w 50/50 PC for now. Cut glass to fit over tank to help with evaporation since I won't be using an ATO. I'm going to give the tank a few days to show any signs of cycling although everything was used from an established tank. I have a nice 1/2 clown goby waiting in my NC12

Pics:

Nice Rock, wordof advise though, keep it off the glass, it makes it MUCH easier to clean the glass.

Thanks for the advice. As hard as it was to do in a 2 1/2, I set the rock up so the nimble cleaner would still be able to fit around the parts that weren't touching.

Great entry pic. Good luck!

I like your aquascaping/rockwork.

I agree, the rock work looks really nice.

BTW,

whats the other half?

Funny! I cross bred it with the dog 1/2 Clown Goby, 1/2 Boston Terrier. One FULL Boston Clown Goby. It was quite a sight.

I think it's official! Bostons are the mascot of the STOCK competition!!

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?...19&#entry627819

http://www.lauriemontgomery.com/aengus.html

Good luck!! Yay 05!

He's Cute, looks like he's going to be a big boston! http://scott.fluidimagery.com/logan-random/ a few others. Puppies gone wild!

Those are great pics! Poor Elmo!!

Day 3:

Added small bit of Cheato

Day 4:

Added 1/2" Clown Goby. Re-Aquascaped to allow for more room to roll out game plan. Temp levels seem to be very steady at 78. Still waiting for Sattelite PC should be here on Friday according to FedEx.

Pics:





Any comments welcome.

Day 5: Just received shipment of Satellite 18w PC from NanoCustoms. Thanks Chris and Oogie for putting togther the great price on the light.

Day 18: Tank has been cycling since my last update. Meanwhile I decided to contain the Yellow Clown Goby in my NC12 while it was doing so. Cycle is just about complete, debating whether to add it back to the 2.5. Livestock in the tank include a Pom Pom Crab, 2 Hermits and 4 Snails of various types.

Below are some updated pictures I just took -

FTS:


Various Zoos surrounding beautiful piece of fossilized Tridcna shell - Feather Duster was a hitchiker on the Clam Shell


Kenya Tree Frag that just attached to it's piece of LR. Frag taken from my NC12


Green Center Clove Polyp Frag

jeez...thtas 3 people using Caulerpa Prolifera in their tanks in this contest....me you and Doncb

must be good stuff then. I have some Cheato stuffed in the back left corner too. Was using it to help cycle, I kind of like the look of it, but debating whether to keep it or not.

Looks nice! Love the rock. My LFS sucks LOL. What did you paint the back with? It looks nice I like how everything "pops" because of it. Love the rics too. I would keep the ball of chaeto. It looks like the beginning of the jungle just off the beach

Thanks! I used a Flat Black Enamel Spray. It was the first time I sprayed a tank and it is very easy, you just can't be over anxious to setup the equip an hour after you paint because it scraches very easily Use 2 coats and be patient! LOL

The rics were kind of rescued from a friends tank that was on the verge of crashing so I'm trying to nurse them back. They're still very closed but at least showing some life now, hopefully they start showing their colors a bit more.

I'm diggin the macro and I like the color diversity it adds. I'd like to maybe add a shaving brush plant too.

Yeah I just love ric's though I had not bought any until this pico. I thought they were too expensive, but then I found a new lfs that has MUCH better pricing.

That would be sweet. I just looked up what they look like (shaving brush) That is a very well suited name for it. Do they help export like macro alge?

I so own page 2 LOL!!

Looks like it... From LiveAquaria:

The Shaving Brush Plant is also known as the Painter's Brush Plant and grows in shallow water in the sand throughout the world. It has a central base with many long thin green leaves, which gives it the appearance of a shaving brush.

These plants help reduce excess nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates in the aquarium. Most herbivorous fish and invertebrates will not normally consume this plant, but sea urchins may uproot and consume this species. Plant the Shaving Brush in the substrate in a well-illuminated place in the aquarium or refugium. This plant will benefit from the regular addition of an iron supplement, as well as trace elements.


Click to view attachment

OMG! That pic is awesome. I made it my background!

Finally got a pic of my Pom Pom - crappy since the lights are off but...

Very nice layout with some sweet corals. Love the Boxer crab too, I have one in my nano and they are just so cool.

Best regards

Ann

Do you see yours very much? I'm hoping mine is just a bit timid only because I added it 3 days ago. First I moved some rock around so I could make sure it was alive (whew) Luckily I caught him out last night so I could snap a quick shot.

Well yes and no.

When first added he was out in the open pretty much all the time, all over the tank. But after a couple of tiny Green banded gobies were introduced he took to hanging out in a cave. I still see him every day, especially at feeding time, but it's generally in his cave and rarely on the top of the rocks.

Best regards

Ann

Looking good. I'm also a fan of Tonga branch, got some for my pico as well.

Thanks for the comments. Just a quick update... My Girlfriend suprised me by picking up a beautiful frag of Pocilliopora to put in the high light high flow area of the tank. Looks very nice.

Nice 'scape, love the Pocilliopora frag too.

GSP Frag I added Yesterday. I've never seen colors as bright as this on any GSP... taking offers on Frags once it start growing

Pic was taken without flash with bright daylight behind so it even takes away a bit of the brightness. Nothing was edited other than size and compression on the image as well. I'll try to get better shots later tonight.

Wow, that GSP is cool. I'll take a frag.

I actually have some coming but mine probably won't be so pretty.

Your tank is coming along nicely. I think we need a new FTS shot!

Waiting for the small aglae bloom to subside before taking more FTS. Everything seems very healthy. I already noticed considerable growth on my kenya tree I fragged from my 12gal.

Have any livestock suggestions? I'm going to be waiting another month or so before adding anything but I'm going to keep it to a bare minimum. Maybe Green Banded Goby or just a single shrimp (sexy anemone?). Wanted to do something a little different than the norm though.

Personally I don't know. I'm in the same boat as you. I was thinking of adding a sexy but something more unusual would be cool...I just don't know what.

DAY 25 - Just an Update - Playing around with macro lense

FTS


Green Center Kenya Tree


Yellow Zoos


Neon Green GSP (amazing color)

Looking really nice!

very nice shots!

as to livestock, isn't the pom-pom unusual enough? or is it hiding too much to count?

Thanks Doncb and TinyReef

I've only seen the pom pom once since he's been in the tank... so I don't know what to think and I don't really feel like pulling the tank apart looking for him.

All these algea issues are making me anti fish in a reef tank, especially the 2.5 I think it'll just retard the growth, but who knows my mind changes everyday.

I think the tank will be intersting enough to look at with just the corals and diversity of snails in the tank. 1x Magic Carpet, 1x Mexican Turbo (the small turbos) 2 x margarita and 1 blue leg hermit. I think the crew will do the job of cleaning up any detritus and other left overs in the sandbed, rock and glass.

Update: There has been a pom pom crab sighting. I found him hiding spot in the LR and just seems to like hanging out in there.

DAY 36: Just a pic update

Took a few pics tonight since it's been 11 days since my last. The macro has been growing like crazy so I trimmed that back yesterday. Lots of pods crawling around the back walls. Nitrate and Phosphates are both at 0 now, everything is looking very healthy.

This tank is looking fantastic!! A beautiful selection of corals/colours.

Best regards

Ann

Really looking good!

OFFICIAL PICO CONTEST NEWS

New Task... Read about it here...
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=75620

YOU MUST COMPLETE THE TASK!

awesome pompom crab...when it molts it lets go of the anenomes and picks em back up when his shell hardens....just fyi....

and i was curious..how much did you pay for the little crab?