friar1 Posted April 24, 2010 Share Posted April 24, 2010 HI: This is my tank thread. Using a 1.5 gallon Tetra Water Wonders that was formally my goldfish's home (She Updgraded) I have very little space to work with, hence the tiny tank. Hydor Pico Evolution Mini Pump 400 for flow, a 25 watt Hydor Stealth heater, a Tetra, 3i in-tank filter for gas exchange only a ten watt Coralife 50/50 Mini PC. Catalina Aquarium Nano 2x 13 watt Power Compact fixture. One - 13 watt 10000k and One - 13 watt Actinic plus 2 Cree XR-E Royal Blue and 1 Cree XR-E Cool White modded into the fixture. PC bulbs and LEDs on separate switches/timers Zoo Med Canister Filter made for Turtle Tanks with Chemi-Pure Elite and Purigen 2 1/2 pounds live rock 2 1/2 pounds live sand Livestock: Tri-Color Hermit Crab. Red People Eater Zoa, 1 Polyp (Now 8 Polyps) Duncan LPS, 1 Polyp (Now 8 or more Heads) Florida Ric, Neon Green (Three Mouths Now) Florida Ric, green mouth Caribbean Nerite Snail 3 1 dwarf Ceriths 2 Florida Ceriths 4 polyp zoa, forget the name lol Nutrient export will be 1 to 2 WC per week, 90 to 100%. Going to try Brandon's C-Balance dosing and feeding schedule, though I may not go as heavy on the feeding, I will still be doing large frequent water changes This will take some time, because of limited budget, I will be logging progress of the build and logging the progress of the tank after start up. Thanks Brandon429 for the inspiration and to all of you guys and gals with the fantastic pico threads on this site. Tons of great info, awesome looking tanks, I hope to join the fun soon! April 23, 2010 this is my ghetto light stand, will be upgrading this! Light Stand in progress FTS 05/19/10 New additions 05/31/10 FTS 04/02/11 Link to comment
Mr. Microscope Posted April 24, 2010 Share Posted April 24, 2010 Fun! I can't wait to see the progress on this one. I was considering this tank at first but was intimidated by the size. Good luck! Link to comment
friar1 Posted April 24, 2010 Author Share Posted April 24, 2010 Fun! I can't wait to see the progress on this one. I was considering this tank at first but was intimidated by the size. Good luck! Thanks Mr Microscope! Only reasons are a limited budget and limited space, Already had this tank, so saved 20 dollars. We will see how it goes. Friar Link to comment
JonathanS Posted April 24, 2010 Share Posted April 24, 2010 keep at it, I would get some ricordias in there. oh yeah, and cool RC stuff you got in the back. Link to comment
friar1 Posted April 24, 2010 Author Share Posted April 24, 2010 oh yeah, and cool RC stuff you got in the back. Thanks, will be selling the planes and keeping the heli Link to comment
brandon429 Posted April 24, 2010 Share Posted April 24, 2010 it rocks! I didn't know those little tanks had lids, do the seal all the way around the back with a snap fit or is there cutout room for stuff back there? Really neat and yes I had my eye on that tmax as well my garage looks very similar Sir lol Link to comment
friar1 Posted April 24, 2010 Author Share Posted April 24, 2010 it rocks! I didn't know those little tanks had lids, do the seal all the way around the back with a snap fit or is there cutout room for stuff back there? Really neat and yes I had my eye on that tmax as well my garage looks very similar Sir lol Hi Brandon, not a snap fit, it rests in a lip. There are cut outs in the back for tubing or wires. There is also a hole on the top. I will post pics of the lid later. Thanks again for your great advice! Link to comment
brandon429 Posted April 24, 2010 Share Posted April 24, 2010 okay plus you are up at seven am typing about pico reefs along w me while everyone else is snoozing. why are you not my next door neighbor. dannnng your in Cali that's 5 am wtf man you got bit huh Link to comment
friar1 Posted April 24, 2010 Author Share Posted April 24, 2010 okay plus you are up at seven am typing about pico reefs along w me while everyone else is snoozing. why are you not my next door neighbor. dannnng your in Cali that's 5 am wtf man you got bit huh Haha! No, just couldn't sleep, went to bed too early, now i am stuck in the living room waiting for everyone else to wake up! :0) so here I am. Question: can you tell me again how you feed? I mean I saw you target feeding one of your corals in your video, but I was under the impression you just dump a bunch of stuff in the vase and then do a water change soon after? And if you feed like that, how? do you mix stuff with water or just throw some in ? Thanks, Friar Link to comment
Mr. Microscope Posted April 24, 2010 Share Posted April 24, 2010 I haven't fed my tank yet, but I've read about it. If you turn your pumps off, you can target feed with some long tweezers. Then there is a lot less waste to build up and decay in your filters/sand. Link to comment
sponginator Posted April 24, 2010 Share Posted April 24, 2010 nice rc planes! this is going to be a good thread Link to comment
brandon429 Posted April 24, 2010 Share Posted April 24, 2010 here's how I choose to feed, its just one of many ways. I have also tried the bare bones feeding way where you feed a little like was mentioned, being sure all of it gets into the coral and not spread around, then you just do this until your water change time and it lowers the feed bioload of a tank because you aren't overfeeding relative to your water change interval. I chose to do it heavier, to feed the copepods and microstars and stuff, so they wouldnt thin over time. I dissolve some cyclopeeze and mysis shrimp and dump it in the tank where every organism has so much food it can't eat it all! A true butt-load of food, enough to kill the tank without follow up measures. If left like this, in two days the vase would die of algae eutrophication as all this extra food decayed and fed the system. Instead, I just do a 100% water change an hour or two after this giant feeding which would be sufficient for, and likely more than, a ten gallon tank. High water changes will keep these year-long picos free of algae, but it will also work to sterilize the tank of its benthic growth, I enjoy seeing live rock that was once rather bare now sprouted with so many fanworms and benthic life you'd think it came from a 100 gallon (which I greatly enjoy being accused of in "picos are fake" threads lol) At the end of a year, up close shots of the live rock will reflect upon the feeding as these little organisms tend to be non photosynthetic unlike corals who can live with a relatively low nutrient load using the light to make additional foodstuffs. also Friar when you look at the people starting out their tanks are not packed to the hilt with hungry animals. I wouldn't recommend you feed this much until it is, not that it would hurt anything, but it'll be wasting food as the system simply hasn't built up a demand for it. I think my best offer would be to feed a little, then do the water change just to keep up the habit. when we move away from actual vase systems and into the realm of square tank pico reefs the methods for success become very contentious among people who have success with so many different ways, my main point however is to couple feeding with changes and not in between. Its just what works for me, and since the vase is the oldest pico reef i have Im hesitant to change it any but there very well may be a better way. Id need to see a six year pico to believe it tho lol B Link to comment
friar1 Posted April 27, 2010 Author Share Posted April 27, 2010 Yipppee! I found an LFS close by that carries Live Rock and corals! Cool! Friar Link to comment
friar1 Posted April 28, 2010 Author Share Posted April 28, 2010 . I dissolve some cyclopeeze and mysis shrimp and dump it in the tank where every organism has so much food it can't eat it all! ok. so I will only feed a little to begin with, since I will have little life to eat it. But I think i will stick to a feed and then 100% WC schedule, since I have such a small tank. But... is this freeze dried food or frozen or what? and you disolve the Cyclopeeze and Mysis in what? Freshwater? saltwater? Could you give me more details please. (Since I am a Newb!) Thanks, Friar Link to comment
c_k_kuehne Posted April 30, 2010 Share Posted April 30, 2010 Welcome to the Pico Methodology Contest But... is this freeze dried food or frozen or what? and you disolve the Cyclopeeze and Mysis in what? Freshwater? saltwater? Could you give me more details please. (Since I am a Newb!)Thanks, Friar I take a 1/2 shot glass of tank water (SW), add a tiny pinch of freeze dried CyclopsEeze and a few drops of Marine Snow. I stir this well and let sit for about 5 mins. I then turn off the main pump (HOB filter) and let it circulate in the DT for 30 mins. A few hours later (or the next day) I do a decent sized WC including cleaning out the HOB sponge filter to remove any uneaten food in the sponge filter. Link to comment
friar1 Posted April 30, 2010 Author Share Posted April 30, 2010 Welcome to the Pico Methodology Contest I take a 1/2 shot glass of tank water (SW), add a tiny pinch of freeze dried CyclopsEeze and a few drops of Marine Snow. I stir this well and let sit for about 5 mins. I then turn off the main pump (HOB filter) and let it circulate in the DT for 30 mins. A few hours later (or the next day) I do a decent sized WC including cleaning out the HOB sponge filter to remove any uneaten food in the sponge filter. Hi c_k and "DT" stands for......? ( I am such a NOOB!) Thanks, Friar Link to comment
brandon429 Posted April 30, 2010 Share Posted April 30, 2010 that's what I do too, pretty much what what ck said. Dt's phytoplankton is the marine equivalent of salad eating from their natural suspended food sources. It gives your animals good carbohydrate and vitamins to digest but the protein is lacking compared to cyclopeeze or meat items. I too have combined these two foodstuffs dt's is just fine but when I ran out I just decided to stick with cyclopeeze no reason. I haven't used freeze dried stuff in a reef although there are freeze dried algae pastes that have been touted in the industry for 20 years. Whether you are doing marine snow, cyclopeeze, mysis shrimp etc I think its key to change the water in whatever percentage you deem fit pretty close to the feeding interval, at least it won't sit there and cook for days and days stressing your tank. Glad you are coming along can't wait to see final build pics man! B Link to comment
c_k_kuehne Posted April 30, 2010 Share Posted April 30, 2010 Hi c_k and "DT" stands for......? ( I am such a NOOB!) Thanks, Friar Display Tank --- as compared to say HOB (Hang on the back) filter Link to comment
friar1 Posted May 19, 2010 Author Share Posted May 19, 2010 Got Live Rock and Live Sand! Now to scape.... Friar Link to comment
Mr. Microscope Posted May 19, 2010 Share Posted May 19, 2010 Awesome! Can't wait to see the FTS. Link to comment
friar1 Posted May 19, 2010 Author Share Posted May 19, 2010 Tank is cloudy. Pics will be forthcoming when clear Friar Link to comment
JonathanS Posted May 19, 2010 Share Posted May 19, 2010 I would keep the heli too, lol cant wait to see those pics Link to comment
friar1 Posted May 20, 2010 Author Share Posted May 20, 2010 Ok well, not the best scape, and still a little cloudy, but there is some coralline growth and I found a hitchhiker hermit in the rubble. The tank is 1.024 sg. I am going to test other params a little later. Ammonia = .50 NO2 = 0 ppm NO3 = 5.0 ppm PH = 8.4 FTS 05/19/10 Link to comment
friar1 Posted May 20, 2010 Author Share Posted May 20, 2010 Gee, How do you guys get the water out of the test tubes? I mean, I tested, then I rinsed with water, and then I have to let these things dry out for over night? Not that I am complaining, just thought it would be a quick testing regimen, turns out it's a little more involved than I thought. hehe Oh well, the Hermit is still alive, don't know how long he'll live, since it is a brand new tank and all. Seen him move around quite a bit. I am thinking on doing a water change in the next few days, but i don't want to mess with the cycle. Yet I am afraid for the hermit (My daughter has already named him Hermie, lol). I am torn between the two.... Any suggestions? Friar Link to comment
brandon429 Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 looking great so far. its my opinion that you should spot feed the little snail and hermit in there and then do the 100% change anytime you feel like it, often being better than less often. it won't hurt the cycle since the sand and rocks were already done upon arrival (wet entry) some people feel green hair algae is an ok cycling issue but I don't, its been my exp that with good water changes right from the start you can just pack in all the coral you want right off the bat and never get cyano, green hair algae or even caky micro algae so change anytime your instinct tells you to especially in the early stages jmo~ B If you slowly add a few corals, which is what most of us do for cost, it will work the same as if you input your complete coral load into it all at once. Just do a full change twice in a week if you go that route and have the $$ I always enjoyed the look of an aged tank even when it was new by simply packing whatever I could afford of the basic corals in em Link to comment
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