Changing water in a pico

[banshee]

I started a JBJ 3G for the 3 and under pico contest. I did my first WC thus far by using a cup and taking out the amount I wanted to change. I figure that's fine for now but once I add some life I'll need to clean the rock and sand too. How do you do this? My siphon for my BC 14 is way too large and would remove most of the water in a few seconds. Do I use airline tubing? Something else? Thanks in advance!

[11GTCS]

Yeah I have had the same experience so far and could use some tips myself.

[Chrisl1976]

I'd say to smaller changes more frequently since you dont want water levels to drop. Cup every few days.

 

Or if you are really talented.....Slow syphon out and a slow syphon into the tank. Two 1/2 gallon bottles. Fill one with new SW. Same hose size. Let it syphon into the talk and the other hose syphon water out of the tank. Water level will never drop then. Fill at the surface and pull from the bottom.

[21093r53]

For small tanks and tight spaces use air line tubing to drain water

[HVani]

+1^

 

It's what I used on my nano freshwater shrimp tank.

[brandon429]

Try to find a three gallon tank or less, on any forum on the Web older than three years still running. we can't. Its because of too little water changes

 

Either drain and change all the water or most of it as often as you can, nothing is harmed. Match only temp and sg.

 

I bet we can't even find a two year one still going with pics, but everyone will say they had a ten year one, years ago. newmans tank is getting there

 

Every contest tank set up on here in the last few years is gone, we are repeating this loop over and over

[21093r53]

Try to find a three gallon tank or less, on any forum on the Web older than three years still running. we can't. Its because of too little water changes

 

Either drain and change all the water or most of it as often as you can, nothing is harmed. Match only temp and sg.

 

I bet we can't even find a two year one still going with pics, but everyone will say they had a ten year one, years ago. newmans tank is getting there

 

Every contest tank set up on here in the last few years is gone, we are repeating this loop over and over

 

 

You don't think people expanding has anything to do with it?

[brandon429]

Nope, that's a small percentage. Current methods get you 20 months at best in a total luck scenario

 

But the real average is 12 mos until algae wipes everything and the tank is 'upgraded'

 

People rarely take down working pico reefs but I can count a few on one hand. Upgrades are done for lack of better outcomes almost always

 

Sometimes hardware/external issues crash a nano faster than a large tank but removing that, the average lifespan of 3 gallon contest tanks here is 12 mos.

[matty0206]

I used my aqualifter from my ato on my 3g to change water. Just reverse the in out and stick it in the water. I agree with Brandon in the fact you need to do large water changes. I would drain mine almost to the sand.

[banshee]

This is on my desk at work. I also have a betta. I do water changes on him minimum once a week, sometimes twice so my pico will be getting water changes at the same time. After the contest I may move some stuff over to my BC14 to make it easier to maintain but I do hope it will be a longterm tank. I'll bring some airline tubing from home and see how that works out. Thanks!

[duoc9119]

What I have done with my tank is make a small siphon vacuum using airline tubing and a section of rigid airline tubing.

 

You can easily slip the airline tubing over the rigid tubing. I also heated the end of the rigid tubing to create a "bowl" to cover a little more area than 1/16"

 

It does get clogged by sand unfortunately when cleaning close to the sandbed. I'm working on a rubber scrubbing tip for it so sand doesn't get sucked up

[brandon429]

I always wanted to pay someone to drill a tap like on a huge jar of iced tea so I could just flip a lever and drain it all out no tubes!!

 

El fabs thread above shows the least possible water change work for long term, 50% religiously each week. Less than that and tank crashes of algae or cyano before 20 mos although it may run a year on monthly wc

[banshee]

I think I'll do 25% twice a week like I do on my BC. That way I'll just mix the new water when I'm getting it ready for the BC and bring it with me to work the next morning. Temp isn't really a factor with no life right now. In a few weeks I'll get a small heater that I can drop in the jug before I do the change.

[Jacob042426]

Brandon, you need to rewrite the pico guide.

[gimptastic matt]

Hi i have a 2 gallon pico

and i change 250ml twice a day and a 1 litre chamge on sunday

i use airline to siphon from the tank

hope this video helps

it shows my setup for water changes

[Aubzilla]

I use a turkey baster on my tiny FW tanks and I plan on using one for my Edge once I get it set up. You could also use a small syringe in harder to reach places.

[PinkDamsel]

This is on my desk at work.

Yay, another Picotope at the office! I'm glad you asked the question because I've wondered the same thing. Currently use 0.5" tube, and it drains too fast to do any vaccuming or siphoning of rock.

 

What I have done with my tank is make a small siphon vacuum using airline tubing and a section of rigid airline tubing.

 

You can easily slip the airline tubing over the rigid tubing. I also heated the end of the rigid tubing to create a "bowl" to cover a little more area than 1/16"

 

It does get clogged by sand unfortunately when cleaning close to the sandbed. I'm working on a rubber scrubbing tip for it so sand doesn't get sucked up

Duoc, this sounds interesting. Can we see pictures?

[Dnanoreefer]

i have a mini siphon just like the bigger one i use on the cube. i got it from petco for like 8 bucks i think. works awesome and i can siphon the sandbed. i change 2 cups mid week and than 4 on sunday with the addition of siphoning the sand. everything is doing awesome.

[metrokat]

Try to find a three gallon tank or less, on any forum on the Web older than three years still running. we can't. Its because of too little water changes

 

Either drain and change all the water or most of it as often as you can, nothing is harmed. Match only temp and sg.

 

I bet we can't even find a two year one still going with pics, but everyone will say they had a ten year one, years ago. newmans tank is getting there

 

Every contest tank set up on here in the last few years is gone, we are repeating this loop over and over

I'm with Brandon. I'm lazy with my water changes and because I have rocks and sand I don't always get to change 100% but changing all of the water is my goal with every WC. I also feed heavy the day before I do the change.

[got2envy]

I used a turkey baster and blew all the detrius off the rocks then used a cup to change 25%..I did my first water change today

[Dnanoreefer]

the mini siphon is made by aqueon btw

[iball1804]

I use airline tubing for the siphoning and a cup (actual measuring tool, not drinking cup) for the water changes.

[.Newman.]

i use a standard syphon. its rather quick, but you cant really get the detritis very well. air tube is good for detritis.

[andrewkw]

My 2 gallon pico is approaching 2 years old. I have not been photographing it lately due to an algae outbreak that I'm finally killing off, but I do still have several corals that have been in there the entire time.

 

I do a 50% water change anywhere from every 1-4 weeks. Weekly would be ideal but sometimes I don't bother sometimes thus I had some problems. I use airline tube for the water change and a turkey baster to still up detritus. IMO ALL pico tanks should be bare bottom. A sandbed is just asking for trouble in a tiny tank. From time to time I'll take the entire rockwork out and blast it. It also helps me confirm my goby who hides 100% of the time is still alive.

[brandon429]

I'm completely unopposed to using any means to reduce water changes and still get same life span, the safe method of aggressive water changes sure is wasteful

 

Its all I know how to do for predictability...

 

One day there will be miniaturized filters, or some assemblage of ones we already have to really stave off water changes. PinkDamsel I wanted to send you this link it is a description of such a device for larger systems, in addition it is really really good detail on biochemistry in the reef, written really well

 

I read and reread it for good absorbtion

 

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2012/2/aaf...paign=clickthru