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Innovative Marine Aquariums

3 Gallon Almost-Budget Pico - new fts and video #105


rocksmom

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I thought this was a budget tank? lol

 

Nanobox light =/= budget anything

 

 

 

Nonetheless, it is cool. Looking good so far. I also like that paint, I'll have to get some for my QT tank when I set that up to make it look a bit nicer.

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I thought this was a budget tank? lol

 

Nanobox light =/= budget anything

 

 

 

Nonetheless, it is cool. Looking good so far. I also like that paint, I'll have to get some for my QT tank when I set that up to make it look a bit nicer.

I know, I know. :blush:

 

At least I'm getting the Eco fixture. And it's my my only hardware expense.

 

The thing I like most about the painted bottoms is that regardless of color or texture it really cuts down on the reflections from the glass. Gives it more of a matte appearance when viewing the tank.

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Yeah. I try to justify starting new tanks as well. I usually get away with it by telling my better half how much money i'll save selling this and that and use the funds to purchase smaller and "more economical" equipment". But the truth is i'm addicted to this hobby and love planning and starting new projects.

 

3 gal is looking great, good luck and i'll catch Y'all later.

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Thanks guys!

 

Just got a pm from Dave. He thinks he can have the light sent out on Monday. omgomgomg

 

Funny how it's my second one and I'm still so excited.

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The tank cycle is chugging along nicely. Much faster than my 5 gallon thanks to the piece of liverock I added to it. I'll probably pull it out this week, add some ammonia, and then test to see how just the new rock is coming along. No light on it yet, but thanks to it being near a window right now there are already diatoms. In fact they might have already come and gone.

 

I'm struggling with stocking at the moment. I really want a mini maxi, but I also really want a fish. The more I read the more I've come to realize this is a no-no. I had no idea they were such killers. So the question is do I:

  • Go invert only with a mini maxi, sexy shrimp, and a porcelain crab or two. Downside of this is no black clown goby and lots of pods. I hate seeing the larger pods climbing all over the corals.
  • Go with the black clown goby and skip on the anemone all together. Or...
  • Go with my original plan, substituting a rock flower for the mini maxi.

 

Rock flowers seem to be much more popular on here than the mini maxis, but I personally like the looks of the carpets. I think the RFA tentacles creep me out a bit. Probably due to my cephalopodaphobia (yes, I just made up the word... I think).

 

On another note, I found a frag of teal trumpets locally today! $15 for 3ish heads. Two haven't completely separated yet. Now if only I could find my pink octospawn. CC has one, but it's $$$. And VIPreef has a really pretty rock flower if I go that route, but it's also expensive.

 

I got the black glaze on the cabinet and plan on doing the poly tomorrow. I want to give it some time to cure though before I move the tank onto it. Probably will keep it where it's at until sometime next week.

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The tank cycle is chugging along nicely. Much faster than my 5 gallon thanks to the piece of liverock I added to it. I'll probably pull it out this week, add some ammonia, and then test to see how just the new rock is coming along. No light on it yet, but thanks to it being near a window right now there are already diatoms. In fact they might have already come and gone.

 

I'm struggling with stocking at the moment. I really want a mini maxi, but I also really want a fish. The more I read the more I've come to realize this is a no-no. I had no idea they were such killers. So the question is do I:

  • Go invert only with a mini maxi, sexy shrimp, and a porcelain crab or two. Downside of this is no black clown goby and lots of pods. I hate seeing the larger pods climbing all over the corals.
  • Go with the black clown goby and skip on the anemone all together. Or...
  • Go with my original plan, substituting a rock flower for the mini maxi.

 

Rock flowers seem to be much more popular on here than the mini maxis, but I personally like the looks of the carpets. I think the RFA tentacles creep me out a bit. Probably due to my cephalopodaphobia (yes, I just made up the word... I think).

 

On another note, I found a frag of teal trumpets locally today! $15 for 3ish heads. Two haven't completely separated yet. Now if only I could find my pink octospawn. CC has one, but it's $$$. And VIPreef has a really pretty rock flower if I go that route, but it's also expensive.

 

I got the black glaze on the cabinet and plan on doing the poly tomorrow. I want to give it some time to cure though before I move the tank onto it. Probably will keep it where it's at until sometime next week.

Pictures?

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Pictures?

 

 

PICTURES!

Of what? Haha. Not much to show right now. You guys are literally asking for pictures of paint drying, but here ya go.

 

Cycling on a windowsill:

https://flic.kr/p/poG2Ei'>15352978641_89567052b4_c.jpghttps://flic.kr/p/poG2Ei'>DSC00648 by https://www.flickr.com/people/126988861@N05/'>rocksmom9, on Flickr

 

The cabinet drying:

https://flic.kr/p/poYkyr'>15356160645_9ba52fb119_c.jpghttps://flic.kr/p/poYkyr'>DSC00649 by https://www.flickr.com/people/126988861@N05/'>rocksmom9, on Flickr

 

And Rocky sucking on his stuffed cow:

https://flic.kr/p/p7umNz'>15169637757_fcc0c4cbee_c.jpghttps://flic.kr/p/p7umNz'>DSC00651 by https://www.flickr.com/people/126988861@N05/'>rocksmom9, on Flickr

 

Ta-da!

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Of what? Haha. Not much to show right now. You guys are literally asking for pictures of paint drying, but here ya go.

 

Cycling on a windowsill:

15352978641_89567052b4_c.jpgDSC00648 by rocksmom9, on Flickr

 

The cabinet drying:

15356160645_9ba52fb119_c.jpgDSC00649 by rocksmom9, on Flickr

 

And Rocky sucking on his stuffed cow:

15169637757_fcc0c4cbee_c.jpgDSC00651 by rocksmom9, on Flickr

 

Ta-da!

It's all good! I still want to see the progress.

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:D

 

Your cabinet is lovely! Green is my favorite color!

 

 

That cabinet is amazing!! Love it! Awesome job!

Thanks! Can't remember if I posted it here or in the other thread, but I found it on the curb. Cleaned it up, removed the broken glass, and then painted and distressed it. Doesn't really come across in that picture, but there is a tiffany blue under the green. I luuurve it. :wub:

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Thanks! Can't remember if I posted it here or in the other thread, but I found it on the curb. Cleaned it up, removed the broken glass, and then painted and distressed it. Doesn't really come across in that picture, but there is a tiffany blue under the green. I luuurve it. :wub:

Dang! Wish I find stuff like that on my street! Great find!
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Did some work on the tank yesterday. I moved it to its permanent home, added one of the filters, took out the piece of liverock, cleaned the glass, and added some ammonia. Tested it today and ammonia was still at 1-2ppm. Nitrite was high too, somewhere between the 2 and 5ppm. Not sure if I want to let it ride from here or if I should put the piece of liverock back in for awhile longer.

 

Got a few corals from a live sale Saturday night. I was really hoping they would have a nice RFA or mini-maxi, but no such luck. I did get some cheap chalices and a cyphastrea.

 

 

15393173042_8f91e727d1_c.jpgDSC00674 by rocksmom9, on Flickr

 

15370474006_c89d46bb9e_c.jpgDSC00676 by rocksmom9, on Flickr

 

Here are the vendor pics (ASD) of the corals I bought.

 

Watermelon Cyphastrea $10

 

AussieWatermelonCyphastreaB-Retail-50-Sa

 

Miami Hurricane $15

 

ASDMiamiHurricane-Retail-50-SalePrice-15

 

ASD Skittles Chalice $15

 

ASDSkittlesChalice-Retail-30-LiveSalePri

 

ASD Deastroke (do they mean deathstroke?) Chalice $20

 

ASDDeastrokeChalice-Retail-50-SalePrice-

 

I might put one of them in my other tank. If I do it will probably be the miami hurricane.

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I see you like encrusting things lol they are very cool, you can apparently get them to plate into open water, if your fond of that

I wanted to pick up a couple for the bare bottom, but I might try to get one of them to plate. My husband had a hollywood stunner that did that. I don't know if maybe certain ones are more prone to plating or not.

 

Holy mother of chalices. I'm drooling right now!!

Haha, thanks but apparently they are nothing fancy according to the prices. I have no idea what makes one $5/eye and one $200/eye. I guess it's the same with z&ps, but I'm a complete chalice noob.

 

Cool look forward to seeing where this goes and the new FTS with your corals in...

Thanks! Sounds like it will be a little while still after the tests I ran yesterday. <_<

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Well if you know lawman, he has been doing it by placing the coral on top of something so it's edges hang significantly over and I guess that helps

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