~2gal reef tank

[connorb]

Hey everyone!

 

I've decided to start my first pico tank using a cylindrical container, and I wanted a place to record progress as well as somewhere to get suggestions. So far I only have live sand, about 4 pounds of live rock, as well as an airstone. Currently I am trying to figure out what to do for heating, lighting, as well as what corals I should use. If any one has any suggestions they would be greatly appreciated!

[Horerczy]

Is that a metal lid or just plastic that looks like metal?

 

I say easy to care for things like softies and zoas would look good. Especially growing on that sweet scape.

 

As far as heating goes there are plenty of cheap heaters out there that are relatively unobtrusive.

 

Lighting should be as simple. LEDs would be a good choice. Preferably something dimmable since there's so little volume to illuminate. My question is how big is your budget where this is concerned.

[connorb]

Thank you for the reply! It's a metal lid, but one of my friends is going to 3d print me a new one, and I haven't really come up with a budget yet, but nothing freakishly expensive.

[Horerczy]

define freakishly expensive.

 

I've found that my affordable budget is some peoples dream budget.

[connorb]

Ummm I'd like to spend less than $300 from this point on, but it's fine if its more.

[acrab78]

Buy a picotope 3gallon kit, add a new hob filter and only keep the basics, shrooms, hardy polyps etc... Can be a nice setup on the cheap and you'd be able to stay under 300 even after stocking and maintenance for a while...

[connorb]

I was actually hoping to do something like this

http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/336169-8-yr-old-reefbowl-1-gallon-vase-update/

[brandon429]

hi

 

 

well the truth is you can keep any coral in that container you can physically fit into it, you simply alter the feed and water change schedules to match what X coral needs. the ones mentioned so far, standard corals require only weekly water changes and weekly feeding. the only real trick is managing the evaporation for that kind of shape, its different than a vase but no big deal. you could easily keep corals alive in your jar for ten years, w a little luck!

 

 

there is only one true way to buy the right light, first go, with no guessing, and be 100% sure it will work. You must locate a thread where someone grew frags out to full grown (tank size full grown) using that light. not amazon testimonies, but a simple thread where X light you are considering turned sps frags into base colonies. its sure at that point your light w work

 

see the pico reef forum right now for andrewK's four year old reef, buy that led if you want one, talk about growth confirmation. my tank above uses only crappy pc lighting from the 90's cuz its retro reef, dont go w that its boring compared to todays stuff and not any cheaper. i did it for all retro approach.

 

other than that, you want to do full not partial water changes in the jar each week. match temp and salt levels and thats it, nothing else matters. you dont feed the tank mid week, but about 5 hours before your water change feed the tank nicely with frozen cyclopeeze bar, for example. or any other frozen reef food you can find a thread where it was used to grow out frags, like the light. i recommend cyclopeeze because my thread shows tons of growth for it 8 yrs.

[k4ndyk1ng]

This may have been missed but

to nano reef

[connorb]

Thank you so much brandon429 and thank you k4ndyk1ng for welcoming me. I've started to consider the DIY approach since I'm about to make a new lid

[Horerczy]

Diy? Use this then.

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/348156-nano-box-13up-arrays-for-sale/

 

Can be powered with two meanwell ldd 700h on a 2 amp 24 volt power supply. Very nice array.

[connorb]

Would I be able to have two different light schedules?

[Horerczy]

Depends on what you use to control it.

[connorb]

something like this? http://thecustomgeek.com/store/products/rgbw-led-controller/