Jump to content
Innovative Marine Aquariums

1.6 gallon AIO pico build (Now with a blenny!)


NinjaReefer

Recommended Posts

NinjaReefer

I wanted to share the new pico I am starting. Its approx 1.6 gallons. I am making a 2 chamber AIO style filtration. I just put together a mock up of the back compartments and took some pics. I will probably silcone it tomorrow. I will add more pictures as it evolves.

 

IMG_1577.jpg

IMG_1578.jpg

IMG_1580.jpg

IMG_1581.jpg

IMG_1582.jpg

 

Full tank shot 7-16-15

IMG_0169.jpgv

Link to comment
  • Replies 128
  • Created
  • Last Reply
NinjaReefer

I finally got it all glued together. I have to let the silicone cure a couple of days and then I can get started. I am really excited.

 

Here are a couple work in progress shots.

IMG_1585.jpg

 

IMG_1590.jpg

 

IMG_1591.jpg

 

IMG_1592.jpg

Link to comment
NinjaReefer

Will be following this :) good to see someone else doing such a low water volume, makes me feel less crazy.

Im glad somebody is following. I was starting to feel like I was talking to myself. I was looking at your tank too. Very nice! I wish we could get the quadspec par20 like you have on this side of the atlantic. I am still playing with differnt lighting ideas.

 

I just did a water test. Everything is working as planned and I have the water level just how I want it. Using a dremel I enlarged and extended the overflow holes slightly to make it resistant to clogging.

 

Next step is to buy some live rock and make it into a back wall. The plan is to saw the pieces so they have a flat edge and then superglue them on.

Link to comment
Jellyingabout

Well i dunno what the prices are like in the over there but to get a quadspec par20 would be about US $60 :)

 

I was starting to feel the same with my tank thread. Maybe posting it in pico tanks was a bad idea. but oh well, i'm just excited to look back at my thread in 6months and hopefully see a lot of growth.

Link to comment
NinjaReefer

First you get the rocks, then you get the coral, then you get the women.

IMG_1593.jpg

 

Still lots of work to do, but some progress at least. I still need to get a light and decide if I want to go bare bottom or sand. I know bare bottom would make upkeep a lot easier, but I am leaning towards sand just for the look.

Link to comment

 

Still lots of work to do, but some progress at least. I still need to get a light and decide if I want to go bare bottom or sand. I know bare bottom would make upkeep a lot easier, but I am leaning towards sand just for the look.

 

I think the sand is just going to look so much better in that tank.

Link to comment
NinjaReefer

 

I think the sand is just going to look so much better in that tank.

Yeah I agree. Sand adds so much to the look. I used to run a 2.5 gallon with a rubble/zoa bottom. Thats my alternate plan. Im pretty sure I will do sand though.

 

here is my old tank with no sand.

DSC00681.jpg

Link to comment

Your old tank did not need sand because it was crazy full of lovely corals!

 

The appeal of no sand is that you can siphon off any debris off the bottom to keep it clean. Sand is more difficult to maitain but it does look nice, that is until it is covered up in beautiful corals!

 

Great build.

Link to comment
NinjaReefer

Your old tank did not need sand because it was crazy full of lovely corals!

 

The appeal of no sand is that you can siphon off any debris off the bottom to keep it clean. Sand is more difficult to maitain but it does look nice, that is until it is covered up in beautiful corals!

 

Great build.

Thanks! You are correct. I used a turkey baster to blow out all the silt from under the rocks during every water change. You would be surprised how much stuff builds up in just a week.

 

Tank is cycling in my garage.

 

I took some more pics. I got some little zoa hitchhickers and a clam thingy. ID?

IMG_1595.jpg

beer for size ref

IMG_1597.jpg

 

temp light

IMG_1598.jpg

 

hmmmmrr lets take that extra live rock out of the back chamber and smash it up to make a rubble bottom and see how it looks. The aquascape isnt final.

What do u think? I kinda like it!

IMG_1599.jpg

Link to comment

I like the rubble. It will look so nice once it has a covering of corals and maybe little feather dusters.

 

IDK the HH ID.

Link to comment

I like the rubble. It will look so nice once it has a covering of corals and maybe little feather dusters.

 

IDK the HH ID.

 

I like the rubble too - I may do that in my 2 gallon....

Link to comment
NinjaReefer

My light finally came in the mail. Its a crappy E bay par 30. Not really happy with it, but it will work for now.

 

I got a few 5 dollar frags and a hermit crab to get things started.

IMG_1604.jpg

 

IMG_1601.jpg

 

IMG_1607.jpg

Link to comment

My light finally came in the mail. Its a crappy E bay par 30. Not really happy with it, but it will work for now.

 

I got a few 5 dollar frags and a hermit crab to get things started.

Yeah, my 2gal arrives today, and ordered one of those cheap lights also and will use that until you figure out what works well... ;)

Link to comment
NinjaReefer

My troubles have begun. I have some coral eating worm that is munching a couple heads off of that blue clove looking coral every night. I have caught him in the act a couple times. I have been trying to catch him with gaint tweesers but he is too smart for me! Of corse he lives in the rock on the very bottom that is under everything. Hopefully this weekend I will have time to take everything out and get him.

 

I will try to get a picture of him. He is an ugly critter.

 

Other than that everything is doing good. I have a mild diatom blume, but im not worried. It will pass. Everything else looks happy.

Link to comment
NinjaReefer

GOT HIM! Unfortunatly he wipped out almost every blue clove polyp. There are just white stumps where they used to be. I have a couple left so hopefully they grow and spread.

IMG_1609.jpg

IMG_1610.jpg

 

He was easier to catch then I thought. He was hiding between the bottom glass and a little rubble rock. I just sucked him up with a turkey baster.

 

Putting the rocks back in was a nightmare. For some reason I could not figure out how I had it before. I could not get them to all fit without touching the glass. Its like they grew. haha. Anyways I have a new aquascape now. I will put up some pics tomorrow.

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...
NinjaReefer

After I took out all the rocks to get that coral eating worm I could not get the aquascape back how it was. I ended up busting out the hammer and chisle and now everything fits good. : )

 

I kinda hate me ebay led light, but not as much as my camera does. Here are the best pics I could get.

IMG_0043.jpg

 

IMG_0041.jpg

 

IMG_0038.jpg

 

My algea and diatom blooms are going away and everything seems to be doing pretty good. I am starting to see coraline grow and I am even seeing some growth on a couple corals.

 

Flash pic and filter area. Thats all carbon in the middle with a filter pad on top and bottom. I like this setup becaue there is no way for the water to flow around the carbon like if I had it in a bag. Everything gets filtered.

IMG_0053.jpg

IMG_0051.jpg

Link to comment
fishfreak0114

Wow. Loving this tank. Good work. I'll be following along?. Good idea with the rubble bottom, I'd never seen that before.

Link to comment
NinjaReefer

Wow. Loving this tank. Good work. I'll be following along. Good idea with the rubble bottom, I'd never seen that before.

Thank you for the kind words. I will try not to disappoint.

Link to comment

The only thing is in regards to replacing the carbon. I think a larger bag that's loose would allow the carbon to conform to the entire area and would not be a pain to replace.

Link to comment
NinjaReefer

The only thing is in regards to replacing the carbon. I think a larger bag that's loose would allow the carbon to conform to the entire area and would not be a pain to replace.

Yep thats the problem, I got bags that are ever so slightly to small. Thats all I could find in my area, but they must make larger. Then I came up with this crazy solution. My hope is that I can just syphon it out at water change time with a large diameter air line tube. It might take more than one water change and It might be a horrible disaster. I will keep you posted B)

Link to comment

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recommended Discussions


×
×
  • Create New...