Reggie's 3.8g SPS Pico

[Reggie]

This will be a 3.8g SPS pico tank.

 

Current plan:

 

Tank: Custom PicoAquriums Tank

Light: LED - Par38 21w 20K

Skimmer: Mame Skimmer

 

more details later...

 

 

 

March 18, 2010

 

FTS

 

FTS from below

 

Back shot, showing overflow

 

Credit to PicoAquairums

[Toby Flenderson]

Looks great can't wait to see more. What optics are you using in your par38?

[c_k_kuehne]

Reggie that is one sweet setup

 

Will get you linked in the Pico Methodology FTS thread and Grower Guy will get you linked up into the Mthodology Contest thread.

 

Can't wait to see how this progresses.

[Reggie]

Looks great can't wait to see more. What optics are you using in your par38?

 

Thanks! It's the standard 40 deg.

[DBTReefer]

OMG where did you get that light fixture? Its perfect for my other tank

[Reggie]

OMG where did you get that light fixture? Its perfect for my other tank

 

It's called LED Neo Arm:

http://shop.aquatouch.com/product_p/ho_led%20neo%20arm.htm

[Mr. Microscope]

I can't wait to see the progress on this one. Good luck!

[Reggie]

Rock work in progress:

 

Bent two acrylic tubing, connected them using Weld-on 16, and attached rocks using tie wraps and Aquamend. Nano rocks are from Macro Rocks.

 

Tubes glued to acrylic sheet base.

 

Top done. Working on base.

 

View from the back.

 

Rock work done.

 

Total Aquamend used: 4

 

Adding sand next.

[.Newman.]

interesting..

[cbort]

looking awesome reggie! Glad to hear the lights made the trip ok!

[AkOndray]

I fear this tank might one day become too pro. If that were to happen, it is likely that man kind as we know it would cease to exist.

[c_k_kuehne]

freakin sweet Bonsai aquascaping. My Bonsai 9g will get started up right after vacation. Have everything ready including the aquascape just need to rebuild my sump. This is defiantly a tank to look out for in the contest.

[WI Reefer]

sweeeeeeeeet

[Reggie]

freakin sweet Bonsai aquascaping. My Bonsai 9g will get started up right after vacation. Have everything ready including the aquascape just need to rebuild my sump. This is defiantly a tank to look out for in the contest.

 

Thanks! I've always wanted to do a bonsai aquascape. It's the first time for me bending and gluing acrylic so it's quite challenging. I'm enjoying though.

 

Thanks all!

[Mr.zissou]

update update update

 

update update update

[Powiee]

Sweet setup

 

More pictures

[Reggie]

Thanks to those who have been following my build.

 

I have been cycling the tank for 4 weeks now and yesterday was the first day the Nitrite was down to zero. I have added a blue legged hermit crab and a turbo snail, as diatoms (brown) have started building up.

 

My top-off is a custom optical top-off from AutoTopOff.com. I'm using an Aqualifter pump to top-off.

 

Next is setting up my Mame skimmer and adding some small test SPS frags from my 30g. After that, I'll be adding a two-part system.

 

Pics:

 

4 weeks of cycling. Brown diatoms have stated to build up:

 

I'm an avid vodka doser on my 30g. This time I want to try out something new. I have now added 40ml of NP Biopellets on a TLF reactor. Note that I'm doing this since I intend this to be an SPS pico tank:

[c_k_kuehne]

Reggie your tankis coming along. Sure glad you found this contest as I love the Bonsai aquascaping technique and yours is a prime pico example.

 

Competition is stiff but you are taking your time so I imagine in the end yours will be a tank to contend with.

[Reggie]

Reggie your tankis coming along. Sure glad you found this contest as I love the Bonsai aquascaping technique and yours is a prime pico example.

 

Competition is stiff but you are taking your time so I imagine in the end yours will be a tank to contend with.

 

I'm trying to do things correctly this time and try to practice extreme patience.

 

My Nitrite was still dark purple (API kit) on my third week. I thought cycling will really take a long time as I was using dead rocks. Honestly, I was anticipating about 2-3 months. I was worried that I might not make the livestock deadline. I regularly dose Microbe-Lift Special Blend on my 30g and I actually added some on my pico which I guess helped quite a bit.

 

Thanks.

[sammy113]

Looking good!. Are you dosing anything to "activate" the pellets?

[adinsxq]

cool

[Reggie]

Looking good!. Are you dosing anything to "activate" the pellets?

 

No need to activate the pellets as ther slowly dissolve and acts as the primary carbon source.

[sammy113]

No need to activate the pellets as ther slowly dissolve and acts as the primary carbon source.

Alright. Read about people using MB7 or Zeobak on the first days just to help the bacteria to increase. I'm installing a reactor with them very soon. Just need some tubing. What GPH are you running through it?

[brandon429]

really advanced, clean work wow. The reactor setup is cool ive always hoped someone would do a sulfur denitrator on a pico and go four months with no water changes as a test, this kind of work you do might really hold neat changes for the science and art

[Reggie]

Alright. Read about people using MB7 or Zeobak on the first days just to help the bacteria to increase. I'm installing a reactor with them very soon. Just need some tubing. What GPH are you running through it?

Yes, I use Special Blend instead of MB7 on my 30g to keep the bacteria up.

 

It is important that the pellets tumble a bit. As I am just using a really low amount of pellets, I don't need a strong pump. I'm using a 210 gph nano pump.

 

Thanks.