Pauls Picotope - 3 Month Update

[Phuntoon]

Around Mid September I started this 3 gallon Picotope and a thread to go along with it which you can find here:

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?...609&hl=paul

 

I documented the beginning stages with a Camera Phone and decided that the detail was too crappy and wasn't going to update anymore until I had a better camera to use. Well, I was able to borrow a digital camera for about 10 minutes so I quickly went to work.

 

---Tank Specs---

 

I have my salinity set right between 1.024 and 1.025

Temp. is a steady 78 degrees (with a 25 watt Hydor heater)

 

For Flow: I'm using the stock Pico powerfilter on the right side of the tank running filter media with carbon. On the upper left side is a Rio 50 Powerhead with the flow adjustment nozzle on. I have it set about half open.

 

For Lighting: All I am using is the 9 watt 50/50 stock lighting. I wanted to experiment and see what I could actually keep with just the basic light it came with. Surprisingly enough, the experiment is going excellent. Everything is growing, thriving and healthy. Lights are on 10 hours a day. Noon to 10pm.

 

To help keep the nitrates down, I have a ball of chaeto near the bottom on the right side of the tank

 

For Maintenence: I top off everyday with R/O water. I also do a 1/2 gallon water change every week religiously. Instant Ocean is my salt of choice. When I do the water change, I siphon the water with the size tubing you would use with an airstone for an undergravel filter. That way it siphons pretty slow and I can suck up not only water but also vacuum the live rock for any misc. detrius and also some flatworms and pods from the rock and glass just to keep them in check. I also scrape off algae with an old credit card. For hard to reach places, I make my own scrubbers. I get a regular old aquarium scrubber sponge (smooth on one side, rough on the other) and cut out little half inch squares and stab them on one end with a kabob stick. Instant mini scrubber on a stick. During the water change, I clean filter media and replace carbon. Every day or so when I'm thinking about it, I'll get my tool (2 kabob sticks taped end to end) and lightly sift and stir a small portion of the sandbed. That way algae doesn't really get a chance to get on the sandbed. Also small bits of detrius get sifted up and taken away as the powerhead blows it toward the powerfilter.

 

I also don't dose or supplement with anything. With frequent water changes, trace elements and such within the salt mix will replenish what is used up and everything will be just fine. A few times a month though I will spot feed my Ricordea and Yellow Polyps with tiny bits of krill.

 

My cleanup crew consists of:

 

3 blue legged hermits

2 astrea snails

3 stomatellas (hitchhikers)

3 Asterina starfish (hitchhikers)

normal assortment of isopods, amphipods, and flatworms. (hitchhikers)

 

 

My list of coral in order of purchase:

 

Green Zoanthid

Pipe Organ

Xenia (I keep it on silverdollar size LR)

Ricordea

Yellow Polyps

Anemone

Briarium (small piece broke off and was superglued to one of my pieces of tonga branch a few inches to the right of the powerhead)

Maroon Zoanthid

 

Now for some pictures of these corals:

 

Tank Shot:

 

Closer Tank Shot:

 

Anemone and Yellow Polyps:

 

Anemone:

 

Yellow Polyps:

 

Ricordea:

 

Ricordea Zoom:

 

Zoanthid:

 

Xenia:

 

Xenia Zoom:

 

Briarium:

 

Briarium Zoom:

 

Pipe Organ:

 

Zoanthid:

 

Blue Leg Hermit:

 

I've been adding coral about every week to every other week and still have a lot of room for more coral additions

 

I know most people have upgraded their filters and lighting, so part of this was to show you can keep some pretty nice corals with everything that comes stock with the picotope with the only real modifications being the heater and powerhead. I hope some of this information will help others with their picotope or any size pico aquarium for that matter. I welcome all comments, questions and feedback........Enjoy!

[RyanCD]

Wow, that tank looks gorgeous! I am very jealous. Where did you get that ric? Online or at an LFS?

[Phuntoon]

Wow, that tank looks gorgeous! I am very jealous. Where did you get that ric? Online or at an LFS?

 

Thanks! I got the ricordea at one of my LFS here in the bay area. Mermaid Aquarium in Fremont. $20

[BasementJungle]

amazing tank. I like the clean lines of the picotope. I think this was one of the tanks that I used to model the look of my tank.

[Phuntoon]

Got a little update. I bought a one head Acan Lord frag (with 2 acan sprouts on the back) and it is doing very well. When I got it home I noticed it had some receded tissue on the side and had some exposed skeleton. I feed it thawed krill or shrimp almost every day and it is just about back to normal. I also had to do some reef surgery. I have a rock with some yellow polyps and an anemone on it. Due to growth, the anemone was now in reach of the yellow polyps and was stinging them. So, I broke the rock in half. Problem fixed!

Here's some pics:

 

Acan Lord

 

Anemone and Yellow Polyp rock before....

 

and after....

 

one of the other forms my unknown Anemone takes

 

 

another update soon......

[the frag master]

Got a little update. I bought a one head Acan Lord frag (with 2 acan sprouts on the back) and it is doing very well. When I got it home I noticed it had some receded tissue on the side and had some exposed skeleton. I feed it thawed krill or shrimp almost every day and it is just about back to normal. I also had to do some reef surgery. I have a rock with some yellow polyps and an anemone on it. Due to growth, the anemone was now in reach of the yellow polyps and was stinging them. So, I broke the rock in half. Problem fixed!

Here's some pics:

 

Acan Lord

 

Anemone and Yellow Polyp rock before....

 

and after....

 

one of the other forms my unknown Anemone takes

another update soon......

 

 

um those anemones look to be more like zoos to me. my rpe's do that sometimes. might jsut be anemones but just saying. awsome tank though.

[Phuntoon]

um those anemones look to be more like zoos to me. my rpe's do that sometimes. might jsut be anemones but just saying. awsome tank though.

 

I'm pretty sure it's not a zoo. I know a zoo is capable of stinging but I was under the impression that a zoo will never attack another coral for the sole purpose of clearing space so they can expand their territory. They smother to take over space. I've seen that anemone lean over and sting those yellow polyps. It can also handle some pretty chunky bits of food with that big mouth it has.

[sandiegan]

Maybe it's a majano sp. anemone. Many regard it to be a pest along the lines of aiptasia, but I think if it is constantly monitored, then it can be a great part of a nano tank. You got lucky w/ the coloring, some are just an ugly brown. I have some green ones in my large tank.

[Imaexpat2]

Great little tank you got there

[71vwbug]

your tank is looking really nice. keep up the good work.

[ging]

thats an awesome anenome, i had one a bit like that once that hitchiked on a devils hand coral i bought, it also had a commensal shrimp living on it like it was sat in a nest!

 

be careful though, mine died as it was sucked into one of my powerheads even though the intakes are well protected. does it wander around the tank alot?

[71vwbug]

what kind of tank is that?

[Phuntoon]

does it wander around the tank alot?

 

It has never moved...not even a little. I've even rearranged the rock at different angles a small number of times trying to find the "sweet spot" after I'd broken the yellow polyp portion of the rock off. It must love where it's at.

 

what kind of tank is that?

 

Thanks for the comment on your earlier post. Glad you like it. This tank is the JBJ Picotope 3 gallon. If you want a little info on it, this is their website:

 

http://www.picotope.com

[mandarin dragonet]

nice tank

[Weezer]

Great looking tank! Would it be possible to keep candy canes under that light??

[Phuntoon]

Great looking tank! Would it be possible to keep candy canes under that light??

 

I think you might be able to get away with it. They require moderate to hight light and some decent flow, but they're a hardy coral. I think if they're placed a little higher up in the tank....should be fine.

[Weezer]

Thanks for the quick reply!!! Im going to be picking one of these up soon and just wanted a little info. Are there any evap or temp problems?

 

The only thing that worries me about this tank is the light. I see the other comparable tank, which is the TOM 3 gallon has a much better light but its acrylic lol. Do u think there is a way to change out the bulb to a stronger one in this light??

 

I appreciate the help!

[Phuntoon]

Thanks for the quick reply!!! Im going to be picking one of these up soon and just wanted a little info. Are there any evap or temp problems?

 

The only thing that worries me about this tank is the light. I see the other comparable tank, which is the TOM 3 gallon has a much better light but its acrylic lol. Do u think there is a way to change out the bulb to a stronger one in this light??

 

I appreciate the help!

 

For the evaporation, I top off once or twice a day with RO water. So far, no temp problems. That's one of the reasons I've left the stock 9w light on. I think it will be enough of a challenge keeping the tank cool during the hottest days of summer let alone with a stronger light. Evap would also be greater with a lighting upgrade. I'm not sure if you can add a stronger bulb to this fixture though. Most that have upgraded lighting just get a whole new lighting fixture. There are a few brands that will perfectly fit the picotope.

 

Here's a few examples if you're interested in the lighting upgrade:

 

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod...p;N=2004+113345

 

or

 

http://superfishstore.com/waterworld/nfosc...roducts_id=1602

 

If I can find a small chiller or other efficient way of keeping the tank cool I also may upgrade someday. But for now, there's no issues and I have a lot of growth with my light.

[Phuntoon]

-=FEEDING TIME=-

 

I was feeding some Corals and thought I'd snap a few shots. I am feeding thawed bits of frozen shrimp from the Albertsons seafood deli. I go back and forth with that and also thawed bits of Krill. The Acan Lord eats every day and all the rest about once a week.

 

 

Acan Lord:

 

Anemone:

 

Ricordea:

[xmen0075]

Awesome Tank!!!!

 

Keep up the great-job!

[Phuntoon]

Lately, most of the pics I've posted have been closeups of specific corals. So I thought for a change, I'd post a recent full tank shot.

 

[Asin]

Awesome! I just started a 2.5 AGA. My first Pico and I can't wait to add frags.

[15-and-6-GAL-NANO]

your anemone is a palyantho (<---spelling?) I think

[Phuntoon]

your anemone is a palyantho (<---spelling?) I think

 

Thanks for help on the ID, I really appreciate it. You've pointed me in the right direction. I did a google image search on palyantho anemone but got nothing. Did a search on paly anemone, again nothing. Did it again with antho anemone.....got it! After a little more searching I think it is an Anthopleura elegantissima, common name: Aggregating Anemone. If it isn't this exact species, I think it's in the same family cause the pics I found look darn close to mine.

 

Compare this one I found on the net to my earlier anemone pics:

[slc84103]

Paul - thank's for posting, beautiful tank. Rock work is really cool.

 

I'm buying one too - you should get a commission from JBL.

 

Any spikes in your water parameters so far and if so how did you resolve?