New 2.5 Pico

[Stu]

I moved home for the summer and left my 30gal. Oceanic cube in Gainesville (with the roommate... ). Of course I quickly got the reef bug in short order, so I decided to set up this pico. Had a 2.5 AGA laying around, and got an 18W Current USA fixture. I love the color from the bulb. It seems like it will be a sufficient setup, at least for the summer. Most of the frags came from my 30gal., but I opted for a black substrate for this tank, and so far I like it. Here's the list:

 

Equipment:

 

2.5 AGA standard tank

18W Current USA PC fixture

Whisper power filter

Black Seachem aragonite substrate

 

Livestock:

 

1 Red Head Goby

1 Red Leg Hermit

2 Zebra Leg Hermits

1 Cucumber

1 Large Tonga Nassarius Snail

4 Cerith Snails

Ball O' Chaeto (in filter)

 

Corals:

 

1 Bubble Gum Chalice Frag

1 Duncan Frag

Green Caulastrea

Blue Caulastrea

Green Star Polyps

Various Ricordea/Yumas

1 Red Mushroom Frag

Avocado Zoos

Pink Zoos

Blue Zoos

3 Green/Purple Frogspawn Frags

 

The tank has been up about 2 1/2 weeks. My original plan was to just have the Red Cap Goby as the only fish. Saturday, however, made for a turn of events. At the LFS, I found an Ascension Goby (Priolepis Ascensionis). This is possibly one of the coolest gobies I have ever seen, and immediately impulse bought him. The plan was to return the Red Cap when I got home, and just have the Ascension. Since introducing him 2 days ago, however, he has taken up residence on the left side of the tank in a cave, while the Red Cap sticks to the right. The Ascension is very very shy, and I think with frequent water changes (which are quite easy on a tank of this size), the two may be okay together. Here are a few pics:

 

Green Caulastrea:

 

Ricordea:

 

GSPs:

 

Red Mushroom:

 

 

 

 

Frogspawn:

 

Bubble Gum Chalice:

 

Duncan:

 

 

FTS:

 

FTS:

 

Red Cap:

 

Closed Duncan and partially closed blue zoos:

 

Hermit:

[musthaveitall]

Wow! Looks good!!! I Like the GSP!!!

 

-Clint

[xmen0075]

Your tank is awesome!!!

[Stu]

Thanks, guys. I have learned that aquascaping in a 2.5 is not the easiest thing in the world, but it has been fun to set up. I am thinking I will actually keep it running when I head back up to school in the fall.

[MitchReef]

Hey Stu,

 

I just got an Ascension Goby at my LFS today. He hung out for a few minutes, then ziped behind my live rock, and has not been seen since. This isn't a stealth cave dweller that I will never see again, is he? I have 52 pounds of LR in a 29, and there are plenty of places he could disappear into.

 

Mitch

[Stu]

Mitch,

 

I think you may be out of luck. Mine is coming out more, but appears extremely secretive. The upside is he swims upside down!

[Gerber77]

That tank is awesome. You should keep it running while you are at school and let it grow out.

[MitchReef]

Update!!! Dizzy is out of his hiding place most of the time now. He hangs out on the bottom of one of my big corner rocks. This morning he is doing a little bit of free swimming. I got a great pic Monday night:

 

 

Now, realize he is only about 3 cm in length.

 

Mitch

[xmen0075]

Awesome goby!!!

[Stu]

Thanks, Gerber. It's actually growing in quite nicely and I think I'm going to keep it going when I go back to school. It's kind of turned into a "niche" tank for small stuff that would get overlooked in my 30g, like small frags of rare stuff, etc. It's also given me a chance to spot feed a lot. I will say that spot feeding mysis is yielding incredible results. I have never seen my caulastrea and ricordea so large and happy! Sadly, my ascension goby went carpet surfing. He was an awesome fish, and did not strike me at all for a jumper like the shrimp gobies do. I have since made an egg crate and bridal veil lid to prevent this. I am hoping to find another, but I should have had a lid in the first place. Glad to see you found such a cool fish, Mitch.

[MitchReef]

Terrible sorry to hear about your ascension. I think you are in Gainesville? You should call Sea In The City in Orlando. Awesome niche shop for corals, reef and cool unusual fish. They keep all inds of exotics, and Dizzy was one of two that they had. Great people, and great shop.

 

Mitch

[Stu]

Mitch,

I'm actually in Longwood for the summer. I go to SITC about once a week. Awesome shop, and I agree with you on the service. I've never met a more generous LFS owner than Marcye. That's actually where I got my ascension as well. I remember there was another one on hold when i went in to get mine. It was probably yours! Unfortunately, it's quite a drive for me. Have you been to Reef Works in Lake Mary? They are a relatively new shop, but I have been very impressed with livestock, staff knowledge, and their prices are good too. You should give them a look if you are ever up that way. Just picked up 2 sexy shrimp today for 6 bucks a piece.

[MitchReef]

I know this is a Pico Thread, but I just have to show off my 2 month old 29.

 

It is an "old school" reef with some updates.

 

AGA 29

DIY stand and hood

Current 65W PC X 2 (Dual Daylight + Dual Actinic)

Blue Lunar Lights X 3

4" computer fans X 2

16 year old, second hand, Skilter, gutted and Air Charged (the friend who taught me about tank cycling gave it to me in 1989 when I set this system up the first time)

Maxi Jet 600 PH X 2

12 year old Hagen 201 PH

20# Gulf of Mexico genuine reef live sand

30# Florida aquaculture LR

7# Marshall Island LR

4# Fiji Premium LR

11# Tonga Fusion Branch LR

 

Purple sea fan

Branching Corky

Red Tree Sponge

Orange Lettuce Sponge

Orange Ball Sponge

4 Pulsating Xenia

Yellow Polyps

Bright Orange Ricordia

Large Anthelia colony

Long Leg Decorator Crab

Short Leg Decorator Crab

Nasty looking black Sea Cucumber

Loads of Blue Leg Hermits

Bunches of Astrea Snails

6 Porcelain Crabs

 

Red Firefish (Dash)

Priolepis ascensionis (Dizzy)

 

And it all ended up looking kinda like this:

 

 

Like I said, sorry to post such a monster on a Pico thread, but I just got my 3 Gallon, and have not even put water in it yet. They will both eventually be brimming with livestock, and I am also just about done building my DIY H-O-T refugium for the 29.

 

Enjoy,

 

Mitch