El Fab's Pico Reef: 2007–2010

[davey]

Hey! Long time no hear. How's the pico? The galaxy is doing surprisingly well. I feed my tank every week with a concoction of tank water, ZoPlan, chopped up silversides, cyclop-eeze (or mysis) and a little Seachem Reef Plus. Once a week, the night before my water change, I'll throw out the filter floss and turn the powerhead off. I feed the shrimps and the hermits first so they don't steal food from the corals. I'll spot feed the yumas, rics, blastos and plate coral with larger pieces of silversides. The galaxy and some of the larger palys get the smaller bits. I suck up the leftover "soup" with a baster and blast it at the monti, the zoas and the feather dusters. The whole tank goes into a feeding frenzy and my goby goes nuts! I don't put a new filter floss in until my water change the following day giving the plankton some time to drift around the tank.

 

Hey Fab! I have been kind of busy with the new kid and all but I will try to get some updated pics. Thanks for the feeding info. I have been so nervous about feeding with such a small tank, but my sexy shrimp have been chomping on my zoas so I started to feed them a little cylopeeze every other day. I am thinking if this works out I am going to start with some plankton of some kind. Is it better to do zooplankton? Has that Reef Plus made a big difference too? Does it attribute to waste, could it be harmful if I am not quite mature enough yet for it? I have never fed any of my corals, but maybe thats why your zoas look so much better than mine. I really like that galaxy, keep us updated on it. LPS really makes me nervous. I want to try some sps, but I wasnt sure how it would do in such a small tank without MH. I am really glad you are giving it a shot. Are you supplementing anything else like trace or calcium or anything?

[el fabuloso]

Hey Fab! I have been kind of busy with the new kid and all but I will try to get some updated pics. Thanks for the feeding info. I have been so nervous about feeding with such a small tank, but my sexy shrimp have been chomping on my zoas so I started to feed them a little cylopeeze every other day.

I figured as much! Hope the new kid is doing good. As for the sexy shrimps, you absolutely have to feed them every other day. It's the only sure way to prevent them from eating your corals. I know how you feel about feeding a small stank because I use to feel the same way. The best way to feed them is by spot feeding them with pellets. This ensures that they get their fill with minimal waste. Spot feeding them is surprisingly easy, I posted a feeding guide on the Sexy Thread that you might find helpful.

 

I am thinking if this works out I am going to start with some plankton of some kind. Is it better to do zooplankton?

Phytoplankton are pretty small and are more suitable for leather corals, gorgonians and filter feeders like clams and feather dusters. Zooplankton on the other hand can be fed to more organisms: soft corals, LPS, SPS, shrimps and crabs and fish. In the reef both forms are available (phyto by day, zooplankton by night) but in a tank it's best to supply them accordingly. If you do decide to feed with zooplankton, do so at night. This is when most corals expand their feeding tentacles to catch zooplankton which in the reef is more abundant at night. I feed my tank right before lights out.

 

Has that Reef Plus made a big difference too? Does it attribute to waste, could it be harmful if I am not quite mature enough yet for it? I have never fed any of my corals, but maybe thats why your zoas look so much better than mine.

The Reef Plus has made a big difference on my zoas, ricordeas and my blasto. The only reason I started using it is because my tank has gotten so overstocked and I have all sorts of different corals competing for the same resources. For your tank, regular changes should be enough though I suppose it wouldn't hurt if used properly and I really think it's good for zoas. I recommend feeding your Ricordeas, especially the yumas. They love being fed regularly.

 

I really like that galaxy, keep us updated on it. LPS really makes me nervous.

I was really skeptical about the galaxy but so far it's been doing great. The LFS guy sold it to me as "galaxy nano" which I felt was probably a lot of bull since I had never seen or heard of them before. Most people would advise against them in a nano tank since they can produce very long sweeper tentacles and are highly aggressive. Even though mine has grown it's still fairly small compared to most of the galaxy corals you'd find in stores. Nonetheless it has sweeper tentacles which it aims towards the Xenias. You could start with some easy LPS corals like a Blastomussa or some candy canes. Pagoda cups are also good if you can find one small enough.

 

I want to try some sps, but I wasnt sure how it would do in such a small tank without MH. I am really glad you are giving it a shot. Are you supplementing anything else like trace or calcium or anything?

My SPS experiment is successful so far. However I wouldn't count on Acroporas thriving without metal halides or even some of the more colorful Montiporas to keep their colors. I don't like the idea of dosing such a small tank so instead I do two water changes a week. This is mainly to make sure my calcium level is up to par and also to speed up the nutrient export. There is a war in my tank that's interesting to observe: the galaxy absolutely hates the Xenias and will send out sweeper tentacles towards it. The Xenia retaliates by releasing chemicals (made visible by a layer of slime on the water) which upsets the monti and the plate coral. This causes the plate coral to extend out its tentacles resulting in some unhappy zoas. So I do two water changes a week to keep everyone happy.

[FishyDav]

Outstanding! There is no other way to describe it. I read through all 12 pages and just like a good novel was unable to stop. I was already set on getting a pico (which is how I ran across your post) but know enough about the hobby to do the research first.

 

I enjoyed watching your pico grow up, but it's also nice to see the transition the hobby can make on a person! In the beginning you were a self described minimalist, unwilling to expand to anything beyond the stock equipment. The hobby got a hold of you and within a few months you had the upgraded lighting, fuge and even took on some daring experiments. Your story telling is outstanding (it doesn't read like a post) and of course all of your wonderful pictures and video just added to the flair.

 

It is a great string that I will be sure to visit as I begin my own adventure, but most of all I think there lies a really important lesson to anybody looking to get into the hobby. Start small and simple. I was going to perform all of the upgrades and mods right away, but I can get a 3G picotope for $40 and get the tank running, cylcled and stable. Then add some simple hearty low maintenance animals. Once they are all thriving, growing and multiplying upgrade and get a little fancier. It is a great approach that keeps the beginning pico keeper from getting in over their head!

 

Thanks for letting us in on your success, and I look forward to keeping up in the future.

[el fabuloso]

Thanks for the kind words!

 

This hobby has definitely transformed me in every way. And even though I've modified and upgraded a few things, I still like to think of my tank as minimal in terms of maintenance. My ultimate goal is to show people that not only can a pico be done, but you can also do a lot with it and it can be done by someone with very little knowledge about reef keeping as long as their patient, diligent and willing to learn. I'm about to embark on a much bigger project but my pico will always be my pride and joy. I'm glad you found my thread helpful and I definitely look forward to seeing yours.

[Lalani]

I'm about to embark on a much bigger project

 

DETAILS

 

 

 

Please?

[el fabuloso]

In due time, my sexy friend.

[JerseyChick]

Your pico is quite beautiful, great job!

[SmittyCoco]

So what lighting fixture have you upgraded 2 ? I think I missed this. Fabulous tank btw !

[el fabuloso]

Thanks for the kind words!

 

So what lighting fixture have you upgraded 2 ? I think I missed this. Fabulous tank btw !

I upgraded to the 12" 2x18W Current Dual Satellite. IMO it's the perfect upgrade for a 3g pico.

 

[hxcaquaman]

Its great to see that someone can actually keep a green clown, I never had much luck with them. I love the pic on the monti

[SmittyCoco]

So how does that lighting fixture work with the monti sps? Has it had alot of growth and kept its color well? Has it faded or colored more since adding it to your tank? Sorry for the questions just am really contemplating my choices. My stocking plan for my pico is going to be sps heavy. I want to devise a dosing plan as well. I am leaning towards a 70 watt halide of some sort, but would love to get away with this fixture.

[el fabuloso]

Its great to see that someone can actually keep a green clown, I never had much luck with them. I love the pic on the monti

Once you get through that first couple of weeks they're really very easy to keep. IMO the key is to find a fat and healthy goby in the first place especially because they tend to not eat for the first couple of weeks they're in your tank. This helped a lot with my green clown goby as he didn't eat for the first two weeks and it wasn't until he got to be just slightly emaciated that he finally started eating.

 

And now he's a fatty...

 

 

 

So how does that lighting fixture work with the monti sps? Has it had alot of growth and kept its color well? Has it faded or colored more since adding it to your tank? Sorry for the questions just am really contemplating my choices. My stocking plan for my pico is going to be sps heavy. I want to devise a dosing plan as well. I am leaning towards a 70 watt halide of some sort, but would love to get away with this fixture.

 

The monti has had some substantial growth since I first got it. It may not be showing tremendous growth but it is growing. It has also kept its color fairly well. It's not as bright as it use to be, but it also didn't fade as much as I expected. Below is a comparison as to how it looked when I first had it and how it looks now:

 

Back in June

 

Today

 

How big of a tank are you planning to set up? If you're going to have a SPS-heavy tank I would strongly suggest metal halides and a good protein skimmer. SPS require very clean water so I do two 10% water changes every week to maintain calcium levels and to keep up with nutrient export, especially in a predominantly softie tank like mine with inverts and fish that require regular feeding.

[SmittyCoco]

Well I have a tom 3 that has been up and running for 10 months. It has mostly zoas and a couple lps. A green buble coral a red trachphilia brain , also a green polyped leather. I am currently setting up a new picotope and am wanting to grow out the smallest of sps frags. I have been debating on either a viper 70 or aquamedic 70. I also noticed your nimble nano there . Nice ! If given the oppurtunity to buy it again , would you?

Edited August 23, 2008 by SmittyCoco

[el fabuloso]

I think a SPS pico tank would look stunning! If I were you, I would use the tank you currently have since it's already matured. I would definitely go with halides (the two you're looking at are pretty good) to ensure proper lighting, growth and coloration but this means you're going to be running into issues with evaporation so I highly recommend setting up a good ATO system. As far as protein skimmer, you could probably do without one as long as you do two water changes a week to keep up with nutrient export and to replenish trace elements and calcium.

 

The Nimble Nano is amazing! I have two of them, one for my pico and the other for my nine gallon. I wouldn't keep a tank without one. If you don't already have one, I would definitely suggest you order one right away!

[SeeDemTails]

I need a nimble nano!

 

Tank looks great, nice growth on that monti!

[el fabuloso]

Ten Months Later

 

It's been a while since I've posted any updates so I figure it's about time. I moved into a new house a month ago and have finally settled in. Of all the things I had to move, who would've thought a three-gallon tank would be the one that's most stressful? I bagged up all the loose pieces, took out as much water as I could and placed the tank in a big styrofoam box. Forty-five minutes later they were in their new home. Moving the tank went well without casualties. However, while i was busy moving everything else, my green clown goby jumped out of the tank and I wasn't around to save him.

 

Anyway, I'll let the pictures do the talking from here on:

 

The new abode:

 

FTS of my pico in its new location:

 

 

Blastomussa merleti with all its new heads:

 

The giant aiptasia next to it is on death row. I added a peppermint shrimp to take care of the smaller ones and he does a great job. He also gets along with the sexy shrimps.

 

Can you spot the peppermint shrimp?

 

My thick lush GSP jungle.

 

Some mystery macroalgae sprouted between the zoas. Not sure what it is but it's kinda neat looking.

 

Orange yuma with all of its offspring:

 

There are three more baby yumas under the big one. Notice the bubble algae all around it. My tank is plagued with bubble algae right now and I can't get rid of them! My parameters are good and they appeared out of nowhere. I added an emerald crab to help eradicate them and he does an okay job at some of the small ones but most of the time he's lazy.

 

Zoa garden with the plate coral at the front:

 

Pulsing Xenia growing like wildfire:

 

The back side of my tank where some palys have colonized:

 

The obligatory sexy shot:

 

I'm still mourning the loss of my goby so I'm not sure if I want another one. I might try my hand at some neon gobies or some other kind of goby. As for corals, I think I'll let the ones I have now grow in and fill some of the empty spots. I also want to address my bubble algae and aiptasia problem before I get any more corals.

[Sexy Shrimp]

I am so jealous of your house! And your fish tank...

[Lalani]

Your tank is looking awesome as usual, very sexy! Sorry about the goby, I lost my ycg too

And that house looks beautiful!! Congrats!

[el fabuloso]

I am so jealous of your house! And your fish tank...

No need to be jealous. The tank is covered with bubble algae and the house sprung a leak.

 

Your tank is looking awesome as usual, very sexy! Sorry about the goby, I lost my ycg too

And that house looks beautiful!! Congrats!

Thanks Kim! I don't think I can get another clown goby. It's too soon.

 

The house is great, I finally have lots of room to play with and some space for my BIG fabulous super secret project.

Edited September 30, 2008 by el fabuloso

[Lalani]

Yeah, I know what you mean. I still haven't gotten another ycg yet..

 

So......... BIG TANK?!?!?

Edited September 30, 2008 by Lalani

[EnjoiFish]

I'm sure you've heard this 7,000 times before but WOW.

 

Can't wait to see what the BIG fabulous super secret project is. If you can do wonders with only 3 gallons...well I can only imagine.

[el fabuloso]

Yeah, I know what you mean. I still haven't gotten another ycg yet..

 

So......... BIG TANK?!?!?

Maybe? Yes, that much I'll say. :wink:

 

I'm sure you've heard this 7,000 times before but WOW.

 

Can't wait to see what the BIG fabulous super secret project is. If you can do wonders with only 3 gallons...well I can only imagine.

Thanks! Whoever said a bigger tank is "easier" was lying!

[Lalani]

Tease....

[el fabuloso]

Tease....

Or so I've been told.

[Lalani]

Gah, 'tis a shame.