Jump to content
Cultivated Reef

Lalani's Pico Upgrade


Lalani

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 802
  • Created
  • Last Reply
I Ate A Cake

Wow, that is really slick. I sometimes regret getting my AC110 fuge for my 10G when I see all these AIO's. I love the way you did yours too; very simple.

Link to comment

Tried to post the other day but NR was being a douche. Anyways, nice setup, I'm sure it will look great when done.

Link to comment

Thanks you guys! :P

 

Rocks and sand are now in da hizzi! ....... I mean the tank.....

 

As soon as the first rock hit the water, a tiny pistol shrimp shot out of it and started exploring the tank. In full light, at that! Pic below. So there are two from the new LR and two in the old LR so far. Let's see if there will be any more.

 

I know it doesn't look like a lot of rock, but I still need to transfer the ~4lbs. from the pico tank to this one, so it should fill in nicely. I want it to slope down from the back to the front. I wish I could have gotten the blue background to work, but I think once it is covered in coralline, it will look good.

 

IMG_9945.jpg

 

IMG_9941.jpg

 

IMG_9943.jpg

 

IMG_9936.jpg

Link to comment

I'm definately gonna be following this thread. Y'all did a great job on building the tank and the stand/furniture.

 

Robin

Link to comment

Thanks Robin. :)

 

I'm still trying to decide on what type of fish we want to put in there. The display is only 7.5 gal., but I've been playing with the idea of having more than one fish. I was looking at SeaLife's selection and noticed the masked gobies. Tell me if I am completely crazy, but I would like to put three of these little guys in there. My other two tanks run at 0 nitrates, so I'm pretty sure I can keep the water quality in this one just the same. And since these gobies only get 1.5 inches long, three (and they aren't free swimmers, but hover around the rocks) should be comfortable in a tank this size. Is this a bad idea?

The other options would be a royal gramma (1 fish) or a firefish and maybe a small goby (2 fish).

Link to comment
Thanks Robin. :)

 

I'm still trying to decide on what type of fish we want to put in there. The display is only 7.5 gal., but I've been playing with the idea of having more than one fish. I was looking at SeaLife's selection and noticed the masked gobies. Tell me if I am completely crazy, but I would like to put three of these little guys in there. My other two tanks run at 0 nitrates, so I'm pretty sure I can keep the water quality in this one just the same. And since these gobies only get 1.5 inches long, three (and they aren't free swimmers, but hover around the rocks) should be comfortable in a tank this size. Is this a bad idea?

The other options would be a royal gramma (1 fish) or a firefish and maybe a small goby (2 fish).

 

 

Go with the masked gobies. It'll be different :) I don't think 3 is too many - I'd say you're more likely pushing the limits with a royal gramma (especially when it grows out a bit) than the gobies.

 

(Did you see the rusty gobies on SeaLife? I've always like those.)

Link to comment

Oh, so you're going to be nice now? :P:D

 

Yeah, I wasn't too sure about the royal gramma, not just for size and bioload, but they're aggressive aren't they? The rusty gobies are cute too, but I like the fact that the masked gobies are schooling fish. I think it would add a interesting dynamic. Let's see if I can convince mom to steer away from the gramma, and get her interested in these little guys. It may just come down to taking her to the local LFSs and find something that she likes and that I approve of.

Link to comment
singmealullaby

things are moving along great! i loved the blue false wall you had, i heard that krylon takes a few days to firmly bond to a surface for underwater use, so maybe you should try again if you wanna. anyhow everything looks awesome. ;)

Link to comment
Oceanic 30g

This is a great little setup all around. Very well Planned. I cannot wait to see it filled with corals. It makes me want to get another tank.

Link to comment
things are moving along great! i loved the blue false wall you had, i heard that krylon takes a few days to firmly bond to a surface for underwater use, so maybe you should try again if you wanna. anyhow everything looks awesome. ;)

Yeah, I let the paint dry for 3 days, put aquarium sealant on the back, and let it dry for 3 more days. It's too late to try it again, and I honestly don't want to be disappointed again. :P

 

This is a great little setup all around. Very well Planned. I cannot wait to see it filled with corals. It makes me want to get another tank.

DO IT!!! :D

 

Alright, time for hitchhiker pics! (like I wouldn't post pics....)

 

Colony of hydroids:

DSCN8873.jpg

 

Looks like a flower, huh?:

DSCN8889.jpg

 

Not sure what these are. There are a 3 or 4 of them:

DSCN8885.jpg

 

Sponges:

DSCN8883.jpg

 

DSCN8882.jpg

 

DSCN8881.jpg

 

DSCN8875.jpg

 

Fuzzy macro:

DSCN8876.jpg]

 

And a unidentified. It could be a sponge. There are several on the largest rock:

DSCN8879.jpg

Link to comment
Oh, so you're going to be nice now? :P:D

 

Yeah, I wasn't too sure about the royal gramma, not just for size and bioload, but they're aggressive aren't they? The rusty gobies are cute too, but I like the fact that the masked gobies are schooling fish. I think it would add a interesting dynamic. Let's see if I can convince mom to steer away from the gramma, and get her interested in these little guys. It may just come down to taking her to the local LFSs and find something that she likes and that I approve of.

 

 

I can be nice sometimes, Ugie ;)

 

 

Grammas will definitely chase things around, but I think they're okay with perching gobies (if they stay away from the gramma's hole). Good luck with the mother :)

 

Nice hydroid pics

Link to comment
Deleted User 6

Nice! What are the dimensions of your project? Glass cut size, back chamber size, etc.

 

This is amazing - I just got a 10g and I'm thinking of draining it and doing this with it instead!

Link to comment
I can be nice sometimes, Ugie ;)

Hmph. :P

 

Nice! What are the dimensions of your project? Glass cut size, back chamber size, etc.

 

This is amazing - I just got a 10g and I'm thinking of draining it and doing this with it instead!

It's a standard 10gal. aga tank.

The false wall was cut to 11" X 9 11/16". The height is almost the same as the outside bottom edge of the rim, so that the water has plenty of room to flow over the top without overspilling the rim.

The hole for the ph nozzle was cut to size, 1/2".

The back chamber is 5in. deep, 1/4 of the tank itself, so it's around 2.5gal.

The wall is simply set in place and use aquarium sealant to seal the edges.

Eggcrate was placed in the back portion to separate the chaeto from getting stuck in the maxi-jet, and it probably provides some type of support, though not much, for the false wall.

Umm, that's pretty much it. As simple as they come, I think. :D

Link to comment

Ok, current FTSs. After I get back home next week, I'll transfer everything from the pico to this tank, and I'll update with the new FTS. :)

 

IMG_9951.jpg

 

IMG_9959.jpg

 

IMG_9954.jpg

 

As you can see, the room the tank is in gets pretty dark, even during the day. It's a office/media (movies and PS3) room with a fold out futon for guest to sleep on.

Link to comment
Deleted User 6

I tried the glass but broke it, so I went with .22 acrylic. I put mine back to where it only takes up about a 6th or 7th of the tank. I don't have eggcrate, but I do have some thinner acrylic - thoughts about just drilling holes in it and making it like eggcrate?

 

Also, what do you do for a filter? No floss or anything anywhere?

Link to comment

Cutting holes in the piece of acrylic would work just the same as the eggcrate. It's simply there to keep the chaeto separated from the equipment, while still letting the water to pass through.

I don't use any type of filtration on any of my tanks, besides natural with the LR and LS. I used filter floss a couple of times, but the water stays relatively clear without it.

Link to comment

Nope, I would only use a skimmer if I had a larger tank with huge fish or SPS... In all actuality, if I move up to a larger tank, I would still like to keep small fish like gobies. Tangs just don't do it for me.

So, no, I won't use a skimmer on any of my tanks. :)

Link to comment
Deleted User 6

Mine's up and running too! Everything is like yours except my acrylic wall is further back leaving a bit more tank space. Do you have a problem with microbubbles in the display? Also, I have to get a new pump I think because I lost the flow director from my MJ1200 I'm using on my BC14. Right now I have my BC14 stock pump in this new tank and I was going to use the flow director on it (because it fits), but I've lost it. So I figure just go buy an MJ600.

 

Awesome inspiration - thanks!

 

 

I was just thinking - would it be better instead to get a hydor flo deflector?

Link to comment

Can't wait to see pics of yours. :D

When I first started the ph, I did have a few microbubbles, but I raised the water level in the back chamber to about 3/4 full and made sure nothing was chopping up the water. It's been crystal clear since!

You could use a hydor deflector, but it will disturb the surface of the water. If you're fine with that, go for it! If you do end up getting a different maxi-jet, keep in mind that I am using a 600, but I had to cut the impeller blades down to almost halfway. It's a low-medium flow tank.

 

Start a thread when you get pics!!! :)

 

 

Oh, and this is how clean the surface is!

IMG_9985.jpg

 

Edit: What do you guys think about a YWG in this tank?

Link to comment

Lalani, you and Diana are the Queens of Nano! So beautiful in it's simplicy, elegant layout, and easy to DIY :) I wonder how a 29G would look paritioned off similarly?

 

GREAT WORK!

Link to comment

Archived

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

  • Recommended Discussions


×
×
  • Create New...