Laura6686 Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 Photo Update Time! I haven't added a ton of coral to this tank just yet - but here are some new shots to show off the stuff that I have added. Enjoy! Full Tank Shot Closer Up Angle Shot - You can clearly see the custom glass lid in this shot. GSP Rock Ricordea Rock Jason Quick question if you have time. I love the black substrate and would love to use it but worried my pH will be a problem later. How is your pH holding? Happy 4th!!!!! Link to comment
Bonsai Posted July 4, 2008 Author Share Posted July 4, 2008 Quick question if you have time. I love the black substrate and would love to use it but worried my pH will be a problem later. How is your pH holding? Happy 4th!!!!! I guess I don't follow the black sand = bad pH levels thought. Why would the sand affect pH? Jason Link to comment
dla Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 I guess I don't follow the black sand = bad pH levels thought. Why would the sand affect pH? Jason Live sand help buffer the water to help stabilize the ph. You don't need it, but helps. Just my reading and 02. The black sand do looks good. Link to comment
Bonsai Posted July 4, 2008 Author Share Posted July 4, 2008 Live sand help buffer the water to help stabilize the ph. You don't need it, but helps. Just my reading and 02. The black sand do looks good. By this point, it probably is getting to be "live sand" though Someone should go into business selling established live black sand ... that could be a money maker! Link to comment
Laura6686 Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 By this point, it probably is getting to be "live sand" though Someone should go into business selling established live black sand ... that could be a money maker! When I started to do marine tanks they used to setup with dolomite. The reason is that is has a buffering capacity and would keep the pH stable. I never had a problem with pH until I switched a few years ago to live sand. I was looking a the Drs. Foster & Smith book and the stuff you used said no buffering capacity. That is when I thought to ask you. If you pH is holding then I think I will give it a try. I love your tank................ Link to comment
hcsceo Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 Wooo Bonsai!!! Nice setup. I finally got back from vacation and came over to see how your tank is doing and it looks great. Don't know if you have the same problem as me but all the ladies in my office keep coming by and "leaning" over my desk!! The keep telling me how pretty it is and all I can say is "yes, yes it is" I'll take two of those superman shrooms please tagging along. Steve Link to comment
Bonsai Posted July 8, 2008 Author Share Posted July 8, 2008 Wooo Bonsai!!! Nice setup. I finally got back from vacation and came over to see how your tank is doing and it looks great. Don't know if you have the same problem as me but all the ladies in my office keep coming by and "leaning" over my desk!! The keep telling me how pretty it is and all I can say is "yes, yes it is" I'll take two of those superman shrooms please tagging along. Steve Thanks for the kind words So a little update on my tank ... I got a couple tiny Daisy and Flourscent Daisy frags from BibleSue that are coming around. The flourescent ones look great ... there are probably 7 polyps on that frag. The regular daisys are finally starting to look half way decent ... I got them like a week or two ago and they are just now starting to look healthy. On that frag, there is one large polyp with 6 or so tiny little polpys ... so hopefully with time those will grow in well. My green Ric apparently doesn't love his placement in the tank because he has moved about an inch over away from the flow. I'll have to keep on eye on that. Jason Link to comment
Deleted User 6 Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 How did you get the custom glass top? What's the temp. like with it on there? I really like this! Link to comment
bowlopho Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 Hello Bonsai, I've been constantly thinking about starting up a Pico setup. How is your light doing for you? I can't figure out if i should go with the Current USA Satellite18w satelite or the 2x18w set up. What would be some pros and cons? Link to comment
Bonsai Posted July 11, 2008 Author Share Posted July 11, 2008 How did you get the custom glass top? What's the temp. like with it on there? I really like this! I had a local glass shop cut it. I took the tank when it was brand new, put a sheet of paper under it, and tipped the tank completely over so that I could trace the top of it ... I took the sheet of paper into the shop, they cut glass according to the template I created. Hello Bonsai, I've been constantly thinking about starting up a Pico setup. How is your light doing for you? I can't figure out if i should go with the Current USA Satellite18w satelite or the 2x18w set up. What would be some pros and cons? The lighting looks great - I'm going to upgrade my lighting though to the 2x18Watt because I plan on keeping some LPS in the tank. Otherwise, the lighting would be perfect. I'm selling my current light ... I just put it up for sale. If you're interested, here is the link. Link to comment
bowlopho Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 The lighting looks great - I'm going to upgrade my lighting though to the 2x18Watt because I plan on keeping some LPS in the tank. Otherwise, the lighting would be perfect. I'm selling my current light ... I just put it up for sale. If you're interested, here is the link. Well since you're upgrading, it's telling me to just go for the 2x18w. It's actually on sale at Dr FosterSmith for $75. thanks! Link to comment
fiction101 Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 LPS will do just fine under the 18w light, I have the dual fixture but with only 9w of 10k and my lps pieces are doing good. Of course the growth will be better under the dual fixture. My reason for getting the dual fixture was so I could have more actinic, switch out the dual daylight bulb and place in a 50/50, so you have that plus the dual actinic bulb and the colors are much better. Link to comment
hcsceo Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 You will love the Dual 36. I have one on mine and at 10+ watt per gallon it's made a huge difference in growth. That light is really perfect for this tank. I'll be adding a Monti Digi next week up high and center on mine. We will see how it does. Steve Link to comment
3wordattribute Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 i agree hcsceo this light really does wonders for a picotope. Link to comment
evilc66 Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 It's soooo much better than the Coralife dual 36W. Thats why I changed the bulbs in mine. Link to comment
Bonsai Posted July 12, 2008 Author Share Posted July 12, 2008 It's soooo much better than the Coralife dual 36W. Thats why I changed the bulbs in mine. What's better? O.o Link to comment
evilc66 Posted July 13, 2008 Share Posted July 13, 2008 The bulbs are much better quality. The 420nm actinic make all the difference in the world. Link to comment
Bonsai Posted July 15, 2008 Author Share Posted July 15, 2008 I find it hard to believe that getting a clown goby is this difficult. I special ordered one from my LFS, but their wholesaler didn't have any when the LFS went to pick up their fish for the week. I want my little yellow goby What I'd really love would be two clown gobies ... one yellow, one green. Would that be pushing the limits of the bioload on a 3G Picotope + AC70? Link to comment
Deleted User 6 Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 How's the heat on the tank with the glass top? Link to comment
Bonsai Posted July 15, 2008 Author Share Posted July 15, 2008 How's the heat on the tank with the glass top? Perfect! 78 degrees. Link to comment
AaronJ Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 I find it hard to believe that getting a clown goby is this difficult. I special ordered one from my LFS, but their wholesaler didn't have any when the LFS went to pick up their fish for the week. I want my little yellow goby What I'd really love would be two clown gobies ... one yellow, one green. Would that be pushing the limits of the bioload on a 3G Picotope + AC70? Clown Gobies will fight amongst eachother in small tanks unless they are a true mated pair. Once you get your Dual 36w maybe consider adding a Current USA PowerBrite LED Light like what I did on my Ricordea Garden. It really adds a great shimmering effect. It reminds me very much of Halides, not to mention the Rics seem to love it. I'm sure the LPS would really dig it too. Link to comment
Deleted User 6 Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 How much room are you leaving for the AC70 with your new glass lid? Do you have to deal with salt creep from splashing? Link to comment
Bonsai Posted July 17, 2008 Author Share Posted July 17, 2008 How much room are you leaving for the AC70 with your new glass lid? Do you have to deal with salt creep from splashing? My current lid that I had created leaves 2" open in the back ... plenty of room for the AC70 to do it's thing. I'm also only running the AC20 impeller in the AC70 unit, so my flow is reduced, but purposely so. My new lid will be exactly the same, but on either side there will be a 1" extension that goes all the way to the back. This new lid is being created so that the feet of the Current USA 2x18Watt light has a place to sit. If I use my current lid, the front feet are 1/4" higher than the back legs. Hence the new lid's fabrication. But no ... I don't have any salt creep back there. Link to comment
Deleted User 6 Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 Cool - could you post a pic of the new lid when you get it? I'm planning to start a picotope in a month or so (just moved, still settling in) and I want to get my research out of the way now. Thanks and it looks amazing! Link to comment
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