IS IT BACK? Bonsai's JBJ Picotope [3g] Journal

[Laura6686]

Wasn't she beautiful?

 

 

I tore down the Picotope and cleaned it out about 6 months ago. It has been sitting in it's original box in my basement since then. But lately, I've been thinking about what a great little tank it was. Had I not left my 36W light on 24/7 mistakenly, it probably would have thrived.

 

For the fun of it, I posted on my local reef board asking about used 12" Lights and AC70s - just to see if I could find a cheap way to re-invent this pico. My LFS saw the post and told me they could get ahold of a brand new 12" Current USA 18W Satellite for $30.

 

Today, I bought the light. I couldn't pass it up!

 

What does this mean? Is the Picotope coming back? I miss my sexy shrimp!

 

If I'm going to do this again, I'm going to do it right. Here are some things that this Picotope absolutely must have.

 

• ATO System (probably DIY)
  
• A Lid. I could have one of my, now famous, glass picotope lids made ... but I would love to invent an acrylic lid that has a feeding door on the front. I remember having to remove the lid completely (and the light) if I wanted to feed the tank.
  
• Fuge (leaning back toward the AC70, as StevieT might make Media Baskets for it)
  
• Some sort of flood overflow protection, as it will live in my office (maybe the tank will sit inside a shallow acrylic box?)
  
• Surface skimmer (this is the difficult part, I don't think I can have this and the AC70)
  
• A Timer that doesn't keep my lights on 24/7
  

 

I'd love for people to chime in with some ideas. An overflow on the tank would be awesome for surface skimming, is there a Power Filter other than the AC70 that would work with something like that?

 

Oh god. Here I go again.

 

Yeah!!!!

 

I am thinking of setting mine back up too.....I have one question what brand sand did you buy. I want the exact same black one you used.

 

 

 

 

Well, there are two filters that I can think of that have surface skimmers built in.

 

Bio System Power Filter and Surface Skimmer

 

and

 

Skilter Filters

 

 

I don't have experience with either of these filter, however.

 

I used the 2nd one (skilter) years ago and it was very load. Hopefully they fixed that problem.

[Bonsai]

Yeah!!!!

I am thinking of setting mine back up too.....I have one question what brand sand did you buy. I want the exact same black one you used.

 

It is Tahitian Moon Sand, by Caribsea.

 

If you want some surface skimming.

 

I set-up a tank identical to your pico, but it's a 5 gallon cad without all the crap inside, just the tank put the same light and HOB filter as yours, but for surface skimming, I bought a thin plastic tub like a pvc pipe but small in diameter and thinner. I wanted it to fit just right around the filters tube. I cut slits in the pvc to to let water-flow into if from the surface *duh* and so that it slid up around the top of the filter making a snug fit. TaDa instant surface skimming.

 

 

My surface skimming tube goes form bottom of the tank to the top and sits around the original bottom skimming tube so it just sucks from the top now. I put a cap on the bottom of the pvc tube, because I didn't want to epoxy anything to the tank or the filter. It all just kinda sits in there.

 

Good idea. I'll have to explore that also.

[davidr2340]

Yay... prease come back!!!

[davey]

I tried out that Drs F&S filter with the skimmer. I hated it. Do a skimmer mod on the AC 70 or get that skimmer attachment.

[fishypop22]

howd you get the custom lid? did you make your own sketch?

Nice pics by the way. impressed.

thanks and good luck!