Nal's awesome picotope

[NAL]

Well my goal is to keep a clean simple picotope. I have so far got all the corals/rock/maco/water, and some sand to seed my sand bed from my 20L. I have been wanting to set up a picotope for a long time, but it just never seem to be the right time. I had a picotope once in my closet, and it fell from the top shelf, and broke into a million peices, so, I bought another one. I want to have a nice collection of zoas and rics, with a pistol shrimp and goby combo. I have a duncan I want to put in there after awhile as well.

 

I have a 50w hydor heater, and might someday upgrade to a titanium 50w heater. I have been having troubles keeping the temp stable, does everyone turn their heaters off when the lights are on. If this problem persists, I might just get a temp controller, I just don't want to worry about that while I'm gone.

 

I modded an AC 70 into a fuge. It has an AC 50 impeller, trimmed. I ordered an AC 20 impeller though, so that should be here by the end of the week. I ended up trimming this one too much, EEEK! It will run the filter, but takes awhile to get the siphon going, so it spits and sputters for a couple of hours. I still have to get a light for the fuge, I will use a desk lamp for now, but thinking of a submergible LED around 6700k, of course.

 

I have an ATO ready to go, but not running yet, I just have to pick up some hoses. It's a simple float switch hooked up to a small powerhead.

 

I got a 24w Odyssea 50/50. It came with some huge legs, that allow you to tilt the light up, which is nice, but they are so big. At first, I didn't think I would like it, but after I filled it with water, it didn't look so bad. It also supplied me with a nice place to mount my ATO float switch.

 

-Equipment

3gal picotope

24w Odyssea 50/50

50w hydor

AC 70 fuge w/ trimmed down AC 50 impeller (ordered an AC 20 impeller)

 

-Corals

Zoas

Mushrooms

Hammer

Xenia

 

-Corals I will be putting in soon

Orange Ric

Green Zoas

Duncan

 

-Planned fish/inverts

Hi Fin Red Banded Goby

-OR-

Tangaroa Goby

-OR-

Yashia Goby

 

Pistol Shrimp

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[NAL]

Ok......after looking closer at fiction's picotope, I noticed he has a 25w stealth, I might go that route. I have always trusted stealths, and it looks like it fits nice in the fuge.

[Cytosine]

I would get the yashai,but they dont live very long from what ive heard

[cuboy]

Nice, I like your rockwork w/ alot of open room and possible coral placments.

[shp111]

I love these tanks. My favorite tank right now, sits on my desk at work. Your set up looks good.

[NAL]

I would get the yashai,but they dont live very long from what ive heard

 

I have never heard that about the Yashais, but they are so pretty.

 

Nice, I like your rockwork w/ alot of open room and possible coral placments.

 

Thanks

I hope to keep the middle just sand, nothing else.

 

I love these tanks. My favorite tank right now, sits on my desk at work. Your set up looks good.

 

 

Ya, they are cool. Thanks

[debbeach13]

Looks really nice. Love the open look

[NAL]

 

[Cytosine]

I have never heard that about the Yashais, but they are so pretty.

 

 

 

well all the ones i ever had died because they wouldnt eat

[Gerber77]

Very nice pico that ric and those bam bams are awesome

[NAL]

Thanks Gerber77. Cytosine, I probably will just get a hi-fin red banded gobie, they are a lot cheaper.

 

So I was getting flammed on a local forum about this tank, so to stir things up, I posted this pic.

 

 

 

I am battling my temps with this 50w, I need to get a 25w or a temp controller. It works fine if I have the heater on at while the light isn't, but it's still not stable. I use to care for my roommates betta, because she never did. I had a 2.5g setup, and with a 25w heater, that thing stayed 80* almost on the nuts, and it had an 11w bulb on it. I have that heater, but it's like 9" or so. I might throw that in, see if that works.

[IMaNoob]

LOL, looked at the pic before I read.....why you getting flamed?

 

nice tank btw

[NAL]

I figured people would look before they read, I always do. Some people on thre are say that 3gals are unmanageable. That they rarely work, just being elitist @$^%s.

[Lalani]

Heh, I hate it when people say that small tanks are so hard to take care of. It's usually the people who have been in the hobby for a long time.

[IMaNoob]

My 5g is easier for me. I used to have a 60g and keeping up w/ water changes was tuff. So I think the small ones are easier for me. I am working on a 30g, but that is just because I am running out of room

[phishroom]

So I was getting flammed on a local forum about this tank, so to stir things up, I posted this pic.

 

 

I would suggest getting a larger Tang. Or maybe a mated pair. Actually, just get a Yellow Tang to mate with your Blue (Hippo) Tang and you could sell the baby Green Tangs here. Put me on the waiting list!

[NAL]

Hahaha, ya, I usually only go on the forum for the classifieds. I knew every here would have my back.

 

So I'm excited to get my gobie and pistol shrimp, but I am going to wait to make sure everything stays stable, and get my heat issues taken care of.

[cuboy]

My 5g is easier for me. I used to have a 60g and keeping up w/ water changes was tuff. So I think the small ones are easier for me. I am working on a 30g, but that is just because I am running out of room

 

Agreed. I pour a cup of RO/DI top off a day.

 

Change out 3-4 cups for water changes once a week.

 

Than deal with gallons and gallons for waterchanges. quick and simple.

[NAL]

I went to the hardward store and got some hose for my ATO, I want to figure out a way to hardwire it to the filter, but IDK right now. When I bought the filter, the kid forgot to put the lid in the box, so I'm waiting for that now. I went to petsmart, and they didn't have a heater. I do have one of those lil beta tank flat heaters somewhere I might try.

 

[rotarymagic]

Ok......after looking closer at fiction's picotope, I noticed he has a 25w stealth, I might go that route. I have always trusted stealths, and it looks like it fits nice in the fuge.

nonsense, yashias only live shortlives if stuffed in itty bitty tanks.

[NAL]

nonsense, yashias only live shortlives if stuffed in itty bitty tanks.

 

First of all, your comment had nothing to do with the comment you quoted. Secondly, don't hate, participate.

 

 

 

So I bought a 25w stealth today to go into my fuge, awesome. We'll see how she does by morning, I think this is going to be the ticket. I got 2 hermits, 2 astrea snails, and 2 ceriths. I need to get a few Nassarias Snails, they are my favorite.

 

[NAL]

[Cytosine]

Dude! that is such an awesome tank. I saw a high fin banded goby at a store near me.It was like $20. I wish i got it but, my dad wanted me to get a Ycg . Well, thats what i wanted. So, all i can say is WOOT

[redkneecoral]

that is a great looking setup

[NAL]

Thanks guys. I am trying to get something special for this tank, we will see if I come up with the cash in the next few weeks.