tibbsy07 5.5 pico reef

[gena]

Good to know! Thanks, Gena. helpful as always

 

As far as upgrading, I think picos are my thing. No plans for any other tank than this one... yet. I've had some ideas, though.

 

One is a macro tank for blue velvet nudi. I'm thinking a longer peninsula-like tank with a screen separating the tank into like 1/4 and 3/4, filtration all on one side (1/4 side of the tank), the nudi on the other side. The flatworms can get through without any issue and the nudi is safe from the filtration, but the screen allows flow and water movement. The main issue here is water parameters as nudis are notoriously hard to keep and water fluctuations in a pico would cause even more issues. I think it's possible, though.

 

That or I'm going to get a JBJ 3g pico and use the stock light to have a macro/mantis tank.

 

On a related note, I need to figure out how to use sketchup. I really want to put my stand plans up on this thread. I think I've got a great idea and I want people to see it.

Picos really are a joy to run. I would be perfectly content if I only had my 3g. I'm really loving this CC bulb too! If you go with it, I think you'll really like it. I suggest getting your own fixture for it though. The one they sell ends up being too close to the water. I have my level set absolutely perfect right now. And it's a cheap fixture from Ikea...like $15.

 

P.S....I like the picotope macro/mantis idea a LOT .

[tibbsy07]

Picos really are a joy to run. I would be perfectly content if I only had my 3g. I'm really loving this CC bulb too! If you go with it, I think you'll really like it. I suggest getting your own fixture for it though. The one they sell ends up being too close to the water. I have my level set absolutely perfect right now. And it's a cheap fixture from Ikea...like $15.

 

P.S....I like the picotope macro/mantis idea a LOT .

Thanks for the info about the goose neck. I now realize that reefbreeders has a goose neck, too. I'll look into the ikea one, though. Do you know what lamp it is at ikea?

 

Edit: I see you used a pendant. I can't do that in my current place, so I'll have to get a lamp. I was going to get either 90 degree or 120 degree optics instead of the stock 60 degrees, so having the lamp closer to the water is probably going to be ok for my tank, I think.

[evanski]

Tibbsy...so much to like...

 

PhD in Microbiology...check.

Home brewer...check.

Nano reefer...check.

UNC...epic fail!

 

So close, but yet so far!

 

[tibbsy07]

Tibbsy...so much to like... PhD in Microbiology...check. Home brewer...check. Nano reefer...check. UNC...epic fail! So close, but yet so far!

Hahaha, not a basketball fan and I only work here at UNC. I've only been here for a few months, not long enough to get into that rivalry yet

[tibbsy07]

I think I'm going to have to do a 100% water change... This is getting ridiculous. I know I should have rinsed the sand before I added it, but I only added a small amount of the bag and I've been changing out the filter floss. Tonight I emptied the AC70 and cleaned it out, put in new filter floss and cleaned out the AC70 siphon tubing.

 

This is what my tank looks like if I touch the sand.

 

 

 

 

So I think I'm going to go to Petsmart or something tonight and get a gravel vac-kind of thing and do a 100% water change after I stir it all up. Not sure what else to do... It's probably going to cause the tank to start a new cycle, messing with all the sand in such a small volume, but I'd rather have it happen now than later when I actually have stuff IN the tank.

[jedimasterben]

This is what my tank looks like if I touch the sand.

Well, just don't do that. lol

 

Did you not rinse the sand?

[tibbsy07]

Well, just don't do that. lol

 

Did you not rinse the sand?

I semi rinsed it. Not really rinsed it. I didn't have anything to catch the sand in. Which is the problem. It's hard not to touch the sand - it starts clouding up if it gets agitated at all. I'm going to do a sand vacuum this week with a major water change. Only option I can think of unless I remove all the sand and add new (more from the same bag) rinsed sand.

[jedimasterben]

Why did you use such a fine sand in such a small tank?

[tibbsy07]

Why did you use such a fine sand in such a small tank?

It's not that fine, but it was the only stuff around here. The first stuff was fine - it was like sugar. This stuff is more coarse, like crushed coral-like. It's the same kind I had in my aquapod.

 

The sand doesn't seem to be the actual problem. The problem is the "dust" (is the best way to describe it). It sticks to everything. It's almost oily. Very odd.

[gena]

I semi rinsed it. Not really rinsed it. I didn't have anything to catch the sand in. Which is the problem. It's hard not to touch the sand - it starts clouding up if it gets agitated at all. I'm going to do a sand vacuum this week with a major water change. Only option I can think of unless I remove all the sand and add new (more from the same bag) rinsed sand.

Wow...that is a lot of dust. I'd be very tempted to vacuum all the sand out into a bucket, do a 100% water change, rinse the heck out of the vacuumed out sand, in a separate bucket, and them put it back in. I don't think that would mess up your cycle.

[tibbsy07]

Wow...that is a lot of dust. I'd be very tempted to vacuum all the sand out into a bucket, do a 100% water change, rinse the heck out of the vacuumed out sand, in a separate bucket, and them put it back in. I don't think that would mess up your cycle.

I'll probably do that. I redid my scape tonight to make it more sturdy. The sand is all stirred up anyways.

[tibbsy07]

New scape again. This time I went rock - superglue - epoxy - superglue - rock for them all. It seems to be holding much better now. I also switched one of the rocks on the left around so that more of it was touching the rock on the farthest left and both would support the top rock better. I also shifted the 3 smaller rocks around to give more surface for coral when I get some. I don't LOVE it, but you gotta work with what you have.

 

Tonight I'm going to try and get to PetSmart and see what I can find for gravel vacs.

 

I also got notice from a family member that they're giving me a christmas present from InTank...

[tibbsy07]

Interesting link from Reef Builders today...

 

http://reefbuilders.com/2013/12/12/acclimating-corals-wrong-2/

 

I've thought similar things before - that a few degrees fluctuation can't be harmful to the coral - it happens all the time in the ocean. Being able to adapt on the fly and handle constantly changing environments is pretty much critical for any organism in the ocean.

 

I still plan to use revive and dip my coral quickly, but for corals I'm not going to worry so much about drip acclimation. Crabs and snails, maybe. Fish, definitely drip acclimation.

[tibbsy07]

Interesting piece from the American Society for Microbiology:

 

"Coral reefs are dying a death of a thousand cuts and their disappearance threatens not only the incredibly diverse ecosystem that depends on them, but also human health and welfare.

In this episode of MicrobeWorld Video marine scientists Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, Ph.D., chair of marine studies at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, and Kiho Kim, Ph.D., director of the environmental studies program at American University, explain the important relationship between microbes and corals, and how this delicate symbiosis that sustains life on and around reefs is facing numerous threats from human interactions to global climate change. In addition, Tundi Agardy, Ph.D., founder and executive director of Sound Seas, discusses the need for public policy and community-based conservation efforts that may help stave off the degradation of these vital ocean ecosystems.

According to a 2004 report issued by the World Wildlife Fund, 24% of the world's reefs are under imminent risk of collapse through human pressures; and a further 26% are under a longer term threat of collapse. If nothing is done to protect these resources, many scientists estimate that reefs around the West Indies in the Caribbean will be gone by 2020, while the Great Barrier Reef may only last for another three decades.

Please visit the following sites for more information about coral reefs:

www.climateshifts.org
www.reefrelief.org
www.coralreef.noaa.gov"

 

Video link: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152535010455200

 

Officially made me only want to buy captive-bred coral/fish/etc.

[el_ote]

que?

 

lol

[tibbsy07]

que?

 

lol

Sorry, lol. The link freaked and went all "embed code" which wasn't working.

[gena]

 

 

I like it! I'm seeing SPS on that left top rock with zoas and acans below . No visions on that right rock yet though. Ohhh...maybe some LPS swaying.

 

I'm getting impatient, so I'm imagining things for your tank now .

[tibbsy07]

I like it! I'm seeing SPS on that left top rock with zoas and acans below . No visions on that right rock yet though. Ohhh...maybe some LPS swaying.

 

I'm getting impatient, so I'm imagining things for your tank now .

Hahaha, you and me both. I'm thinking a zoa garden or ricordea garden somewhere. I'd like to get a mag-rock thing and do GSP on that. Maybe some acans in there, too.

[tibbsy07]

Sand is the worst thing ever and I hate it. If this wasn't a pico, I'd go bare bottom all the way. I just spent 2 hours doing a "water change" and by that I mean, I tried to vacuum out the sand dust from the tank, and ended up having to remove ALL of the sand, then spend ~1hr at least rinsing some of the sand I had left, only to find that no matter what that stupid "dust" is still in there. I rinsed and rinsed and rinsed, and I found that even after I scooped out the sand by hand, so that all the little dust stuff would stay in the water - I STILL had the murkiest tank ever. Considering this is probably going to force a mini cycle, I'm not really happy.

[Dnanoreefer]

Has your tank cycled already? I really hope you get the sand issue taken care of.. I didn't rinse my sand well enough in my first tank. I ended up taking it all out and rinsing it out a week later.

[tibbsy07]

Has your tank cycled already? I really hope you get the sand issue taken care of.. I didn't rinse my sand well enough in my first tank. I ended up taking it all out and rinsing it out a week later.

The cycle was going, so this probably won't do too much damage - I'm just amazed at how cloudy the water was STILL after all the rinsing. How do people rinse their sand and get it perfectly clear?

[patback]

I'm jealous. I really want to start up a pico aain but I gave my 3 gal bow front to my sister in law to use for her betta

[zeke2020]

I had to use a pillow case once to rinse my sand in a pinch. Funny thing it actually worked pretty good! Give it a try you never know. Hope that helps out some.like the build btw. Can't wait to see it progress.

[tibbsy07]

Houston we have a problem. There is a leak somewhere

 

I think it's the AC70, it was dripping this morning when I looked at it and found all the water around the tank. If it is the tank, it's slow. I probably lost about 1/4 gallon. I wiped up what I could, put all the water and rock into a bucket with a heater, and am letting it sit. I'll have to deal with it when I get home today.

[jedimasterben]

Oh lawd. You're like me and can't catch a break