Drewbedo's 3 Gallon half moon reef tank

[Drewbedo]

Equipment list:

Elive aqua duo 3 tank (stripped of all stock accessories)

AC50 with inTank media basket and skimmer (prolly gonna run floss and chemipure)

Tunze 6040 controllable power head 

Apex Jr controller

Autoaqua micro ATO

Heater that can fit inside the AC50

Coralcompulsion 14w 30 par 22k super blue light

 

Future stock plans:

Gold neon Pygmy goby

(3) sexy shrimp

porcelain crab

hammer and frogspawn corals only

 

Original Post:

Hello everyone! I'm new to the forum and have just started day 1 of my new pico reef tank build.  I have a 3 gallon glass half moon tank and this will be the showpiece of my new apartment. Below I will lay out all of my plans and keep you up to date as the days go. There's a perfect wall in my new place (moving in first week of July) that shares a side with my utility closet so my plan is to hide everything through the wall so on the display side all you can see is tank, stand, and light.  I also plan to go crazy and completely over engineer this tank as much as possible. Also my plan is to set this up so it's as little maintenance as possible. 

 

On in the equipment side of the wall there will be (2) 5 gallon jugs (1 for salt and one for rodi water), (1) 14 gallon drum for overflow (god forbid some peice of tech or all don't work as planned all the water can overflow here so I don't flood my apartment), zoo med nano 10 canister (stuffed with filter floss and ceramic media), ATO system (yet to be purchased), pump for saltwater and daily digital timer for auto water changes, and finally a battery backup system in case the power goes out 

 

On the display side of the wall will be the tank, a stand of my wife's choosing (she's the decorater), a wall mount light fixture (also of my wife's choosing) with a 14w par30 22k superblue light from coral compulsion.  In the tank will be live rock and sand (currently cycling in a bucket in my current apartment), a heater (still debating and inline heater to further keep the tank equipment free), a hydor pico mag powerhead, a DIY pvc overflow so if the ATO or auto water change system malfunctions the 10 gallons worth of fresh and salt water will overflow into the 14 gallon drum, and eventually some livestock. 

 

Attached are some pics of my rock and sand cycling in a 5 gallon bucket in my spare shower and a mockup of how I might set the rocks up in my tank.   Let me know if you have any suggestions or comments.  I look forward to keeping this up to date and sharing my progress. For now not much will change for the next 2 months until I move in and the everything cycles in my bucket. 

[Simulated Fish]

I really like the scape! Simple clean arch

 

[1891Bro]

Be careful showering with that bucket in there.  You might get pube algae. 

[WV Reefer]

Just now, 1891Bro said:

Be careful showering with that bucket in there.  You might get pube algae. 

 

Why did that make me laugh out loud? 

[Drewbedo]

I consider my daily showers my DIY auto top off system, talk about a cheap alternative. On another note I decided to paint the back glass black today.  Attached are some pics of the process including my overdone tape job haha, didn't have any newspaper of magazines laying around so I just used painters tape over the whole thing. I think it came out good, only did 3 coats. 

And some more photos

Last couple

[WV Reefer]

2 minutes ago, Drewbedo said:

I consider my daily showers my DIY auto top off system, talk about a cheap alternative. On another note I decided to paint the back glass black today.  Attached are some pics of the process including my overdone tape job haha, didn't have any newspaper of magazines laying around so I just used painters tape over the whole thing. I think it came out good, only did 3 coats. 

That's so funny!

[Drewbedo]

So I just got my CUC from Reef Cleaners today.  This is my second time ordering from them and I must say their service is quite impressive. The first order I placed (a few months back) had absolutely zero casualties and contained many extra snails which was nice. This order seems to be the same, the box unfortunately sat out in this 90 degree heat in Jersey for about 2 hours but literally the moment these snails hit the sand bed they sprung to life.  There are a few sitting stagnant still but it's only been about a half hour so I have no doubt they will start moving soon. Again I got way more than I ordered, which is overkill for my little 3-4 gallon bucket housing my sand and rock until my move so I might have to see if a friend needs any or give some to the LFS. It's been 19 days since I started this bucket and it cycled at 13 days.  Also it's been in my spare bathroom (which we don't use) and has seen literally no light so there's no breakout yet but I also got the penny macro from reef cleaners so I just tossed that in a mesh bag and threw it in there and put a small light on it (I'll keep on 6-8 hours a day) so I'm expecting a breakout soon to keep my new snails happy!!! I can't wait to move and get this bad boy up and running. 

[Simulated Fish]

Are you going to keep everything in the bucket before you move? 

 

Paint job looks super clean A+ 

[Drewbedo]

Yea I figured it would be easier that way, get it cycled so when I move in I can set it up right away and start stocking within the first week (I expect a mini cycle from the move) plus this way no breaking down when I move out, just literally slap the lid on and go.  Can't beat that for moving. 

[Simulated Fish]

1 minute ago, Drewbedo said:

Yea I figured it would be easier that way, get it cycled so when I move in I can set it up right away and start stocking within the first week (I expect a mini cycle from the move) plus this way no breaking down when I move out, just literally slap the lid on and go.  Can't beat that for moving. 

 

Makes sense, really what is an Aquarium other then a clear bucket lol! Hopefully the macos play nice and the snails get enough food, you might have to get a seaweed/algae puck for them to much on. They are ment for fresh water tanks but it should work fine.

[Drewbedo]

I have a few seaweed sheets I was gonna throw in there!

[Lula_Mae]

Nice little tank!  Mind sharing what kind it is?  I like your DIY auto-topoff.

 

Whatcha planning to stock in it?

[1891Bro]

On 4/29/2017 at 7:22 PM, 1891Bro said:

Be careful showering with that bucket in there.  You might get pube algae. 

I must've been "well hydrated" (fizzpuckered up) when I posted that!

 

Thats a cool looking tank. Super impressed you didn't get any overspray on the counter top +1! 

42 minutes ago, Drewbedo said:

Yea I figured it would be easier that way, get it cycled so when I move in I can set it up right away and start stocking within the first week (I expect a mini cycle from the move) plus this way no breaking down when I move out, just literally slap the lid on and go.  Can't beat that for moving. 

I don't know why you should have any further cycle while moving (assuming it's not cross country, but still) as long as everything stays submerged, unless all those snails decide to die. Use the old SW from the bucket to rinse the sand and rock really well and I bet you'll be fine. In fact, I bet you'll do so well after that that you'll have to keep feeding the snails. 

I got the 20k but a higher wattage from CC and I really like the color. Good luck. 

And baiting us in the autism awareness thread was a ####ing riot!

[lkoechle]

We moved a 4 gallon pico an hour away, no problems.  Put every thing in the bucket and then put it all back together.  No problems, easy peasy

[Drewbedo]

It's an Elive aquaduo 3 that was on clearance at Petsmart for $17, it's a nice tank but the only downside is it has a plastic bottom (but I don't see that being a problem). I just don't know how I'm going to be doing my rock work so I figure it'll be going in and out while I try to get it just right so maybe a mini cycle in a tank this small with the die off (I like the better safe than sorry approach especially with what maybe 2.5 gallons of water at best after sand and rock). I plan on doing hammer and frogspawn only (since they will attack anything else I put in this small tank) a cleaner shrimp, porcelain crab, and I really want to find a neon gold Pygmy goby (eviota pellucida) maybe 2 since they max out at 1" but we'll see. 

22 minutes ago, 1891Bro said:

Thats a cool looking tank. Super impressed you didn't get any overspray on the counter top +1!

That's because it's all over the concrete landing of my 3rd floor apartment building! 

[1891Bro]

2 minutes ago, Drewbedo said:

It's an Elive aquaduo 3 that was on clearance at Petsmart for $17, it's a nice tank but the only downside is it has a plastic bottom (but I don't see that being a problem). I just don't know how I'm going to be doing my rock work so I figure it'll be going in and out while I try to get it just right so maybe a mini cycle in a tank this small with the die off (I like the better safe than sorry approach especially with what maybe 2.5 gallons of water at best after sand and rock). I plan on doing hammer and frogspawn only (since they will attack anything else I put in this small tank) a cleaner shrimp, porcelain crab, and I really want to find a neon gold Pygmy goby (eviota pellucida) maybe 2 since they max out at 1" but we'll see. 

That's because it's all over the concrete landing of my 3rd floor apartment building! 

Getting Security deposits back is for cheapskates anyway!

[Drewbedo]

1 minute ago, 1891Bro said:

Getting Security deposits back is for cheapskates anyway!

We share the landing with a neighbor, guess who's side the overspray is closer too ?

[1891Bro]

1 minute ago, Drewbedo said:

We share the landing with a neighbor, guess who's side the overspray is closer too ?

Suckers!

[Lula_Mae]

29 minutes ago, Drewbedo said:

It's an Elive aquaduo 3 that was on clearance at Petsmart for $17, it's a nice tank but the only downside is it has a plastic bottom (but I don't see that being a problem). I just don't know how I'm going to be doing my rock work so I figure it'll be going in and out while I try to get it just right so maybe a mini cycle in a tank this small with the die off (I like the better safe than sorry approach especially with what maybe 2.5 gallons of water at best after sand and rock). I plan on doing hammer and frogspawn only (since they will attack anything else I put in this small tank) a cleaner shrimp, porcelain crab, and I really want to find a neon gold Pygmy goby (eviota pellucida) maybe 2 since they max out at 1" but we'll see. 

That's because it's all over the concrete landing of my 3rd floor apartment building! 

Nice deal!  I like how it's a bit wider than tall.

[Simulated Fish]

I assumed you didn't want to damage the glass or coral in transit so that was why you were holding off.

[Drewbedo]

Yea 13.5 wide by 11 tall.  It's weird though it's 8.75 deep from the furthest part of the bow.  They says it's 3 gallon but by my calculations that would be 4 gallon.  Eh what's a gallon difference though

[GregEmmitte]

That's looks like it's going to be awesome

[SemperReef]

Nice start!  I like that tank.  I may get one at Petsmart for my work.  Been entertaining this.  My issues is I work 4 days so top off is a concern for me.  

[SemperReef]

1 hour ago, Drewbedo said:

Eh what's a gallon difference though

leeway LOL

[Lula_Mae]

1 hour ago, Drewbedo said:

Yea 13.5 wide by 11 tall.  It's weird though it's 8.75 deep from the furthest part of the bow.  They says it's 3 gallon but by my calculations that would be 4 gallon.  Eh what's a gallon difference though

Lol I have a 3.5 gallon tank that held exactly 3 gallons...

 

And the tank is glass?  That's nice!