Creative Container Pico Contest - Official Announcement

[justjoshinya]

So I decided I'm gonna join in I got the perfect container and a stand for it, tomorrow I'll start a thread but here's a quick shot of my container

p.s. the tobasco is giant, it makes the container look small but it's probably 1.75 gallons

[Lisa166]

7 minutes ago, justjoshinya said:

So I decided I'm gonna join in I got the perfect container and a stand for it, tomorrow I'll start a thread but here's a quick shot of my container

p.s. the tobasco is giant, it makes the container look small but it's probably 1.75 gallons

Love that container-stand combo!

[cfaye@Delaware]

I would like to try and help when it comes to very small heaters all of these are preset and I'm not sure if they work with a controller. Right now for my plant jar I was using the Cobalt Aquatics Submersible Heater Mini-Therm, they come in different watts for different gallons and some are tiny. The one I was using was a 5w 1.2g rate but not powerful enough for the 2g jar so will have to upgrade. The little heater is about 4 inches long and about 1 inch round. The sizes of this type of heater will go up to 20w for a 4.8g tank.....supposed to raise temp up to 10 degrees above ambient ( room temp ) temp. Also I would suggest have a back up heater just in case ???? 

I think a member already posted about this heater a bit back......

I also use digital temp readers w/ probe can't spell thermonters ......anyway back up of those......

[MainelyReefer]

Was just looking at supplied threads for ideas on stocking and realized pongpits tank uses an eheim 150!! was this an overview? Maybe show us a thread of comparable equipment only, bummer too because his is clearly the best one.

[Lula_Mae]

23 minutes ago, GraniteReefer said:

Was just looking at supplied threads for ideas on stocking and realized pongpits tank uses an eheim 150!! was this an overview? Maybe show us a thread of comparable equipment only, bummer too because his is clearly the best one.

I am fairly certain that Brandon's vase has been running over a decade with an air bubbler and heater, not sure what he uses for a light these days.  And Maritza the Vase Reef, which can be found on Youtube, I am fairly certain is the same, and uses the ABI Tuna Blue bulb.  Natalia's bowl reef is quite impressive as well, and again, runs on an air bubbler with heater attached to a controller and a PAR bulb.  I believe Pongpit's vase reef was shown primarily as an example of a jar reef to give inspiration.  Most, if not all, of what he keeps one should be able to keep on the equipment we are allowed to use, because as has been stated previously, the focus of this contest is husbandry and not fancy equipment.  "Best" is a matter of opinion as much as anything.

 

If you have so many criticisms about this contest and the equipment allowed (which are honestly pretty liberal limitations for a contest since we are not restricted to certain brand names or equipment models), why are you participating when you could just set up a pico on your own however you want?  It's supposed to be a fun challenge to let our creativity shine through, but it won't be as fun for you if you're feeling stifled by what you're allowed to use.  You've got a very nice setup that I think has great potential.

[Tamberav]

For low budget... I have seen people with betta tanks take those always on tiny betta heaters and put them on a cheap light timer from Walmart and just dial it in so it turns on and off to keep temps in the right range. 

 

Amazon has a betta heater for 6 bux and a timer should be cheap as well. 

 

I realize not everyone has 30 bucks to spend on a heater or another 30 on a controller. So while this is a more challenging option... A person should be able to dial it in with their own testing/monitoring... for around 10 dollars. 

[seabass]

4 hours ago, Lisa166 said:

So maybe i should buy the stronger powerhead for the tank and use this for the 2g I'm planning on. 

But I was wondering if the flow wouldn't be too high for a 2g?

It is adjustable down to 40 gph (or 20 times turnover in a two gallon tank).  I would guess that might work.

[Tamberav]

Also if a person wants to monitor temps without leaving a large thermometer in the tank. I have several https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B074Z78F88?psc=1 and have found them to be accurate. 

 

The probe is tiny ... Just run the line with your power head or airline cord and it shouldn't add distraction.

 

Might be able to find it cheaper on ebay. Mine all came with batteries. 

[GunslingerGirl]

10 minutes ago, seabass said:

It is adjustable down to 40 gph (or 20 times turnover in a two gallon tank).  I would guess that might work.

Or be like me and stick a 240 in there lol over 100x turnover. Cyclones are fun!

[MainelyReefer]

1 hour ago, Lula_Mae said:

I am fairly certain that Brandon's vase has been running over a decade with an air bubbler and heater, not sure what he uses for a light these days.  And Maritza the Vase Reef, which can be found on Youtube, I am fairly certain is the same, and uses the ABI Tuna Blue bulb.  Natalia's bowl reef is quite impressive as well, and again, runs on an air bubbler with heater attached to a controller and a PAR bulb.  I believe Pongpit's vase reef was shown primarily as an example of a jar reef to give inspiration.  Most, if not all, of what he keeps one should be able to keep on the equipment we are allowed to use, because as has been stated previously, the focus of this contest is husbandry and not fancy equipment.  "Best" is a matter of opinion as much as anything.

 

If you have so many criticisms about this contest and the equipment allowed (which are honestly pretty liberal limitations for a contest since we are not restricted to certain brand names or equipment models), why are you participating when you could just set up a pico on your own however you want?  It's supposed to be a fun challenge to let our creativity shine through, but it won't be as fun for you if you're feeling stifled by what you're allowed to use.  You've got a very nice setup that I think has great potential.

Didn't mean to offend, just seemed unthought out because his jar has the filtration capacity of my 40gallon tank. The feeding you could do in that jar compared to others!  I'm aware of the other jars and their limitations comparatively to pongpits.  I'm 100% for the format we have, obviously would prefer filtration, but when trying to find comparable builds pongpits is vastly different.  It's not what is kept, it's the way it is kept. 

[GunslingerGirl]

Just now, GraniteReefer said:

Didn't mean to offend, just seemed unthought out because his jar has the filtration capacity of my 40gallon tank. The feeding you could do in that jar compared to others!  I'm aware of the other jars and their limitations comparatively to pongpits.  I'm 100% for the format we have, obviously would prefer filtration, but when trying to find comparable builds pongpits is vastly different.  It's not what is kept, it's the way it is kept. 

I think the point of this contest is to challenge the idea that you need a ton of equipment. This challenge is essentially a husbandry challenge.

 

Heck if we put NPS in these picos... we can.. but they would only survive if we keep up with husbandry. A filter, yes, would help with that if we could use it. But we are trying to prove we can sustain whatever we want with just good husbandry and careful management.

 

In essence what I am saying is it doesn't matter what they compare these builds to, because we should be taking them as aesthetic challenges. a sort of "can I make that happen with the challenges I am given? Do I even want to?"

[Tamberav]

I think his was given as an example as inspiration. Yes it has a lot more filtration but can we do something just as cool with less? 

 

Lack of filtration is easily made up with more water changes. So if anything it is more work depending on your choice of livestock. 

 

The only potential issue I see is trying to grow sensitive acros with leathers since no carbon but I doubt anyone is planning to add echinatas to their bowls with a toady. 

26 minutes ago, GraniteReefer said:

Didn't mean to offend, just seemed unthought out because his jar has the filtration capacity of my 40gallon tank. The feeding you could do in that jar compared to others!  I'm aware of the other jars and their limitations comparatively to pongpits.  I'm 100% for the format we have, obviously would prefer filtration, but when trying to find comparable builds pongpits is vastly different.  It's not what is kept, it's the way it is kept. 

 

[Christopher Marks]

11 hours ago, Tom@HaslettMI said:

Quick question for clarity...  what is a nanobox pico tide?  Is it different from a mini tide?

 

thanks,

Tom

As I understand it's the body of a Mini Tide light but designed for small pico reefs, so there are fewer LED diodes. I believe @DaveFason is making it custom just for the contest!

[schgr.cube]

Is this what people are using for their heater control?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M6WMUYI/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A197YPAPAP8V04&psc=1

 

I found a little Aqueon mini I had been using, but its 10w so I would only want to use it with a controller...if I need it. Although I probably will need it, as this is going in my attic office which can get a little chilly during the winter.

[Tamberav]

Won't the stainless steel probe still rust? 

4 minutes ago, schgr.cube said:

Is this what people are using for their heater control?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M6WMUYI/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A197YPAPAP8V04&psc=1

 

I found a little Aqueon mini I had been using, but its 10w so I would only want to use it with a controller...if I need it. Although I probably will need it, as this is going in my attic office which can get a little chilly during the winter.

 

[schgr.cube]

11 minutes ago, Tamberav said:

Won't the stainless steel probe still rust? 

 

I've seen a few people using Inkbird controllers on reefs, and they all seem to have the same temp probe. I'm not sure otherwise.

[SeaFurn]

19 hours ago, Clown79 said:

Will the lights alone not heat up such small pico's?

It shouldn't...it doesn't on my bowl.  Also, the light will be raised up well above the water line to give you the coverage you'll want.  (I'm speaking about the PAR38 bulbs). 

[SeaFurn]

16 hours ago, JoeR said:

Or a flat/circular heater and burying it in the sand?

This is a round one that may work for you.  It's like 3" in diameter when I was looking at it at the store.  You'll still have the wire coming out of your cylinder though. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004I6MPCS/ref=asc_df_B004I6MPCS5209520/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=395033&creativeASIN=B004I6MPCS&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167154348866&hvpos=1o3&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13676418586992096012&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9052206&hvtargid=pla-313987124614

 

 

Oh...I see you found a similar one in your next post.  Should have kept reading....

[SeaFurn]

6 hours ago, GraniteReefer said:

Was just looking at supplied threads for ideas on stocking and realized pongpits tank uses an eheim 150!! was this an overview? Maybe show us a thread of comparable equipment only, bummer too because his is clearly the best one.

Click on the link for my bowl in my signature and you can see an exact representation of the equipment allowed in this contest.  I started my bowl back in January. 

I'm using an Whisper 40 air pump, airline tubing (no airstone), an ABi 12W tuna blue bulb, a cobalt 10W mini therm heater and Finnex temp controller.  

[OldManSea]

I am in.  Have been considering a pico reef and this contest is the impetus for doing it.  Here is my terrarium-now-shallow-reef bowl.

 

 

[seabass]

25 minutes ago, Tamberav said:

Won't the stainless steel probe still rust?

Over time, it probably will.  I know that some people will coat the metal when using it in saltwater.  I've seen silicone used, but that's a little sloppy.  I would think that dipping it in an epoxy resin might look better.  Ideally, you would want a titanium probe, or one coated in plastic.  However, I wouldn't think that a little rust shouldn't cause any real problems.

[Kellie in CA]

Question:  If I attempt to do this with just sunlight and it doesn't work am I allowed to add a light later? Or do you have to use the same equipment from beginning to end? 

[Weetabix7]

40 minutes ago, Kellie in CA said:

Question:  If I attempt to do this with just sunlight and it doesn't work am I allowed to add a light later? Or do you have to use the same equipment from beginning to end? 

 

An excellent question. 

[Lisa166]

Count me in! I still need to figure out a lot. But here is a journal, and a picture of the dry bowl with condiments

 

, yes. I am a sucker for condiments. 

 

 

[JoeR]

2 hours ago, SeaFurn said:

This is a round one that may work for you.  It's like 3" in diameter when I was looking at it at the store.  You'll still have the wire coming out of your cylinder though. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004I6MPCS/ref=asc_df_B004I6MPCS5209520/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=395033&creativeASIN=B004I6MPCS&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167154348866&hvpos=1o3&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13676418586992096012&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9052206&hvtargid=pla-313987124614

 

 

Oh...I see you found a similar one in your next post.  Should have kept reading....

Yep they beat you to it!

 

my main concern really is the wire more than the size, since I can always hide it with LR. I soooo don’t want a wire running up and Over the side. But, I can’t find any of the magnet type powerheads with low enough flow. Anyone else know of any?