dmw913 Posted October 15, 2017 Share Posted October 15, 2017 Skull Pico Creative Container Contest Entry Build Thread Theme: Halloween in a reef! Container: Skull beverage container (glass) from World Market $25 Light: PAR30 14w 22K SUPERBLU Reef Light from CCompulsion $60 Mount: RapidLED Gooseneck Mount from BRS $35 Heater: Archaea 25w heater from Aqua Lab Aquaria $25 Flow: Homasy 80 gph fountain pump from Amazon $8 Control: MiniWIFI Smart Plug Outlet timer from Amazon $18 Therm: Coralife Digital $10 Rock: BRS Pukani $0 (had some at home) Sand: Carib Sea Hawaiian Black (1 cup from office tank-live) $0 Supplements: Microbacter7 from Brightwell Aquatics 10/15/2017: Skull acquired. Soy sauce pic posted! 11/25/2017 - 1 month in. 10 Quote Link to comment
RayWhisperer Posted October 15, 2017 Share Posted October 15, 2017 I like this idea. What are you planning to fill your cranium with, rocks? 2 Quote Link to comment
Droy008 Posted October 15, 2017 Share Posted October 15, 2017 1 hour ago, RayWhisperer said: I like this idea. What are you planning to fill your cranium with, rocks? Pretty sure he's been a bit of an air head lately. Hasn't even put up a picture of his Pico yet... 2 Quote Link to comment
RayWhisperer Posted October 15, 2017 Share Posted October 15, 2017 I like the airhead joke. Empty jar..... airhead..... it works. It's only been 11 hours, though 2 Quote Link to comment
dmw913 Posted October 16, 2017 Author Share Posted October 16, 2017 Aquascape glued and drying. Can be removed in one giant piece so I can clean the container. Will start a cure while I wait for the rest of the equipment to arrive. 9 Quote Link to comment
dmw913 Posted October 17, 2017 Author Share Posted October 17, 2017 Ok, sourced a used Nano Osmolator ATO on the classifieds here which should be shipped tomorrow. Have also cleaned up the junk under the nightstand so I can house the ATO container. Light, pump and other items arriving soon. Quote Link to comment
vlangel Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 Cool and just in time for Halloween. 1 Quote Link to comment
skibum513 Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 This may be my favorite container nice find 2 Quote Link to comment
dmw913 Posted October 19, 2017 Author Share Posted October 19, 2017 Look what arrived today!!! 4 hours ago, skibum513 said: This may be my favorite container nice find Thanks!!! You're in Utah - same as me!!! SLCounty? Drop by and see it live! 3 Quote Link to comment
dmw913 Posted October 19, 2017 Author Share Posted October 19, 2017 So, water has invaded the skull. I decided to cure the live rock/cycle in the pico container for the full experience. Also, let's be honest, I wanted to see what the container looked like full of water and lit up! Brief reviews of the items used so far: 1. Heater: Because of the curve of the skull, suction cups to not work. Otherwise, heater is incredibly small and seems to be doing the job. Have not invested in a controller at this point. I'll test temps for a couple of weeks while the live rock soaks and see if I think one is warranted. 2. $8 no-name pump: Very small footprint and moves enough water to see reasonable movement throughout the tank. No discernible noise and the suction cups were smaller so they worked. 3. Light bulb (gooseneck not here yet so I'm using a makeshift lamp for now): Very pleased. Just the right amount of blue for me given that I can't adjust the settings. Corals should pop nicely once the tank is ready. Here are a couple of shots. I used a gel filter on my iPhone and the pics are pretty close to what tank looks like to naked eye. Without gel filter, the blue blows up the phone. 3 2 Quote Link to comment
TFish77 Posted October 19, 2017 Share Posted October 19, 2017 Looking really good! I wish my main tank had a spout on it I could drain water from 1 1 Quote Link to comment
dmw913 Posted October 19, 2017 Author Share Posted October 19, 2017 A pic from this morning once the tank cleared some. The ‘scape is working well in that there is an indent in the rocks that follows the jaw line of the skull giving you two good viewing areas for coral above and below jaw line. Will add some black sand from my office tank tonight. Woooooo, scarrrry!! 5 1 Quote Link to comment
dmw913 Posted October 19, 2017 Author Share Posted October 19, 2017 13 hours ago, TFish77 said: Looking really good! I wish my main tank had a spout on it I could drain water from Thanks! Honestly, I’ve never kept a pico and I’m not in love with water changes so the fact that this container had a spout was truly a selling point. 4 Quote Link to comment
dmw913 Posted October 20, 2017 Author Share Posted October 20, 2017 Carib Sea Hawaiian Black sand (approximately 1 cup) from office tank added this evening after rinsing it in R/O water to get rid of some of the skank. I added the sand to give a bit of Halloween color to the bottom and a little biological bonus. It also cuts down on some reflection I was getting from the light bouncing of the bottom glass. I forget how nasty dry Pukani rock gets while it cures. After just 24 hours, the water is visibly cloudy as the junk starts to get circulated. I cured my rock for my Reefer 250 in Rubbermaids so I didn't see how gunky it got. Pretty fascinating, actually. I'm sure my husband will just love when it starts to smell since it's on our bedside table... 3 2 Quote Link to comment
Mariaface Posted October 21, 2017 Share Posted October 21, 2017 Spooky Rotting stuff is basically Halloween themed, right? It's decor! Careful with any magnets near that sand; I can't remember if Carib Sea sold the magnetic kind or not... 1 1 Quote Link to comment
OldManSea Posted October 21, 2017 Share Posted October 21, 2017 Very cool! Orange corals to expand on a Halloween theme.... 1 Quote Link to comment
dmw913 Posted October 22, 2017 Author Share Posted October 22, 2017 11 hours ago, Mariaface said: Spooky Rotting stuff is basically Halloween themed, right? It's decor! Careful with any magnets near that sand; I can't remember if Carib Sea sold the magnetic kind or not... Thanks! With all the bends in this glass, I’ve got a dish brush that I will use. Mag cleaners would never make it! 11 hours ago, OldManSea said: Very cool! Orange corals to expand on a Halloween theme.... You better believe it! Only Halloween corals in this bad boy! 2 Quote Link to comment
dmw913 Posted October 22, 2017 Author Share Posted October 22, 2017 Water change today. Things had skanked up and I wanted to get in the habit. Picked up a couple of frags and did some container theme decor. Radioactive dragon eyes, bam bams and some dragon’s breath to start the livestock. Getting an idea of where to place things for best view. Note the Caution tape, spider and mouse glued to top of tank. Full Halloween mode! Water change today. Things had skanked up and I wanted to get in the habit. Picked up a couple of frags and did some container theme decor. Radioactive dragon eyes, bam bams and some dragon’s breath to start the livestock. Getting an idea of where to place things for best view. Note the Caution tape and rubber mouse glued to top of tank. Full Halloween mode! My favorite part is my haunted house tix from date night tonight that randomly made it into the photo! 3 1 Quote Link to comment
dmw913 Posted October 23, 2017 Author Share Posted October 23, 2017 My two favorite things: Halloween and reefs, all rolled into one! #pumpkinnights 2017 3 1 Quote Link to comment
Lula_Mae Posted October 24, 2017 Share Posted October 24, 2017 On 10/22/2017 at 12:27 AM, dmw913 said: Water change today. Things had skanked up and I wanted to get in the habit. Picked up a couple of frags and did some container theme decor. Radioactive dragon eyes, bam bams and some dragon’s breath to start the livestock. Getting an idea of where to place things for best view. Note the Caution tape, spider and mouse glued to top of tank. Full Halloween mode! Water change today. Things had skanked up and I wanted to get in the habit. Picked up a couple of frags and did some container theme decor. Radioactive dragon eyes, bam bams and some dragon’s breath to start the livestock. Getting an idea of where to place things for best view. Note the Caution tape and rubber mouse glued to top of tank. Full Halloween mode! My favorite part is my haunted house tix from date night tonight that randomly made it into the photo! The sticker will peel off the heater if it bothers you. 1 Quote Link to comment
dmw913 Posted October 24, 2017 Author Share Posted October 24, 2017 Some of the fun of the bends in the glass: 3 4 Quote Link to comment
vlangel Posted October 24, 2017 Share Posted October 24, 2017 Wow that is super cool! 1 Quote Link to comment
dmw913 Posted October 25, 2017 Author Share Posted October 25, 2017 RapidLED gooseneck arrived and I added a little dramatic flair! This is final contest setup. Maintenance note: 95% water change tonight to prepare for new frags tomorrow. 5 1 Quote Link to comment
TFish77 Posted October 25, 2017 Share Posted October 25, 2017 1 hour ago, dmw913 said: RapidLED gooseneck arrived and I added a little dramatic flair! This is final contest setup. Maintenance note: 95% water change tonight to prepare for new frags tomorrow. So sick. I bet it looks even cooler in person with all those curves on the tank! 1 Quote Link to comment
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