Pico Reef Contest Ideas 🤔💭💡

[Sancho]

41 minutes ago, yoshii said:

Sucked it up and bought one today. So expensive for 5 panels of glass and ugly silicone

Your receipt seems to have a double post 🤔 

[vlangel]

7 hours ago, yoshii said:

Sucked it up and bought one today. So expensive for 5 panels of glass and ugly silicone

But cheap for the 7 months of joy and comraderie you will experience during this contest.  I know I am going to enjoy you being a part of this contest so thank you!

[Beer]

I should have bought the 7 or 8 that I found at a local shop and resold them here. I think I could have shipped them for less than that.

[yoshii]

2 hours ago, vlangel said:

But cheap for the 7 months of joy and comraderie you will experience during this contest.  I know I am going to enjoy you being a part of this contest so thank you!

Aww thanks Dawn, that is very true 🙂 I'm excited to have fun and be more active on NR with this contest! I can't wait to see you set up your tank!

[Friendly]

32 minutes ago, yoshii said:

Aww thanks Dawn, that is very true 🙂 I'm excited to have fun and be more active on NR with this contest! I can't wait to see you set up your tank!

good to see you Yoshii! I was wondering where you were as I saw no posting when I came back a few months ago. just as the last pico contest was starting, I met my now wife, hence I didn't participate as I had an entirely different focus. been 2 years now, so she's old hat and I can pursue other stuff again. KIDDING! well, not that she's old hat, but...STILL KIDDING! we're more settled and I can look at stuff I was interested in doing earlier...so I am.   

[kimberbee]

What's recommended to frost the back panel? Linky??

[seabass]

24 minutes ago, kimberbee said:

What's recommended to frost the back panel? Linky??

Maybe a paint, etching cream, or film.

 

 

 

 

 

[Tigahboy]

I did vinyl privacy film for the frosted look.  It's a little janky, but wanted something less permanent in case I didn't like it.  Pretty easy to apply.  

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XHXU7PU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Lingwendil]

Oh, for anybody looking for a heater and filter combo, the Azoo mignon 150 will fit a Marina 10W  heater inside, and they are both cheap! $11 and $12 on Amazon, respectively-

 

 

 

Figured this may help someone out if they're on a budget or may be addicted to Amazon Prime like I am 🙂

[DaVinciClown]

1 minute ago, Lingwendil said:

Oh, for anybody looking for a heater and filter combo, the Azoo mignon 150 will fit a Marina 10W  heater inside, and they are both cheap! $11 and $12 on Amazon, respectively-

 

 

 

Figured this may help someone out if they're on a budget or may be addicted to Amazon Prime like I am 🙂

Thanks! I also have the Mignon 150 and have been looking for heaters 🙂 ordered a cobalt mini therm last night but will switch if it doesn’t fit in the chamber

[Tigahboy]

6 minutes ago, Lingwendil said:

Oh, for anybody looking for a heater and filter combo, the Azoo mignon 150 will fit a Marina 10W  heater inside, and they are both cheap! $11 and $12 on Amazon, respectively-

 

 

 

Figured this may help someone out if they're on a budget or may be addicted to Amazon Prime like I am 🙂

Thanks!  Good info.

[pricewayne]

1 hour ago, kimberbee said:

What's recommended to frost the back panel? Linky??

Just saw a vid on this! Skip to about the 2:00 minute mark if you want to skip all the mumbo jumbo intro'ing.

 

 

[Lingwendil]

I usually just go pick out a suitable-looking shade of blue or black from the paint swatches at home depot or similar, and have them mix a tester portion, usually enough to do smaller tanks no problem.

[This guy is extra salty]

On 4/1/2019 at 11:55 AM, Lingwendil said:

Oh, for anybody looking for a heater and filter combo, the Azoo mignon 150 will fit a Marina 10W  heater inside, and they are both cheap! $11 and $12 on Amazon, respectively-

 

 

 

Figured this may help someone out if they're on a budget or may be addicted to Amazon Prime like I am 🙂

I love budget builds!

 

looks good where are your to put the Chaeto?

[DaVinciClown]

Was looking for acrylic to make a lid on amazon, and found this “tank.” Could look slick. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Clear-Plastic-Box-12/dp/B075LVHCG5/ref=mp_s_a_1_26?keywords=acrylic+fish&qid=1556346868&s=gateway&sr=8-26

[RudyEnt]

My new addition to the tank.  A Ruby Red Scooter Dragonet.

[seabass]

15 minutes ago, RudyEnt said:

My new addition to the tank.  A Ruby Red Scooter Dragonet.

Are you feeding live foods?

[RudyEnt]

On 5/21/2019 at 4:59 PM, seabass said:

Are you feeding live foods?

Yes, both rotifers and baby brine.

[senorgarzilla]

Just found this topic. Is this still going on?

[seabass]

11 minutes ago, senorgarzilla said:

Just found this topic. Is this still going on?

Yep, it ends on Oct 27th.

 

[RudyEnt]

Question,  to our community?  I removed the black sand I had at the beginning of the contest because I thought it was causing my corals and flowers not to open.  When I did they responded positive with the change. My question is should I try putting the black sand in again to see what happens or leave it bare bottom?

[allesluge]

23 minutes ago, RudyEnt said:

Question,  to our community?  I removed the black sand I had at the beginning of the contest because I thought it was causing my corals and flowers not to open.  When I did they responded positive with the change. My question is should I try putting the black sand in again to see what happens or leave it bare bottom?

Sand could keep detritus and generate problems in a small water volume, if you add it, you should vacuum regularly, also maybe two clowns is to much bio load. For 2.5 gal.

It is looking good 

[SeaFurn]

10 hours ago, RudyEnt said:

Question,  to our community?  I removed the black sand I had at the beginning of the contest because I thought it was causing my corals and flowers not to open.  When I did they responded positive with the change. My question is should I try putting the black sand in again to see what happens or leave it bare bottom?

I think it looks good.

I’m running my pico BB and I’m loving it. 

I’d stick with it for a bit longer and see how you feel about in a couple of weeks. 

[kimdawg]

Black sand would give you a cool contrast with the colors you have in there, but I am BB as well.  I decided to try no sand in this tank because all of my previous tanks have had sand.  I love it because it is quick and easy to clean.  I guess it is a personal preference and could be dictated by any live stock you want to add.

[Tired]

Here's a suggestion: a macroalgae "reef". 90% or so of intentionally placed non-mobile life-forms should be macroalgaes, with allowance for a little bit of coral to add a pop of different colors. That's going to vary a bit depending on what people can buy locally or are willing to get shipped in, but I've seen some pretty cool tanks set up with nothing but a couple kinds of macro and some clever positioning of various items. The bonus is, a lot of them are pretty easy to grow with the right equipment, so beginners could have a go at it too. A lot of them also tend to be pretty inexpensive- $10-$20 a starter chunk. And they don't get enough appreciation! True, they aren't corals, but they grow amongst corals sometimes, and macro-dominated areas are kind of like reefs. 

 

Alternately, how about ultra-mini picos? Under a gallon and a half, let's say. No fish, of course, exact shape and size up to the competitors.

 

Either could have a cap put on the expenditure. Or, to make it fair between those who have closets full of things and those who don't, put a limit on the total retail value of the equipment.