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UW's "kicking it old school" contest pico!


Underworld2.0

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Underworld2.0

Tank: 2.5 aqueon with rim

Light: abi 12 watt tuna blue

Filtration: seachem tidal 35 w/ matrix

Heater 1x 10w Cobalt and a aqueon 7.5 as a back up with an inkbird controller

 

I have 1.6lbs of real reef rock purchased from a local vendor @hudson valley reef and fish LLC 

 

I'm going back bottom,

Used a dollar store cutting board and cut it with the $4 Plexi cutter from home Depot 

 

Tank - $14.99

Light- $24.95

Filter- $35.00

Top- $1.00

Cutting board- $1.00

Heater(s) - $10.96 and $11.98

Inkbird- $24.95 

Rock- $16.00

 

$140.83 spent so far ! 

 

The start of my entry! To be announced March 30th

I will be taking a different approach to this build, I'm going to try some things they say " you can't do" when it comes to traditional pico reefing! 

Here's a pic, Shasta cola inside to stick with the old school theme 👍

IMG_20190324_093013_992.jpg

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Underworld2.0

Was looking around for some pics of my old set-up only found these at this point but definitely my inspiration behind this build is the memories of my builds in 2005 when these pics were taken ! 

 

Screenshot_20190206-210927~2.png

Screenshot_20190211-190544~2.png

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Underworld2.0

I will be doing some shopping tonight ! 

 

This for me will be a "Coral tank" 

 

So far I can say there will be 0 live rock.

 

And matrix in my HOB

 

Sps/monti pico! 

 

0 live rock and 0 live stock other then coral.

 

Bare/bottom lots of flow, my goal is to document coral growth in a pico reef with minimal equipment and excellent husbandry 

 

This is going to be fun

.

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Underworld2.0

Only thing I'm having issues with is my light not sure where to go, but I gotta make a choice quick ! May end up getting an abi and if I dont like it switch it out idk

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Underworld2.0

Ok so I am stuck on lights at the moment 

 

Here's my dilemma ....

 

Asta20 - seems great gets some shitty reviews, and sps growth may be non-existent

 

Par38 :

 

Abi tuna blue seems to equal the Disco ball effect that I hate about leds, but grows sps, most say the light spill is crazy and I'd have to keep it 2 feet above a pico.

 

sb reef lights makes a par38 that's $50 and comes with a gooseneck but again worried about light spill and disco

 

ai prime hd : seems like the best bet for sps, and at the same token is $200

 

reefbrite: 

lumi light pro 50/50 will sit perfect on top of a 2.5 perfect and as per an email from reefbrite has grown corals in a pico and should be perfect for this size tank

 

Micmol g3: haven't seen enough to know if this is a great option, from the pics I've seen here yet another disco ball and the colors seem off .

 

Idk what to buy but tomorrow is go time, 

thing that sucks is I've seen none of these in person.

 

I know I can put a diffuser on most of these options, as far as price the par 38 with a diffuser seems the most cost effective , but the micol I can set and forget as well as the ai prime and $100 Less then the ai ...

 

Come one jankers and janketts 

 

I'm going mostly montis and some sps, what do you suggest ... $$$$ wise ? 

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How much do you want to spend?   The AI Prime is a one and done for anything you want to do....even on a different tank in the future.  If I was spending your money, that's what I'd get! 

But - I have read that the micmol is a pretty nice from others on here.

 

I've already got 2 ABi bulbs in my storage closet so I don't have your dilemma.  

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52 minutes ago, Underworld2.0 said:

Ok so I am stuck on lights at the moment 

 

Here's my dilemma ....

 

Asta20 - seems great gets some shitty reviews, and sps growth may be non-existent

 

Par38 :

 

Abi tuna blue seems to equal the Disco ball effect that I hate about leds, but grows sps, most say the light spill is crazy and I'd have to keep it 2 feet above a pico.

 

sb reef lights makes a par38 that's $50 and comes with a gooseneck but again worried about light spill and disco

 

ai prime hd : seems like the best bet for sps, and at the same token is $200

 

reefbrite: 

lumi light pro 50/50 will sit perfect on top of a 2.5 perfect and as per an email from reefbrite has grown corals in a pico and should be perfect for this size tank

 

Micmol g3: haven't seen enough to know if this is a great option, from the pics I've seen here yet another disco ball and the colors seem off .

 

Idk what to buy but tomorrow is go time, 

thing that sucks is I've seen none of these in person.

 

I know I can put a diffuser on most of these options, as far as price the par 38 with a diffuser seems the most cost effective , but the micol I can set and forget as well as the ai prime and $100 Less then the ai ...

 

Come one jankers and janketts 

 

I'm going mostly montis and some sps, what do you suggest ... $$$$ wise ? 

I'm hoping the Asta20 will do fine since it's such a shallow tank. I wouldn't expect it to perform in 10 inches plus...but these 2.5s are pretty shallow...

 

That's what I'm telling myself at least, since I went for the Asta20...lol ... But nothing will be deeper than 5-6 inches really, so fingers crossed!

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Underworld2.0
14 minutes ago, MetaTank said:

I'm hoping the Asta20 will do fine since it's such a shallow tank. I wouldn't expect it to perform in 10 inches plus...but these 2.5s are pretty shallow...

 

That's what I'm telling myself at least, since I went for the Asta20...lol ... But nothing will be deeper than 5-6 inches really, so fingers crossed!

So honestly I remember your user name since 2005 ish when I had my first child and quit reefing, I may just take your opinion and run with it, seems super bright to me on a 2.5 and for montis and some sps it just may be the way to go!

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3 hours ago, Underworld2.0 said:

So honestly I remember your user name since 2005 ish when I had my first child and quit reefing, I may just take your opinion and run with it, seems super bright to me on a 2.5 and for montis and some sps it just may be the way to go!

Well, I joined here in 2011 when I set up my first reef tank, and then from 2015 till now I didn't actively have a tank running, so I'm just "getting back into it"...lol

 

The benefit is this tank is so small, that you can use the 60 degree lens that comes with the Asta20 without losing tank coverage, and I think the more focused light gives it a little extra oomph! LOL

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Underworld2.0

Ok so I got the chance to see an abi tuna blue in person and I loved it. 

For it's proven ability to grow sps, and the pop on the coral. I'm going this route but definitely will fabricate a diffuser 

 

So light is solved 

 

Now onto a reliable source of heat! 

 

Does anyone know if the Cobalt preset 10w will work with an inkbird, and if so do they preform well ? 

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A Little Blue
8 minutes ago, Underworld2.0 said:

Ok so I got the chance to see an abi tuna blue in person and I loved it. 

For it's proven ability to grow sps, and the pop on the coral. I'm going this route but definitely will fabricate a diffuser 

 

So light is solved 

 

Now onto a reliable source of heat! 

 

Does anyone know if the Cobalt preset 10w will work with an inkbird, and if so do they preform well ? 

I don’t see why not. Inkbird will be in charge when heater is ON and OFF. 10W should be more than enough. 

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17 hours ago, Underworld2.0 said:

Ok so I got the chance to see an abi tuna blue in person and I loved it. 

For it's proven ability to grow sps, and the pop on the coral. I'm going this route but definitely will fabricate a diffuser 

 

So light is solved 

 

Now onto a reliable source of heat! 

 

Does anyone know if the Cobalt preset 10w will work with an inkbird, and if so do they preform well ? 

I have a Cobalt Mini Therm 10w...it's not a preset, it's just on. It works with an Inkbird and I've used it with a Finnex temp controller.  

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18 minutes ago, Wingy said:

What HOB are you using?  It looks like a Tidal 35 or 55.  Does the intake pipe fit or do/did you need to cut it down?  

Pretty sure the intake on the Tidal55 would have to be cut, but looks like the 35 fits.

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Underworld2.0

It's the 35, had to cut a small portion of the inner rim to fit, but fits perfect

The 35 has no intake pipe so it's perfect for our contest, I was gonna get an AC50 but that plus a overflow box from intank I could've gotten an entire AOI reef tank, the tidal was $39 on Amazon and looks clean enough to put the heater in the tank and not take up to much room so I can actually use the filter which came with some matrix  and a cool media bag with a non corrosive zipper

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Underworld2.0

So check this out , bought an rodi unit, tds meter , ran 10gs through it ...

Tds reads 86tds 

Bought distilled from store reads 0tds every time 

Ran 25gs through rodi reads 84tds...

 

I'm gonna use the distilled at this point ..  so pissed plumbed that shit to my sink and all that..  grrrr ! 

Decided to run my tap that  reads 267tds

 

We don't drink our tap, it taste like bleach.

Just thought an rodi would have brought it to 0tds, so it's distilled water for me in upstate Ny

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21 hours ago, Underworld2.0 said:

So check this out , bought an rodi unit, tds meter , ran 10gs through it ...

Tds reads 86tds 

Bought distilled from store reads 0tds every time 

Ran 25gs through rodi reads 84tds...

 

I'm gonna use the distilled at this point ..  so pissed plumbed that shit to my sink and all that..  grrrr ! 

Decided to run my tap that  reads 267tds

 

We don't drink our tap, it taste like bleach.

Just thought an rodi would have brought it to 0tds, so it's distilled water for me in upstate Ny

The membrane may need to be rinsed out more? I just got mine about a week ago and instructions were to run 30 gallons and toss before the membrane was fully flushed out and ready for use. Haaated wasting so much water — used as much as I could on plants lol.

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Underworld2.0

So my buddy came over with his tds meter and my tap read 536, after my rodi was 112, he brought his 5stage and was still 76tdi, also he noticed I have all copper pipes, sucks but distilled it is 

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