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Ratvan's Old School Pico - Rockwall Pico v2


Ratvan

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Hello one and all,

 

So i have been lurking since I got my Clownfish in a trade, to be honest I really struggled and eventually traded her away to a friend who has been teaching me about Saltwater (and I about Fresh and Brackish). The tank has now been stripped down and returned to Freshwater use and is currently inhabited by a school of injured Corydora's from my LFS.

 

Anyways, I have been looking at this contest build and rummaging through my spares room (the basement) and I think that perhaps I can take part, with a serious amount of community help!!

Currently I have leak tested the tank, and made sure the heater fits within the Hob. I have some work to do on the lid to allow the HOB room to fit but keep the minimum exposed surface area to a minimum. 

 

Equipment

Tank: 12 Litre Cuboid Tank: (12x6x8)

Heater: I have a Nano 50W adjustable and a 15W Preset

Filter: Marina Slim S20 Power HOB Filter (I plan to add a heater within the HOB) Hydro Ripple HOB 250LPH(70GPH)

Media: Filter Floss, also I have some Ceramitex and Bio Carbon Filter Cartridges for the HOB still, are these usable?

Lights: Nicrew 6-Watt White/Blue LED  Asta 20 Saltwater LED Gooseneck

Rock: 1KG Live Rock

Sand: 1KG Live Sand

 

Livestock - Clean Up Crew

Red Legged Hermit Crab (Miss Penny Pincher. MPP for short)

Turbo Snail

Nassarius Snail 

Stomatella "Daniels" 🤣

myself with toothbrush and turkey baster

 

Livestock - Others

3x Sexy Shrimp 

1x Firecracker Goby

 

Corals - Ricordea Yuma's

Blue Ricordea Yuma

Green Ricordea Yuma 

Orange Rainbow Ricordea Yuma

Purple Ricordea Yuma

Metallic Lava Ricordea

Emerald Jewel Ricordea

 

Corals - Discosoma Mushrooms

Blue Discosoma

Red Discosoma

Tiger Tamerin Discosoma

Lava Lamp Discosoma

Opal Sparkle Discosoma

Ultra Toxic Green Discosoma

 

Water Parameters: From LFS (£10 per 10 Gallon - minimum spend)

PH: 7.9-8.2

Salinity: 1.024-1.026

Nitrate: 5-10ppm

Phosphate: Below 1ppm

Magnesium: Around 1200-1300ppm

Calcium: 400-450 ppm

Iron: about 0.01 ppm

Iodine: about 0.04 ppm

 

The plan is to keep this tank and build as simple and cheap as possible and use it to learn SW before I start to look at pretty fishes, crabs, snails, shrimp.

 

Does anyone have any input on any of my choices, or even can point me in a good place to learn more about HOBs? I gave up on these years back and switched to internal and HMF filters

 

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FULL TANK SHOTS

MARCH FULL TANK SHOT 31.03.2019

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APRIL FULL TANK SHOT 30.04.2019

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MAY FULL TANK SHOT 31.05.2019

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June FTS 30.06.2019

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July FTS 11.07.2019

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August FTS 23.08.2019

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September FTS 2019.09.02

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October FTS 2019.10.02 (and office Bitch)

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Final FTS 2019-10-24

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FTS Rockwall - 2019/12/10

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  • Like 7
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Just now, Tigahboy said:

Very cool that your first real SW build will be through this contest!  Good luck!

Thanks. I will be making it difficult for myself by only using spares and what I have lying around. I will try and keep my costs to purely Water, Sand, Rock and Macros. I have found a place that grows Macro's near me (livealgae uk) and have arranged for them to not dip so I can try and get as many hitch hikers as possible for when I order.

 

I know need to work out what it is that I want, will be easy to care for and likes low light

 

😊 

 

 

  • Like 2
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1 hour ago, Ratvan said:

Thanks. I will be making it difficult for myself by only using spares and what I have lying around. I will try and keep my costs to purely Water, Sand, Rock and Macros. I have found a place that grows Macro's near me (livealgae uk) and have arranged for them to not dip so I can try and get as many hitch hikers as possible for when I order.

 

I know need to work out what it is that I want, will be easy to care for and likes low light

 

😊

 

 

From the materials you listed, you're pretty much good to go on this little tank. Sand, rock, livestock are the only things left. But you should be able to run with the stuff you already have just fine, I don't think you're making it more difficult on yourself...If anything, it's easier because you already have all the necessary gear! 😊

  • Like 1
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4 hours ago, MetaTank said:

From the materials you listed, you're pretty much good to go on this little tank. Sand, rock, livestock are the only things left. But you should be able to run with the stuff you already have just fine, I don't think you're making it more difficult on yourself...If anything, it's easier because you already have all the necessary gear! 😊

Hmmm this is a selection of the cheap and cheerful items I have picked up over the years.... we will see. More concerned with leaving this on a weekend, longs weekends etc

 

Anywho, tin snips and a strong push okay for cutting egg crate? 

 

  • Like 2
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The Tin Snips I have at work are for sheet metal, so I am more than okay with these. Going to be chopping and playing at lunch time.

 

It seems as though I will have a slightly delayed start to the contest as my tanks position on my desk is currently occupied. I need to make some changes in my Betta set ups at home, so the guy in the photo is going into a divided tank and I get to raid the Spec 3 for spare parts for water changes, I have had this tank for years upon years (since 2011) and it is slowly giving up one part at a time. If I could have used an AIO for this contest I would be using this. 

 

So need to build and divide my home tank this weekend ready to move this fella home to make space for my SW Pico Tank, early next week. Also need to remove the plants and spread them through my Freshwater Tanks. I wonder how long some of the pothos would last in saltwater, i have had it in brackish before and it did well....hmmm might be worth a go with some of the young cuttings.

 

Also been chatting to the guys at Livealage UK, I will be picking up a "starter pack" of 4 Macro's two of which will be;

Caulerpa Taxifolia - Minimum of 5 Leaves

Caulerpa Prolifera - Minimum of 5 Leaves

Random Red 

Random

 

I am hoping to use these to remove Nitrates (and Phosphates) from my tank

 

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  • Like 3
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Wow, another new marine aquarist!  We are here to help you so don't be afraid to ask.  This could be the start of a very satisfying hobby!

  • Thanks 1
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So had a play this lunchtime, the preset filter fits in the HOB great.

 

I'm leaving these running over the weekend to see how much evaporation I get on the tank. I know it's on a windowsill and has a radiator under as well but this is the only free space I have for the tank. Plus summer in the office is hot so this is as close as I can get for a high temp test.

 

Put some egg crate down as protection for when the live rock and sand bed gets added. I'm hoping the macro will gain a good hold on the egg crate.

 

Ignore the freshwater windowsill tank as well lol that's for my plant propagation project.

 

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  • Like 2
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On 3/29/2019 at 11:53 PM, Wingy said:

I like the idea of egg crate on the back.  

Thanks, was actually the off cut for the piece on the bottom, I needed something to anchor my HOB down as the gap between the filter and glass was too big. I might be playing around with it more as I do quiet like the way it looks and seeing coral racks made of this also helps.

On 3/30/2019 at 10:50 PM, Tamberav said:

ooo your first saltwater tank? I love seeing all these new faces :biggrin:

Yeah first indeed, thankfully I didn't lose too much water through evaporation over the weekend so i am feeling a little better about that now.

On 3/31/2019 at 2:21 AM, vlangel said:

Yeah!

So the plan is to pretend that I am doing work until Lunchtime when I can pick up my Live Rock, Live Sand and Mixed Water, then I can get everything set up within that time. If not i will stay on after work to get the tank set up. I still need to strip down my Betta tank on my desk but can be doing that in the mean time, he does have a nice split tank behind me that he is going to live in from now on. 

 

Fingers crossed next update more interesting.

  • Like 1
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And we're off. 

 

Livesand taken from LFS. £5.00

Live Rock, sustainably sourced LFS £10.00.

25 Gallons pre mix salt water. £10.00.

 

Thankfully all of this came out of last months "fish budget" so I can still hopefully get my macroalgae in this months budget. Trying to keep spending down to £25 per month.

 

 

20190401_130451.jpg

 

Still not a clue what I should get in regards to Macroalgae, i think i'll go for the "starter set" and get 4 random types, unless anyone knows some nice simple ones? Also I see a few little bugs moving around on my live rock, which is really cool

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  • Like 6
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16 hours ago, Ratvan said:

And we're off. 

 

Livesand taken from LFS. £5.00

Live Rock, sustainably sourced LFS £10.00.

25 Gallons pre mix salt water. £10.00.

 

Thankfully all of this came out of last months "fish budget" so I can still hopefully get my macroalgae in this months budget. Trying to keep spending down to £25 per month.

 

 

20190401_130451.jpg

 

Still not a clue what I should get in regards to Macroalgae, i think i'll go for the "starter set" and get 4 random types, unless anyone knows some nice simple ones? Also I see a few little bugs moving around on my live rock, which is really cool

20190401_130511.jpg

20190401_130504.jpg

Looking good! Always neat to see hitchhikers on the rock. Like boom...instant life in the tank...lol

  • Like 1
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8 hours ago, Wingy said:

Nice rock.  I wish I could have a tank at work.  

The trick is to sneak it in and fill it quick, if they can lift it, they can remove it 😄 That is how i have the three i have currently/

3 hours ago, MetaTank said:

Looking good! Always neat to see hitchhikers on the rock. Like boom...instant life in the tank...lol

Yeah it's pretty cool that I can spot different creatures already, I mean I know i could with Freshwater but this is much easier to spot, however not to photograph, yet at least. I can see some sort of stringy-star thing.

 

Anyway, Water Test time. I'm really struggling to read the colours on the Saltwater version of he API Master Test Kit. Then again i couldn't read the colours on the freshwater version either. Maybe it is an issue with my eyes. So I will do what I do wand stick to "ranges"

 

Ammonia - between 0.25-0.5ppm

Nitrite - between 0-0.25ppm

Nitrate - between 5-10ppm

 

So the plan is that my Macro algae arrives either Thursday or Friday this week, once i get this planted within the Nano I will have to leave alone until I return from vacation on 22nd April. I am hoping that in this time I should have a cycle and can start to think about adding in a clean up crew and seriously consider livestock. 

 

 

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  • Like 2
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This morning, while our network was down at work I seized the chance to work on my tank, just a little bit. 

 

I dug out some egg crate and made a jump guard/lid to cover the tank. Thankfully I do not lose much due to evaporation and what I do lose I keep my Salinity at 1.025G using Distilled as a top off. 

 

Also have noticed that my live rock has started to turn. I have a few area's with a lot of Black Cyano Algae? And I believe that I am getting more Coralline (red patches?) although this could just be my wishful thinking. Of course this is me making wild guesses as I have no real idea what is what.

 

Also another Parameter test done again today, moving in the right direction I believe.

Ammonia 0.25PPM

Nitrites 0.0PPM

Nitrates 5PPM

Temperature: 79F (ranged from 76-82 overnight) 

 

Also at lunch time I need to make a phone call to see where my Macro is and when I can expect the delivery, as I am out of the country on 14th April for a week

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  • Like 4
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5 minutes ago, kimberbee said:

Fyi: fish can/will jump through egg crate!!

Thanks, I have stuck some craft mesh under the Egg Crate (2mm gaps) so I "should" be okay with jumpers. Although the more i look the more i am thinking of running inverts only, maybe even Hermit Crabs Species tank.... I don't know lol

 

So many questions and options

  • Like 1
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2 minutes ago, Ratvan said:

So many questions and options

Definitely!!

 

There are a few very small types of gobys and blennies that would do ok in a tank this small. 

  • Like 3
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8 minutes ago, kimberbee said:

Definitely!!

 

There are a few very small types of gobys and blennies that would do ok in a tank this small. 

Thanks I will keep an eye out, I wont be able to add anything until WC 22nd April at the very earliest as I will be in Japan for work, it's not that i don't trust my co workers... no it is exactly that. I am going t be fairly limited in whatever is within my LFS so not really counting on having any fish as "Nano" are hard to find for saltwater. 

 

I can find bigger things easy, Morays, Tangs, etc. Blennies and Goby's are really hard unless I want to order online (work tank rather not take the risk) 

 

Waiting on Royal Mail for my Macro's now....

  • Like 1
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