Yoshii's Old School 2.5g Hawaiian Pico 🌴

[Break]

Excited to see the upgrade!

 

Quite interested to see the Ice Probe set-up; a HOB set-up doesn't sound too bad. I remember using an external JBJ Chiller back in my metal halide days - efficient as hell, but was always worried it would spring a leak!

 

[East1]

Tagging for the upgrade! 

 

I really like peltier cooling, used it a bit on my nepenthes systems previously before I figured out reliable evap cooling. 

[yoshii]

On 6/18/2020 at 7:28 AM, Tamberav said:

I have used the Aquatop tanks before and they held up just fine 🙂

 

Your tank is looking really nice! 

Good to know, thanks!

On 6/19/2020 at 11:31 AM, Christopher Marks said:

Congrats on the new tank @yoshii, that's exciting!

 

I remember an original HOB ice probe design that used an AquaClear filter and I'm pretty sure had the ice probe mounted underneath it, through a hole drilled in the bottom of the AquaClear filter chamber. It seems the probe can work mounted from any direction, if that helps your design. I think you're on the right track with using a taller container for the chiller that can sit beside it and overflow into the tank. You might consider having something made from acrylic, it could even hide the chiller probe entirely with opaque material. Long time community sponsor Micro Reefs Aquariums could make something for you I bet, Mike does a lot of work with these chillers.

Thanks CM! Yeah I definitely need to look into container options. Plus I'm sure there are many more options available now compared to ten years ago when I set up my old pico (wow it's been 10yrs?!)

 

I had talked to Mike from Micro-Reefs before I bought this Iceprobe, he told me about the different mounting options. I think I might mount it from the side or back of whatever container I end up using. It just needs clearance for air flow.

 

Thanks, I will have to look into acrylic options, that would look a lot nicer too!

[yoshii]

On 6/20/2020 at 1:40 PM, Break said:

Excited to see the upgrade!

 

Quite interested to see the Ice Probe set-up; a HOB set-up doesn't sound too bad. I remember using an external JBJ Chiller back in my metal halide days - efficient as hell, but was always worried it would spring a leak!

 

Thanks! I'm excited to upgrade!

 

I did look at their 1/15hp chillers, but they were pretty expensive. Even my little Iceprobe setup was about $200 total.

Why were you worried it would leak?

 

On 6/22/2020 at 4:15 AM, East1 said:

Tagging for the upgrade! 

 

I really like peltier cooling, used it a bit on my nepenthes systems previously before I figured out reliable evap cooling. 

Thanks for checking out the thread!

 

Are you using fans for evap cooling?

[Break]

2 minutes ago, yoshii said:

Thanks! I'm excited to upgrade!

 

I did look at their 1/15hp chillers, but they were pretty expensive. Even my little Iceprobe setup was about $200 total.

Why were you worried it would leak?

The chiller itself was fantastic, I guess it was more the pump set-up running to the cooler I was worried about. Was my first reef tank and had no idea what I was doing at the time 😅 

[yoshii]

2 hours ago, Break said:

The chiller itself was fantastic, I guess it was more the pump set-up running to the cooler I was worried about. Was my first reef tank and had no idea what I was doing at the time 😅 

Haha it sounds like it didn't leak so that's good! I don't think I even knew what a chiller was when I set up my first reef tank

[yoshii]

A short update,

Inter-island travel opened up with no more mandatory 14 day quarantine, so I got to go to Kaua'i (for the first time) for a weekend trip, it was beautiful! It was very weird but really nice not to have tourists everywhere.

 

Then I got an infection from waterfall mud when I got back to O'ahu 😅 All is good now so I finally got to leak test the new tank!

[yoshii]

I also picked up some dry rock and sand from the LFS the other week.

 

And yesterday I had my first "issue" with using the iceprobe chiller. I have it mounted on top of my HOB filter, but yesterday afternoon the impeller got stuck and water stopped flowing. The temp probe in the tank still registered the tank temp as getting higher, so the inkbird kept the iceprobe on. I think it was like this for at least 2 hours, it developed some ice on it!

 

I took apart the HOB impeller, I think it must have been a grain of sand that got in there (Finding Nemo!). It's working now and the chiller is re-installed. Good thing that didn't happen when I was on vacation!

[East1]

3 hours ago, yoshii said:

Thanks! I'm excited to upgrade!

 

I did look at their 1/15hp chillers, but they were pretty expensive. Even my little Iceprobe setup was about $200 total.

Why were you worried it would leak?

 

Thanks for checking out the thread!

 

Are you using fans for evap cooling?

Kinda, with plants it's a little different, I've basically built the entire growing substrate onto a swamp cooler so the whole thing cools itself just via passive air movement aided by the water used for irrigation. I do use a fan in the room it's in when it gets really hot which helps with cooling

[debbeach13]

So glad you were home. Ice  Ice not nice baby!

[Break]

9 hours ago, yoshii said:

I also picked up some dry rock and sand from the LFS the other week.

 

And yesterday I had my first "issue" with using the iceprobe chiller. I have it mounted on top of my HOB filter, but yesterday afternoon the impeller got stuck and water stopped flowing. The temp probe in the tank still registered the tank temp as getting higher, so the inkbird kept the iceprobe on. I think it was like this for at least 2 hours, it developed some ice on it!

 

I took apart the HOB impeller, I think it must have been a grain of sand that got in there (Finding Nemo!). It's working now and the chiller is re-installed. Good thing that didn't happen when I was on vacation!

I had an AquaClear 20 for the last few years on my pico with an inTank media basket. Worked great, but every now and then the impeller would get stuck and I'd have to poke it with a paperclip to get it to "catch" and start again.

 

I've found many of the impellers on HOBs like to randomly get stuck.  I would guess most of them are some kind of ac reluctance motor? Keeping the impeller and other parts clean will help, but still happened to me here and there.

 

That ice is nuts - definitely looks effective at cooling!

[yoshii]

11 hours ago, East1 said:

Kinda, with plants it's a little different, I've basically built the entire growing substrate onto a swamp cooler so the whole thing cools itself just via passive air movement aided by the water used for irrigation. I do use a fan in the room it's in when it gets really hot which helps with cooling

Wow sounds like a genius setup! Do you know how much it's able to cool the water that way?

7 hours ago, debbeach13 said:

So glad you were home. Ice  Ice not nice baby!

I know! It was crazy to see the ice buildup 😦 But it melted off pretty quickly

2 hours ago, Break said:

I had an AquaClear 20 for the last few years on my pico with an inTank media basket. Worked great, but every now and then the impeller would get stuck and I'd have to poke it with a paperclip to get it to "catch" and start again.

 

I've found many of the impellers on HOBs like to randomly get stuck.  I would guess most of them are some kind of ac reluctance motor? Keeping the impeller and other parts clean will help, but still happened to me here and there.

 

That ice is nuts - definitely looks effective at cooling!

Yes I've noticed that on previous Aquaclears. One old one I'd have to paperclip start it every time I plugged it back in after tank maintenance. But I tried that with this one and it was very stuck. I had to use large tweezers to wiggle out the impeller.

 

I did notice some sand was in the filter chamber, so it must have been getting sucked up through the HOB somehow. I should just clean it more often 😅

[East1]

2 hours ago, yoshii said:

Wow sounds like a genius setup! Do you know how much it's able to cool the water that way?

 

not sure about the water temp, I focus more on the temp of the root zone, where it's able to get a few degrees c

[cheesesteak]

That ice on the probe is wild  

 

I can't wait to see you set up the new tank! 

[yoshii]

Finally got around to rinsing the sand and rock and putting actual saltwater in the new tank!

 

I had another bigger rock from the LFS, but I think it's too big. I may chisel it later, but for now I'll probably just have this smaller rock and see what it looks like when I transfer rock from the 2.5g.

Today I'm going to try to see if I can find a tall plastic container to make into a "HOB", and get water circulating.

I'm interested to see how the IceProbe will handle chilling 6 gallons of water...but I'm not very optimistic with the rising summer temps. Last weekend I was out of town and had the room door and windows closed. When I got back Sunday afternoon, the chiller was on and temp read 80.4. Since the chiller turns on at 80, and the temp has never been higher than that, it must mean the chiller was unable to keep up. We'll see how it does with the 6g. Or if I just continue keeping tidepool critters, then maybe higher temps won't even be a problem! 🤞

 

[yoshii]

New tank progress has been on hold until I can get an appropriate container for my diy HOB. Checked out a local store and didn't find anything to my liking. I might try to order online.

 

In the mean time, look at this cool tiny fish I found while snorkeling today! (And a cute little turtle for bonus pic)

 

 

The fish is about 3" long, and was just swimming about 2-3' below the surface. I followed it around and couldn't figure out what it was...so I scooped it up with my hand and ended up taking it home.

I think it might be a tiny conger eel, most likely the Large Eyed Conger, Ariosoma marginatum, which is endemic to Hawaii.

 

Soooo it's currently in the pico until I figure out what I want to do with it 😅 If it's super shy it might be hard to feed, then I'll probably let it go. But if not, it would definitely be a cool fish to keep!

[Snow_Phoenix]

16 minutes ago, yoshii said:

New tank progress has been on hold until I can get an appropriate container for my diy HOB. Checked out a local store and didn't find anything to my liking. I might try to order online.

 

In the mean time, look at this cool tiny fish I found while snorkeling today! (And a cute little turtle for bonus pic)

 

 

The fish is about 3" long, and was just swimming about 2-3' below the surface. I followed it around and couldn't figure out what it was...so I scooped it up with my hand and ended up taking it home.

I think it might be a tiny conger eel, most likely the Large Eyed Conger, Ariosoma marginatum, which is endemic to Hawaii.

 

Soooo it's currently in the pico until I figure out what I want to do with it 😅 If it's super shy it might be hard to feed, then I'll probably let it go. But if not, it would definitely be a cool fish to keep!

I love eels - that one is adorable! 

[seabass]

It's so interesting to see what you come across.

[Merthynia]

Wow I love your tiny eel! 

[yoshii]

On 7/18/2020 at 9:13 PM, Snow_Phoenix said:

I love eels - that one is adorable! 

It is very cute!

On 7/18/2020 at 11:07 PM, seabass said:

It's so interesting to see what you come across.

I am also excited and surprised to come across these finds!

On 7/19/2020 at 4:46 PM, Merthynia said:

Wow I love your tiny eel! 

It's super cute!

 

It's been hiding during the day, but swimming around at night. I have some live amphipods and copepods I'm going to feed at night. Hopefully I can easily switch to frozen

[yoshii]

Last weekend we we supposed to get hit by Hurricane Douglas, but thankfully it changed course last minute and Oahu was barely effected.

 

So this weekend I went snorkel collecting! The new tank isn't fully running yet but I figured for now I can throw some algae in there.

Here's the algae haul (+ 2 turbos) the branching coralline is my fav

 

But I also found some other cool critters!

The perfect size brittle star.

The coolest was this bobtail squid! Normally they are nocturnal and bury in the sand, so this must be a senescent male on its way out. Despite this, he still gave quite the chase! Very cool to see him change color up close. I took a video too, I'll post later.

 

 

 

And finally, I scooped up a tiny blue streak, which turned out to be a juvi Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasse! If I can get it to eat preferred foods, it would be cool to keep short term. 

[A.m.P]

You've got some serious talent to be able to scoop up all these awesome critters.

[Tigahboy]

Wow

[yoshii]

2 hours ago, Amphrites said:

You've got some serious talent to be able to scoop up all these awesome critters.

Haha thanks but it's really all about getting lucky with a Ziploc baggie 😂

I also did spent about 4 hours in the water

1 hour ago, Tigahboy said:

Wow

Thanks! I saw you added some branching coralline to your tank, are you gluing it down?

[Tigahboy]

9 minutes ago, yoshii said:

Thanks! I saw you added some branching coralline to your tank, are you gluing it down?

Yah, probably going to super glue em down. Snails have already knocked them over a couple times.