TmR’s Old School Basement Pico 2.5 (a contest tank)

[Tmr8188]

 

Current fts 

 

Yup another entry.  My goal isn’t to crash this tank.  Between 3 cats and 2 kids 4 and under I’ve got a pretty nice shot.  Hell, I might manage to crash it myself.

 

tank:

Boring old rimmed 2.5 gallon aga

 

equipment:

a light, I’ll find something

 

a heater, my basement doesn’t get very warm.  I have a 75 watt cobalt or a 50 watt aqueon.  We’ll see what ends up working.

 

a filter, I originally bought a seachem tidal 55 butttt I had a mishap on my black water tank (little bit of a drip at the connection to the online heater.  Tried to tighten it.  Ended up shattering a lily pipe somehow.  Managed to fry the Kessil power supply).  Holy crap do I like the tidal though.  This pico might not be good enough to purchase another one 😝.  So I’ll find something laying around here eventually

 

I don’t know about any other equipment.  I will probably paint the back of the tank blue.  Or stick a bunch of painters tape to the back.

 

Livestock plans:

not sure, I like soft corals.

 

offical entry pic

shout out Uber eats for my late night snack that I didn’t have to share with the family

[This guy is extra salty]

19 minutes ago, Tmr8188 said:

Yup another entry.  My goal isn’t to crash this tank.  Between 3 cats and 2 kids 4 and under I’ve got a pretty nice shot.  Hell, I might manage to crash it myself.

 

tank:

Boring old rimmed 2.5 gallon aga

 

equipment:

a light, I’ll find something

 

a heater, my basement doesn’t get very warm.  I have a 75 watt cobalt or a 50 watt aqueon.  We’ll see what ends up working.

 

a filter, I originally bought a seachem tidal 55 butttt I had a mishap on my black water tank (little bit of a drip at the connection to the online heater.  Tried to tighten it.  Ended up shattering a lily pipe somehow.  Managed to fry the Kessil power supply).  Holy crap do I like the tidal though.  This pico might not be good enough to purchase another one 😝.  So I’ll find something laying around here eventually

 

I don’t know about any other equipment.  I will probably paint the back of the tank blue.  Or stick a bunch of painters tape to the back.

 

Livestock plans:

not sure, I like soft corals.

 

offical entry pic

shout out Uber eats for my late night snack that I didn’t have to share with the family

Now I want 🍕 curse you! Lol

 

great start you better have some Ninja turtles to go along with that “empty” pizza box

[Clown79]

Yum, pizza😁

 

Looking forward to seeing your new tank.

 

I too love the tidal!

[MetaTank]

Good to see anther one entering! I was thinking about a Tidal 35, but I happened to have an AC50 lying around, and I didn't even FIND OUT about the Tidals till I had committed to the  Aquaclear...lol

 

But they look like cool filters

[Tmr8188]

4 hours ago, MetaTank said:

Good to see anther one entering! I was thinking about a Tidal 35, but I happened to have an AC50 lying around, and I didn't even FIND OUT about the Tidals till I had committed to the  Aquaclear...lol

 

But they look like cool filters

Oh I love the tidal.  It’s like they looked at the Aquaclear and fixed absolutely everything wrong with them.  I can’t believe how silence it is.  Before this competition I didn’t know about the tidal either 😂

[Tmr8188]

some progress.  Found an Aquaclear 50 with media basket in my garage.  Already know that I had to get a fuge going.  The background is painters tape.  It’s spring break here and I am off with the kiddos today and there is no way I am packing them up in their car seats to Home Depot.  The fuge light is clamped to a doll’s bed.  Hoping the kids don’t notice.  I need to clean out the Aquaclear while they nap as well.  Tank should be wet today!

[vlangel]

Welcome to the contest!  The more the merrier.

[Tmr8188]

1 hour ago, vlangel said:

Welcome to the contest!  The more the merrier.

Thanks!

 

I set my neo therm to 76 and it’s flashing at 66?  Could it be dead?  I can’t find the instructions for it anywhere.

[vlangel]

 

6 minutes ago, Tmr8188 said:

Thanks!

 

I set my neo therm to 76 and it’s flashing at 66?  Could it be dead?  I can’t find the instructions for it anywhere.

If you only just added the heater, then it could be that the water is really only 66°F and the heater is on heating mode.  Basements can be pretty cold, I know ours is.

[Tmr8188]

1 hour ago, vlangel said:

 

If you only just added the heater, then it could be that the water is really only 66°F and the heater is on heating mode.  Basements can be pretty cold, I know ours is.

It’s been a few hours and no change.  Safe to say it’s a goner.

[MetaTank]

5 minutes ago, Tmr8188 said:

It’s been a few hours and no change.  Safe to say it’s a goner.

Is it fully submerged? Or is it poking out of the Aquaclear like in the pic? Where is the thermostat on those things? Could it be reading the air temp in the room?

 

LOL Sorry, I troubleshoot a lot at my job currently

[Tmr8188]

6 minutes ago, MetaTank said:

Is it fully submerged? Or is it poking out of the Aquaclear like in the pic? Where is the thermostat on those things? Could it be reading the air temp in the room?

 

LOL Sorry, I troubleshoot a lot at my job currently

I had it fully submerged in the display.  I was running filter floss in the basket to clear it up after sand went in.

[MetaTank]

2 minutes ago, Tmr8188 said:

I had it fully submerged in the display.  I was running filter floss in the basket to clear it up after sand went in.

Bummer, I'm sorry to hear that. 

 

Neotherm says unplug the heater for 30 minutes (I'd go longer) and see if it resets itself. Someone else had a similar problem here...

 

 

[Tmr8188]

I think it’s been a goner for awhile.  At least it didn’t explode 🤷‍♂️

[Tmr8188]

Update!  Looks like the 50 watt aqueon is working, heater is neatly nestled into the Aquaclear basket.  I had to cut away at the rim with a razor to get the nanobox to mount.  Hopefully there’s no catastrophe.

 

 

[Tigahboy]

Looking good!  Seems like the optimal set-up so far.  

[MetaTank]

35 minutes ago, Tmr8188 said:

Update!  Looks like the 50 watt aqueon is working, heater is neatly nestled into the Aquaclear basket.  I had to cut away at the rim with a razor to get the nanobox to mount.  Hopefully there’s no catastrophe.

 

 

I'm mounting my light on the filter itself. I'm gonna sandwich the plastic of the Aquaclear with clear acrylic to give it strength. Could do the same with your light on the tank if you're worried about the glass at all?

[Tmr8188]

1 hour ago, Tigahboy said:

Looking good!  Seems like the optimal set-up so far.  

Thanks!  I am dreading the aquascape.

1 hour ago, MetaTank said:

I'm mounting my light on the filter itself. I'm gonna sandwich the plastic of the Aquaclear with clear acrylic to give it strength. Could do the same with your light on the tank if you're worried about the glass at all?

 

So far it’s holding pretty well.  I think I might build a pedestal with a piece of ply wood on the side to mount the lights to.

[MetaTank]

Just now, Tmr8188 said:

Thanks!  I am dreading the aquascape.

 

So far it’s holding pretty well.  I think I might build a pedestal with a piece of ply wood on the side to mount the lights to.

Probably a better idea than "reinforcing" with acrylic...lol

 

And yeah, I don't know what to do for my 'scape...I'm intimidated by all the talent here!

[Tigahboy]

Just now, Tmr8188 said:

Thanks!  I am dreading the aquascape.

I'm dreading that too.  And my pico is going to be very challenging to aquascape.  

1 minute ago, MetaTank said:

And yeah, I don't know what to do for my 'scape...I'm intimidated by all the talent here!

I know.  It's almost like we are in a competition or something.  

[MetaTank]

4 minutes ago, Tigahboy said:

I'm dreading that too.  And my pico is going to be very challenging to aquascape.  

I know.  It's almost like we are in a competition or something.  

LOL I can't compete, I'm here for the free punch and pie

[This guy is extra salty]

1 hour ago, MetaTank said:

Probably a better idea than "reinforcing" with acrylic...lol

 

And yeah, I don't know what to do for my 'scape...I'm intimidated by all the talent here!

 

[Tmr8188]

3 hours ago, MetaTank said:

Probably a better idea than "reinforcing" with acrylic...lol

 

And yeah, I don't know what to do for my 'scape...I'm intimidated by all the talent here!

I hope to have some time to break out the power tools and get to work on a pedestal.  As for the aquascape I have an idea of what I want to accomplish.  I fear that the rock I have in mind might be too big.

3 hours ago, Tigahboy said:

I'm dreading that too.  And my pico is going to be very challenging to aquascape.  

I know.  It's almost like we are in a competition or something.  

I wouldn’t mind winning this.  My hands are almost as big as the tank though.

[748S911]

great start!

[Tmr8188]

On 4/3/2019 at 6:25 PM, 748S911 said:

great start!

Thanks!

 

Small update coming today