Eclipse522 Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 This will be my first pico tank but not my first saltwater tank. I want to grow some macroalgea that I cannot keep in my main tank. Snails and urchins love to eat my nice and not so cheap macroalgea. Equipment Aqueon glass aquarium 2.5 gal 12 x 6 x 8 Aquaclear 30 Tetra ht10 50 watt heater Light is a reefstar I bought used a while ago Diy temperature monitor Top off will be manually or gravity feed Livestock I don't know yet Dry/live sand and live rock Hopefully tomorrow I will add the sand rock and water. 8 Quote Link to comment
asting Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 Great start! Im using the same filter and heater and did some mods. Quote Link to comment
This guy is extra salty Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 Very nice Quote Link to comment
748S911 Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 welcome to the contest! 1 Quote Link to comment
Clown79 Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 So are you planning anything besides macros? Macros tanks are so pretty, looking forward to seeing your build 1 Quote Link to comment
MetaTank Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 Welcome to Nano-Reef! And glad to have ya in the competition! Looking forward to seeing how you set everything up, it's so much fun seeing all the different setups using very similar equipment for the most part 2 Quote Link to comment
yoshii Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 to NR! Yay, excited to see another macroalgae tank come to life 🙂 3 Quote Link to comment
Eclipse522 Posted April 10, 2019 Author Share Posted April 10, 2019 It is a start 9 Quote Link to comment
Eclipse522 Posted April 10, 2019 Author Share Posted April 10, 2019 Thanks everyone. No mod with the filter but my heater will be inside of the filter. I will have other organisms but sure what they are yet. Just need to get my hands on different types of algea. Quote Link to comment
Wendy Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 Your rock scape looks good! Just a warning caulerpa is a PITA! The only type that wasn't so invasive & I could keep to the sand bed was cactus. I had some grape culerpa take over an island of 3 rocks & deep rooted into all of them pretty much adhereing the rocks together. They mowed over all corals as well! Now red grape caulerpa is a different story, it was never as fast a grower for me. Also, dosing nitrates & phosphates will help get growth. It's been a few years for me so not sure what products are out there now. I can't wait to see how your macros progress! 2 Quote Link to comment
minimal Posted April 11, 2019 Share Posted April 11, 2019 Ooo a macro tank! I have always had a soft spot for macro algae. 😍 Clown gobies are always fun in these tanks. All the algae tends to grow lots of pods, my old yellow clown loved it! 20 hours ago, Wendy said: Your rock scape looks good! Just a warning caulerpa is a PITA! The only type that wasn't so invasive & I could keep to the sand bed was cactus. I had some grape culerpa take over an island of 3 rocks & deep rooted into all of them pretty much adhereing the rocks together. They mowed over all corals as well! Now red grape caulerpa is a different story, it was never as fast a grower for me. Also, dosing nitrates & phosphates will help get growth. It's been a few years for me so not sure what products are out there now. I can't wait to see how your macros progress! I had the same issue with grape caulerpa- red gracilaria too, come to think of it. Iron dosing helped them from getting pale/clear and melting away. Not foolproof though. Could never keep the darn stuff alive 1 1 Quote Link to comment
748S911 Posted April 11, 2019 Share Posted April 11, 2019 21 hours ago, Wendy said: Just a warning caulerpa is a PITA! I ruined my first saltwater set up with that stuff....lol it was everywhere in the rock, around corals, on the fish lol. Forgot to tell you I really like the scape! 2 Quote Link to comment
Ratvan Posted April 11, 2019 Share Posted April 11, 2019 7 hours ago, 748S911 said: I ruined my first saltwater set up with that stuff....lol it was everywhere in the rock, around corals, on the fish lol. Forgot to tell you I really like the scape! I think I am on my way to emulate that My Grape has gone transparent/sexual this morning. Waiting to see if dosing helps. Otherwise i'll be ripping it out. Ironically enough the Caulerpa Prolifera is sending out new growth like crazy, this si the one i thought i'd struggle with. Quote Link to comment
Eclipse522 Posted April 12, 2019 Author Share Posted April 12, 2019 I had lots of grape caulerpa in my main tank but it started going sexual so I had to pull a lot out. I feel it is easy to control. If it started to grow where I do not want it or go sexual, I just trim it. I don't think it is bad. I am still waiting for my order of macro from algaebarn. If anyone knows of a good place to order macroalgea, please lot me know. Quote Link to comment
seabass Posted April 12, 2019 Share Posted April 12, 2019 https://www.reefcleaners.org/aquarium-store/plants-macroalgae https://www.live-plants.com 3 Quote Link to comment
Wendy Posted April 12, 2019 Share Posted April 12, 2019 I second Live-plants.Com Years ago I got tons of cool stuff from them! I did order some things from reefcleaners too, but it's hit or miss what he might have available. Quote Link to comment
Eclipse522 Posted April 12, 2019 Author Share Posted April 12, 2019 Thanks, that was really helpful. I have been to these sites before but was not sure about them. I think I will order something from live-plants. 1 Quote Link to comment
Eclipse522 Posted April 20, 2019 Author Share Posted April 20, 2019 This is what the tank look like now. I do want to get some more zoa's. I did have an issue with the tank being too more so I set my controller lower and added a fan. I am not sure if my hairy mushroom or my blue xenia are happy. The mushroom or xenia have not fully open. They might need more time to adjust to the tank. All other corals are doing great. I just added more macroalgea, so time will tell if it will survive. I remove one of my feather duster because I was not sure if it was die. He finally come out so I will add him/her/it back into this tank tomorrow. Almost done adding to this tank. I have two snails and two scarlet hermet crabs in there. 6 Quote Link to comment
748S911 Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 really like your macro tank looks great. Quote Link to comment
Eclipse522 Posted May 10, 2019 Author Share Posted May 10, 2019 Here is my May report. So far nothing has die but my macroalgea is looking pale. The light I have over it is too strong, so I plan on getting a new one that I can control. The mangrove looks like it is doing well because I see new roots growing. I have been doing big feedings twice a week. Then a water change 10 to 15 minutes later. I have yet to buy more zoa's. I found some I liked but they were on a big rock that I would have trouble breaking up. But I am still planning on getting more zoa's. I think I will use this tank to quarantine one or two tiny captive bred green mandarin dragonette. My previous scooter benny bloated and die a few weeks ago. I had him for a few years. Anyway, I am afraid the littles ones will get lost in the main tank. They are tink. Since this tank is so small, I will be breeding some copapods on the side. These guys are captive bred so they should eat prepare foods as well. This will be his/her/ their home for 30 days. 7 1 Quote Link to comment
vlangel Posted May 10, 2019 Share Posted May 10, 2019 Hi Eclipse522, I have been negligent about meeting new folks in this contest. Sorry, its a busy time of year but thats a poor excuse. I also love macro algae tanks so of course I wanted to follow your progress. I feed my pico every day and actually added feeder shrimp so the macroalgaes would not get pale. My algaes improved immensely after I did that. I still only do a water change once a week but the shrimp help keep hair eradicated. Best of luck to you with your first pico! 4 Quote Link to comment
MainelyReefer Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 18 hours ago, Eclipse522 said: quarantine one or two tiny captive bred green mandarin dragonette. I would reccomend not QTing them and put them right into their prospective long term home Quote Link to comment
SliceGolfer Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 What is the food source for your macro? I would presume any free nitrate/phosphate is being consumed rapidly on such a small tank. A few drops of liquid nitrate (NeoNitro or similar) and maybe a drop of iron supplement would green things up a bit? 1 Quote Link to comment
Eclipse522 Posted May 13, 2019 Author Share Posted May 13, 2019 I am using my main tank water for my water changes. I will try iron and feeding the tank a little more. Would envy for plants from aquavitro be good macroalgea? This is what I have on hand for my freshwater tank. I would still have to buy some iron. I was just afriad of adding too much nutritious into such a some tank. Food source is from corals, hermit crabs, and fish food. 1 Quote Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.