Setting Up Pico Reef... advice on my supplies list please!

[aclman88]

Hey all!

 

I am in the process of turning my Imagitarium 3.7 Pro aquarium into a pico reef and have been creating a spreadsheet that outlines the setup including the budget, items I think I need (including links/prices), possible items I may want, and a list of some fauna I'm considering.  

 

Feel free to check out the spreadsheet and give me any feedback!!!!

 

Thank you!

 

 

 

[ninjamyst]

1.  

Chemi-Pure Blue - Nice to have but water change is sufficient.  And you want the nano packets and not the bigger bags for such a small tank.

Purigen - You don't need it.  Chemi-pure blue has the same thing in it.

Reef Test Kit - You don't need it for such a small pico tank.  I assume you not going to go crazy with SPS.

Saltwater Test Kit - Nice to have but for such a small tank, just have your LFS test your water for you when you are cycling.

Sand - Get it for free.  Find a local reef forum or find local reefers and see if anyone can give you some free sand.  Folks with 100+ gallon tanks can spare some sand easily for you.

Reef Saver Rock (4 lbs) - You need this 😃

Homasy 400GPH Submersible Pump - You need this 😃

Zetlight ZA-1201 Wifi - You need this 😃

Salt (160 gallons Worth) - Where are you getting RODI water from?  I don't see a RODI unit on your list and they cost $100+ so I assume you not getting one.  If that's the case, I assume you are getting RODI water from your LFS?  If so, may as well as buy saltwater from them too.  For a 4g tank, you can easily survive on weekly 1 gallon water change at $1.50 per gallon.

Refractometer - Won't need it if you get water from LFS

Reef Chili - Won't need it in the beginning.

MicroBacter7 - I assume this is to jumpstart your cycle?  If so, sure.

[aclman88]

Thank you for the help!   Good to know there are some things I can get rid of to start off and save some money.  

 

I was planning on buying purified/RO water from the CVS or grocery store near me.  Would this work?  For such a small tank I wasn't planning on investing in an RODI unit just yet.  The only pet store close by is Petco, and I am not sure if they sell premixed saltwater, nor do I necessarily trust the employees at the particular location near my house to do so correctly.  If I end up needing to mix my own then I know I would need the refractometer.

 

For the sump in the back of the tank (there are three sections if you aren't familiar with the tank) I was thinking of creating a small media rack out of some plastic canvas I have sitting around and running chemi-pure, ceramic media and some filter floss.  The middle section would house some extra live rock and the third will have the pump and heater.  I think I would still get a saltwater test kit because I like to stay up on the testing myself (I enjoy it actually).  Good to know about the reef kit and no... based on what Ive researched I will be sticking with some easier LPS (such as Candy Canes/Zoas, and soft corals.

 

What are your thoughts on the Zetlight?  I figured I would like to spend the extra money over a standard PAr38 bulb to be able to control the amount of light and color.

 

For Reef Chili (or other foods), are there any you recommend for the coral I mentioned above?  I know that they have a symbiotic relationship with algae that provide much of their nutrition, but I was under the assumption I would need to supplement.

[ninjamyst]

RO water is ok and if that's all you got near you, it's better than tap.  I would suggest you get only 25 - 50 gallons of salt to begin with.  Get a sealed, airtight container to store it.  At the rate you will be using salt, if you keep the 160 gallons of salt for too long, air will get into the bucket and your salt will become rock hard.  

 

If you dont have a LFS near you for water test, then the test kit is good.  But do not get the API Reef kit, API is not good for calcium or alk tests but like I said before, you probably don't need to test for those as long as you keep up with water change and you mix your water correctly at the right salinity.  

 

I never used the Zetlight before so can't comment on it.  But if you can find an used Kessil A80, it may just be $10 - $20 more.  The Kessil won't have the wifi control stuff but it will be a more powerful light.

 

Your corals don't necessarily need Reef Chili or other food, especially when your tank is new.  Light provides all they need, hence why light is so important in this hobby.  I have bought Reef Chili and other coral food.  I end up throwing most of them away because they expire and I don't use them that often.  

 

 

[ksadam]

Agree with @ninjamyst, don't need the purigen or test kits, I personally run chemipure blue nano packets in my pico and do 1 gallon water changes weekly. Ask local reefers for sand and possibly some cycled rock and water? If you got rock, sand and water local from someone you could skip the microbacter. I've heard good things about the Zetlight, I do not have one personally though. I have a refractometer like the one you have listed if you want to pay to ship it I can send it to you. 

[aclman88]

Ok, so moving forward I will stick to the Chemo-Blue Nano packets and forgo on the perigean and stick to 1 gallon weekly water changes.  I found a A80 with gooseneck on eBay for $110 including shipping so I might keep my eye out for them in the future.  The Zetlight I have found includes wifi controller which I thought would be a nice addition and offer a little more control; I would like to be able to dim the light when the wife and I are at home in the evening.

 

I wasn't sure if I should get sand and rock since it might come with hitchhikers that I would avoid if I started with dry reef saver rock.  Plus, $10 for some sand is definitely within my budget and I wouldn't have to worry about bagging and transporting wet sand.  Any ideas about how to contact local reefers?  I am located in Queens/NYC area.

[ninjamyst]

you are in Queens / NYC area and there are no LFS near by?  There are probably LOTS of local reefers willing to help out a new reefer and lots of LFS near you....

[aclman88]

I guess I misspoke... I know that there are definitely LFS nearby, but with traffic it would be about an hour (round trip) in commuting just to travel a few miles to get premixed saltwater.  If I could buy a few gallons at a time and use it over the course of a month that would be more feasible for me than having to pick some up once a week.  Btw, I have no problems traveling to a LFS for coral, sand, live rock, etc... I meant specifically for the sole purpose of getting premixed water.  Hope that makes sense!

 

I'm sure there are a lot of local reefers, I just have no idea where to find them or how to contact them.  I was just asking if you knew the best way to get into contact with local reefers; i.e. are there specific forums, subreddits, etc that are active that would allow me to get into contact with them?   

 

I am totally new to reefing so I don't really know how to find other reefers.  For example, I have a planted freshwater tank and the subreddits aqua swap and planted tank have been really helpful.

 

 

[Clown79]

I would use distilled water over RO.

 

Distilled is pure as is rodi but RO still has stuff in it, only 1 step above tap- good for human consumption but may cause issues.

 

Also machines in stores aren't always properly managed.

 

Refractometer is highly recommended, I'd have one even if I purchased my saltwater pre mixed to clarify correct salinity.

 

I personally like to test even my pico for nitrates and alkalinity. 

 

The kessil is a good light. There are also many budget lights out there.

 

 

[aclman88]

14 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

I would use distilled water over RO.

 

Distilled is pure as is rodi but RO still has stuff in it, only 1 step above tap- good for human consumption but may cause issues.

 

Also machines in stores aren't always properly managed.

 

Refractometer is highly recommended, I'd have one even if I purchased my saltwater pre mixed to clarify correct salinity.

 

I personally like to test even my pico for nitrates and alkalinity. 

 

The kessil is a good light. There are also many budget lights out there.

 

 

What would be the budget light recommendations for my tank?  Only looking to grow LPS and soft corals.

[Clown79]

24 minutes ago, aclman88 said:

What would be the budget light recommendations for my tank?  Only looking to grow LPS and soft corals.

On a 3.7 if you don't want to spend money on a kessil a80

 

The hiperagero, abi tuna blue par 38, or asta 20 would be the budget lights most use.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Sanrise-A029-Knight-Aquarium-Mount/dp/B01ETQ92AE/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=hiperagero&qid=1561409210&s=gateway&sr=8-3-spell

 

https://www.amazon.com/Leite-Aquarium-Spectrum-Channels-Saltwater/dp/B075H8QN4R/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?keywords=asta+20+marine&qid=1561409269&s=gateway&sr=8-2

 

 

https://www.amazon.com/ABI-Coral-Optimized-Spectrum-PAR38/dp/B01LWP37SD/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?keywords=abi+tuna+blue&qid=1561409325&s=gateway&sprefix=abi+tuna&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

[aclman88]

36 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

On a 3.7 if you don't want to spend money on a kessil a80

 

The hiperagero, abi tuna blue par 38, or asta 20 would be the budget lights most use.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Sanrise-A029-Knight-Aquarium-Mount/dp/B01ETQ92AE/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=hiperagero&qid=1561409210&s=gateway&sr=8-3-spell

 

https://www.amazon.com/Leite-Aquarium-Spectrum-Channels-Saltwater/dp/B075H8QN4R/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?keywords=asta+20+marine&qid=1561409269&s=gateway&sr=8-2

 

 

https://www.amazon.com/ABI-Coral-Optimized-Spectrum-PAR38/dp/B01LWP37SD/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?keywords=abi+tuna+blue&qid=1561409325&s=gateway&sprefix=abi+tuna&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

Thanks a bunch!  I was actually looking at the Tuna Par38 just wasn't sure if I didn't like that it wasn't dimmable... Is this really an issue or would I just have to raise the light higher if it ends up being too brighT?

[Clown79]

5 minutes ago, aclman88 said:

Thanks a bunch!  I was actually looking at the Tuna Par38 just wasn't sure if I didn't like that it wasn't dimmable... Is this really an issue or would I just have to raise the light higher if it ends up being too brighT?

I have the tuna blue. Great light. Love the colour pop and my corals always did great under it.

 

Par38's are often not dimmable, so the best way would be to raise it. I've even used electrical tape over the leds on a 24w bulb. 

 

The 12w should be good on a 3.7

[Lula_Mae]

10 hours ago, aclman88 said:

Thank you for the help!   Good to know there are some things I can get rid of to start off and save some money.  

 

I was planning on buying purified/RO water from the CVS or grocery store near me.  Would this work?  For such a small tank I wasn't planning on investing in an RODI unit just yet.  The only pet store close by is Petco, and I am not sure if they sell premixed saltwater, nor do I necessarily trust the employees at the particular location near my house to do so correctly.  If I end up needing to mix my own then I know I would need the refractometer.

 

For the sump in the back of the tank (there are three sections if you aren't familiar with the tank) I was thinking of creating a small media rack out of some plastic canvas I have sitting around and running chemi-pure, ceramic media and some filter floss.  The middle section would house some extra live rock and the third will have the pump and heater.  I think I would still get a saltwater test kit because I like to stay up on the testing myself (I enjoy it actually).  Good to know about the reef kit and no... based on what Ive researched I will be sticking with some easier LPS (such as Candy Canes/Zoas, and soft corals.

 

What are your thoughts on the Zetlight?  I figured I would like to spend the extra money over a standard PAr38 bulb to be able to control the amount of light and color.

 

For Reef Chili (or other foods), are there any you recommend for the coral I mentioned above?  I know that they have a symbiotic relationship with algae that provide much of their nutrition, but I was under the assumption I would need to supplement.

to Nano-Reef!  I keep exclusively picos and teeny nanos (tried a 15 gallon/14 gallon and it was just too big lol).  Your list looks pretty good, you'll definitely want the nano packs if you go with Chemipure Blue, or you could even buy and bag your own carbon eventually, which many do to save money.  A basic saltwater test kit isn't strictly necessary (I am the laziest tester ever and went a good 8 years without a kit) but it can be useful and if you're cycling from dry rock I would definitely recommend one (that's what got me to finally buy one).  Based on my personal experiences, if you can get good live rock I would suggest doing so as you'll get more biodiversity and pests can easily hitchhike in on frags (I've battled dinos in all my exclusively dry-rock tanks and I'm over it lol).  Getting sand from another reefer could be hit or miss if they have pesty critters in their tank; the bag you linked will give you plenty of sand without having too much leftover.  IIRC, oolite tends to be a pretty fine grained sand.  I've used Fiji Pink and been happy with it. 

 

You'll definitely want a good strong pump and you may find you even need a little more flow so you may need a tiny powerhead in the future.  The pump you linked is definitely worth a shot, I think, if it fits in your chamber.  I'd suggest maybe buying an even smaller amount of salt, like the 25 gallon pack, since it comes in bags rather than buckets, at least until you have a feel for how fast you go through salt, because it definitely hardens up over time or if exposed to humidity/moisture (in my experience).  You can also go with basic Instant Ocean, I used that for several years and only switched because I hated the little bit of white particulates that wouldn't dissolve (I use AquaForest Sea Salt now and like it).  The Microbacter (and a pure ammonia source) will be necessary if you do a dry rock tank, and I would suggest keeping a small bottle of Microbacter on hand for emergencies (I've also used BioSpira and like it too).  I would also suggest a small bottle of Seachem Prime for emergencies; it binds ammonia into a less toxic form for a day or so and is great to have on hand in case you have an ammonia spike (a snail dies or something).  Another thing I'd suggest adding to your shopping list for down the road is a battery powered air pump; if the power ever goes out for an extended period of time, it may save your tank.  I got one for around $10 on Amazon after seeing it noted here.  I also found another at an LFS that can be plugged it and will come on automatically if the power goes out (should probably add to my tank lol).  They usually need D batteries which I buy on Amazon and keep with my tank gear.  If you want I can try to dig up the names of the brands.  I would also suggest some Lugol's iodine once you start adding corals; I use it as an all purpose coral dip.  It's not always the best for pests but it can be really helpful if corals are ailing; I've had it help some bounce back from being nearly gone.  Just bought a new bottle, in fact, since mine was nearly out.

 

I definitely recommend a refractometer even if you choose to buy salt water from the LFS because LFS have been known to have wonky salinity at times, with sometimes devastating effects on people's reefs.  You shouldn't really need a TDS meter, and I'd suggest distilled water over RO as distilled is basically equivalent to RO/DI (completely pure).  I used it for years and usually bought it from Walmart (purple cap).  Reef Chili and other foods you can wait on till things start getting established.  I know Brandon of the 1-gallon-reef-vase fame recommends heavy feedings of corals followed by large (100% in his tank) water changes, but the feeding is something you can wait on till your tank gets more established (corals don't strictly need feeds but many people find their corals do better with feedings).  I'm not familiar with the light you linked; I'd do some searches to see if anyone has used it on a reef tank.  The ones clown suggested are good ones; I've used the Tuna blue for a short time (was too blue for my taste, but Natalia has used it over her reef bowl with amazing results, and it does make corals pop), as well as the ABI blue & white bulb; the challenge they have is that the optics are narrow so it needs to be raised fairly high so as not to burn lower-light stuff in the tank.  I've used Coral Compulsion PAR bulbs as well and the Lumini Asta I liked because I could program the color and I put it on a basic timer for a light cycle.  Not as fancy as my AI Prime but for the price and the size tank it's an excellent budget option.  I haven't tried the Hipergaro but have contemplated it as I hear good things about it.  I want to say sandeep has a small tank with the Hipergaro over it, but am not positive.

 

As far as live rock in the back, I'd skip it, especially if you're doing some ceramic media.  It can trap detritus which you don't want as it can cause nutrient issues in the tank.  I'd make sure the ceramic media is easy to rinse out so detritus doesn't build up in that.  I made a little basket for my AquaClear to hold some Marinepure gems (I wanted it to be a good place for pods but still easy to rinse out).  I used plastic canvas and zip ties.  For a budget ATO you can look up how to use a hamster/guinea pig/rabbit water bottle to make an ATO; I haven't tried it but I believe Nano Sapiens uses a pair on his tank that is about a decade old.  I've never used GFO so can't really comment on that.  If you choose to go with a PAR bulb I can point you to the task lamp I've used twice with PAR bulbs that I really like, and was not expensive on Amazon (around $16-18 when I got it).  I know this was a lot of information but I hope you find it helpful!

 

[aclman88]

9 hours ago, Lula_Mae said:

to Nano-Reef!  I keep exclusively picos and teeny nanos (tried a 15 gallon/14 gallon and it was just too big lol).  Your list looks pretty good, you'll definitely want the nano packs if you go with Chemipure Blue, or you could even buy and bag your own carbon eventually, which many do to save money.  A basic saltwater test kit isn't strictly necessary (I am the laziest tester ever and went a good 8 years without a kit) but it can be useful and if you're cycling from dry rock I would definitely recommend one (that's what got me to finally buy one).  Based on my personal experiences, if you can get good live rock I would suggest doing so as you'll get more biodiversity and pests can easily hitchhike in on frags (I've battled dinos in all my exclusively dry-rock tanks and I'm over it lol).  Getting sand from another reefer could be hit or miss if they have pesty critters in their tank; the bag you linked will give you plenty of sand without having too much leftover.  IIRC, oolite tends to be a pretty fine grained sand.  I've used Fiji Pink and been happy with it. 

 

You'll definitely want a good strong pump and you may find you even need a little more flow so you may need a tiny powerhead in the future.  The pump you linked is definitely worth a shot, I think, if it fits in your chamber.  I'd suggest maybe buying an even smaller amount of salt, like the 25 gallon pack, since it comes in bags rather than buckets, at least until you have a feel for how fast you go through salt, because it definitely hardens up over time or if exposed to humidity/moisture (in my experience).  You can also go with basic Instant Ocean, I used that for several years and only switched because I hated the little bit of white particulates that wouldn't dissolve (I use AquaForest Sea Salt now and like it).  The Microbacter (and a pure ammonia source) will be necessary if you do a dry rock tank, and I would suggest keeping a small bottle of Microbacter on hand for emergencies (I've also used BioSpira and like it too).  I would also suggest a small bottle of Seachem Prime for emergencies; it binds ammonia into a less toxic form for a day or so and is great to have on hand in case you have an ammonia spike (a snail dies or something).  Another thing I'd suggest adding to your shopping list for down the road is a battery powered air pump; if the power ever goes out for an extended period of time, it may save your tank.  I got one for around $10 on Amazon after seeing it noted here.  I also found another at an LFS that can be plugged it and will come on automatically if the power goes out (should probably add to my tank lol).  They usually need D batteries which I buy on Amazon and keep with my tank gear.  If you want I can try to dig up the names of the brands.  I would also suggest some Lugol's iodine once you start adding corals; I use it as an all purpose coral dip.  It's not always the best for pests but it can be really helpful if corals are ailing; I've had it help some bounce back from being nearly gone.  Just bought a new bottle, in fact, since mine was nearly out.

 

I definitely recommend a refractometer even if you choose to buy salt water from the LFS because LFS have been known to have wonky salinity at times, with sometimes devastating effects on people's reefs.  You shouldn't really need a TDS meter, and I'd suggest distilled water over RO as distilled is basically equivalent to RO/DI (completely pure).  I used it for years and usually bought it from Walmart (purple cap).  Reef Chili and other foods you can wait on till things start getting established.  I know Brandon of the 1-gallon-reef-vase fame recommends heavy feedings of corals followed by large (100% in his tank) water changes, but the feeding is something you can wait on till your tank gets more established (corals don't strictly need feeds but many people find their corals do better with feedings).  I'm not familiar with the light you linked; I'd do some searches to see if anyone has used it on a reef tank.  The ones clown suggested are good ones; I've used the Tuna blue for a short time (was too blue for my taste, but Natalia has used it over her reef bowl with amazing results, and it does make corals pop), as well as the ABI blue & white bulb; the challenge they have is that the optics are narrow so it needs to be raised fairly high so as not to burn lower-light stuff in the tank.  I've used Coral Compulsion PAR bulbs as well and the Lumini Asta I liked because I could program the color and I put it on a basic timer for a light cycle.  Not as fancy as my AI Prime but for the price and the size tank it's an excellent budget option.  I haven't tried the Hipergaro but have contemplated it as I hear good things about it.  I want to say sandeep has a small tank with the Hipergaro over it, but am not positive.

 

As far as live rock in the back, I'd skip it, especially if you're doing some ceramic media.  It can trap detritus which you don't want as it can cause nutrient issues in the tank.  I'd make sure the ceramic media is easy to rinse out so detritus doesn't build up in that.  I made a little basket for my AquaClear to hold some Marinepure gems (I wanted it to be a good place for pods but still easy to rinse out).  I used plastic canvas and zip ties.  For a budget ATO you can look up how to use a hamster/guinea pig/rabbit water bottle to make an ATO; I haven't tried it but I believe Nano Sapiens uses a pair on his tank that is about a decade old.  I've never used GFO so can't really comment on that.  If you choose to go with a PAR bulb I can point you to the task lamp I've used twice with PAR bulbs that I really like, and was not expensive on Amazon (around $16-18 when I got it).  I know this was a lot of information but I hope you find it helpful!

 

Wow!!! Thank you for the incredibly detailed response!  It was a lot of information but I always appreciate more, rather than less! I only included the 50# bag of salt bc its a mere $3 more than the 25# bag on amazon.  I will definitely be buying a cheap plastic container to keep the bag in.  I think I will go with the Lumini light... I did find a used one with the gooseneck for ~$100 but the Lumni is still half the price and you and u/clown79 both recommended that style light.  Plus, I don't think I would like the look of a PAr38 bulb way above the tank.  The Lumini is good for soft and LPS?

 

 I have some follow up questions:

 

1) Am I correct in assuming I would need about 4lbs of live/dry rock for the tank?

 

2) Do you mean that the Oolite is too fine grain and I should look more at the Fiji pink?  I was just looking at the Oolite since my local Petco has 10lb bags of the stuff and everywhere else I look are 20lb bags which most would go to waste.

 

3) Is this okay for iodide?  It is cheaper than standard lugols and is reef specific (not sure if that actually matters)

 

4) I already have ammonia chloride for cycling tanks as well as a bottle of prime which I use with my 20 gallon freshwater planted tank.  Do you use prime with each water change or is it not necessary if I am using distilled water?

 

5) When I set up the tank how deep should the sand bed be?  On a planted tank there are limits to substrate depth to avoid build up of anaerobic gas pockets which can poison the tank.. is that an issue in a reef tank?

 

6) Any thoughts on my list of corals or do you have any recommendations for easy to care for corals that are also interesting?  

 

Thank you so much for sharing your time and expertise with me!  I really appreciate it and it gives me the confidence to go ahead and try a pico reef.

[TatorTaco]

Welcome to NR. You may be too new for direct messages permissions, but try to send me one and let me know if it doesn’t work out. 

 

I ran ran the same tank and just took it down. I can send you a lot of this stuff for cheap via USPS flat rate to get you off the ground (unused livesand, dry rock, thermometer, heater, etc) if you’re interested. I agree about the reef chili being unnecessary, but I have just about everything you’re needing in spades because I hoard this crap. I started buying nicer equipment for a new pico, so the cheaper stuff just went into a box. It’d be nice to have an excuse to get rid of some of it. 

[Clown79]

3 hours ago, aclman88 said:

Wow!!! Thank you for the incredibly detailed response!  It was a lot of information but I always appreciate more, rather than less! I only included the 50# bag of salt bc its a mere $3 more than the 25# bag on amazon.  I will definitely be buying a cheap plastic container to keep the bag in.  I think I will go with the Lumini light... I did find a used one with the gooseneck for ~$100 but the Lumni is still half the price and you and u/clown79 both recommended that style light.  Plus, I don't think I would like the look of a PAr38 bulb way above the tank.  The Lumini is good for soft and LPS?

 

 I have some follow up questions:

 

1) Am I correct in assuming I would need about 4lbs of live/dry rock for the tank?

 

2) Do you mean that the Oolite is too fine grain and I should look more at the Fiji pink?  I was just looking at the Oolite since my local Petco has 10lb bags of the stuff and everywhere else I look are 20lb bags which most would go to waste.

 

3) Is this okay for iodide?  It is cheaper than standard lugols and is reef specific (not sure if that actually matters)

 

4) I already have ammonia chloride for cycling tanks as well as a bottle of prime which I use with my 20 gallon freshwater planted tank.  Do you use prime with each water change or is it not necessary if I am using distilled water?

 

5) When I set up the tank how deep should the sand bed be?  On a planted tank there are limits to substrate depth to avoid build up of anaerobic gas pockets which can poison the tank.. is that an issue in a reef tank?

 

6) Any thoughts on my list of corals or do you have any recommendations for easy to care for corals that are also interesting?  

 

Thank you so much for sharing your time and expertise with me!  I really appreciate it and it gives me the confidence to go ahead and try a pico reef.

 

1. 3 lbs is enough but the most I would do is 4.5lbs.

 

2. Oolite is very fine so it easily blows around. Fiji pink is a really nice sand, another one that I have liked is the ocean direct livesand.

 

3. I have never used either so can't comment

 

4. If using distilled or rodi, prime isn't used but most of us keep it on hand in the event of emergency, it comes in handy if there is ever a spike in ammonia with livestock

 

5. Deep sand beds are used in sw but it's a whole subject that needs researching. 

Most of us do 1-2" or no sand at all.

 

6. Lps and soft corals are fine. Each individual coral has different needs and some are easier than others.

[tgore]

Everyone is giving you some great advice. A few secondary suggestions for other items that you can keep an eye out for on the used forums that are always good to have.

 

1. AI Prime Light - These can be found for a bit more than the A80 that was suggested, but does offer the wifi controls to set a auto dimming function for sunrise/sunset. I had one of these on my 4gal pico and it did great.

 

2. XP Aqua ATO - This is $120 new so a used one if found is a great option. It uses two optical sensors compared to a mechanical float switch. The sensor is small and great for picos. This is also the ATO I used on my pico. 

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/auto-top-off/auto-top-off-systems.html

 

3. When I had a pico/nano with no RO/DI unit at home. I was able to get away with monthly trips to for 5gal of RO/DI and 5gal of Salt (All of us know that a month with a single trip to the LFS is a lie... more like weekly 😄) But I get what you mean about the lack of trust with the quality of the water from an LFS. The shop I do trust locally uses a salt mix that doesn't match my parameters. So I eventually invested in an RODI unit for at home. 

 

4. SHOP THE MARKETPLACE! I can not tell you how much quality used items I have gotten from fellow reefers on this forum and locally through Facebook groups. 

 

Best of luck!

[Lula_Mae]

On 6/25/2019 at 7:35 AM, aclman88 said:

Wow!!! Thank you for the incredibly detailed response!  It was a lot of information but I always appreciate more, rather than less! I only included the 50# bag of salt bc its a mere $3 more than the 25# bag on amazon.  I will definitely be buying a cheap plastic container to keep the bag in.  I think I will go with the Lumini light... I did find a used one with the gooseneck for ~$100 but the Lumni is still half the price and you and u/clown79 both recommended that style light.  Plus, I don't think I would like the look of a PAr38 bulb way above the tank.  The Lumini is good for soft and LPS?

 

 I have some follow up questions:

 

1) Am I correct in assuming I would need about 4lbs of live/dry rock for the tank?

 

2) Do you mean that the Oolite is too fine grain and I should look more at the Fiji pink?  I was just looking at the Oolite since my local Petco has 10lb bags of the stuff and everywhere else I look are 20lb bags which most would go to waste.

 

3) Is this okay for iodide?  It is cheaper than standard lugols and is reef specific (not sure if that actually matters)

 

4) I already have ammonia chloride for cycling tanks as well as a bottle of prime which I use with my 20 gallon freshwater planted tank.  Do you use prime with each water change or is it not necessary if I am using distilled water?

 

5) When I set up the tank how deep should the sand bed be?  On a planted tank there are limits to substrate depth to avoid build up of anaerobic gas pockets which can poison the tank.. is that an issue in a reef tank?

 

6) Any thoughts on my list of corals or do you have any recommendations for easy to care for corals that are also interesting?  

 

Thank you so much for sharing your time and expertise with me!  I really appreciate it and it gives me the confidence to go ahead and try a pico reef.

Yes, the Lumini will work for softies and LPS, and even SPS in a tank this size, should you choose to try it some day. Around 4 pounds of rock should work; if you order dry from BRS I'd note in your order the tank size and what you're looking for, and in my experience they'll try to accommodate you. I've been happy with their rock selection both for a 5.5 and a 15L. For live rock you could bring a bucket to the LFS and use it to carry your rock; look for the smallest rocks you can find. I've even heard of people bringing their picos to the LFS to make sure the rocks fit!

 

Finer grained sands can get blown around more easily, is all. You may have no problem since the corals you're interested in don't need as high flow. You could always try it and change it out if you need to (changing sandbeds is a pain, but doable). I'm not familiar with the product you linked, it might work but I'm not sure. I've always used Kent brand Lugol's which is a bit pricey on Amazon as of a couple weeks ago. It comes in a bottle with a dropper. You can wait to buy this for a bit since it isn't necessary for tank setup.

 

Prime will not be necessary with distilled water (only with tap water for regular water changes, but tap is not recommended for salty tanks). I use it in emergencies for my salt tanks. 

 

In salt tanks, there is the deep sand bed method, which requires something like a 6 inch sandbed and uses anaerobic bacteria for denitrification; I don't know much about it since it's not easy to use in nanos. The depth is important because if the sandbed is between 2 inches and the depth needed for a DSB, it can trap detritus and have pockets of nasties that can nuke a tank (similar to freshwater), so most nano reefers will use 1-2 inches. In a pico, I'd suggest no more than an inch, or even a half inch or so, so it will remain easy to clean regularly (it's ok to stir up the sandbed to clean if it's shallow like this and you do it regularly). 

 

As far as corals go, most softies and LPS are pretty easy to keep. I'd suggest picking out things you like that you've seen in members' tanks and researching them. Some of my favorites include ricordea Florida,  zoanthids, sinularia/nepthea leathers, pipe organ, blastomussa, and toadstool leathers, although they can get big (if you keep leathers I'd suggest running carbon as they can release chemicals that irritate other corals). I also like photosynthetic gorgonians and macroalgae (my favorite is dragon's breath with its orange tips, but I cannot keep it alive to save my life lol). 

 

You're very welcome. I'm not the most knowledgeable person, but I've learned a lot over the years I've been in the hobby and like to share what I do know. 

[aclman88]

20 hours ago, Lula_Mae said:

Yes, the Lumini will work for softies and LPS, and even SPS in a tank this size, should you choose to try it some day. Around 4 pounds of rock should work; if you order dry from BRS I'd note in your order the tank size and what you're looking for, and in my experience they'll try to accommodate you. I've been happy with their rock selection both for a 5.5 and a 15L. For live rock you could bring a bucket to the LFS and use it to carry your rock; look for the smallest rocks you can find. I've even heard of people bringing their picos to the LFS to make sure the rocks fit!

 

Finer grained sands can get blown around more easily, is all. You may have no problem since the corals you're interested in don't need as high flow. You could always try it and change it out if you need to (changing sandbeds is a pain, but doable). I'm not familiar with the product you linked, it might work but I'm not sure. I've always used Kent brand Lugol's which is a bit pricey on Amazon as of a couple weeks ago. It comes in a bottle with a dropper. You can wait to buy this for a bit since it isn't necessary for tank setup.

 

Prime will not be necessary with distilled water (only with tap water for regular water changes, but tap is not recommended for salty tanks). I use it in emergencies for my salt tanks. 

 

In salt tanks, there is the deep sand bed method, which requires something like a 6 inch sandbed and uses anaerobic bacteria for denitrification; I don't know much about it since it's not easy to use in nanos. The depth is important because if the sandbed is between 2 inches and the depth needed for a DSB, it can trap detritus and have pockets of nasties that can nuke a tank (similar to freshwater), so most nano reefers will use 1-2 inches. In a pico, I'd suggest no more than an inch, or even a half inch or so, so it will remain easy to clean regularly (it's ok to stir up the sandbed to clean if it's shallow like this and you do it regularly). 

 

As far as corals go, most softies and LPS are pretty easy to keep. I'd suggest picking out things you like that you've seen in members' tanks and researching them. Some of my favorites include ricordea Florida,  zoanthids, sinularia/nepthea leathers, pipe organ, blastomussa, and toadstool leathers, although they can get big (if you keep leathers I'd suggest running carbon as they can release chemicals that irritate other corals). I also like photosynthetic gorgonians and macroalgae (my favorite is dragon's breath with its orange tips, but I cannot keep it alive to save my life lol). 

 

You're very welcome. I'm not the most knowledgeable person, but I've learned a lot over the years I've been in the hobby and like to share what I do know. 

Good to know about the light.  I think that decides it for me since I like the price point and look of the light over the A80... it the Luminie is good for LPS and softies then it is good enough for me.  I will stick with heavier sand in that case to avoid sand getting blown up and around the tank.

 

I appreciate the advice and knowledge that you took the time to share with me.  I will be running to my LFS today or tomorrow to start to look at corals and ask some more questions.  

[tgore]

If you can you may go ahead and get the rock that you want and start letting it cycle in a bucket. I do this at the start of my build to help the cycle out while I take my time piecing everything else together.

 

[aclman88]

27 minutes ago, tgore said:

If you can you may go ahead and get the rock that you want and start letting it cycle in a bucket. I do this at the start of my build to help the cycle out while I take my time piecing everything else together.

 

Any tips for doing this?  What would I need other than a bucket and the saltwater? I've read a few different posts on it but I'm curious what your technique is.

 

Thanks!

[tgore]

If the original rock is dry rock:

I just submerge the rock in a container with saltwater. You could get away with a 5gal bucket from a hardware store, the rock, some saltwater and a small pump to circulate water. Some optional items would be a heater and the bacterial supplement of your choice. The bacteria isn't necessary you could throw some plain ol fish food pellets or something in there.

 

I used a 40g brute trash can and some microbacter7. Changed the water after a few months or whenever it got stinky. 

 

If you buy some live rock from a shop not much will be different other than you won't have to supply bacteria or food source at first since that will already be on the rock.

 

I just keep it simple as possible. Light is not needed or desired at this point since the bacteria are not photosynthetic and the population of this bacteria is the whole goal.

[Lula_Mae]

5 hours ago, aclman88 said:

Any tips for doing this?  What would I need other than a bucket and the saltwater? I've read a few different posts on it but I'm curious what your technique is.

 

Thanks!

Bucket, saltwater, rock, and circulation, plus your heater would be fine.  If you use dry rock, you don't strictly need bottled bacteria but it can take a really long time to cycle dry rock without it so I highly recommend using some with dry rock.  Live rock shouldn't need bacteria, it just speeds it up a bit.  Lights on vs. off during the cycle is a whole debate in itself but it's thought that it can encourage nuisance algae growth.  I usually leave lights off when cycling unless I'm trying to save something on the rock (a hitchhiking coral or something).

[Clown79]

6 hours ago, aclman88 said:

Any tips for doing this?  What would I need other than a bucket and the saltwater? I've read a few different posts on it but I'm curious what your technique is.

 

Thanks!

To cycle dry rock in a bucket:

 

Make salt water, add to bucket, add heater and pump, add rocks.

Best way to cycle easily with no nutrient issues is by using ammonia dosing and bacteria. DR Tim's is a go to product line for this.

 

You can also do this in the tank but if you have the rocks before the tank, you can get a head start.

 

If its liverock, same thing is done in tank or bucket excluding the ammonia dosing. You can add bacteria but not necessary.

 

If its cured (from an established system) nothing needs to be done, there should be no cycle if they are kept wet.