Humble 5 Gallon Pico Tank

[billygoat]

10 minutes ago, Tired said:

Looks pretty decent to me right now. 

 

How is that rock anchored on the back? Is it just glued up?

Looks like a @NanoRox creation to me! They are bits of artificial live rock that stick to the walls of the tank. Quite realistically decorated!

 

The tank is looking pretty good @Poison Dart Frog! Just make sure that sea whip in the corner has enough flow. In nature they live in very shallow water and are subjected to regular tidal currents, so they can handle quite a bit of water movement.

[Poison Dart Frog]

23 minutes ago, billygoat said:

Looks like a @NanoRox creation to me! They are bits of artificial live rock that stick to the walls of the tank. Quite realistically decorated!

 

The tank is looking pretty good @Poison Dart Frog! Just make sure that sea whip in the corner has enough flow. In nature they live in very shallow water and are subjected to regular tidal currents, so they can handle quite a bit of water movement.

Yup that is the pico horizontal rock from nanorox. 

I may have to end up moving the sea whip again depending on if it likes that spot. It doesn't get as much flow there but it was totally closed also because I had just moved it. It's hard to find a good spot for it in such a small tank. I think taller things look best toward the corner of the tank but it may not do great there. 

[Poison Dart Frog]

The sea fan has fully extended polyps now and I moved the other gorgonian to the opposite corner where it gets more flow and it has fully opened too. 

[Poison Dart Frog]

I feed frozen food once a week and the pom pom crab always comes out and gets some. 

 

[kimdawg]

I only see my pom pom once a week when I take the rock out to clean the tank.  I have looked for him after lights out and during the daylight.  I think I have seen him twice in the tank in the six months that I have had him.

[Poison Dart Frog]

5 hours ago, kimdawg said:

I only see my pom pom once a week when I take the rock out to clean the tank.  I have looked for him after lights out and during the daylight.  I think I have seen him twice in the tank in the six months that I have had him.

I don't see mine out and about a whole lot either. Maybe weekly. I think they're more likely to wander at night though. 

[Poison Dart Frog]

Things are going pretty good with the tank. Nitrates stay around 20 whenever I check them. Not getting much of a phosphate reading but the back of the largest rock is covered in hair algae so maybe that's affecting the reading. I'm pretty much okay with the rate of algae growth anyway. 

[billygoat]

4 hours ago, Poison Dart Frog said:

Things are going pretty good with the tank. Nitrates stay around 20 whenever I check them. Not getting much of a phosphate reading but the back of the largest rock is covered in hair algae so maybe that's affecting the reading. I'm pretty much okay with the rate of algae growth anyway. 

Looks great! Personally I think that algae is going to have to grow someplace in your system sooner or later (whether it be in your display or in a refugium) and if it isn't then something is probably wrong. So a bit of GHA is not only normal, it's probably desirable! As long as it doesn't get out of control there is nothing to worry about. 😊 You've got a beautiful little reef here and everything is looking quite happy. 

 

Forgive me if you've mentioned this recently, but how old is this system now?

[kimdawg]

Your tank is looking great!  I love the gorgs and how you have the coral placed in there.

[Poison Dart Frog]

Thanks guys. The tank is 3 months old. Hopefully I can stop moving stuff around all the time now that most of the corals seem happy. 

[Poison Dart Frog]

The pom pom crab just molted. 

[Tired]

Oh, cool. Standing right next to its own little ghost.

[Poison Dart Frog]

My order from Gulf Coast Aquatics arrived. They sent an extra sponge, an extra mushroom and the zoas have about 40 heads (I ordered 6 I believe) plus a huge variety of red macro algae. Finally I'm starting to populate my second small tank. Also the RFA was pretty big. Everything looks pretty healthy including the gorgonian.

[Poison Dart Frog]

[Poison Dart Frog]

I ordered a Hydor Pico 180 powerhead for this tank. The flow from the small HOB filter won't be enough for the gorgonian. 

[Ratvan]

2 hours ago, Poison Dart Frog said:

I ordered a Hydor Pico 180 powerhead for this tank. The flow from the small HOB filter won't be enough for the gorgonian. 

Great pump for the price, I have one on my 5.5 and love it. They do seem to have a lot of complaints about rattle noises, I found if you turn the pump upside down this stops most of the noise (also if placed too high you get some funky whirlpool patterns)

[Poison Dart Frog]

56 minutes ago, Ratvan said:

Great pump for the price, I have one on my 5.5 and love it. They do seem to have a lot of complaints about rattle noises, I found if you turn the pump upside down this stops most of the noise (also if placed too high you get some funky whirlpool patterns)

Glad to hear that. I saw there is a deflector you can put on it too, but I thought I'd try it on its own first. I guess the flow is adjustable?

[Ratvan]

Just now, Poison Dart Frog said:

Glad to hear that. I saw there is a deflector you can put on it too, but I thought I'd try it on its own first. I guess the flow is adjustable?

No idea on the deflector, but yes it is adjustable. There is a cover of sorts that you can block off the intake with (the red/pink cover with arrow)

[Poison Dart Frog]

It will be 4 months old next week. I am due for a water change tomorrow so I'll deal with algae then but overall the corals seem fairly happy. I added another toadstool, this one has tan yellowish polyps. It will probably go in my other tank once that tank matures some (it is currently in the ugly stage with stringy brown algae).

[Poison Dart Frog]

 

[Tired]

Gorgeous! Looks so much bigger than it is.

[Poison Dart Frog]

36 minutes ago, Tired said:

Gorgeous! Looks so much bigger than it is.

Thanks! I ordered some ceramic magnets and I'm going to glue the trumpet coral to a piece of rock rubble and mount it on the back wall so it can get more flow. That's the one coral that seems to be struggling (at least compared to how they look at the pet store). Otherwise all the soft corals are doing pretty good.

[Seadragon]

I just found your journal and I love your Pom Pom Crab!  Are there any downsides that you've found with the crab?  I hear they like to hide a lot and are nocturnal?  I also hear they sometimes brush up against corals and fish and give them a little sting with their nems?

[Poison Dart Frog]

1 hour ago, Seadragon said:

I just found your journal and I love your Pom Pom Crab!  Are there any downsides that you've found with the crab?  I hear they like to hide a lot and are nocturnal?  I also hear they sometimes brush up against corals and fish and give them a little sting with their nems?

Oh thanks! I haven't seen too many downsides really. Mine is kind of nocturnal as far as being out and about. The tank is small enough that I can usually spot the crab in his cave in the middle of the tank. I've actually never seen him interact with any of the corals during the day and at night when the crab does wander around the corals are mostly closed up. The damsel and hermit crabs seen to pretty much leave him alone, so maybe the anemones do have a little bit of a sting. Overall, though it's a pretty entertaining crab and I highly recommend getting one.

[Poison Dart Frog]

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