🚀Pocket Rocket Pico Reef🚀

[The Rainy Day Aquarium]

15 hours ago, Daniel92481 said:

Awesome man! Such a cool stand! Things have really gotten expensive over the past year or two I’ve noticed too. I just seen a fire shrimp for $69 lol. Craaaazzzy!

Hey thanks! This one was just a test to see if it would work. I need to tweak some things on it and print it with a nicer filament—when I get around to it 😉

 

Yeah I have a few local guys that I trust that I like to get frags from instead of going to my LFS as the markup is steep. But I suppose everything is expensive these days 🙃

[Reefkid88]

7 hours ago, The Rainy Day Aquarium said:

Lol yeah I don’t switch out tanks THAT often. But thank you, they are fun little projects when I do build them. I was thinking about making a few and seeing how much interest there was out there for them. You have some of these “big hitter” guys already selling tiny tanks, but of course I’m bias to mine 

 

 I know this my inner cheap ass speaking out. But those other guys are INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE for what they are. $250-$400 for a 1g acrylic tank ? 

 

 You can get a UNS 1g low iron tank for pretty cheap and make your own "pico aio" for about $100.

 

 That being said,your work is amazing. Hence why I always wanna buy one when you bring up a new one lol. 

[The Rainy Day Aquarium]

Oof yeah. I enjoy their work and can appreciate how much time goes into designing and building them, but I scratch my head at the prices they command.
 

I have a production design that’s getting ready for testing and will be a little more, how should we say, low iron glass like?😉 If everything goes well with suppliers (fingers crossed) the price should be pretty reasonable. Also, I hate giving spoilers, and no promises, but there may be a light in the works too, but I’ve already said too much 🤐

[Reefkid88]

 I mean I understand that. But at that price,they do realize the price range they are in is the same as: WB 10g, 15g,20g,25g. FijiCube 10g 20g,22g. IM Pro 10g,14g,20g lol. Which to me in insane. But their work is amazing and I cannot take that away from them. 

 

  Not that I can afford one but I really want to see what all you can do with your upcoming projects. One of your tanks with a Illumagic Pixel would be PERFECT. 

[The Rainy Day Aquarium]

Of course. I see your point though. It does seem a bit greedy honestly, but I suppose there are a few factors that play into that which is a different conversation by itself lol.

 

That would be a pretty cool setup!

 

 

[The Rainy Day Aquarium]

Not a whole lot to report on still. Being sick and working extra hours makes it so I don't really want to do much at the end of the day haha. I did manage to make a new stand for the tank --just adjusted the design a bit. I'm still looking for some interesting corals to put in the tank, but most places around here are pretty slim on what they have to offer so I guess the wait continues 

 

[Daniel92481]

Hey, sorry you haven’t been feeling well. If you don’t mind shipments, check out top shelf aquatics. Their website is always on fire! 

[debbeach13]

I hope you feel better soon.

[The Rainy Day Aquarium]

1 hour ago, Daniel92481 said:

Hey, sorry you haven’t been feeling well

 

1 hour ago, debbeach13 said:

I hope you feel better soon.

Thank you guys.

[The Rainy Day Aquarium]

1 hour ago, Daniel92481 said:

If you don’t mind shipments, check out top shelf aquatics. Their website is always on fire!

I've been looking around at places like this. One of the problems is since this tank is so small, the size of the frags really matter and it's hard to gauge that on pictures from their sites, especially when it's not WYSIWYG. 

[Daniel92481]

18 minutes ago, The Rainy Day Aquarium said:

I've been looking around at places like this. One of the problems is since this tank is so small, the size of the frags really matter and it's hard to gauge that on pictures from their sites, especially when it's not WYSIWYG. 

Yea I hear you. They’re usually pretty small from there, but you could always call to find out. I do think it’s kind of weird that they offer almost wysiwyg lol. Never heard of that until I views their site. Another option is budmans corals. They have a section called bargain buds. It’s really nice pieces, but in a smaller frag. I would say just come to Houston. More frags than I have money. Booooo lol

[Reefkid88]

 TSA's frags are average size about 3/8"-1/2",pretty much the same as everyone else that sells frags honestly.   

 

 Being local to me,TSA frags are good though. Just too rich for my blood for corals that habe been in the hobby for 15-20+ years lol. 

 

 What type of coral are you looking for ? AReefCreation,TCK,ReefNation,Vivid Aquariums,Living Reef Orlando are all good choices. 

[The Rainy Day Aquarium]

I was looking at Tidal Gardens as I've ordered from them before and was impressed. I have a few connections with some local reefers that sell frags, so I was just going to pick some things up from them. (and it's cheaper than going to my LFS that they sell to that marks them up a healthy 300% lol).

[The Rainy Day Aquarium]

Went with a friend to my LFS (the extent of my black friday shopping lol). They didn't have a whole lot of frags, but I did have a buddy there hook me up with a small frag of misc. zoas and a tiny Japanese Toadstool leather. It feels good to have coral in the tank; now I have something to look at. 
 

 

Also --shameless plug-- I have a dedicated instagram account here for tiny tanks that I made for those who are interested, website to follow too 😄

[The Rainy Day Aquarium]

The tiny toadstool leather is loving life in its pint sized tank. The zoas I think are still adjusting as they aren’t always opened. I top this tank off with tap water (gasp!) and do a %50-ish water change every week so far. Other than some spots of algae things seem to be chugging along. Once I get myself another RODI unit I’ll start making my own salt water and stop using tap and this premixed Red Sea/IO/Fritz concoction from my LFS.

 

I have a small to-do list like making an actual lid for this tank (I just have a scrap piece of acrylic that is doing the job for now), fixing the rock so it looks better, and making a media basket, as well as some other things. I have some projects I need to finish before those things happen though. For now enjoy a photo of a dirty tank with the only two pieces of coral I own 😅 

 

[Reefkid88]

Looking stellar as usual !!! 

[ml86743]

that little toadstool looks awesome.  

[The Rainy Day Aquarium]

2 hours ago, ml86743 said:

that little toadstool looks awesome.  

It’s about the size of a dime and is the cutest little toadstool haha. I just need to bug @joshthebox for a piece of his Fiji yellow leather 😅

[The Rainy Day Aquarium]

11 hours ago, Reefkid88 said:

Looking stellar as usual !!! 

Thank you sir! (And when I said finish some projects I meant finish making your tank(s) 😂)

[Reefkid88]

Absolutely !!! I give credit where it is due !!! 

 

 Oh thats already happening lol ?! I wasn't aware of these shenannigans

[The Rainy Day Aquarium]

8 minutes ago, Reefkid88 said:

Absolutely !!! I give credit where it is due !!! 

 

 Oh thats already happening lol ?! I wasn't aware of these shenannigans

I still have to wait for my “mega order of pumps” to arrive but I have two tanks with your name on them if you want em. 

[The Rainy Day Aquarium]

Just a tank full of dinos 

 

 

 

Looks better in blue 😉

[Reefkid88]

Pfft,thats nothing you should have seen my tank last week 🤣 !!! 

[The Rainy Day Aquarium]

On 1/4/2023 at 5:06 PM, Reefkid88 said:

Pfft,thats nothing you should have seen my tank last week 🤣 !!! 

I guess smaller tank smaller problems 😅

[The Rainy Day Aquarium]

Well, I can officially say that I very much dislike moving! Everything has been packed up and moved out (kind of). Some plans have changed with where my other reef tank will be going to at our new place and, although we can’t go too crazy as it’s ultimately just a temporary few years kind of situation as my wife finishes her masters degree and I finish mine and flight school, but hey it’s a home 😅 

 

It’s driving me absolutely nuts that I had to stop right in the middle of finishing a few new tanks for the move and there really isn’t any place to set up shop as it’s just…boxes and stuff haha. There is a small back section in the garage that I have some plans for which I’m pretty excited to turn into a little workshop for my “reefing arts and crafts” as the Mrs. likes to call it. There is a ton of work to do still. Lots of cleaning, organizing, etc. but it’s nice to be in a little larger space now 😄

 

— don’t mind the mess from moving. It needs some TLC and a coat of paint (and maybe a heater because it’s freezing in here!) but it will do nicely.