dwdenny Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 5/18/2021 current full tank shot Finally got my pico tank going. It a Lifegard 4.1g AIO. Going to redo the scape not liking it right now. Tank is cycling with a raw shirt will leave it in there for 3 days pull it out and add some Bio-Spira and let it finish out no the lights are not on just turned them on to take a picture. Will start putting corals in in April. Tank: Lifegard 4.1g Light AI Prime 16HD (Yes is know a lot of light for a small tank) Dry stax rock Crushed coral Hydor 25w heater Inkbird ITC308S Stock return (for now doesn't look like enough flow) looking at upgrading to the Sicce 0.5 Livestock Zoanthid dominated maybe 1-2 micromussa's not sure yet CUC when needed snails and blue legged hermit NO FISH (at least that is the plan) 5 Quote Link to comment
The Rainy Day Aquarium Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 Niiiiice. Looks like a solid start! Keep us posted on how it all goes 👍 1 Quote Link to comment
dwdenny Posted March 1, 2021 Author Share Posted March 1, 2021 Thanks still working on the scape didn't really like the above setup worked on this morning before leaving for work. Will get some pictures tonight of the new design. Light have been off over course. need to get a mag cleaner and get the smudges off the glass next time hahahaha. 3 Quote Link to comment
dwdenny Posted March 2, 2021 Author Share Posted March 2, 2021 Shrimp was in just a little over 24 hours and ammonia was high above 8 on the color card. So i took the shrimp out and added 1/3 of the bottle of Bio-Spira to the tank. It was pretty cloudy and nasty looking. Will watch ammonia level over the next week or so and see how the do. Will start testing nitrites and nitrates this weekend or maybe before. Not in any rush so not too worried about testing at this point. Quote Link to comment
dwdenny Posted March 2, 2021 Author Share Posted March 2, 2021 Just for giggle I tested ammonia this morning about 12 hours after adding the Bio-Spira and it’s clear that ammonia has already been reduced to 4.0 on the color card. Wasn’t going to test the water but why not. currently tank is sitting at temp: 77.4-77.8 ammonia: 4.0 salinity: 35ppt not testing anything else at this point will start testing nitrites and nitrates this weekend just taking my time with this one. Next purchase is either a prism ATO or the Duetto $60 difference but still doing research. 1 Quote Link to comment
dwdenny Posted March 3, 2021 Author Share Posted March 3, 2021 Tested the water again this evening and it’s down to 2ppm ammonia. I did want to check the accuracy of the line on the tube and it’s not 5ml more like 4.5ml. I used a syringe to measure out 5ml and tested water if that could be a little bit of the accuracy of the API test. Just a thought. Quote Link to comment
dwdenny Posted March 4, 2021 Author Share Posted March 4, 2021 Did test water last night but this morning the ammonia was between 0 and 0.25. So will be picking up some Nitrite and Nitrate tests today so start checking those parameters. Need to get an ATO soon will be out for 4 days the week after next and need to make sure it stays somewhat stable over those four days. With nothing in it, it should be fine but still a new toy would be nice. 1 Quote Link to comment
dwdenny Posted March 4, 2021 Author Share Posted March 4, 2021 Picked up a Salifert nitrate kit today just to see where the was at. Obviously high is an understatement. But it’s only been set up for 4 days. So I guess I need to do a water change to reduce the nitrates. I don’t have a nitrite kit and the LFS didn’t either. Guess I need to find one quickly to test nitrites to see where I am with those. I know API but that is close to zero ammonia. 1 Quote Link to comment
dwdenny Posted March 6, 2021 Author Share Posted March 6, 2021 Got some new toys today in the mail 🤩 . Thanks to @The Rainy Day Aquarium for the awesome media basket. It fits like a glove. Also installed a new Hydor Pico Evolution 260gph pump and it the overflow is keeping up with nicely. Have it running full blast. Makes the over flow make a little noise but nothing that a little fliter floss wont quite down I think. Wife noticed it was making more sound asked if it needed to have water added to the take. 😶. Water did rise about 1/4" in the display but nothing major. 1 Quote Link to comment
The Rainy Day Aquarium Posted March 6, 2021 Share Posted March 6, 2021 Nice! Glad too see it made it in one piece! 😅 Excited to see what comes of this little tank! 1 Quote Link to comment
JR! Posted March 6, 2021 Share Posted March 6, 2021 16 hours ago, dwdenny said: Got some new toys today in the mail 🤩 . Thanks to @The Rainy Day Aquarium for the awesome media basket. It fits like a glove. Also installed a new Hydor Pico Evolution 260gph pump and it the overflow is keeping up with nicely. Have it running full blast. Makes the over flow make a little noise but nothing that a little fliter floss wont quite down I think. Wife noticed it was making more sound asked if it needed to have water added to the take. 😶. Water did rise about 1/4" in the display but nothing major. i might need one of those 😉 1 Quote Link to comment
dwdenny Posted March 7, 2021 Author Share Posted March 7, 2021 Just did a 75% water change (1.5 gallons) to reduce nitrates. Have to run to Walmart for the better half will check them when I get home. Quote Link to comment
dwdenny Posted March 10, 2021 Author Share Posted March 10, 2021 Nitrates dropped to about 10-15PPM so they did get reduced a lot. Ammonia is 0 never tested nitrites oh well with the increase in nitrates and not increasing I know that Nitrites should be 0 as well. Have a pH pen coming along with salifert Alk, Cal, and Mag tests. If everything looks good might add a coral or two in two weeks. Salinity 34ppt Ammonia 0 Nitrates 15 Temp 76-77 contolled by Inkbird 308S 1 Quote Link to comment
banasophia Posted March 10, 2021 Share Posted March 10, 2021 I really love that Lifegard tank... hope to run one myself one day... looking forward to following along to see what you do with it! Very nice scape and stand. 🤩 1 1 Quote Link to comment
dwdenny Posted March 12, 2021 Author Share Posted March 12, 2021 Water parameter check this morning was the following. Alk, Ca,Mg, and Nitrates done with Salifert. Ammonia with API and double checked with LFS (Salifert and week ago) Currently using Instant Ocean regular. Mg was a shocker did the test twice same results . Going to buy a food grade bucket with air tight seal to pour the bag in so I can mix it dry before pulling out the salt to mix with water.Temp 76-77 (still have lights off no corals no need correct)Ammonia 0Nitrate 25 (water change coming this weekend)Alk 8.9-9.3Ca 430Mg 1470 ( kind of shocked here did it twice same results)pH 7.9 (Checked with Aprea PH20 pen calibrated before checking) trying to find a small piece of cured livestock from a local reefer to add to the tank as well for added bacterial load and diversity. 2 Quote Link to comment
fenderchamp Posted March 12, 2021 Share Posted March 12, 2021 I saw another thread somewhere about somebody who got a batch of Instant Ocean with elevated Mg levels. he/she called instant ocean with a batch lot number, and they sent him/her a new bucket of salt. Did you measure the salt in a bucket before you added it to your tank? https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/instant-ocean-high-magnesium.430346/ Quote Link to comment
dwdenny Posted March 12, 2021 Author Share Posted March 12, 2021 I haven’t but this next batch I will be testing before I do the water change. Not sure where else it could have come from nothing in the tank at all as far as livestock and I don’t ghost feed. Quote Link to comment
dwdenny Posted March 25, 2021 Author Share Posted March 25, 2021 Changing over salts to Fritz RPM it matches closely to where I want my tank parameters to be. I think with weekly 1g water changes I will be able to keep up with the coral use of nutrients. At least in the beginning I will be able to later on once full maybe not we will see. Also ordered Life rock which comes in today. Might go through a mini cycle so going to give the tank another two weeks fore adding coral. today I bit the bullet and ordered the JBJ Nano ATO as I travel over the summer and don’t want to have to bother the wife with topping off the tank daily. We will see how that works hope to have that by mid next week. Quote Link to comment
dwdenny Posted March 27, 2021 Author Share Posted March 27, 2021 Wife gave me permission to buy the Hanna phosphorus checker today so that will be here Wednesday. Received the JBJ nano ATO today as well this will keep me from worrying when I travel. I can’t believe how small the pump and sensor is on this ATO. Those are quarters in canes it’s hard to tell. 2 Quote Link to comment
Daniel92481 Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 Nice. Let me know how you like that ATO. That’s the one I bought for the 30. 1 Quote Link to comment
dwdenny Posted March 28, 2021 Author Share Posted March 28, 2021 Acclimating some coral right now that was given to me by own of LFS. This tank will be in my classroom later on and so he donated them for the class. I sure hope they survive, I just went in to look and figure things out. Will post pictures once I get them in to the tank. Will need some ID's as well. Quote Link to comment
dwdenny Posted March 28, 2021 Author Share Posted March 28, 2021 Acquired some corals today. Sure hope they do good. Forgive the crappy photo skills didn’t want to put whites on since they just were out in there. Have the light at 20% acclimation. bridsnest was free greenish with purple polyps Favia purple and green I think this one is Cyphastrea 1 Quote Link to comment
dwdenny Posted March 28, 2021 Author Share Posted March 28, 2021 Will give them a few days and try and get some better pictures. 1 Quote Link to comment
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