Tigahboy Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 Okay, so all these recent DIY picos have gotten me jealous. So i set-up my very own this morning. So I looked around my apt for anything I could possibly use. And I found this cylindrical cd-r cover. It's about 0.3g. So I went to work and did some mods on it...like removing the label and turning it upside down. It was a lot more work than I anticipated, but 2 long minutes later, it was complete. the finished product: It's still cloudy from the addition of the LS and LR. I have 2x250w DE MH + 2x39w T5 actinic blues over this baby. I know space is limited, so at most I plan to only keep one RBTA in there. Don't worry, it will be very small and compact. There should be more than enough light for it. And maybe one perc clown since it would look cool. For circulation I plan to run a closed loop w/ the aqua-lifter pump they sell for those overflow boxes. I might need to add an ice probe as well since the temps will likely get high due to the lighting. But not sure exactly what the temps are since my thermometer couldn't fit into the pico. There is also definitely a lot of bowing. The plastic is pretty thin so it bows out a lot towards the top. Not too worried about it tho. Anyway, how you like my aquascaping? feedback? stocking ideas? That's all for now. I'll post more pics after I get the RBTA. Link to comment
nu2salt Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 Maybe your perc would like to have a smoke after he arrives! Aquascaping I'm sure was a challenge. Maybe coral banded shrimp would be nice, His feelers will probably stick out of the pico. Hey him & the perc can share the smoke! Link to comment
666 Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 Originally posted by Tigahboy So I went to work and did some mods on it...like removing the label and turning it upside down. Classic Link to comment
WREKDYVR Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 Hey tigah, slick pico. As far as stocking it... why not go for broke? Forget Nemo, how about a few achilles tang's, they would provide plenty of circulation! Or, maybe a bottle nose dolphin. That would be cool, you could teach him tricks. Besides, every one knows chic's dig dolphins! Link to comment
Tigahboy Posted March 23, 2005 Author Share Posted March 23, 2005 u know you're rite. i definitely want to prove them folks wrong and push the limits of this great hobby. afterall, why waste money on expensive research-tested reef equipment when u can make your very own out of everyday household products for a fraction of the cost. i'll let you know how it turns out w/ the achilles. but regarding the dolphin...you were joking rite? just want to make sure. Link to comment
cbianco Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 How bout a pair of breeding tangs so you could have more tangs. It could be the tang tank of the century! Link to comment
Tigahboy Posted March 23, 2005 Author Share Posted March 23, 2005 a pair of tangs? okay, now I know you are just joking. very funny, cbianco! that was a good one. haha =) Link to comment
nu2salt Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 I wonder if a 6oz juice glass would work? Link to comment
Tigahboy Posted March 23, 2005 Author Share Posted March 23, 2005 oh...trying to outdo me already, eh? well come back w/ 578w of mh+t5 lighting over it and then we can battle. Link to comment
Perpetual98 Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 I've got a 4mL clear glass syringe. I should try that. Pop the end off, put in 175 grains of southdown, smash some LR with a hammer, put the fragments in there, put the plunger back in and lay it on it's side! Water changes would be easy. Just push the plunger about .5mL. Hard to jam a tang in there though. Maybe a goby of some sort. They're long and narrow. Link to comment
WREKDYVR Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 The dolphin, cmon, chic's really dig them! Link to comment
Tigahboy Posted March 23, 2005 Author Share Posted March 23, 2005 Okay, so I anticipate an algae bloom during the next 2 or 3 days the tank requires for sufficient cycling. But if the algae bloom persists, I realize that I may need to have a good method of algae scraping/cleaning. So in the spirit of DIY, I went back to my kitchen and bathroom to find what I was looking for. I finally found the perfect parts necesary to construct this scraper. Give me another 5 minutes and I'll post pics of it. Link to comment
cbianco Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 What... a toothbrush with half of the bristles cut off? LOL Link to comment
Tigahboy Posted March 23, 2005 Author Share Posted March 23, 2005 My DIY scraper/algae cleaner is a success! Better than any store-bought ones. Pico-sized for all those hard to reach spots. A pico owner's best friend. Check it out! Closer view of the comfort grip silicone handle. A pic of comfort grip after heat treatment to form the water-tight seal. And a size-comparison for all you skeptical folks Patent pending. If anyone wants one of these, I can make a bunch and sell for only $9.99 a pop + shipping. Just PM me if you want one. Link to comment
cbianco Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 Sign me up for a dozen maybe two dozen!!! Link to comment
Tigahboy Posted March 23, 2005 Author Share Posted March 23, 2005 cbianco and perpetual - a toilet scrubber or toothbrush is not an effective pico algae cleaner. The hard bristles will cause major microscratching on the plastic and thus hinder the clarity of the pico tank. The TB Pico Scraper is a much better solution since it will not lead to similar scratching. cbianco - I'll give u a discount since you are placing such a large order. give me about an hour to finish making these complicated algae tools for you. Link to comment
beeman7467 Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 You don't really eat that stuff, do you? BTW, great tank. To think I've spent roughly $800 on a my 10 gallon to date. Could have scraped together a few items from around the house and gotten out for less than 5 bucks. Link to comment
Tigahboy Posted March 23, 2005 Author Share Posted March 23, 2005 Originally posted by beeman7467 You don't really eat that stuff, do you? Naw. I just got that from a friend so I could convert it into a custom sump/fuge for my pico. that will come later tho. Link to comment
cbianco Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 Sorry Tigah but I just found someone who is willing to make them for 5 cents a pop. Better luck next time. Link to comment
Tigahboy Posted March 23, 2005 Author Share Posted March 23, 2005 it won't have the quality associated w/ my DIY work, and at 5 cents a pop, I'm almost certain of such. but it's cool. I know this hobby can get expensive and won't bust your chops for being economical. Link to comment
EtOH_is_good Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 anyone wonder why tigahboy has so many dang post? it is great threads like this that everyone has to read and respond to. Link to comment
Tigahboy Posted March 23, 2005 Author Share Posted March 23, 2005 Here's a closer top-down pic... Link to comment
Tigahboy Posted March 23, 2005 Author Share Posted March 23, 2005 EtOH - thanks for the input! But I think you over-exaggerate the number of posts I have; a modest post count at best. =) Link to comment
FateX9 Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 lol look at that rock shimmer and sparkle those actinics must be doing it wonders Link to comment
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