My DIY pico

[rottface4]

Well I was bored this week so I decide to start a new pico project this week.

[rottface4]

The tank is on an 8x10 inch base, and the sides are 5.5 inches tall. The viewing area is about a gallon or so, roughly of course.

 

Back view

 

side view

 

top view

[rottface4]

Here are some pictures after I began putting things in the tank.

 

About 30 minutes after

 

A little closer after 30 min

 

About 6 hours later after begins clearing up more

 

6 hours closer up

[Bobalouy]

Looks good, where did you get the nozzle and the tubing for the PH?

[robmacy]

very well planned!

[janasleah]

I'm sure this isa stupid question...but why are there two baffles separating the viewing area from the sump?

[BigRay]

Nice

[mushroom head]

I think theres 2 baffles there so the light can sit on there without falling of into the water.

[mushroom head]

Bobalouy,i seen that nozzle on a canister filter.

[rottface4]

Bobalouy:

 

Thanks. I got the powerhead from a local fish. Its just a return similar to a lock-link nozzle, I'll try and find out what it was called. It was a little bigger than what I wanted but it will work for now.

 

janasleah:

 

The first baffling has whole drilled at three different level, this helps pull water from a range of areas in the water column, the second baffle has holes only on the top left to maintain the water height in the viewing side and dumps water into the refugium section.

[rottface4]

Here is the back sections of the tank setup.

 

 

 

Its a little blurry because I couldn't see what I was taking a picture of. The tank is on top of a dresser so I'll have to find a step-stoll and take a better one. But the back has a refugium with sand and the heater (and my sexy shrimp because they were annoying my zoanthids, which are now in my 20 recoverying), the second partition is a live rock sump, and the last has a my return pump and some carbon.

[rottface4]

Bobalouy:

 

The return for the powerhead is a marineland replacement part number PR1401: Outlet Tub with diffuser.

[robmacy]

any plans to put some type of skimmer mod in there?

[coralcrazy]

How did you glue the acrylics together, i used some sort of epoxy that never bonded to the acrylic, Any tips?

[rottface4]

robmacy:

 

I am actually planning on t-ing off a skimmer from the return pump...still in the planning. Also going to add some LED lighting for the viewing side and the refugium, but I'm waiting for that to come in the mail.

 

coralcrazy:

 

I used weldon to glue the pieces together. It is an acyrlic solvent and actually melts the two pieces together so to speak.

[coralcrazy]

thanks!

[rottface4]

Here is an updated photo of my pico.

[rottface4]

Here is a break down of the tank in pictures:

Left:

Center:

Right:

And the filtration area:

[rottface4]

I have also been working an LED array to increase my lighting. It is completed, but has not yet been installed. I will keep everyone updated.

[Nanomaniac]

Nice Pico.

[rottface4]

Here are the spectra for my LEDS:

This is the blue LED:

This is the White LED:

[rottface4]

Well I finished my LED array installation. I made an new hood and base for 'The Pico'as some of us have come to know it. And just want to thank my wife for her patience with this project. I made the hood and base out of 1 in cedar strips so it was a long process, but for free the price was right.

 

Here's my new lighting:

 

And here is the hood and base on the pico:

 

I built three switches into the base, so I could independently turn on and off my lights. One for the LEDs, one for the Refug LEDs, and one for the PCs. I'll try and post some better pictures with close ups and with different lights on so you can see the difference.

[Clarkie]

finally....someone as bad at taking pitures as me

[StephG]

Awsome ... can't wait to see how it turns out with the leds

[rottface4]

Here's are some new photos: