RyanCD Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 Hello! I am new to this website and I must say it is such a great site. I am in the process of starting up my very first pico reef (only had FOWLR's before) with a 2.5 AGA and I have already come up with a few questions from comparing the equipment I have bought to what people are using in other threads I have read for 2.5's. The tank setup I have planned (and equipmnt I have purchased) is a Red Sea Nano Filter and a 10 w 50/50 Coralife bulb in a clip on desk lamp. My first question has to do with the Red Sea Nano Filter. Will this suffice? I am just worried because it seems Aqua Clear 20 is what a lot of you are happily using, but I was too cheap when I went to Petco tonight. Also, I have seen that people are modding the Aqua Clear 20 to have a fuge included. Shouldl I be fine without doing this if I plan on keeping coral and inverts? Or is something I just don't want to skip? I jus don't know how I will do it in such tight quarters but I guess that is the fun of a pico. My last question is regarding the lighting. Will one 10 w 50/50 be fine for the 2.5? Any help is greatly appreciated! Thanks! RyeCourtney Link to comment
rleon3003 Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 i am setting up a 2.5g too probably later this week. i have an AC20 and did mod it to a fuge. modding it is real easy and i suggest doing it but all the cheato does is suck up the nitrates and phosphates which will help in stopping algae. 10w for a 2.5g is ok i guess. its only 4 watts per gallon. im planning on having a 27w bulb in my 2.5. others r buying the Current USA 18w fixture. others say 36w would be good. i would look into getting a better light later. and...i think thats all i got. so good luck with the tank, and i hope it all goes well. Link to comment
RyanCD Posted September 18, 2006 Author Share Posted September 18, 2006 Great, thanks for the input! I read your thread while at work today. Looks great! Have you heard of anyone modding the Red Sea or should I jsut try to do it the same way? The only thing is it is set up a tid bit different. Is the lighting 50/50's? Maybe you wrote that and I just didn't notice in your thread.... Rye Courtney Link to comment
rleon3003 Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 i havent heard of any one modding the red sea but im sure someone has done it. the light i have is gonna be a 50/50. Link to comment
RyanCD Posted September 19, 2006 Author Share Posted September 19, 2006 Last night I spray painted the back of my tank with Krylon Fusion satin black, mixed my saltwater and this evening I tested the water's S.G. I have a S.G. of 1.021 which is where I want to be. On the other hand my ph is at 8.6! I wonder if this is because this saltwater testing kit is over three years old... Tonight I started the setup. I poured in a 3/4" sendbed, set a plastic bag down over the sand, filled up two glasses with my saltwater and set on top of the plastic bag and filled up the tank. After that I poured the remaing water from the glasses into the tank and let the bag float to the top. No sandstorm! I had read a thread on another website to fill up tanks this way and I am glad I tried it. I also started running the Red Sea Nano filter and that is where I left off for the night. I still haven't decided if I want to mod the filter. It just seems that it has an even smaller compartment to do it in than the Aqua Clear. I don't know how I could fit the filter pads, silicon another wall in and add chaeto. But I guess that is a pico for you! I still don't know what to use for the light fixture. I bought a Coralife 50/50 10 w which I plan on using. Below I have a picture of a cheap clamp light I bought at Wal-Mart but it just doesn't hang well over the tank. I am going to take a look tonight on Foster and Smith to see if I can find something less heavy and bulky. Any ideas graciously welcome! Tomorrow night's plan is to add live rock. I would love to get some input from all of you since this is my first pico reef! Enough of my rambling... this is what I have so far... Link to comment
VannReefer87 Posted September 19, 2006 Share Posted September 19, 2006 hey, good start...I'm still using my nano filter...I'm just running some purigen in the compartment and the thin black sponge. Then I have a small powerhead for extra flow. As far as macro algae, I have some sea grapes growing on my one rock, helps with nitrates, have to keep them trimmed or they'll over take the tank! Check out my tank thread to see what I did. HTH -VannReefer Link to comment
RyanCD Posted September 19, 2006 Author Share Posted September 19, 2006 Thanks! I definitely will check out your thread right now. BTW what is purigen?? Link to comment
VannReefer87 Posted September 19, 2006 Share Posted September 19, 2006 http://www.seachem.com/products/product_pages/Purigen.html they're ya go Chemi Pure is also good! http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...cfm?pcatid=4177 I'm actually switching to chemi pure this weekend b/c I was reading how purigen make take out trace elements which is no good for my corals. Link to comment
RyanCD Posted September 19, 2006 Author Share Posted September 19, 2006 Wonderful! I'll get that tomorrow when I got to the LFS for LR. Rye Courtney Link to comment
RyanCD Posted September 19, 2006 Author Share Posted September 19, 2006 Anyone have any ideas for my lighting?? I guess I should switch out my 10 w for an 18 but I still don't know what type of light fixture to buy. I want something that can easily fit into a canopy I build but I don't want to get a retro fit kit, I would rather just buy a light fixture. Wiring scares me especially when water will be near it. I did find this light at Dr. Foster and Smith but I don't know what type of PC it will take (screw in, straight pin, squarepin..if any). My other concern is that it might be too bulky to fit inside of a canopy... Thanks! RyeCourtney Link to comment
VannReefer87 Posted September 19, 2006 Share Posted September 19, 2006 try the coralife mini aqualight or the Current USA 12'' PC light Link to comment
Taikimoto Posted September 19, 2006 Share Posted September 19, 2006 Wow, I come back to update my 2.5 thread and find a few new 2.5 threads to post in! YAY, hehe. Anyways, for my 2.5 lights I use 2x10k 13w PC's and 2xActinic 13w PC's wired to Normal Output FLO bulb ballast (15 or 16w I think, $4 from lowes). You can see all the info here: If you have any Q's let me know! 2.5 Homepage with info (Pics of lights and whatnot are on there): http://65.190.199.12/nano.htm Nano-Reef thread: http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=91872 Reef Central thread: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.p...threadid=775300 And a pic! Link to comment
RyanCD Posted September 19, 2006 Author Share Posted September 19, 2006 Gorgeous tank! Link to comment
RyanCD Posted September 20, 2006 Author Share Posted September 20, 2006 Ok I solved my lighting dilemma at Home Depot tonight. I found light sockets all wired with cord and plug attached aka a clamp light! I not usng the silver hood the utility lights come with and I will also disregard the clamp it comes with. Th metal attachment that holds the clamp together with a screw will be screwed into my hood to hold it in place. If this is all too confusing I will post pics later when the canopy is built and show you exactly what I am talking about. I also bought my LR tonight and put it in. Still not to thrilled with my rock scape. I'll have to wait til tomorrow night to fix it. Link to comment
yankeereefer Posted September 20, 2006 Share Posted September 20, 2006 Hi Ryan- setup looks good so far - I look forward to seeing your aquascape - My one suggestion would be that you invest in a different thermometer - IMO, I wouldn't trust my setup to the little tape / sticky thermometer you have there Yankee Link to comment
RyanCD Posted September 20, 2006 Author Share Posted September 20, 2006 Yankee, I agree. I was thinking about that last night as I was trying to record the water temperature. What type is the most accurate? Should I get one that hangs or one that floats? Thanks p.s. tonight I will post pics of the LR scape Link to comment
Taikimoto Posted September 20, 2006 Share Posted September 20, 2006 I use a coralife digital thermo that you can pickup at any LFS or petsmart/petco's, they are around 5-10 bux I think. Link to comment
RyanCD Posted September 20, 2006 Author Share Posted September 20, 2006 Ok I'll keep an eye out. I put 3lb of rock in the tank. But it looks like there is plenty of room for more. I have a feeling this may be a silly question but is there such thing as too much LR? Link to comment
nanoDarth Posted September 20, 2006 Share Posted September 20, 2006 I would be worried a bit about the low amount of flow you have right now. It might be alright but a bit more flow would definately help whatever corals you choose thrive more. other than that good luck. latez Link to comment
RyanCD Posted September 20, 2006 Author Share Posted September 20, 2006 Hmmm I never thought of that. I will search for a small pump and try to stick it behind some LR. Thanks! Link to comment
Taikimoto Posted September 20, 2006 Share Posted September 20, 2006 You'll want to find the smallest powerhead/pump you can for an inflow pump. If you look at my tank I have an Elite somethingorother in the upper right with the filter housing taken off. This is actually too strong of a pump, its on its lowest setting. I have been meaning to make a spray bar or an adjustment of some sort as the corals in front of it get blown around a good bit, but they are still doing ok but the left side doesnt have alot of flow, at least compared to the right, I just would make it more even. Link to comment
yankeereefer Posted September 21, 2006 Share Posted September 21, 2006 I use a coralife digital thermo that you can pickup at any LFS or petsmart/petco's, they are around 5-10 bux I think. ditto that I have been meaning to make a spray bar or an adjustment of some sort as the corals Rio makes a return designed to attached to their powerheads - I bought one and attached it to a AC powerhead with tubing and connectors to act as my return from the overflow/fuge in my 5.5g mantis tank - Check my sig HTH YR Link to comment
RyanCD Posted September 21, 2006 Author Share Posted September 21, 2006 Time for pictures! Here is the tank with LR (remember I am adding more, can't stand how bare it looks now!) The light on. Tonight I started building the canopy (oops correction my boyfriend started to build the canopy - He doesn't trust me using the table saw ) so soon the mess will be gone! Ok and this is what I was rambling on about before, the clamp light. As of right now I am using the clamp to hold it onto the tank but when the canopy is built I will get rid of the clamp itself, just use the sockets and attach them to the canopy. It is so much easier than wiring! Getting more LR tomorrow. I did get a rid of the sticky thermometer and switched it out with a hang on thermometer that I had in my garage. Not as great as the digital but hey can't beat the price of free. Still trying to find a tiny pump. A while ago I saw a bunch at a LFS going out of business and remember thinking they were so cute but had no need because I had a large tank. I wish I had picked them up then! Thank you all for the help! I love the ability post the build as you go. The feedback is wonderfully helpful especially when you are clueless like me! Rye Courtney Link to comment
RyanCD Posted September 21, 2006 Author Share Posted September 21, 2006 Right now I have a 3/4" sand bed. Think I should go a little deeper? Link to comment
circusordie16 Posted September 21, 2006 Share Posted September 21, 2006 sounds like a good sand bed to me, mines about a half inch probably Link to comment
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