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Showing results for tags 'picotank'.
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Complete beginner looking for recommendations for a 5gal picotank
ChickenJo posted a topic in Beginners Discussion
Hello everyone! I'm a college student (so that presents some challenges) and I've been interested in marine aquariums for a very long time, and am thinking about taking the plunge! I've been reading everything I could find, including El Fab's wonderful guide to pico tanks, and I'm still a bit lost. I'd like to do this as responsibly as possible. So I'm looking at doing an ~5gal pico reef only (maybe some inverts in a while, maybe a goby in a longer while) tank, however I am currently on a college budget and a bit confused about what exactly I need, and which specific things I should go with to keep costs down. I believe this is what I need, but if I can trim it a bit that would be nice. Please tell me what I'm missing as well and what I'm wrong about! Heater [Need assistance/recommendation] Thermometer [Need assistance/recommendation] Refractometer [Need assistance/recommendation] Reliable test kit [Need assistance/recommendation] Automatic timer [Need assistance/recommendation] Maintenance supplies and tools (I've got these already) 2 ½ quart Mixing Containers 5-Gallon Mixing Bucket Turkey Baster Aquatic Forceps Airline Tubing Magnet Glass Cleaner Tank Just a basic 5.5g or similar, though if an All in one would be cheaper I'm also down for that light [Need assistance/recommendation] filter [Need assistance/recommendation] Saltwater [Need assistance/recommendation] 5 lb Live rock [Need assistance/recommendation] Live sand Probably gonna grab some Arag-Alive! Reef Sand - CaribSea Heater [Need assistance/recommendation] Powerhead [Need assistance/recommendation] Aquaclear refugium that extra volume sounds nice Skimmer I know it's useful but not necessary, what am I looking at on the low end of prices on this one and how useful is it? ATO Gravity fed like this one probably Coral as hardy and easy as possible, so like Zoas and mushrooms right? -
Woah hey this is my first post here, though I've been somewhat of a lurker... I have started up a new pico reef a bit more than a week ago. As of today, Specific Gravity is 1.026 at 78 F, pH is around 8.4, Ammonia is around 0.5, Nitrates around 20, Nitrites around 0.3. As of three days ago, Calcium was 450, Magnesium was 1370, Phos was 0.0, KH was 16.3. I've done multiple water changes since then, so those last ones have probably gone down. For supplements, I have Red Sea's Foundation + (1 kg), which I dose very lightly (about 0.5 mg daily/whenever needed since I have nothing in there yet). I also have Red Sea's trace elements, which I dose even lighter. I have aquvitro's balance which I believe I dosed too much of, hence the high pH. I also have Red Sea's Algae Management, which I don't dose unless nitrates are high. For filtration, I just use the filter that came with it (it was Aquatop's Bullet Tank) but with SeaGel instead of a cartridge. I use the same lights that came with it since I plan on having 2-3 softies only. I use Hygger's heater (20W I think), and no skimmer. I am planning on getting a small powerhead to increase circulation if I need it. To cycle it, I used FritzZyme 900 with about 3x the base dose. This seems to not have worked, so I'm re-trying with SeaChem's Stability. That one seems to be working much better. I will be getting something to re-establish coralline algae on my live rock, since it seems to have died off. So, once I get this tank stabilized and get the rhythm and routine down, for livestock, I plan on putting a green clown goby in there, as well as a dwarf feather duster and possibly hermit crabs and snails. I'm not sure which of those last two, yet. I also plan on getting 2-3 softies. Will I need a skimmer for this? Any recommendations for what to do with my tank? This is only my second tank, so I'm no expert yet. Please give me any advice you think I may need.
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Hi all, I have a 5g cube have been running for 3 months now. For first two month, its only filtration was a dophin hob filter and a hob refugium which I modified for better flow rate. Also a bunch of live rock and live sand. Now I just got a Bubble Magus QQ1 skimmer from a friend. So if I run the skimmer should I get rid of the dophin hob and replace it with a wave maker instead? And I also want to get rid of the sand bed, it's just a little too much for me to clean them everytime I do WC. Thank you guys
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FTS 4/12/2020 - Last Picture in it's full glory before ugrading to 20 g tall. FTS 1/30/2020 Tank: Petco Imagiatrium 3.7 AOI Removed the sump area entirely to make more room for rock and coral. Livestock Fish: Frank the Green Clown Goby Inverts: 1 Cerith Snail 2 Nassarius Snails 1 Trochus Snail Coral Softies: Green Star Polyp Green Leather Coral Variety of Zoas 3 Random Mushrooms Green Ricordia Kenya Treef LPS: Acan Colony (started as 2 heads and now about 6) Hammer (Two heads) Torch (Almost two heads) Duncan Green Candy Cane (5 heads) SPS: Random from Frag Swap (no clue what kind) FIltration: Aquaclear 20 running Filter floss, chemipure elite and purigen Lighting: Lumini Asta 20 Heat: Cobalt Neotherm 50W Cooling: Small USB Computer Fan set up over the Aquaclear Filter Flow: Small 80gph submersible pump Feeding: Spot feed mysis to LPS (2-3 x per week) Target Feed reef roids once weekly Maintenance: Stare at tank daily Pick bubble algae and scrape glass every other day Weekly Water chance of 1 gallon Change filter floss during water change Replace Chemipure bimonthly Replace Purigen when exhausted This tank started off as a planted betta tank but I soon found the size to be inadequate as well as ugly. I tried and failed to use aquasoil and the mopani wood I bought was leaching sap and was therefore unusable. I quickly grew tired and took down the tank and decided to try my hand at running a reef tank. I had a FOWLR in highschool but never made the jump to coral. Huge thanks to @TatorTaco who responded to a post I made asking for feedback and was instrumental in getting the tank setup by being kind enough to send me sand, rocks, heater and a ton of other extras. Some other people I need to thank are @Clown79, @Lula_Mae, @ninjamyst, @ksadam, and @tgore for all their advice and experience! I hope to keep this journal up to date as a record for coral growth, triumphs and any failures I may (will) come across. Currently battling an infestation of Bubble algae and some red cyano as well as green algae that are both growing on the sand and the walls of the tank. No way to test for phosphates, so I am planning on getting a Hanna ULR checker soon so I can stay on top of those numbers. I theorize it coincided with reduced nutrients when stopping all feeding to try and kill off hydroids that were starting to spread. The hydroids are under control, but I think it allowed the algae to start and take hold. I am slowly sucking out the sand during water changes and that is helping to stop the spread of algae on the sand bed and might eventually try going no sand bed to allow me to crank up the flow a bit. I won't be adding emerald crabs since I have hear mixed reviews on wether they are reef safe.
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Oh yes, I would like to thank @Christopher Marks for another contest, it is a superb way of marking the first complete year since I joined the forum. Thank you sir, even if you were a coupe weeks late. 😁 So I guess I should hurry up on my Pico Build. Tank: Fluval Spec 3 AIO (2.6G) Light: Kessil A80 on Spectral Controller Heater: 15w Betta Preset Pump: 105GPH Chinese pond pump 🔥Hot stuff🔥 Theme (2020.02.14): - This time around I have a clear theme in mind and want to stick to it as much as possible. I really like the idea of having a single Genus tank and for the purposes of this contest I have decided to go with Montipora. Essentially I wanted a Genus where I could have a selection of colour and growth patterns that can capture the eye and drag it around the tank. I am also getting annoyed with two of my Gobies in the Red Sea Reefer 130D. They keep trying to spawn and getting everything eaten by everything else in the tank. So the first two points of this tank is to get it cycled and set up quickly and then SPS ready, I plan on adding Montipora in one, maybe two different additions, depending on bonuses at work etc. I plan on doing this so that I have a full 9-10 months where I can concentrate on growth and see whether my two self imposed limits make this difficult or not. Updated Theme: (2020.05.04):- So Corona virus stopped this tank in it's third month, had to restart and considering a direction Aquascape is pretty clear, Rockwall, cliff whatever you want to call it. Small. Island in the middle as well. Going bare bottom with this one. Have already undertook a couple of mods to the tank, sealed bottom hole in filtration. Also filled in large amount of top weir. Waiting on the putty to dry before I can fill this, maybe as early as tomorrow. Livestock: Fish and Clean up Crew TBC - June 2020 Most likely FULL TANK SHOTS Set Up February March April May June July September October November December January February
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I'm new to the hobby but have been following for a while, and am in the process of setting up a 1.4 gallon pico tank. As far as equipment goes, there's a sort of built in Sump in the back with a sponge and extra compartment - I just put some extra live rubble in there from what didn't fit in the display. There's also a 25w heater and mini wavemaker on its way, along with a bulb (specs below). My plan is to get Dr. Tim's live culture and then wait a week or two before adding GSP - after that I'm not sure (probably frogspawn and CUC as needed). Is there anything I'm missing?  (I'm planning on eighty percent water changes a week just because of the small size)
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