Liquid Dreams Pico

[LiquidTension82]

Welcome NR Denizens, to the Pre-Show of what will someday be a Nano-Reef TOTM.

While I get my equipment together for the Main Event (my other project, Codename: The Experiment) I got a little antsy and decided to start a tank. A little history is in order here, I had a wonderful Betta named Yojimbo who I had for over 2 1/2 years. He was a good friend with a cheerful personality, always playing peek-a-boo between the rocks when he seen me, I'll miss him dearly! He died from a fungal infection, I tried to save him, but in the end there was nothing I could do. After a few days of mourning I tore down his Aqueon home and decided to reef it out. I went out to my local Petco and picked up some low budget stuff, dry sand, dry rock, premixed saltwater and some testing equipment. I cleaned the tank thoroughly and began this pico journey.

Equipment:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Aqueon Evolve 2
Fluval 10 watt heater
Filter Sponge
Aquaclear 20 Carbon Insert
1 inch Deep Sandbed
1 lb of Dry Rock
1lb Live Rock


I got the tank wet on 12/29/13 and added the Live Rock on the 30th.
I have already spotted what I believe are Aptasia and some Bristleworms, I also have Diatoms and Pods everywhere (so far so good).

Current parameters are:

Temperature: 78.5
Salinity: 1.023
PH: 8.4
Ammonia: 0.25 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 0 ppm
Phosphate: 1 ppm
Alkalinity: 240 ppm
Calcium: 400 ppm

How can I bring down my alkalinity? and when should I add cheato for the Phosphate?

Edit: Just figured out why KH is high. My PH was low a few day ago and I used API PH Up to raise it, It should go down on it's own right?

Note: when I bought the tank the pump was to strong for my Betta even on the lowest setting so I switched it for a pump from a tetra internal filter. I will be getting another pump something around 80gph any suggestions. I also want to try one of those new algae scrubbers from santa monica. one of these...
http://www.santa-monica.cc/DROP2-drop-in-upflow-algae-scrubber-with-Green-Grabber-surfaces--02-cubes-feeding-per-day_p_47.html
But I'm waiting on more reviews.



Current FTS

[LiquidTension82]

Finally got a shot of the bristleworm

[starrlamia]

the hydor pico powerheads work really well

[LiquidTension82]

the hydor pico powerheads work really well

Yeah I was looking at the Hydor Evo-Mag 180 for a powerhead and a Hydor Centrifugal 100 for my return pump on DrFosterSmith.

Do you think that's too much? I don't want a crazy whirlwind of sand (my sands really fine).

[starrlamia]

naw, i have a nano 240 in my 3g haha, the picos are generally adjustable too (i think they all are but not 100% on that) so you can always dial down the flow, im not an expert though.

[LiquidTension82]

Update:

 

The diatom bloom is receding and I'm getting bubbles coming from my sandbed (I assume that's oxygen created by the diatom algae). I have also placed a few orders for filtration equipment, I hope it's not overkill. We'll see when its all gets here.

[LiquidTension82]

Massive Update:

 

So I've received a few packages and picked up a new live rock (this one has some nice coralline algae on it my first one had no purple what so ever)

here' the new parts list

 

Hydor Pico 100 circulation pump

Hydor Pico 180 flow pump

Santa Monica DROP.2 drop-in algae scrubber

Purigen 100ml bag

Filter Floss

....

....

 

The live rock brought some new hitchhikers I think they are Chitons. a few small ones and one larger one. there are also two tiny snails I cant identify ( I'll post pics tommorrow ) here are some update tank pics

 

 

Purigen

 

Algae Scrubber

 

Filter Floss

 

FTS

[LiquidTension82]

I've had this light up for a few days and I really like it, I'm not sure yet how it will look with some corals in there but so far so good.

 

 

It's a BoostLED Par30 with 2 Royal Blue, 1 Regular Blue, 1 Warm White & 1 Cool White

I'm just waiting on one more package.....

[LiquidTension82]

Big Update:

 

so I got my package but my plans were foiled...

I bought a TMC V2 Skim 80 Micro Skimmer and a hydor pico 200 to run it but the heat coming from the three pumps (return flow and skimmer) plus the lack of space made for a big headache.

 

so I removed everything and put it away for an upgrade later on. I am currently just running...

Boost LED Par30

Hydor Pico 100 - Return

Filter Floss

Carbon

Purigen

Cheapo Heater (will upgrade that soon [no temp control] )

 

and have a little bit of a stock list for you...

Yellow Clown Goby - Goldfinger

Peppermint Shrimp

2 Dwarf Blue Legged Hermit Crabs

2 Nassarius Snails (tiny guys)

1 Astrea Snail

1 Cerith Snail

and like 6 Hitchhiking Stomatellas

(oh and a fake Acro for Goldfinger)

 

and Photo Dump...

 

 

 

 

FTS

[evanski]

Nice...I like how you are just going for it!

 

I have the same light and REALLY like it. Will have to wait to get a real camera so I can do white correction to get a decent shot, but the corals (soft and hard) are going bananas and the zoanthids are popping out babies left and right.

[DaveFason]

This needs a Mini Tide over it

 

-Dave

[LiquidTension82]

Nice...I like how you are just going for it!

 

I have the same light and REALLY like it. Will have to wait to get a real camera so I can do white correction to get a decent shot, but the corals (soft and hard) are going bananas and the zoanthids are popping out babies left and right.

Thanks Evanski . I actually have a problem with over-planning and for once i'm actually just shooting from the hip on this one ( although there are some Mini...ahem, Minor plans in the works ) I'm glad to hear something good about this light I haven't really researched it to much.

 

Nice tank BTW (just checked it out)

[evanski]

Thanks Evanski . I actually have a problem with over-planning and for once i'm actually just shooting from the hip on this one ( although there are some Mini...ahem, Minor plans in the works ) I'm glad to hear something good about this light I haven't really researched it to much.

 

Nice tank BTW (just checked it out)

 

 

Thanks! Now I have to quit buying stuff and let things grow in!

[LiquidTension82]

Thanks! Now I have to quit buying stuff and let things grow in!

Yeah I'm waiting another week or two before I start adding corals., but picking the right ones is gonna be hard. There are so many corals I want and so little realty in this tank I'll have to be real selective.

[LiquidTension82]

So......A little update.

The tank is doing good parameters wise. the first month I had ridiculously high Ca and KH but the levels have dropped to 400-420 Ca and my KH recently took a nose dive (5-6 dKH) after I added some seachem Phosguard to get rid of some algae. I did a water change and it's back to 9 dKH. i'm gonna check it again half way through the week if it goes down again I'll remove the Phosguard. I've got flatworms and my peppermint shrimp died after about a week and a half in the tank. he didnt help with the aiptasia either. i'm gonna get some aiptasia x this week and some flatworm exit. still no corals I've been having a rough month (life likes curve balls). my plans for "The Experiment Tank" fell through so now I'm sitting on a Nanobox Duo that I'm not sure I'll be using for a long time, thinking about selling it but still not sure. plus after Dave released news of his 5G desktop tank I've been thinking about just upgrading to that. we'll see what happens. also I have a random question

 

Does anyone know what happened to these? (The T5s)

http://blog.captive-aquatics.com/captive_aquatics/2010/07/new-from-nano-customs-nano-t5-led-retro-kit.html

[hryder77]

any updates?