1/2 gallon pico build

[Obsessed with fish]

I would look into maybe a small powerhead (made for desktop fountains, 3w/40gph). If it’s too much flow for the tank, it might be just slightly too much, just put it behind the rock blowing directly into the rock to diffuse the flow a little bit. And then get rid of the sponge filter, it’s really unnecessary, your rock will provide all the biological filtration. If you want the mechanical filtration, you could put a piece of sponge on the intake of the pump. The power head will provide more water movement than the sponge filter. What are you doing to keep the temp stable and what about lighting?

Allright, when cycle is finished i will add a small power head.

 

[Obsessed with fish]

Just because its possible, doesn't mean everyone can do it..it takes a certain set of skills, 20g is hard for me to keep correctly, your seeing pro reefer pictures, ..awesome tanks as always @brandon429

I'll get a lid when I add fish and inverts

 

[MaxTremors]

I'll get a lid when I add fish and inverts

You shouldn’t be adding any fish to a tank that small, and anything beyond a hermit and a snail would be inappropriate. The only thing you can really add is corals and live rock (in a tank that small, all of the microfauna on real live rock could be the main point of interest). What are you doing to keep the temp stable and what are you doing for lighting Also, you don’t need to wait to add a powerhead, the sooner you add it and get rid of the sponge filter, the more healthy your tank will be.

 

[Obsessed with fish]

You shouldn’t be adding any fish to a tank that small, and anything beyond a hermit and a snail would be inappropriate. The only thing you can really add is corals and live rock (in a tank that small, all of the microfauna on real live rock could be the main point of interest). What are you doing to keep the temp stable and what are you doing for lighting Also, you don’t need to wait to add a powerhead, the sooner you add it and get rid of the sponge filter, the more healthy your tank will be.

Allright, I order one now, by fish I meant a blue legged hermit crab, my mistake lol. Ill put the sponge filter in a different tank

 

[Obsessed with fish]

You shouldn’t be adding any fish to a tank that small, and anything beyond a hermit and a snail would be inappropriate. The only thing you can really add is corals and live rock (in a tank that small, all of the microfauna on real live rock could be the main point of interest). What are you doing to keep the temp stable and what are you doing for lighting Also, you don’t need to wait to add a powerhead, the sooner you add it and get rid of the sponge filter, the more healthy your tank will be.

I already have lighting, ill add a spare thermometer, I do have an external heater wich I will add when I add coral and crab, ill also add the light when I add the fish and crab

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

I'll get a lid when I add fish and inverts

I wasn't implying that about you, just putting that out there with myself included

 

[Obsessed with fish]

I wasn't implying that about you, just putting that out there with myself included

Allright

 

[Obsessed with fish]

I don't want to buy a power head unless I'm 100% sure I need it. I have repositioned the sponge filter so that the bubbles coming out make more flow. Is this enough for some zoa and a mushroom? I tried to upload a video but it would not work, the water is rippling like CRAZY after moving the sponge filter. It may even be to much flow, it looks like less in the photo. If its not enough I'll get a power head.

 

[Obsessed with fish]

I'll also get a lid now

 

[AnotherReefHobbyist]

I don’t think you are going to kill a Zoa or mushroom because of not enough flow, so you could try it and if they need more flow you can simply add more flow.

 

[Obsessed with fish]

I don’t think you are going to kill a Zoa or mushroom because of not enough flow, so you could try it and if they need more flow you can simply add more flow.

Allright, cycling is going well, small ammounts of nitrite are appearing.

 

[AnotherReefHobbyist]

Also, I don't think anyone has complimented your profile picture, which is truly a shame, cause it is a freaking masterpiece.

 

[Obsessed with fish]

Also, I don't think anyone has complimented your profile picture, which is truly a shame, cause it is a freaking masterpiece.

Lol thanks! I love your clownfish, what type is it?

 

[Obsessed with fish]

Ok, I have officially decided on corals, I'm thinking about a few zoa polpys and some kind of mushroom. By the look of my test results this cycle may take a while

 

[AnotherReefHobbyist]

Lol thanks! I love your clownfish, what type is it?

I believe it is a black occilaris, don't know if all of them have orange noses though.

 

[Obsessed with fish]

I believe it is a black occilaris, don't know if all of them have orange noses though.

I love clownfish, they add diversity to the tank!

 

[ApoIsland]

Allright, when cycle is finished i will add a small power head.

You could probably be ok without a power head in a tank that small.

I had a 2g with only this airpump as circulation:

It was not providing enough flow to the zoas on the bottom though so I purchased this tiny fountain pump:


The pump provided enough flow for all zoas but the issue was that it raised water temp from 79 to 83 in just a couple hours and that is where it stayed most of the day. That was also in the fall months so I think it would have been a real problem in the summer.

For some reason I can’t attach a pic of the 2g with just the airpump for circulation. It did give fairly good turbulence at the water surface.

 

[ApoIsland]

Here is that pic showing decent water turbulence from just the air pump.

 

[Surskit]

watching this! excited to see how it goes!

 

[GK3]

it is possible to make a sealed half gallon that does not evaporate at all. dont fill the water up to the top of the container, leave air space. then when you raise the little lid every couple days for feeding or water change or frag reposition that refreshes the space. my half gallon sps reef didn't evaporate away from .023 for three straight years, but the lid was lifted 2 or 3 times a week. those lifted intervals weren't long enough to allow for evaporation

The second non evaporating reef tank (turned into aio):

First pico reef led setup

at the time I was thinking geeze they'll never get leds good enough for what I want it would take a thousand of these.

I still have the lights, they belong in the international pico reef museum in munich.

Just so you know, in 2011 I built an Aio out of the aqueoun 2.5 gallon. Your middle aoi was easily found on the internet back then and I used it for ideas and inspiration. I remember you detailing the lights. Crazy to see it posted here and it was your tank.