Eagle_Steve
Grandpa of Cronies
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Well now that my Pico is running fine and not dead yet, I figured a build thread was in order.
1.5 Gallon Deep Blue Tank
Top Fin RP200 All in One Pump/Filter with modded output nozzle
Tetra 50w Heater
DIY LED Light with a cheap Chinese light for the housing.
3lb Live Rock
1 Kenya Tree
Some GSP pulled from big tank at home.
Purple Hairy Mushroom
Caulerpa
Ogo
2x Margarita Snails
Loads of Pods from when in my sump
and a Pom Pom Crab
The tank started 2 months ago with sand from my tank at home, rock rubble from the sump, and the coral was all reductions in existing stock from home. The only new item was the Pom Pom Crab, and it is a funny creature to watch during long conference calls. When I first set the tank up, it was built as it sits and set in my sump. I let it sit there for a month with the heater and pump running underwater. The little pump as has the sponge filter left in it, but i pulled the carbon bag out of it. I placed Purigen in a small mesh bag and use that instead. When it comes time to clean, I take the sponge and smack it on the sink without rinsing it and then change out the Purigen. Generally this is done once a week. I do a 2 cup water change every week and all of my reading have been stable. The pump itself has a flow adjuster, and its all the way up, the spray bar removed, and the outlet has been heated and formed to resemble a nozzle. I get flow everywhere in the little tank, and the flow ends at the filter inlet.
PH - 8.3
Temp - 77
SG - 1.025
Alk - 9 dKH
NH3 - 0
NO2 - 2-3
PO4 - .1
Calcium - 430
Mag. - 1300
All tests are Salifert and Red Sea. I use both kits when testing. Testing has been once a week since removed from my sump and placed in my office. Ammonia I had tested every day until last week. I am to the point I think since I am doing 2 cups of water a day WC, I will stop testing as long as things look good. The nitrates are staying at 2-3 due to me prob overfeeding the Pom Pom, but it has to eat right. 3 mouths to feed with it lol.
I have already had to trim the Ogo and the Caulerpa. Had a small bit of GHA, but the snails have demolished it. The Kenya Tree was a small branch with 8-9 arms a month ago and it is doing well (they live through a power head chop up), the GSP has attached itself besides where it was glued down, the GSP also is open most of the time (little ticked about the white being kicked up for the pic) and the Shroom is doing well (No its mouth is not open, a small shell landed on it when the Pom Pom was digging, and has since been removed) . Coralline Algae has either grown in size or I have new spots of it. So all in all I am very happy with this. The happiest part was coming in this morning to work early, and seeing a ton of pods scatter when I turned the light on. That give me a little reassurance that something else is in there to eat what the Pom Pom misses.
I plan to add some mixed Zoas once my new light gets here, but no more live stock. But it sure is nice having it at the office to break up the monotony. Hopefully all stays well, as now that I have said something about it, I am paranoid there will be a crash.
Excuse the pics, I turned the white all the way up since the blue jacks with my phone, and man it was bright.
I turned the white on and the Pom Pom ran for cover. The little white dots dead in the middle are its anemone buddies.
New coralline growth and existing that has expanded quite a bit. Seems this tank is doing the same thing my big tank did. Green shows up and then it goes to Purple. Come on and cover the back glass already lol.
1.5 Gallon Deep Blue Tank
Top Fin RP200 All in One Pump/Filter with modded output nozzle
Tetra 50w Heater
DIY LED Light with a cheap Chinese light for the housing.
3lb Live Rock
1 Kenya Tree
Some GSP pulled from big tank at home.
Purple Hairy Mushroom
Caulerpa
Ogo
2x Margarita Snails
Loads of Pods from when in my sump
and a Pom Pom Crab
The tank started 2 months ago with sand from my tank at home, rock rubble from the sump, and the coral was all reductions in existing stock from home. The only new item was the Pom Pom Crab, and it is a funny creature to watch during long conference calls. When I first set the tank up, it was built as it sits and set in my sump. I let it sit there for a month with the heater and pump running underwater. The little pump as has the sponge filter left in it, but i pulled the carbon bag out of it. I placed Purigen in a small mesh bag and use that instead. When it comes time to clean, I take the sponge and smack it on the sink without rinsing it and then change out the Purigen. Generally this is done once a week. I do a 2 cup water change every week and all of my reading have been stable. The pump itself has a flow adjuster, and its all the way up, the spray bar removed, and the outlet has been heated and formed to resemble a nozzle. I get flow everywhere in the little tank, and the flow ends at the filter inlet.
PH - 8.3
Temp - 77
SG - 1.025
Alk - 9 dKH
NH3 - 0
NO2 - 2-3
PO4 - .1
Calcium - 430
Mag. - 1300
All tests are Salifert and Red Sea. I use both kits when testing. Testing has been once a week since removed from my sump and placed in my office. Ammonia I had tested every day until last week. I am to the point I think since I am doing 2 cups of water a day WC, I will stop testing as long as things look good. The nitrates are staying at 2-3 due to me prob overfeeding the Pom Pom, but it has to eat right. 3 mouths to feed with it lol.
I have already had to trim the Ogo and the Caulerpa. Had a small bit of GHA, but the snails have demolished it. The Kenya Tree was a small branch with 8-9 arms a month ago and it is doing well (they live through a power head chop up), the GSP has attached itself besides where it was glued down, the GSP also is open most of the time (little ticked about the white being kicked up for the pic) and the Shroom is doing well (No its mouth is not open, a small shell landed on it when the Pom Pom was digging, and has since been removed) . Coralline Algae has either grown in size or I have new spots of it. So all in all I am very happy with this. The happiest part was coming in this morning to work early, and seeing a ton of pods scatter when I turned the light on. That give me a little reassurance that something else is in there to eat what the Pom Pom misses.
I plan to add some mixed Zoas once my new light gets here, but no more live stock. But it sure is nice having it at the office to break up the monotony. Hopefully all stays well, as now that I have said something about it, I am paranoid there will be a crash.
Excuse the pics, I turned the white all the way up since the blue jacks with my phone, and man it was bright.
I turned the white on and the Pom Pom ran for cover. The little white dots dead in the middle are its anemone buddies.
New coralline growth and existing that has expanded quite a bit. Seems this tank is doing the same thing my big tank did. Green shows up and then it goes to Purple. Come on and cover the back glass already lol.