Pico Reef Tank Build Thread - Lifegard 3.8

[FishyFishFish]

My Yukihalu heater has failed already.

I noticed this evening that the temp on the controller was showing about 75. I dipped the temp sensor of my Inkbird in the tank and it was 85 Unplugging the heater and plugging it back in again appeared to reset the temp indications but then it rapidly shot up to 85 (tank temp was now down to about 80).

Amazon was pretty useless; they wouldn't refund the purchase as it was past the 'return window'. They are sending me a replacement but I'm not sure I want to use it.

It was something that I was worried about with this cheap heater, and it appears that I was right to be concerned.

 

[AnotherReefHobbyist]

My Yukihalu heater has failed already.

I noticed this evening that the temp on the controller was showing about 75. I dipped the temp sensor of my Inkbird in the tank and it was 85 Unplugging the heater and plugging it back in again appeared to reset the temp indications but then it rapidly shot up to 85 (tank temp was now down to about 80).

Amazon was pretty useless; they wouldn't refund the purchase as it was past the 'return window'. They are sending me a replacement but I'm not sure I want to use it.

It was something that I was worried about with this cheap heater, and it appears that I was right to be concerned.

Heaters are never a piece of equipment to cheap out on, they really are one of the most important pieces of life support for a reef tank.

 

[kiswanson]

A few weeks ago the flow back into the rear chamber got blocked and this resulted in water not getting back to the chamber with the pump and the ato until the ato had pumped in enough rodi water into the main chamber to overtop the back of the return chamber. Nothing flooded out of the aquarium, but the salinity dropped to 28 (from 35). I was out most of that week so by the time I noticed it on Thursday it was unfortunately too late for my little mobile inverts and the tiny gobies I had and they didn’t make it. After a 90% water change things were back to being good and surprisingly I only lost like one of the rock flower anemones. The rest of the coral and rfas are looking great again. Will probably restock again soon since it’s been a few wild and everything is stable again.

 

[kiswanson]

Currently the only mobile creatures are my tiny ORA blue tuxedo urchin (who does a great job keeping algae at bay) and some nassarius snails who clean up the sand bed.

 

[kiswanson]

Decided to add a yellow clown goby - Shakes the clown goby! He’s tiny (see the full tank shot and remember that the tank is only 12 inches long).

 

[AnotherReefHobbyist]

The YCG looks like they are enjoying the tank!

 

[kiswanson]

Added an Eheim everyday Fish feeder automatic feeder so Shakes the clown goby will get food consistently everyday, even the weekends when I’m not around. Bulky for a small tank, but seems to work fine and the smallest dose it provides it just right for a tiny lightly stocked tank.

 

[AnotherReefHobbyist]

Added an Eheim everyday Fish feeder automatic feeder so Shakes the clown goby will get food consistently everyday, even the weekends when I’m not around. Bulky for a small tank, but seems to work fine and the smallest dose it provides it just right for a tiny lightly stocked tank.

is your goby on flake/pellet?

 

[kiswanson]

is your goby on flake/pellet?

Yes, feeding a mix of the smallest pellets available

 

[kiswanson]

Shakes the clown goby giving the side eye

 

[kiswanson]

The alien hand green sinularia leather looking happy with polyps out

 

[kiswanson]

I absolutely love having this reef tank in my office

#piconanoreeftank #picotank #picoreef #rfa #ycg

 

[kiswanson]

Blue tuxedo urchin keeping the tank algae free

 

[kiswanson]

Three month update for the Pico reef!

 

[minorhero]

Fun tank build! You make me want to start a pico/nano tank next!

 

[AnotherReefHobbyist]

It is simply incredible what you have created in just three months!

 

[kiswanson]

Fun tank build! You make me want to start a pico/nano tank next!

It really has been an awesome project and I look at it more often then my e170 at home

 

[kiswanson]

It is simply incredible what you have created in just three months!

Thanks! It really has come together well. RFAs really are perfect for a tank this size

 

[minorhero]

It really has been an awesome project and I look at it more often then my e170 at home

Putting a tank in direct view of where you spend a lot of time is crazy important but almost no one talks about it. I have mostly freshwater tanks at my home. The tank I love the most is the one that's closest to my desk in my home office even though its less then half the size of my 'big' tank.

 

[KK's Reef]

Fun tank build! You make me want to start a pico/nano tank next!

Do it!