3 gallon Pico

[duoc9119]

I haven't posted a picture of my full tank yet. And after the move back from college for spring break, I thought it would be a good time to post some pics and how it runs.

As of now, the tank is a acrylic 3 gallon bowfront tank I found at petsmart for 30 bucks.

The filter is an AQ 50 with a 20 impeller. Running filter floss and chemipure elite. The flow got cut pretty hard with the media so I used the pump that came with the internal filter that came with the tank as a powerhead (<70gph)

Using a Hydor 25 watt heater, it didn't fit in the AQ so it's in tank.

The light I am using is a Finnex light that came on their pico tanks. Bought from Amazon for $40. Works great as far as I know.

That white floating thing is a float switch that powers on a Rio 2100 pump as a top off, made with an extension cord and the float switch. The bucket of water is on the floor next to the tank. A 1" inch tubing runs up behind the stand and tank and is zip tied to the filter's intank about 1/2" from the water level to avoid siphon.

Live stock consists of a cleaner shrimp, one hermit crab, and various snails, and a torch coral. Currently battling aptasias. One has grown to a pretty good 1.5" size.. but is in the back corner of the rock tower.

This was the very first saltwater tank I started with and was started around Thanks Giving I believe. Taking it nice and slow. Now I have a Nano Cube 28 CF-Quad that I'm working on

 

[TomStav]

Looks really cool I like it

 

[duoc9119]

Going to stop by the LFS tomorrow and pick up a frag and probably a peppermint shrimp to try to eat the aptasias. Cleaner shrimp has molted probably about 4 times the time I've had it.

 

[iDream]

Cool, love the scape. The torch looks great (placement, and polyp extension) as well!

As for the aips if they're bigger than say an inch the pep probably won't eat it, if they eat them at all. I got lucky and mine did

 

[duoc9119]

Thanks! I'm going to try to at least control the small ones but the aptasias are getting crafty and finding hard to reach places.

 

[duoc9119]

Updates

Its been a long while since I had the torch and it looks like it is doing great with the light. So I went to the LFS today and they had a nice deal for red people eaters and peppermint shrimp. Got both for 30 bucks. The peppermint was 5 bucks.

Its been about 6 hours and most of the polyps have opened up. Thinking about heading to radio shack for blue leds to give the corals a nice pop. Or order a 20k Par38 led bulb to replace my PC.

Shrimp is only about an inch and I think it may have eaten the smaller aptasisas since I haven't really found any.

 

[Dylan5359]

Those polyps look great! And that shrimp looks cool!

-Dylan

 

[duoc9119]

Thanks, should I feed them or let them do whatever like I do with my torch? I have never fed the torch and it's doing fine

 

[iDream]

You're probably gonna want to hang that PAR38 pretty high unless you want to melt some corals, those guys are really strong (height would also be determined by what optics you got)

I wouldn't feed the corals because in a tank that small that would could foul up really quickly.

 

[austinsdad]

I agree. The coral doesn't need feeding. I'd also be wary of a pep and cleaner shrimp in such a small tank. Serious turf issues I belive. If the aptasia have any size to them, a pep won't help anyway.

 

[duoc9119]

Thanks for the help! I'm keeping a close eye on the two shrimps. I'll get some FTS tonight when the lights are on. I have the lights running from 6pm-2am so I will be home to actually admire my tank. lol I had them run from 8am-4pm but I had class so by the time I got back the lights turn off and the corals close up for the night.. For the Par38, I think it will have 40 degree optics. Any other light fixtures you guys recommend for a tank this small?

 

[iDream]

I do know Coralife makes a small 2-bulb T5(not HO) fixture that's about 11". But other than that the PAR38 IMO is a better option. And with 40 degree optics you'd have to have it pretty high up to cover the whole tank and not torch any corals

 

[SteveFishman]

What kind of torch is that I want one!!!

 

[Jnam]

I used a 12" PC with pretty good results. DIY LED is the way to go =)

 

[duoc9119]

What kind of torch is that I want one!!!

Its just a tan/brown with green/yellow tip torch. Not sure if they come in other colors. It's been doing pretty well since I got him around thanksgiving time.

I ordered some blue leds from ebay. Hoping it's enough to give the corals a good pop. All but 4 polyps on the people eater has opened. Everything just recently fell because of my single hermit or snail. So I ordered some glue from inTank. I think I will glue the people eaters to where they are now and the torch probably to the base of the tower of rocks.

Thinking of trading in the cleaner shrimp (he's already at 2 inches) he likes to walk all over and poke at the corals.. Maybe I can get another peppermint shrimp and a small frag of some sort, acan maybe?!

 

[iDream]

If you can get acans for a decent price around you, then I'm jealous!

 

[duoc9119]

My LFS offers acan frags for $30 bucks. Most of the LPS and SPS frags I get for around $20-30. Not bad I don't think

 

[duoc9119]

So went to the LFS and the Skunk Cleaner trade went through. And I came home with a small peppermint shrimp and a nice sized acan frag. I will get some pictures posted up tonight when the lights come on.

Already and the new shrimp already attacked the 1-2 inch tall aptasia. Everyone seems happier in the tank now. My only hermit crab is now out and about

 

[duoc9119]

More pictures! Traded the Skunk Cleaner for an acan frag and a small peppermint shrimp. Lights just turned on so the torch hasn't had enough time to fully extend

 

[duoc9119]

and a few macro pics