i would like to start a pico reef tank, help!

[Mrc8858]

Exactly hahah, I can't imagine something of this size will be too terribly hard to do, either.

Nope just remember to check two three times on measurements cause you may not notice your off until the last couple pieces and then youll have to tear apart sand the seems and start over so thorough plans make for an easy build lol

 

[Mrc8858]

Oh ya and you better keep us updated and pictures are a MUST when you start lol

 

[linds3y]

Oh I will what other equipment do you suggest for a tank of this size? I am unfamiliar with salt water and have many hours of research ahead of me haha

 

[Mrc8858]

Equipment wise you could get away with a bare minimum so you filter media unless you decide live rock a return pump which if your building a reef you want 40-50 x water volume so a 10 gallon= 400-500 gph Softies being the low end sps being the high end or you could do a nano circulation pump with a 200 gph return pump to give you two points of water movement and lastly a light... Not much at all for the tank to run on but then you will need a refractometer not a hydrometer because exact measurements are a must on this size a full reef test kit including alk calcium magnesium and phosphates as well with the basics. An ro/Di unit is nice to have but being so small you could get away with store bought water. Other then that you'll just need sand rock coral and inverts lol

 

[linds3y]

Thank you so much for your help! I will keep you posted on my progress

 

[Mrc8858]

Anytime whenever you begin to get into detailed pieces of the build feel free to comeback and we can get more detailed since I could have wrote a novel for start to finish building and setting up haha

 

[linds3y]

Okay sounds great, you're awesome

 

[Mrc8858]

Okay sounds great, you're awesome

Anytime I'm probably as excited to watch as you are to build lmao

 

[Zactheninja]

I've recently done a 7 gallon pico.
You'll be able to do fish in it, asking as you keep up with the water changes.

 

[linds3y]

Anytime I'm probably as excited to watch as you are to build lmao

Probably lol well I think i'll research for a few weeks or month or so and get an idea of what I'm doing and then I'll get started

 

[linds3y]

I've recently done a 7 gallon pico.
You'll be able to do fish in it, asking as you keep up with the water changes.

Water changes aren't an issue for me especially in such a small tank, I wouldn't mind doing them daily or every other day. What fish do you have in yours? Do you keep any corals and inverts or anything?

 

[Zactheninja]

So far I have a scooter Blenny.
For corals I have, shrooms, Xenia, a lps, and something else idk the name of.

 

[linds3y]

That sounds awesome, I'd like to do something similar

 

[Mrc8858]

So far I have a scooter Blenny.
For corals I have, shrooms, Xenia, a lps, and something else idk the name of.

A scooter blenny will need a larger tank than a 7 for more then one reason but the biggest being over time they slowly starve since they forage for copepods 24/7 just like the mandarin they are dragonettes and require a large pod population that can sustain the strain of a dragonette. If you can get one to eat prepared foods you are very lucky but they may revert back at any time so you'll have to seed with pods which can cost $20 a bottle and last a day or two....

 

[Zactheninja]

Mine eats brine ^.^
So how lucky am I again?

 

[Mrc8858]

Mine eats brine ^.^
So how lucky am I again?

He might be eating but a 7g is still to small for the fish.. he might survive in it but we should be housing them to there requirements instead of our own. Here is liveaquarias reccomendation for scooter blennies.

Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons Care Level: Difficult Temperament: Peaceful Reef Compatible: Yes Water Conditions: 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.020-1.025 Max. Size: 5" Color Form: Red, Tan, White Diet: Carnivore Compatibility: View Chart Origin: Fiji, Indonesia, Solomon Islands Family: Callionymidae

 

[Zactheninja]

If I put that fish in 30 gallons alone, that wouldn't be over kill?

 

[Mrc8858]

You could have a couple more fish in a 30 lol