3 gal picotope (build thread!)

[dingusplease]

Cool man I'll be interested to know how it goes.

[Fishman007]

Originally Posted by dingusplease

Cool man I'll be interested to know how it goes.

I will send you a link to the thread if you wanna follow once ive got the tank, ordering all the stuff of dr. Fosters & smith ATM

[dingusplease]

I'll be following!

[Fishman007]

Originally Posted by dingusplease

I'll be following!

Prob wont be ordering it till monday or later. So it will be in a few days...

[Fishman007]

Originally Posted by dingusplease

Quick update: added a slightly bigger power head in back, added a $0 background , will be doing water tests as soon as I get my test kits tomorrow. From what I know, the cycle should be a little quicker than average because all my LR and sand are from established tanks. Btw, do you think I should move the LR back a bit so there's more space in front? Just a thought. Thanks for looking!

P.s. I'll be adding a cuc soon, along with some zoas and xenia. Stay tuned!

If you dont know this add CUC. After youve finished cycling, along with coral, they will die with parameters high like they are during the cycle.

[Fishman007]

I have a question... Why do you need to use chemi-pure? Ive never used it and my fish and coral do fine, all i use is carbon.

[dingusplease]

I still haven't ordered the chemi-pure, but someone recommended it to me and said it really helped keep their water clear and free of ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. I have some carbon in there now, and I probably won't be getting chemi-pure soon.

[dingusplease]

Originally Posted by Fishman007

If you dont know this add CUC. After youve finished cycling, along with coral, they will die with parameters high like they are during the cycle.

Sorry, I don't understand... are you suggesting adding the cuc now? Or are you saying I should wait until the cycle's done? (I was planning on waiting, but if you have a suggestion I'm happy to hear it!)

[Fishman007]

Originally Posted by dingusplease

Sorry, I don't understand... are you suggesting adding the cuc now? Or are you saying I should wait until the cycle's done? (I was planning on waiting, but if you have a suggestion I'm happy to hear it!)

Oh sorry, didnt mean to have that period! Wait to add them lol.

[dingusplease]

@Fishman007 Yah that's what I thought thanks

Btw, I took my water to the LFS and they tested it.
7.8 - ph (I have a reef buffer that I'm prob going to add soon.)
0 - ammonia
0.25 - nitrites
10 - nitrates
1.023 salinity
13 dkh - alkalinity
420 - calcium

Anyway looks like the cycle is moving along quickly! Got my test kit tonight so I'll be posting test results every few days.

[Fishman007]

Originally Posted by dingusplease

@Fishman007 Yah that's what I thought thanks

Btw, I took my water to the LFS and they tested it.
7.8 - ph (I have a reef buffer that I'm prob going to add soon.)
0 - ammonia
0.25 - nitrites
10 - nitrates
1.023 salinity
13 dkh - alkalinity
420 - calcium

Anyway looks like the cycle is moving along quickly! Got my test kit tonight so I'll be posting test results every few days.

Looks good, buffers arent needed. Your salt mix should buffer it, are you useing aragonite?

[dingusplease]

I'm using instant ocean reef crystals and Caribsea live sand (aragonite)

[Fishman007]

Originally Posted by dingusplease

I'm using instant ocean reef crystals and Caribsea live sand (aragonite)

Oh, have you tested the Ph on the water before it goes in the tank?

[bettaowner]

Nice tank. I'd love to set up a tank like that some day.

[dingusplease]

Originally Posted by Fishman007

Oh, have you tested the Ph on the water before it goes in the tank?

Yeah, I tested it and it was 8.0. I know it's a little low, but the only thing I had (and still have) is LR in here and some hitch hikers.

Btw, just realized it probably sounds like I am going to use a buffer to raise alk. I have some sea chem reef buffer that is supposed to raise ph to 8.3 (a friend verified that it works.) I'm only planning on using it to raise ph. Do you mean that the salt mix itself should actually raise the ph?

[dingusplease]

Originally Posted by bettaowner

Nice tank. I'd love to set up a tank like that some day.

Thank you! Looks like you have some really cool tanks too! I've only had cichlids tanks in the past, but it looks like you have some really nice planted tanks from your profile

[Fishman007]

Originally Posted by dingusplease

Yeah, I tested it and it was 8.0. I know it's a little low, but the only thing I had (and still have) is LR in here and some hitch hikers.

Btw, just realized it probably sounds like I am going to use a buffer to raise alk. I have some sea chem reef buffer that is supposed to raise ph to 8.3 (a friend verified that it works.) I'm only planning on using it to raise ph. Do you mean that the salt mix itself should actually raise the ph?

I use reef crystals in all of my tanks, my ph is 8.3 in every single one.

[dingusplease]

That's pretty weird... at least I know I have the right salt then. Dunno why the ph would be so low, especially since the sg is perfect so there should by the right amount of salt. Still think the buffer might help raise ph before I add any livestock?

[Fishman007]

Originally Posted by dingusplease

That's pretty weird... at least I know I have the right salt then. Dunno why the ph would be so low, especially since the sg is perfect so there should by the right amount of salt. Still think the buffer might help raise ph before I add any livestock?

I really dont like the thought of adding a chemical to raise it, should be some other way. If mr.x is online than PM him, hes a reef expert.

[libimagana]

I like that is nice is like a mini refugium right?