3 gal picotope (build thread!)

[dingusplease]

Hi again,

I have a slight problem. I have so many copepods/amphipods on the glass that the whole tank looks dusty and covered in small specks. What should I do? The are always on the glass, all day every day and they are obviously multiplying extremely fast. With one clown goby already in there, getting a fish that eats them is an impossibility. I know that some people wish they would grow faster, but I really don't have a use for them -- they just cloud up the glass. What should I do? Could I trap them? Thanks!

[dingusplease]

More coral! Got them all for $9 from a guy who was moving this weekend.

[Macscale]

Wow. I really like the tank. I think I might start one. I'm a big fan of Nano but never though of a Pico

[dingusplease]

Originally Posted by Macscale

Wow. I really like the tank. I think I might start one. I'm a big fan of Nano but never though of a Pico

Thanks! I really love doing this pico, it's really fun as my first reef tank. It's definitely not as hard as some people will tell you (just keep up on water changes and use high quality equipment.) I actually haven't mixed saltwater since I set up this tank, I've just been doing WCs with water that I get for free from the lfs.

[dingusplease]

Picture of Julius (my clown goby )

[dingusplease]

Oh sorry, forgot to attach it

[dingusplease]

My hermit finally came out this morning

[dingusplease]

Happy xenia

I hope it grows fast!

[Macscale]

It looks awesome, how much was it total?

[dingusplease]

Without any livestock, it was prob about $220, with livestock more like $270. I've heard some people spend way more, or way less, but this was my first reef tank and I'm trying to do it right the first time .

[Macscale]

Wow that's a lot less then I actually expected. Did you ever upgrade the light?

[dingusplease]

I was actually originally planning on spending less, but that was before I realized all of the equipment I had to buy because it was my first saltwater tank (test kits, hydrometer, thermometer, air pumps, salt, mixing buckets, and a turkey baster.)

[dingusplease]

Originally Posted by Macscale

Wow that's a lot less then I actually expected. Did you ever upgrade the light?

Nope, I'm still using stock lights. They seem decent, and definitely enough to support a few spat corals.

[dingusplease]

*soft* corals

[Macscale]

Oh, I already have all of that. I know that all of it probably cost $80. I'm gonna think about it and maybe set one up in the near future.

[Macscale]

Oh good, I don't like the way most SPS look anyway.

[dingusplease]

Hi again,

Do you guys think it's ok to have the refuge open like this?

[Zactheninja]

A cheap light upgrade you could do would to be a toms refrugium perch light, I have one that's like 13 watts + stock light and I can keep lps very happy.
They're like 20 bucks or so I think.

And the open refugium is probably good for oxygen diffusion.

[dingusplease]

Really?! Lps? That pretty sweet for $20

[dingusplease]

*that's