2.5 gallon pico reef?

[Loukas42]

Anybody on here have a 2.5 gallon pico reef. Im looking into setting one up. Really interested.

 

[Zactheninja]

I'm getting mine tomorrow.

 

[Loukas42]

So you've got everything for it figured out?!

That's awesome!

 

[Zactheninja]

I think so.
I've done a lot of research recently.

 

[Loukas42]

Well what do you have? In terms of research and stuff like stock and setups and equipment and all that.

 

[Zactheninja]

I ordered a toms aquarium perch light.
It's 12 watts so i can grow some easy soft corals.
I'm going to buy a nice little rounded aquarium from my lfs.
And I'm going to try to make and aqua clear into a hob sump. With life rock, live sand.


But I was really tempted to buy the jbj picotope, you should google it.
It was my next choice.
But I think you would need to upgrade the filter.

 

[Loukas42]

Sweet! I'll take a look at that ASAP. And I'm stuck on the lighting myself.

 

[Zactheninja]

What are you going to keep?

 

[Loukas42]

Oh yeah about that. I've got no clue yet haha!

 

[Loukas42]

What are you thinking about keeping ?

 

[Zactheninja]

I'm thinking a Catalina goby, my tank is around 7 gallons I'm told.
I got it today

 

[Flreefer]

The Catalina Goby is a deep water fish, that requires cooler water. Ike 50-60's cooler, you'll need a good chiller.

 

[JoshuA c]

I recommend the fluval spec if you can get it cheap. Petsmart or petco sell them cheap or u can get a used one. Use the stock led as a sump in the back. Just modify the back so it goes filter pad, carbon, ceramics, then use eggcrate to make a guard for the chaeto the light easily penetrates the frosted back glass. It works well. Slide a small adjustable heater along the side of the back. It's fairly simple and works very well. I wouldn't bother with a par bulb. Just do a simple diy led system. An as-is 4.25x3 heat sink. 3 royal blues and two cool whites. The cheapest meanwell driver or get a dimmable one. Can be very cheap if u play it right. That light would be able to support anything. U could easily keep it under $200.

 

[Loukas42]

I'm thinking a Catalina goby, my tank is around 7 gallons I'm told.
I got it today

Oh nice! That's a little more gallons than I was expecting to keep!

 

[Loukas42]

I recommend the fluval spec if you can get it cheap. Petsmart or petco sell them cheap or u can get a used one. Use the stock led as a sump in the back. Just modify the back so it goes filter pad, carbon, ceramics, then use eggcrate to make a guard for the chaeto the light easily penetrates the frosted back glass. It works well. Slide a small adjustable heater along the side of the back. It's fairly simple and works very well. I wouldn't bother with a par bulb. Just do a simple diy led system. An as-is 4.25x3 heat sink. 3 royal blues and two cool whites. The cheapest meanwell driver or get a dimmable one. Can be very cheap if u play it right. That light would be able to support anything. U could easily keep it under $200.

Wow that sounds like a great idea, but idk anything about DIY LEDs so I would be stuck there. I'll check my petsmart to see if they have the fluval spec. Thanks!

 

[Zactheninja]

Oh nice! That's a little more gallons than I was expecting to keep!

Yeah, same here.
But the tank looks awesome.

 

[Loukas42]

So your got your tank now and do you have it setup ?

 

[Zactheninja]

Yup.
Everything but the light.
Almost cleared up.

 

[Loukas42]

Do you know the corals and stock list of what you're going to have ?

 

[Zactheninja]

For corals I have no idea, I'm most likely gonna buy small mushrooms, zoas, and softies.

And I'm not sure about anything for the stock list or fish and inverts.
Probably two fish of some sort.