3 gal I may get.

[Tabbykat9698]

This is perfect for an end table of mine, and I am looking to do something interesting.

Desktop & Starter Aquarium Kit: 3-gallon Deco Kit Aquarium

I have a 20 gal cycling for dwarf puffers right now and I've never done a saltwater so I thought the 3 gal might be good for a nano tank.Are there any fish that can fit in this tank? Maybe a shrimp? Any animal would be cool. Thanks.

 

[Tabbykat9698]

Does anyone even get on this forum?

 

[Aquarium1]

Well a 3g would be kinda tricky. You have to top off water every day, and you couldn't really keep any fish in there except possibly a clown goby, but I wouldn't do it. Not sure if that light would be able to support any corals. This one would probably be better (and its slightly cheaper) Desktop & Small Aquarium Starter Kits: Picotope 3 Gallon Aquarium Kit plus you might be able to keep some soft coral as well. I think sexy shrimp might be okay in a 3g although I can't be certain. Btw they're called pico tanks when they're this small lol.

 

[Tabbykat9698]

I did find both those tanks, what is really the difference between them besides 3 dollars? I'm just curious because I was trying to chose. They are both 3 gallons. I prob won't put a fish but maybe a sexy shrimp or blue legged hermit crab.

 

[Aquarium1]

With the one you posted I don't think you'd be able to keep, although the cheaper one you could probably get away with some soft corals, like some cool zoas or mushrooms, etc.

 

[Jimbo7]

One is acrylic, one is glass. I prefer the glass JBJ pico.

If this is your first salt tank, I would recommend starting larger. Bigger the tank, easier the levels are to maintain. Even like a 10 gallon would be a lot easier. 3 gal is a ton of work.

 

[Aquarium1]

Yeah +1 (if it would let me actually give you +1 lol)

 

[mrg02d]

Yea, whats up with this no +1 for people business? Tells me to spread the love a bit more.

Anyways, I agree that a 3g is too small. Just too much work, by far! I had a 2.5g and quickly upgraded to a 7.5g Mr Aqua rimless cube (12in). Looks a heck of a lot better too! I can put much more in there and dont need to worry as much.

Mr aqua tanks are cheap and of very decent quality.

You should see it with an LED light over it.

Matt

 

[Tabbykat9698]

Its small yes I know but I live in a downtown apt. the 20 gal is our "big tank" i went with the pico just ordered. I know it will take a lot of work but I spend a lot of time on the couch with my laptop or watching tv beside where this tank will sit so I promise it will be well taken care of. I spend too much time looking at the 20 gal that isn't even cycled yet! lol.

 

[Jimbo7]

alright, if your up for the challenge, go for it.
Make sure you read the articles in the SW section about cycling a tank. The stock filter that comes with the pico is a piece of crap, I would recommend upgrading to an aquaclear 50 or 70 and doing the refugium mod on it.
How to DIY an AC 70 fuge - Reef Central Online Community
you can cut the impeller fins back instead of replacing it, if you don't have a 20 impeller laying around.

You don't have to use this guide, but some sort of ATO or auto top off is going to be necessary, not an option. Water evaporates FAST outta this little thing, and you will see lots of salinity and temperature swings if you don't have one of these.
Smitty's Pico Ato Guide. - Nano-Reef.com Forums

If you want to keep coral of any kind, I would ditch the stock lighting, it would actually be really good to hang that stock lighting over your refugium mod to keep macro algae growing. Current USA makes a good PC fixture that is common over these tanks.
12" 2x18W Satellite PC Fixture by Current USA - AquaCave

Or you can wait a few months and *hopefully* UVL will finally release their 12" T5 bulbs, which would be a much better option.

I've kept one of these, so take my word on this stuff. PM me if you need any help.

 

[Tabbykat9698]

Thank you for the info, I probably wont get coral (who knows about the future though, future will probably mean a bigger sw tank). Thats exactly the kind of information I've been looking for especially about the filter (i assumed that one wasn't great). Or I can see if they release those bulbs and then get coral. Who knows, I get the tank in about a week and nothing is a rush because I want it all to go well. I am about to read those links now, but am still curious about can I have a sexy shrimp and a blue legged hermit? Or is it one or the other?

 

[mrg02d]

Thank you for the info, I probably wont get coral (who knows about the future though, future will probably mean a bigger sw tank). Thats exactly the kind of information I've been looking for especially about the filter (i assumed that one wasn't great). Or I can see if they release those bulbs and then get coral. Who knows, I get the tank in about a week and nothing is a rush because I want it all to go well. I am about to read those links now, but am still curious about can I have a sexy shrimp and a blue legged hermit? Or is it one or the other?

Corals will work just fine if you stick to mushrooms and zoanthids/palythoas.

You may consider going led. I am going to be selling some spare led stuff soon too. A 3g tank wouldnt need many leds to get good results.

A sexy shrimp pair and hermit crab would fit just fine. I had them in my 2.5g and they were fine.

Matt

 

[Tabbykat9698]

What kind of led stuff do you have? I was actually looking at lights for my 20 gal. (mine are the stock hood and with the plants I'm adding, its not enough). Now for that I am getting some high output fluorescent lights and was thinking of some leds too... Not sure yet.

 

[Jimbo7]

They are all high powered LEDs. They will be more then you need for a planted tank. You can check out my build thread linked below for some basic info.

As a forewarning, they are pretty expensive initially, but they will last you 11+ years without ever having to change a bulb and draw less the 1/2 what normal lights do. In a couple years, they pay for themselves.

 

[Tabbykat9698]

Those are awesome! Great job!

 

[mrg02d]

Im only selling three extras. Two royal blue Cree 3W and 1 cree 3w cool white (both XR-E). I will probably mount them in a single row on a heatsink I have laying around here and put it on ebay. Should give a nice 15,000k blueish look. This would be good for a pico tank. Id imagine it would work for up to a 3gal tank. I will know more once I put it together and test it out on my tanks.

Matt

 

[Tabbykat9698]

Cool, keep me updated if you can. (as I will also try to remember to ask lol)

 

[Tabbykat9698]

Oh I got the tank, got live rock and sand. Its doing good but there are a lot of unidentifiable things in it. It hasn't been bad with evaporation either.

 

[thincat]

Here are a couple of Hitch hikers:Live Rock Hitch Hikers
Xtalreef

 

[ilostnemo]

the light is 18w 50/50 power compact. it was what i had on my 2 gallon kit of the same style and it kept alive zoas rics acans shrooms