Pico

[No_Hope]

So heres my 5g portrait style tank.
Lights are the fluval sea nano. Upgrade the return pump to a 175 gph power head. Stocking is 1 turbo snail, 13 margarita snails, 12 hermits (red/blue/black/white), and 1 duncan with 7 heads. 1st picture is everything original. 2nd picture is with upgrades.

 

[No_Hope]

Went to the fish store.

 

[Mattyfelts]

when did you set this up? that is alot of snails for only 5 g.

what supplements you shouldnt need anything for softies especially with a reef salt.

 

[No_Hope]

Its been up and running 6 months.

 

[No_Hope]

I took then out of my fluval spec to get some algea in it for my lawnmower blenny.

 

[Mattyfelts]

nice man, might wanna bump that light up a bit though


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[No_Hope]

Its running on it max. Its 14w. It doesnt have a dimmer.

 

[No_Hope]

Day and night light.

 

[Mattyfelts]

how many watts per LED, nice looking light but im not sure if its gonna grow coral or not.

 

[No_Hope]

Not quite sure. But im getting 2.8w per gallon. It should be good for moderate light corals

 

[Mattyfelts]

yeah might be, looks cool. good stuff if its working

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

That unit maxes out at anything much more light demanding than shrooms, it uses very weak/inefficient LEDs.

 

[No_Hope]

Weak for what size tank? Im getting moderate wattage per gallon out of it. If people can have a 14w par30 bulb what is the difference in a 14w fixture with however many leds? Do you have a personal experience with them? I dont need radians or ai sols lighting up a pico aquarium. Its poinless. This tank is for softies not sps.

Also new additions

 

[Sniperhank]

Watts per gallon isn't really something that works with LEDs. Even the watts per diode isn't a very effective way to gauge the effectiveness of LEDs for keeping coral.
In a pico, this light would probably be effective for soft coral or lower light LPS. But, it appears that you are going the route of the soft corals anyway. Things look nice.

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

Weak for what size tank? Im getting moderate wattage per gallon out of it. If people can have a 14w par30 bulb what is the difference in a 14w fixture with however many leds? Do you have a personal experience with them? I dont need radians or ai sols lighting up a pico aquarium. Its poinless. This tank is for softies not sps.

Also new additions

Yes I do have experience with it, and it left shrooms reaching for light on the bottom of a 10g centered directly under the unit. I also hated the spectrum it put out, but that's jmo. And as Hank said it's about more than watts per gallon when it comes to LEDs, the quality/efficiency of the individual diodes is most important.

That watchmans a little much for a 5g IMO too.

 

[No_Hope]

Thanks hank. My anthelia and mushroom are doing great. Ive got to move my duncan. It doesnt seem to like the light.

My tank is only 5g maybe yours wasnt getting enough coverage? The goby is more of a black/green color. It was like that when I got it. I think its a bluespotted watchman goby. If it gets to big ill just go trade it in. Whats the difference in putting a goby in a 5g tank and putting a damsel or clown in it?

 

[Mattyfelts]

Thanks hank. My anthelia and mushroom are doing great. Ive got to move my duncan. It doesnt seem to like the light.

My tank is only 5g maybe yours wasnt getting enough coverage? The goby is more of a black/green color. It was like that when I got it. I think its a bluespotted watchman goby. If it gets to big ill just go trade it in. Whats the difference in putting a goby in a 5g tank and putting a damsel or clown in it?

your duncan probably isnt getting enough light rather then to much.

the difference is the size requirments, swimming space, bioload. Either way a blue spotted needs 6 times as many gallons as you have. Really the only thing for a five is a small goby. Clowns and damsels dont work because they both need alot more room and grow to large.

You shouldn't, in my opinion, buy a fish enless you are read to house it for its entire life span. honestly i would return it, being in such a small tank will do more harm then anything to the fish.

 

[No_Hope]

So with my night lights on it gets enough light but with my day lights on it doesnt get enough? All gobies require a 10g or more. So therefore by what you are saying none will work in my tank. Liveaquaria use to have that pistol shrimp require 30g or more. Now they dont say that. I didnt ask for an "IMO". I do alot of reading. If clowns and damsel dont work then why are there reefs with them in it.

From liveaquaria " with plenty of loose coral rubble, ample swimming room, and a sand bottom for burrowing." I have a all three of these.

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

Ample swimming room in a 5 gallon? As to what fits in a 5g, I would look into a clown goby or a couple of the trimma gobies. If it's the symbiotic relationship you want to see a red banded hi fin would also probably work. Now I have a feeling your next question will be what's the difference, and the primary answer would be size, none of the above fish I mentioned will get above 2" and have lower bio loads.

 

[Mattyfelts]

Ample swimming room in a 5 gallon? As to what fits in a 5g, I would look into a clown goby or a couple of the trimma gobies. If it's the symbiotic relationship you want to see a red banded hi fin would also probably work. Now I have a feeling your next question will be what's the difference, and the primary answer would be size, none of the above fish I mentioned will get above 2" and have lower bio loads.

thank you big red, and for further conclusions a damsel or clownfish both would not work because of their size, bioload, and agression. according to my brief research i found lots about why not to put these fish in such a small tank.