LarryD Posted June 27, 2015 Share Posted June 27, 2015 So it is time to upgrade my little picotope is great but it is unable to keep up with my corals. To solve this I am going to set up my ten gallon which seems massive next to the picotope. Now I had originally considered turning it into an all in one but I have since decided against that since it will take more time and eats up a third of the tank. Instead of the all in one I just placed an order for 20 pounds Hawaiian black live sand 12 pounds reef saver dry rock 100 ml bio-spira 2.5 gal aquafuge2 hob refugium Red Sea coral pro salt mix (I was out) Things I already had AI Prime 2-3 pounds reel reef live rock A few pounds live sand Heater The small korelian hydor power head A finnex PX-360 First things first I am going to paint the back of the tank black, I have never actually had a painted tank because they have always been in places where I could see the tank from both sides, but not this time. Once I get my order in I will get the rock curing and try and get everything cycled for the change over, after that I am not completely sure how best to proceed since I have some new toys to play with, at some Pint I want to get some macro for the fuge but I would think that would come after the cycle. Fts of the picotope Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+KimP Posted June 27, 2015 Share Posted June 27, 2015 That's a great looking pico! Sounds like a nice upgrade. Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted June 27, 2015 Author Share Posted June 27, 2015 That's a great looking pico! Sounds like a nice upgrade. Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk Thanks I got it while I was going to school up in tyler and everyone at the local fish store with one exception that I was insane to start reef keeping with a three gallon tank, I had been keeping freshwater planted tanks before that (I actually bought the picotope and the live rock and sand with funds from the livestock in a planted tank when I broke it down).I am excited, I made sure the ten gallon still held water today since it had been a while since it was full and tonight or tomorrow I will paint the back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted June 28, 2015 Author Share Posted June 28, 2015 Got the back of the tank painted today so now it is just a waiting game until my brs order comes in, I would be lying to say that I am not super excited to play with the hob fuge since not only does it give me a place to hide the heater but I have been very interested in running some macros in a tank for some time. I know very little about macro algae and so if anyone has any suggestions I would be up for them, my plan was to take some if not all of the sand from the picotope and put it in the fuge to help with filtration and for the macro to anchor into but I am not dead set on that path if I hear some reasons not to do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted June 28, 2015 Author Share Posted June 28, 2015 So far the only things is know for certain that are going to go into the tank are the things in the pico, Livestock Tail spot Blenny Peppermint shrimp One hermit crab One snail Corals Gsp (I love gsp but I will most likely be trimming it back and keeping it seperate) Small rainbow rock (has some probably fire and ice, some unnamed pally, and cloves. Don't know if I will keep it or not might sell it) Fire and ice Dragon eyes (got it at c4 from the guy with the giant tweezers) Rastas(maybe inverse Rastas I can't remember) mixed with some radioactive dragon eyes Plug which the Rastas were originally on, still has a few on it A mixed frag of u identified zoas (got it at c4 from the same guy) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted June 30, 2015 Author Share Posted June 30, 2015 So I have a question for those who have more experience than I do. I decided to go with the reef saver dry rock from BRS and it should be here Thursday, but since it is mined and not harvested from a reef will I really need to cure it? I know I am going to have to cycle the tank that is unavoidable but since there won't be any biological matter on the rocks to decay is a curing process really necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted July 4, 2015 Author Share Posted July 4, 2015 Most exciting, I returned from visiting with family to find my order from brs on the front porch. Besides the sand and salt box being pretty much destroyed everything showed up in one piece. After rinsing all the rock I got down to figure out the new scape. I am planning on pushing it a little closer to the back wall so I have a bit more sand bed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted July 4, 2015 Author Share Posted July 4, 2015 I got the Hawaiian black live sand into the tank and checked to see if the hob fuge would hold water. I still have some sand left so I am thinking of putting some or all of the rest into the fuge. The question becomes do we think the ten gallon can support the hob fuge with water and sand in it or should I biuld a support for it to sit on? The reef saver stacks as nicely as the folks at brs claim and I really like the scape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted July 4, 2015 Author Share Posted July 4, 2015 Got all of the sand split up between the fuge and tank and I am happy with the scape now I am just working on getting water into the tank. I am trying to decide if I want to get rid of anything from the pico while I am moving, I am thinking of getting rid of half of the gsp colony since it is on a piece of reel reef and I don't know if I want to try and save it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted July 4, 2015 Author Share Posted July 4, 2015 I also need some suggestions for fuge macro species. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted July 5, 2015 Author Share Posted July 5, 2015 We have water, now I just need to let it cycle and decide what if anything I want to get rid of from the picotope. Does anyone have any interest in some ultra grade gsp or the little rainbow rock in the picotope picture? If I get rid of anything it would be those two. I have thought about getting a small anemone and a clown but I have not settled. I have no clue why it is upside down I even tried flipping the picture but it decided it needed to be upside down, so bask in the wonder that is the magical upside down tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emu1sive Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 Hmm now to just figure out a way to have the lighting come from the bottom of the tank and I think you'll be the pioneer in the latest reefing fad! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted July 5, 2015 Author Share Posted July 5, 2015 Hmm now to just figure out a way to have the lighting come from the bottom of the tank and I think you'll be the pioneer in the latest reefing fad!Man I figured out how to defeat gravity and keep the water in I think I can get some lights to shine up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted July 5, 2015 Author Share Posted July 5, 2015 Did the first batch of testing and it looks like the bacterial additive I used did its job because I already have nitrates. Mg 1540 Ph 8.0 Kh 12 Calc 460 Phosphate .25 Salinity 1.024 I really only needed to measure the nitrates but I was curious how close the Red Sea mix came to what it claimed, calcium and kH are right on, magnesium is reading high but I would rather that than it read low. Everything is cleared up now I just need to make some decisions on macro for the fuge and expanding my cuc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted July 5, 2015 Author Share Posted July 5, 2015 I think I have narrowed down the macro choices to chaeto, ulva, or gracillaria, does anyone have experience using any of those that could offer info that could either point me at a particular one or add one to the list. I am also on the look out for some way to jump start a copepod population, my picotope does not have any because they did not have a safe place to reproduce and so the ones I put in were eaten before they could reach a stable point. As to the cuc I am leaning towards one or two nasarius snails, a few more small snails to work with the one from the picotope, and I don't know if I should get any more hermits but I am open to suggestions as always. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emu1sive Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 I am about to start a macro dedicated tank to try and get a flourishing copepod population in something pretty to look at. As far as macros for the fuge the ulva and chaeto sound awesome. I don't know much about gracillaria. You can order pods off reef cleaners to jump start the population. My 20L CUC is 2 nassarius, 2 cerith, 2 trochus and some stromatella and a cleaner shrimp. I dig the cleaner for picking up leftover food and not being a jerk eating my corals like the peppermint was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted July 6, 2015 Author Share Posted July 6, 2015 I am about to start a macro dedicated tank to try and get a flourishing copepod population in something pretty to look at. As far as macros for the fuge the ulva and chaeto sound awesome. I don't know much about gracillaria. You can order pods off reef cleaners to jump start the population. My 20L CUC is 2 nassarius, 2 cerith, 2 trochus and some stromatella and a cleaner shrimp. I dig the cleaner for picking up leftover food and not being a jerk eating my corals like the peppermint was. I have a peppermint that leaves all my corals alone, I am thinking of just getting a couple more small snails and a nasarius. A macro tank would be awesome after looking at the different kinds of macros I am considering setting the picotope up as macro only but probably won't for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted July 6, 2015 Author Share Posted July 6, 2015 Alright I need some suggestions for what to stock the tank with I am well into the cycle and I am looking at moving the picotope residence over next week but a single peppermint shrimp and a tailspot Blenny (he is awesome everyone should have one) seems to me to be severally under stocked so I need some suggestions. I had considered an anemone clown combo but I am not sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolt Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 I love my pink streaked wrasse. Very peaceful, not too cryptic, and lots of personality ... She's about 1.25" long and they don;t get much bigger than that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted July 6, 2015 Author Share Posted July 6, 2015 I love my pink streaked wrasse. Very peaceful, not too cryptic, and lots of personality ... She's about 1.25" long and they don;t get much bigger than that I had not considered a wrasse because I thought they all got a little bit big for the tank but that one looks pretty neat. I have considered a pair of fire fish, they would require I put a screen onto but that is not hard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted July 6, 2015 Author Share Posted July 6, 2015 I have also considered a sponge but I have no knowledge on sponge husbandry other than they can't touch air. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted July 7, 2015 Author Share Posted July 7, 2015 Has anyone kept some of the decorative sponges in their tanks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted July 8, 2015 Author Share Posted July 8, 2015 So I have been checking my nitrates in the new tank every day to see how the bugs are doing, the levels have been going up a few ppm a day so far. Right now I am sitting about 15ppm, my hope is that I will get some of the last batch of bugs that break it down into nitrogen but if I don't see it drop any by this weekend I am going to call it cycled, do a water change and start thinking about moving things over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted July 9, 2015 Author Share Posted July 9, 2015 Nitrates were getting close to 20 ppm so I went ahead and did the first water change on the tank, looking to get some macro and get the fish moved over beginning of next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emu1sive Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 Wooooooooo! Macro partay!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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