Sure or just do it in a bucket
Nothing matters regarding bacteria in that sand. They w come when needed
When the tank can be changed fully and no silting occurs, get your first live rock stacks
They'll run your filter until the sand catches up. To make a five minute job out of clean your sand, take it all out of the pico and start over.
Clean out the inside of the pico w paper towels, and put the sand in some clean container and go blast it with a strong water hose and rinse it up fast. Tap water doesn't matter.
Final rinse is saltwater so there is no tap water in your pico
Refill with clean sw, now your tank is ready for live rock.
I see a little hack potential for your vase lid
cut two rounded cutouts in the sealing, so lines are incoming but the lid can be pressed down a little better, and will grab a little?
Ideal live rock is not gray boring live rock from a pet store marked cured, devoid of all growth and gray.
The first few chunks of live rock should be from stock like this, its undeniably cured. It doesn't even require a label at my lfs,cured is obvious
Buy only this kind of rock
you tell the employee how to bag it, not their way. bag it like a fish, wet, it's not like you are buying fifty lbs just make them comply with your wishes
buy rock that was submerged.
Take it home and put it in.
Temp issues are something to watch now as the bowl runs
If you swing, at any time, outside the range of 77-80 then expect a constant algae battle in two months for the life of the tank. Keeping it at 78 is important, this factors into bioload per gallon of water in pico reefs and is something to watch, especially overheating. Anything above 80 and the tank will slowly go eutrophic within a few months with coral death and algae abound. Hopefully that prediction heads off some troubles common in summertime
fan it if needed to keep 78. if I not mistaken the longest lifespan for an unheated tropical pico is one year, swings eventually get them. It's best to heat, but make sure ambient temps keep the reef cool unassisted, then you are set for all seasons
B