My Return To The Ocean - A Pico Smaller Than Most Sumps

[ChouDawg]

Start Date: 10/12/2012

Hardware
7.5G Mr.Aqua 12" Rimless Cube
Hydor Theo 50W Heater
Hydor Pico Evolution 400 Pump (2x)
Reef Keeper Lite w/ SL1 Module
Digital Aquatics Dual ATO Float Setup
Tom's Aqualifter

Filtration
~8lb Live Rock
Purigen
Chemi-Pure Elite (TBD)
Chaeto (TBD)

Livestock
None

So it's been a little over 3 years since my first reef tank and now I'm happily back at it! My first tank was an AquaPod 24G, this is a Mr.Aqua 7.5G 12" rimless cube. I built a custom false wall with 4.0" center overflow, dual Hydor Pico 400 pumps at different heights, and a center media chamber. This is my first time running a rimless, bare bottom tank not using Scripps and with LEDs. The lighting will be a GU10 fixture with 20W or so mixed RB/CW LEDs. It has about 9lb of Liverock in there now and I gotta say working with such a small footprint is a pain! Was going for the fruit stand type shelf but that proved difficult with limited depth. I'll be using IO salt with 1-2g weekly water changes and purigen/chemi pure elite. My first time having an RKL as well, excited for all the new gadgets. The tank sits on a 13"x13"x36" stand I built, also quite a pain, next time I'm buying one! 4 weeks later, I finally have the tank up and running with 5G of fresh mixed SW and some from an established tank. Since my lights aren't here yet I have a small 4w RB PAR38 bulb over it just so I can have something to look at. Since I don't have proper lighting I decided to get a bit artsy, more updates to come in the next few weeks.

Questions: What kind of cycle can I expect? CUC suggestions? I'm running about 160 gph combined hopefully that will be enough...Thanks for looking :welcome:

 

[ChouDawg]

Water Parameters 10/16/2012:
pH: ~8.1
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: ~2.5 ppm

Alright so the tank has been up and running for about 4-days now. Still waiting for my LEDs to come in but I figured now is a good time to do a water test. I'm really not sure what to expect as far as cycle goes for this tank which is why I asked about it in my original post. The rock came from an established tank, and was sitting for a few days with heater/powerhead and then in my possession in similar conditions with a fresh batch of water before going into the tank. The rock has a few splotches of coraline algae and unfortunately what looks like lots of Aiptasia :curse:

I'm guessing it's a result of the lack of light but they are all clear, these things really are indestructible. I'm deciding between blasting them with an Aiptasia killer and siphoning out the remains or waiting to add a Peppermint Shrimp and hoping it has a fancy for them.

As far as I can tell, it looks like my my pH is 8.1, zero ammonia, zero nitrite and between 0-5 ppm nitrate? What do you guys think. I took a few shots with / without flash but the flash ones seemed easiest to tell. I did my comparison by eye in front of a window with natural sunlight. Still unsure about the scape, but here's how it sits for now; a plain and boring empty canvas.

 

[BeanMachine]

I would think the tank is cycled based on those numbers. But you may want to just keep testing and not rush things for a week or two to be sure. Usually you will see a rise and fall in ammonia, then nitrite, then lastly nitrate as your test is showing.

 

[Reefomeez]

You might also try berghia nudis since you don't have anything that would eat them yet. They're really effective on Aips and with a tank that size you wouldn't need too many.

Really nice tank so far. What plans/livestock do you have for it?

 

[ChouDawg]

I'm thinking it's cycled as well but I've learned from past experience that rushing is definitely not smart when it comes to this hobby. That being said I'm thinking about doing a water change this weekend, and test the parameters again next week? Are there any safe and effective ways to simulate an ammonia spike to see if my nitrate levels rise?

I've heard nothing but stellar things about Nudi's but from what I remember a few years back are very expensive and hard to even get/keep alive. Are things any different now or about the same? Any sources you guys can recommend, preferably local.

As far as stocking, I'm really not sure, I love Zoas, Rics, LPS but also enjoy the hardier SPS so I'm thinking a mixed reef will be the way to go. The top rock has a shelf that spans pretty wide across the top so I'm thinking all the light loving corals can go there. Do I have too much rock? My scape is right up against the back wall and I have give or take 1-3" from the glass around the tank.

 

[BeanMachine]

Add a little fish food and see what happens. Sometimes people use a small piece of shrimp.

 

[ChouDawg]

Only fish food I have on hand is koi sticks lol, I'll toss a few of those in a net tomorrow and see if I get any spikes, if my Nitrates rise I'm gonna consider myself cycled. Still no lights yet, so not like I can stock anyways.

Added a second float switch to my tank yesterday and a slosh guard for the main one. The second one is pointing up and will trigger my RKL to flash/beep and turn off the Aqualifter. My ATO was turning on/off too often when any kind of sloshing happened in the rear so the guard should help calm it a bit. Small tank on a tall stand is a bit annoying to work with but worth it once I get it going.

Anyone have first hand experience with the Nudis? What size to get, who to get them from etc.?

 

[hbtl_ofndr]

Add a little fish food and see what happens. Sometimes people use a small piece of shrimp.

Pee in it a little. You think I'm joking, but that's what I did with my koi pond. maybe just like 10ml on a tank that small

 

[ChouDawg]

I was busy all weekend so I didn't get a chance to "feed" or pee into my tank to spike the ammonia but I have noticed a few more hitch hikers as the tank matures, saw a few stomatellas and some baby asterina stars that will be plucked as I see them. My LEDs are here at last! Took exactly 2 weeks from the day I bought them till they were at my door. They are 3x 1W GU10 based bulbs, 2x RB 1x W on each bulb with 60' optics. They will be in a 3x3 cube layout over my tank. Wired them up last night because I was far to excited to not see them lit up. The fixture will be made of black acrylic with a 120mm PC fan exhausting out the top and will be suspended by 1/2" conduit that's adjustable. Here are a few teasers, I'm hoping to have the full fixture done by tonight.

 

[ChouDawg]

Added a small CUC a couple days ago, all are doing well and happy, did a 2g water change as well. My light setup is finally ready and mounted, I'm probably still going to tweak it a bit, I'm using 1/2" conduit to hang it, the fixture itself needs to be reworked a bit but I was impatient so that will happen in the near future. I'm running a 7 hour light cycle right now, today is the first full "day" of light. Going to go hunting with Aiptasia-X and hope for the best, if they come back, Nudis will be my next weapon of choice. The photos are a pretty good representation of the color, it's pretty much perfect for me, I'd say a little bluer than 14K for sure. Tank is very barren right now have a few spots of Coraline and lots of pods running around so it's maturing nicely.

 

[hbtl_ofndr]

Looks great!

 

[SchnitzelReef]

Looks good. U got a lot of rocks in there!


Sent from my iPhone

 

[ChouDawg]

Ya, I was wondering if I should take some rock out, I didn't weigh it so I don't know exactly how much I have in there though. It was really hard to scape such a small footprint and have it cover all water depths for various kinds of corals. Any input appreciated as well if you guys think I should change it while its empty.

 

[SchnitzelReef]

I think it's a preference thing. I started off all my tanks packed with rocks, but now I have very little rock in mine. More open for fish to swim around.


Sent from my iPhone

 

[ChouDawg]

Some shots of my new SPS dominated inhabitants, got a few small ricordea as well but they're in a small covered dish with some rubble so they can attach. Light is on from 1PM-10PM now, going to ramp it up an hour a day until I get to a 12 hour cycle, the fixture is 5" from the water's surface.

 

[ChouDawg]

So the tank has been up and running for 21 days now, parameters have all stayed at zero with < 0.2 ppm Nitrates. Clean up crew is all alive and happy. I found out Bumblebee snails do nothing for algae and I have no sand bed so I think I'll be swapping him out for more Astreas, they are by far the best!

Tank is being lit 9 hours a day with full 27W of 60 degree optic LEDs, 5" from the water's surface. So far everything I've added has responded well to the lighting and conditions. I'm getting good polyp extension and the SPS are coloring up nicely. Aside from some rics/zoas on the bare bottom my tank is packed, I'll need to keep the hammer and frogspawn in check so they dont get too big.

Photos from before my 2 gallon water change today, running Chemi Pure and Purigen now. Just added the Frog, Monti and Hammer today so not fully open yet in the photos but already looking great! Bright orange Ricordeas in the shot glass of rubble; patiently waiting for them to grab hold.

Blue Green Gomezi (I think?): compared to shot from 6 days ago

SPS Right Row:

MIxed Left Row:

Green Monti Cap:

Corner Shot Update:

FTS:

 

[ChouDawg]

Did another 2G water change today because I needed to drip acclimate 2 Astrea and a Peppermint Shrimp to battle some Aiptasia. Shrimp went straight to work ripping at the rocks and the Astreas happily scooted away. Took out the Chemi-Pure because the 1/2 unit was blocking way too much flow in the media rack, I'll have to look into the CPE Nano size. Running filter floss and Purigen in my media basket now, skimmer coming soon Nitrates at zero as expected, getting a little bit of mixed algae that the Astreas will hopefully get to work on. I'll be leaving the tank on Thursday for two weeks, will do another larger water change on that day, make sure the top off will last and hope for the best! Look for a positive update in a couple weeks. No FTS updates but just some random macros.

Green Tip Frogspawn

Unknown SPS Mini Colony

Bali "Pink" Slimer lol, getting greener everyday

PE Close-Up

 

[victorhe]

nice pics! what did you use to take them?

 

[ChouDawg]

Canon T3i, would love a real macro lens someday.

 

[ChouDawg]

So I came back from a 2 week vacation to a happy and healthy tank, a bit of algae on the glass but all CUC members alive and happy and coral growth was significant. I did a 5G water change the day I left. I now have to frag my Frogspawn in fear of it terrorizing the SPS corals. Did a 2G water change the day after I got back, and another one tonight, going to do another one in a few days, removing algae each time. Blue green gomezi is getting a lot of nice green hue and the Bali Green is coloring up nicely. They were all pissed off post water change so here are a few actinic shots of my Frogspawn and Hammer. Got a Glazer Pico Skimmer in before I left but haven't had a chance to install it, I'll have to modify my overflow media rack to accommodate the skimmer, filter floss and Purigen. Tank is 46 days old today! Still young but doing well and maturing nicely. Oh ya, peppermint shrimp molted and is happy, bonus all my Aiptasia I saw before I left are gone