~4 gal Pico Bowl

[maleks.reef]

Hi all. After a 2 year break from reefing, I am finally back.

This time I want to keep things very simple, very low-maintenance, and budget friendly.

I bought a 4 gal bowl that has been up for around 3-4 months with the previous owner. I want to make it an inverts and softies jungle.

Set-up:
4 gal bowl (about 2-3 inches of sand and a bunch of dry rock)
60 watt k7 mini light (way too strong for this tank, currently at 20% blue 1% white 5% royal blue)
15 watt heater set at 26
ATO
Very small pump (for breaking surface tension and for flow)

Current livestock:
1 cleaner shrimp
4 snails (trochus, nerite, nassarius, astrea)
1 rhodactis mushroom

Future livestock:
Corals: Many many softies (zoas, mushrooms, leathers)
Inverts: Brittle starfish, 1-2 Rock flower anemones, Sexy shrimp, Pom-pom crab, possible more snails/hermit crab

Would any of the above mentioned inverts bother the RFA, or even each other? Open for all suggestions, thanks!

(pics will be posted soon!)

 

[TX_REEF]

would love to see photos!

 

[maleks.reef]

would love to see photos!

 

[maleks.reef]

Update: Added a kenya tree and 2 mushrooms. Also have a pompom crab in there and a small brittle star.

Next on my list: Zoas, clove polyps, and a toadstool.

 

[keepingfishwithnoidea]

Updates??

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Update: Added a kenya tree and 2 mushrooms. Also have a pompom crab in there and a small brittle star.

Next on my list: Zoas, clove polyps, and a toadstool.

Can't wait to see the zoas and clove polyps in there. What kind of zoas are you wanting to get?

 

[maleks.reef]

Can't wait to see the zoas and clove polyps in there. What kind of zoas are you wanting to get?

I currently have the Hawaiian people eaters, rastas, and a zoa that looks like bambam. I want to get joker, mindtricks, utter choas, and midas zoas,

 

[maleks.reef]

UPDATE:

Current inverts:
- 1 pompom crab
- 1 brown brittle star
- 1 tiny (less than 2 CMs) red brittle star (hitchhiker)
- 4 snails
- 1 Cleaner shrimp

Current corals:
- 1 kenya tree
- 2 mushrooms
- 3 zoas frags
- 1 tiny baby green toadstool
- 1 frag of clove polyps



I feed the shrimp 4-5 times a week with 1 pellet of shrimp food that I use for my freshwater shrimp (algae based food) just to make sure the nitrates aren't depleted. Performed 1 30% water change so far, everything is looking good.

The curvature of the bowl makes it tough for the camera to focus unfortunetly.

 

[maleks.reef]

Rare pic of the pompom

 

[besskurz]

That is a cool looking bowl. What did you planned for nutrient management / filtration?

I have myself a bowl running for +2yrs maybe my thread can give you some ideas.

All I can say is that, the Kenya will mature soon enough and start releasing babies. You can make some money tho

 

[maleks.reef]

That is a cool looking bowl. What did you planned for nutrient management / filtration?

I have myself a bowl running for +2yrs maybe my thread can give you some ideas.

All I can say is that, the Kenya will mature soon enough and start releasing babies. You can make some money tho

Honestly water changes (every month or so) only for now. While id love to add a tiny HOB filter (mainly for mechanical filteration + carbon), given the round shape it wouldn't be possible. Do you have any suggestions for nutrient management? Also keep in mind i barely feed the tank since there are no fish.

I will make sure to check your bowl out. 2 years is impressive, well done!