Custom pico help

[SnakeBlitz33]

Hello everyone,

I am looking at starting a small custom pico tank.

I'm thinking about 3 gallons total volume, bookshelf style tank. Lit with LEDs and having a small sump in the back with a nano skimmer and a small powerhead. No fish. Maybe a filter feeding invert.

Weekly water change ~1g. Mainly house very delicate branching Sps coral and a couple blastos.

I have seen it done before, so don't tell me it can't be done. I need suggestions on dimensions and whatever else y'all can think of. Thanks!

 

[Reefing Madness]

 

[SnakeBlitz33]

Thanks!

Any suggestions on glass thickness, sump design?

I'm looking at an eshopps nano skimmer or a home made skimmer made from a water bottle and air stone,...

 

[Yuma Trip]

Glass thickness 5-7mm should be fine for a 3 gal. I have a 3 gal pico that I set up for about 2 or 3 months now. If you go for the skimmer I say go all out and make your own. The handy box ready ones normally are dinky at doing their job because the company isn't putting quality into the mini skimmers on the market yet. You can find some nano stuff that is OK as far as products on the market but when you go smaller than 5 gals customization becomes key. I've been attempting to even set up a mason jar, I've seen it fully established and with coral and everything. Thing is it was a no flow design and I'd rather have some so I'm wondering what to do that is incredibly tiny... But it just furthers my point that not much is really available as far as ready made equipment for that tiny of a tank. To be honest, if you can have a custom back intake and have a single power head that's pretty much how mine is set up. Check out the iq3 pico aquarium. Use that as a template possibly but do share your results, I've been wanting to recreate my tank for less money than you spend on the big name kits.

 

[Yuma Trip]

 

[Reef Fever]

easiest thing to do is find a small glass tank you like and then just mod it from there. I built the filtration on this. its now 4.5 gallons. began life as a plain old 7 gal fluvial flora

 

[Yuma Trip]

If you can find a fluval and hallow it out that might be one of your best bets. Great aestetics from that company and convenience of OK filter placement. You could try the evolve tank series as well. They have like a 2, and an 8, prolly more.