Floating rock Pico cube 2.7G/10.5L

[thecouch]

Set up is 22cm cube (8.6 inch) or 10.5L (2.8 gals). Has a little aqua one 100 hang on filter which has a 180L/h (47 gal) water flow. I have poly fliter and ceramic noddle in it . Standard desk lamp with a 10w globe from China. Globe is 5 x 2w led with 1 7000k white , 2x 470nm blue and 2x 470nm blue . Globe seems a bit narrow so might need a taller desk lamp. Got little piece of acrylic and bent it over my camp stove after heating up. Used aquarium safe silicone to stick to glass. Built little rock cave over acrylic with entrance to it in the back right and underneath from the front (mirror pic) . Aqua one 10w preset 26c heater under Rock at back. I felt making rock floating makes the tank feel bigger

 

[WIReefer]

Floating scapes are awesome! Nice work congrats on the new build!

 

[thecouch]

Update. Tank finished cycle. Kept lights off and added a few ceramic noddles from my other tank. Added a azure damsel and a peppermint shrimp. Got a piece of acrylic that covers most the top

The damsel found the floating rock cave straight away and hides in there until light comes on darting in from each side when he sees me move . when light is on he darts around exploring and doesn't go in the cave that often . Peppermint shrimp is using one of the small caves under rocks on sand for his hiding spot. Both come out when I feed them

Still want to add a nassarius snail for the sand and a turbo for the rocks. Will be adding some acan coral for the top of the hanging rock and some pulsing xenia for the bottom corner rocks hopefully soon

 

[Zakery Murray]

Hmm would you ever consider upgrading your lighting? I have never tried a normal bulb I am an led guy, maybe a a80 would be a good investment if you plan to add some corals to it? If you're fine with that light and it works out nevermind my suggestion, otherwise the scape looks amazing!

 

[thecouch]

Thought about just trying pulsing xenia for corners and zoas for top rock to see how light bulb goes. Lfs has some nice acan which I love so might just add one of them in middle directly under light and put a few zoa around edges to see how they go. Can move corals to my other tank if there struggling

 

[thecouch]

Little video

 

[Zakery Murray]

Thought about just trying pulsing xenia for corners and zoas for top rock to see how light bulb goes. Lfs has some nice acan which I love so might just add one of them in middle directly under light and put a few zoa around edges to see how they go. Can move corals to my other tank if there struggling

Yea it seems like the xenia and zoas would be okay, just would worry about the acan. You can find an a80 used for cheap nowadays.

 

[thecouch]

Update in aussie dollars (about 75% of US$)

Online Got 2 tiny turbo snails for $2.50 and a zombie snail for the sand for $10. Little hammer was $15 and bigger on I have lower in floating rock I got for $20

Shop 45min drive away got the duncans in corners for $10 each and pulsing xenia for $25 which I cut in half for 2 corners.

Last week I got the little bright orange Monti on the top for $20. It's sitting directly under light and right in middle of flow from Hob filter so will see if it's enough

Zoa was struggling where I had it in my other tank so moved it to this one and will see how it goes

 

[BSVKilbey]

Love this little tank!

How often do you do a water change? What's the Evaporation like?

 

[thecouch]

I'm doing about 30-40% water change about 7 to 10 days. I have another small tank (34L fluval flex) so do both at same time. I get water of lfs and get 20L container filled for $4. So do about 3 to 4L on this one and 6-7L on the other tank which gives me 2 water changes per container. I hope this makes up for limited filter on both tanks.

Drops about 1/4 inch in that time. I have a bit of acrylic on got off ebay and that now sits up against the tube from Hob filter which only leaves about 2/3 inch gap open at rear and rest is covered. Still found one of my little turbos out of tank other day

 

[BSVKilbey]

Nice ok thanks,

I'm trying to decide if I can modify my tank to work with SW.

My issue is similar in regards to potential evaporation so keen to see how you continue.

Also, water changes for me will get expensive to keep buying Distilled water.

 

[thecouch]

Yeah I was mixing salt water but I find it easy and not much price difference to just get water from shop. The bigger the tank the more expensive it gets to I guess