seabedoasis
Community Member
Hello Reef2Reef-goers!
I'm setting up a pico reef in my college bedroom and figured I would put together a build thread. The tank I landed on was the Lifegard Aquatics Crystal 3.8 AIO. The build quality is good, clean seams, clear glass, no complaints. On the other hand, the pump that comes with the tank is just terrible; the clacking sound it makes is audible the next room over and the flow is weak. No plumbing modification was required to replace the stock pump with a budget semi-controllable DC one (non-branded version of AI axis). The new pump is nearly silent when running on constant mode speeds 5-7 and quiet when running on wave mode. I currently have no plans for fish in this tank, as I want the flexibility to go home for break without the tank needing to be fed. In the future, I may add something suitable for a pico like an eviota or flaming prawn goby. Coral-wise, I'm thinking a softie-dominated mixed reef, maybe with some euphyllia for movement. I don't want to dose and plan to maintain water parameters with water changes. For lighting, I was debating between the ReefBreeders Pico V2 and Kessil A80, but decided to go with the former because it was cheaper ($87 on special including controller and gooseneck). I have the tank set up as a peninsula, which was a fun little task to aquascape. I used a mix of sawed "foundation" pieces and thin shelves to create a scape which I would enjoy viewing from both sides. I started with Fiji pink sand, but it blew around too much, so I siphoned it all out and replaced with special grade. It was a pain, but I'm glad I did it, as I can now turn the flow up without worrying about sandstorms. Going forward, I will probably add a polycarbonate lid and ATO system. I might check out the new generation of Osmolator Nano from Tunze.
Current tank specs:
- Lifegard Aquatics Crystal 3.8 gal AIO (~2.5 gal after displacement)
- ReefBreeders pico LED V2 Reef
- IOAOI DC centrifugal return pump 700 Lph (also branded as ZKSJ, TMC, etc...)
- Sicce Jolly 12w pre-set heater
- Inkbird ITC308S temperature controller
- Chemi-Pure Blue (might switch to ROX 0.8)
- MarcoRocks reef saver frag mount
-Caribsea Fiji pink Caribsea special grade
- inTank Media Basket (not installed yet)
- Tank shots 11/26/24
I'm setting up a pico reef in my college bedroom and figured I would put together a build thread. The tank I landed on was the Lifegard Aquatics Crystal 3.8 AIO. The build quality is good, clean seams, clear glass, no complaints. On the other hand, the pump that comes with the tank is just terrible; the clacking sound it makes is audible the next room over and the flow is weak. No plumbing modification was required to replace the stock pump with a budget semi-controllable DC one (non-branded version of AI axis). The new pump is nearly silent when running on constant mode speeds 5-7 and quiet when running on wave mode. I currently have no plans for fish in this tank, as I want the flexibility to go home for break without the tank needing to be fed. In the future, I may add something suitable for a pico like an eviota or flaming prawn goby. Coral-wise, I'm thinking a softie-dominated mixed reef, maybe with some euphyllia for movement. I don't want to dose and plan to maintain water parameters with water changes. For lighting, I was debating between the ReefBreeders Pico V2 and Kessil A80, but decided to go with the former because it was cheaper ($87 on special including controller and gooseneck). I have the tank set up as a peninsula, which was a fun little task to aquascape. I used a mix of sawed "foundation" pieces and thin shelves to create a scape which I would enjoy viewing from both sides. I started with Fiji pink sand, but it blew around too much, so I siphoned it all out and replaced with special grade. It was a pain, but I'm glad I did it, as I can now turn the flow up without worrying about sandstorms. Going forward, I will probably add a polycarbonate lid and ATO system. I might check out the new generation of Osmolator Nano from Tunze.
Current tank specs:
- Lifegard Aquatics Crystal 3.8 gal AIO (~2.5 gal after displacement)
- ReefBreeders pico LED V2 Reef
- IOAOI DC centrifugal return pump 700 Lph (also branded as ZKSJ, TMC, etc...)
- Sicce Jolly 12w pre-set heater
- Inkbird ITC308S temperature controller
- Chemi-Pure Blue (might switch to ROX 0.8)
- MarcoRocks reef saver frag mount
-
- inTank Media Basket (not installed yet)
- Tank shots 11/26/24
I love the rock design.
