Micro Tanks - Give me some ideas!

[AlyciaMarie Verified Admin]

I need some ideas regarding my new micro reef!

Yesterday, I was gifted this PNW Micro Reef-Ready Tank. It comes in at a whopping 1/3rd of a gallon (40 oz if you want to be more specific), so it's just a baby! It's going to hold very little, but I would love some input. I don't have any expectation of what is or isn't safe or acceptable to keep in it because I have never seen a tank this small! It may not be wise to put anything in it at all. I'm open to any suggestions, recommendations, and ideas.

For anyone with experience owning a tank this small, or even if you've seen one or know someone with one, what are some of the things you've seen them "stocked" with? If you've got pictures, even better! Drop them in the comments.

Check out my tank thread to see more specifics on this little guy ---> Alycia's 40oz Micro Reef-Ready - Pretty-in-Pico

 

[tzabor10]

Definitely need some Zoas, possibly a purple polyp turbinaria. A single astrea and hermit. Are you adding sand? Is live rock a possibility? Can’t wait to see more

 

[AlyciaMarie Verified Admin]

Definitely need some Zoas, possibly a purple polyp turbinaria. A single astrea and hermit. Are you adding sand? Is live rock a possibility? Can’t wait to see more

We will likely add sand, but rock is debatable. If we did do rock, it would be a very small piece. The height of the display tank is half the height of an average 16 oz water bottle.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

We have some spare rock I can always crush into smaller pieces to give a small aquascape.

 

[andy28115]

I would go to your lfs, buy some rock rubble and ask them to cut down a frag plug with a mushroom and then one with a couple zoas you like and call it a day. I would skip anything non coral. Too much bio load imo.

 

[taricha]

I'll drop this article for inspiration.
The amount of commensal animals in the corals of the ocean is insane. And it can be incredibly nano.
https://reefs.com/remarkable-community-fishes-found-xenia/

This is more about inspiration, and less about a practical stocking list.

 

[Solo McReefer]

Sub gallon reefs are expert only, in my estimation

 

[LiverockRocks Verified Sponsor]

We’ve been running various PNW micro tanks a couple years now. Super easy to maintain with ocean farmed rock.

 

[VintageReefer]

Salinity will be super sensitive. I have a 1.1g. A turkey baster is enough to throw the salinity off drastically.



https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/1-1-gallon-oceanbox-p1-g-pico-reef.1043173/

 

[Tavero]

I need some ideas regarding my new micro reef!

Yesterday, I was gifted this PNW Micro Reef-Ready Tank. It comes in at a whopping 1/3rd of a gallon (40 oz if you want to be more specific), so it's just a baby! It's going to hold very little, but I would love some input. I don't have any expectation of what is or isn't safe or acceptable to keep in it because I have never seen a tank this small! It may not be wise to put anything in it at all. I'm open to any suggestions, recommendations, and ideas.

For anyone with experience owning a tank this small, or even if you've seen one or know someone with one, what are some of the things you've seen them "stocked" with? If you've got pictures, even better! Drop them in the comments.

Check out my tank thread to see more specifics on this little guy ---> Alycia's 40oz Micro Reef-Ready - Pretty-in-Pico

Wasn't there a micro reef challenge on this forum a few years ago? Where a dozen members tried to keep one running for a year? Only two succeeded though.


Edit: found it.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/show-off-thread-unoffical-mini-complete-tank-contest.862907/