MW 3g Pico reef

[mwil79]

So I've decided to start the adventure into another tank (5th one currently)

This time I'm just using 95% of the equipment I already have laying around my basement.

Equipment:

Aqueon Edgelit Cube Glass Aquarium, 3 Gallon​

Top Fin CN10 Corner Filter

5lb bag of CaribSea Ocean Direct Live Sand
this is way more fine than I normally use but since this is going to be low flow it shouldn't matter much at all.

Sicce Jolly Heater 20W

Reef Breeders 10W Pico Reef LED

Smart Water Gravity Fed ATO

2 or so pounds of live rock from my other tanks to skip the cycle.

Inhabitants:
1 Hermit Crab
1 Nassarius Snail
1 Ninja Star Snail
1 Trochus Snail
1 Emerald Crab

Coral: (so far)

Zoas:
Rastas
Psychosis
Scrambled Eggs

Acros: WWC Yellow Tip (was already on the rock I put in the tank)

Shrooms:
Green Fuzzy Mushrooms
Golden Gonzos
CarlGreni
Green Disco

Green Polyp Toad Stool

So far it has been running about a week and this weekend will be the first water change. Part of me is debating on doing a full water test prior to the WC just to see where my levels are at. I am curious to see how high or low the nutrients are after just dropping a couple of food pellets for crabs.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

So I've decided to start the adventure into another tank (5th one currently)

This time I'm just using 95% of the equipment I already have laying around my basement.

Equipment:

Aqueon Edgelit Cube Glass Aquarium, 3 Gallon​

Top Fin CN10 Corner Filter

5lb bag of CaribSea Ocean Direct Live Sand
this is way more fine than I normally use but since this is going to be low flow it shouldn't matter much at all.

Sicce Jolly Heater 20W

Reef Breeders 10W Pico Reef LED

Smart Water Gravity Fed ATO

2 or so pounds of live rock from my other tanks to skip the cycle.

Inhabitants:
1 Hermit Crab
1 Nassarius Snail
1 Ninja Star Snail
1 Trochus Snail
1 Emerald Crab

Coral: (so far)

Zoas:
Rastas
Psychosis
Scrambled Eggs

Acros: WWC Yellow Tip (was already on the rock I put in the tank)

Shrooms:
Green Fuzzy Mushrooms
Golden Gonzos
CarlGreni
Green Disco

Green Polyp Toad Stool

So far it has been running about a week and this weekend will be the first water change. Part of me is debating on doing a full water test prior to the WC just to see where my levels are at. I am curious to see how high or low the nutrients are after just dropping a couple of food pellets for crabs.

Great looking tank!! I love the way picos look

 

[Rocktron1]

Got any more pictures'?

 

[mwil79]

Did a quick par test and looks to be around 100 to 50 par throughout the tank. Struggling a bit with tempature as the tank is sitting at 74 degrees (basement problems)

 

[mwil79]

Decided to add a candy cane frag which looks incredibly happy. Also add a ticked off Duncan lol. We will see how they do.

 

[mwil79]

Added some blastos and the Duncan is happy. Currently I'm doing a 3 cup water change daily to see how it goes. Fingers crossed.

 

[mwil79]

Current Residents

Coral Banded Shrimp
Emerald Crab
Blue Legged Hermit Crab
Ninja Star Snail
Mexican Turbo Snail
Nessarius Snail
Rock Flower Anemone
Small Bubble Tip Anemone

I really thought it may be a battle with the Coral Banded and Emerald crab but they honest could care less about each other.


Hermit crab cleaning around my golden gonzo rock.



Blastos and disco



Had a bubble tip spawn so I added the tiniest BTA ever. It has been happy and opening daily.



Added a RFA



One of the residents looking for a meal. Coral banded shrimp.

 

[Narideth]

That looks so nice!

I'm curious what you're running or plan to run in the corner filter? Are you going with actual filter cartridges, or media of some other kind? I have a 3 gallon tank I plan to eventually transition into salt, and it's almost exactly the same shape/size.

I was debating if a filter or simply an airstone would work better for water movement. Why did you decide to go with a filter if you don't mind me asking? Looking forward to more updates!

 

[mwil79]

That looks so nice!

I'm curious what you're running or plan to run in the corner filter? Are you going with actual filter cartridges, or media of some other kind? I have a 3 gallon tank I plan to eventually transition into salt, and it's almost exactly the same shape/size.

I was debating if a filter or simply an airstone would work better for water movement. Why did you decide to go with a filter if you don't mind me asking? Looking forward to more updates!

The corner filter I did at first use the cartridge that came with it, however I found it was clogging. I removed it and I just add Chemipure Blue nano packs which barely fit. They will last about a month and are cheap enough for 5-6 months supply.

I'm sure an air stone would work but I have to turn this little filter down less than half way because it can turn over about 100g in an hour. I feel like it gives a nice flow and bounce to make things ever so slightly move. I plan to add a head of hammer so the flow should be perfect. This filter is also 100% quiet I cant even hear it running.

 

[Narideth]

Awesome. Thanks for the info! I think you're probably better off with the Chemipure packets, so good choice there.

Good luck, and I'll be watching for updates

 

[mwil79]

So I completely changed directions with this tank...well not completely but a bit of a change.

2 residents have been removed.

Coral banded shrimp moved to 50g frag tank
Emerald crab moved to 65g

4 new residents have arrived!

WWC Hawaiin punch BTA



2 sexy shrimp



Porcelain crab who has already found his real-estate in the RFA





Dosing phyto daily since the porcelain crab in mainly a filter feeder. I do have concerns with nutrients as I have very little export but yet I'm not adding a ton of food to add nutrients either. I may have to test in the next couple of days to see where I'm sitting. Since I'm doing a 1 cup daily water change I may end up dosing Neo nitro just to keep nutrients up or if its the opposite I'll have a hang on the side mini fuge. Time and testing will tell.

 

[mwil79]

Switched out the powerfilter to an AquaClear 20 for two reasons.

#1 its a HOB filter rather than inside the tank corner filter. Only a 3g tank I need the most real-estate as possible.

#2 better options for chemical media. I am now able to run a sponge to held catch anything caught up in the filter as well as extra room for Chemipure.

It's up to 100 gph and doesnt create the same rippling effect as the CN10 and its also a bit louder. CN10 was literally silent. This does have some noise but very little.

 

[mwil79]

Two pellets of food and they are happy as can be.

 

[clownfish12]

Awesome tank!
Wondering if the BTA is going to need more flow, but it looks okay.

 

[mwil79]

Awesome tank!
Wondering if the BTA is going to need more flow, but it looks okay.

You would actually be surprised how much flow this little thing puts out. Just remember its only a 3g tank so even at 50% its 50gph which is 16ish x turnover per hour. If I raise it much higher than 50% everything starts to blow around like crazy.

The Hawaiian Punch BTA has not move since I put him in the tank and is bubbly and wide open daily. I added a 2nd BTA which is a Black Widow who is stretching toward the light a little bit. I'm thinking the light is slightly under powered for them to be happy forever... soooo I ordered a Noopsyche K7 Mini. Might be a bit over powered but that's ok I'll just run it lower.

 

[mwil79]

Cant wait for the @noopsyche K7 Mini to get here for the 3g pico!

 

[mwil79]

Added 2 more bubble tips as I got about 50 in trade. One is in the back behind the rocks and happy.

I added the noo psyche k7 mini and wow am I impressed. Everything in the tank is beyond happy and increased in size within 24 hours.

Coloring is beautiful.

My only con is the app which was tough at first but once you figure it out its simple enough. Set it and forget it.

 

[mwil79]

Took out the Duncan and small hammer from the tank to help increase the flow for the Bubbletips. Things are absolutely coasting at the moment. I am still sticking with the changing of a cup or two of water a day (or 3 ever other day).

The addition of the Noo Psyche light made a word of difference. I have some Pom Pom Algae also in the tank to help absorb any overload of nutrients I may end up with from feeding. I will get some new pictures tomorrow but ALL residents are happy as can be.

Closing in on the 2 month mark and very happy with the progress.

 

[mwil79]

Still going strong and man these nems are getting big and more beautiful daily.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Still going strong and man these nems are getting big and more beautiful daily.

Loving the way your anemones are turning out!!!