New pico 5.4g build

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

Hello Reef2Reef,

My name is Ben and I have been in the salt water hobby for roughly 10 years. I have enjoyed pico tanks for roughly 8 of those years do to the ease and uniqueness. Recently I had a wonderful 3.5 gallon cylinder tank setup. Everything was on the right track. Suddenly while cleaning the glass it cracked. Made me jump as I had just finished watching mantis shrimp videos lol. This all happened saturday July 20th.

I believe there was multiple causes. The tank was not of good quality. Purchased from PetSmart with bubbles and abnormalities. I have had tanks like that before with no issues and still seemed solid. Also do to the curve at the bottom and not being flat and wanting easier maintenance, I used aquaforest stone fix for a fake sand bed. I added sand and my rock structure to once it was mixed to allow to harden holding everything in place. I believe the mixture when hardening may have caused more pressure to the glass and the vibration with the magnet scrubber was the last straw. Only speculation.

I ended up throwing the tank and all into a 5 gallon bucket and filled the space between the aquarium and bucket with water to stabilize.

Currently I have just ordered from Marine Depot the Lifegard Aquatics Crystal 5.4 gallon aquarium. This will also require me to re aquascape which I was hoping I wouldn't have to. The equipment going in will be an Aqamai kps and the light is an Aqua Illuminations Prime HD. This will be the only equipment running the tank.

This tank is a bit of a rush to get done and hopefully stable as I am waiting on a special order that has taken me 2 years to find. It is still not a guarantee it'll be here any time soon or I'll get it.

So here is what my tank looks like now.

Next update will be when it arrives and I'll do a video unboxing. Never done a video unboxing so should be interesting as to how it turns out lol.

 

[Peace River]

Welcome to R2R and thanks for including us on your adventure! Cheering for you and your system!

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

Thanks to Marine Depot, I received my aquarium in two days. Purchased the Lifegard Aquatics Crystal Aquarium 5.4g. tank is really nice. Video will be up tomorrow as I have never edited a video and formatting is taking a while. Just splicing and putting together clips.

 

[Peace River]

Congratulations on your new tank! I look forward to seeing the video!

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

Congratulations on your new tank! I look forward to seeing the video!

Thanks. It's actually going to be a pretty simple build. I have everything as it's just pump and light as far as equipment. It's the rock work I'm struggling with. I would like to use dry rock but don't want to risk cycle do to what I'll be having to add as well as time sensitivity. I may use both and add a bit of Fritz bacteria as it works really well. And then replace the older rock as new gets established.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

Everything went much faster than planned uploading and was able to get the video uploaded tonight. This is just a quick unboxing of the 5.4g Lifegard Aquatics Crystal Aquarium purchased from Marine Depot.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

Just finished placing rock work using Two Little Fishies Stax. Would be waiting till in the the morning to glue to ensure I am happy with the structure and placement. Wanting to keep simple for sps up top and possibly a euphylia maybe in back right.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

So last night I finally found the Aquascape I was happy with. Used Two Little Fishies Stax for structure and BSI IC-Gel for gluing them together.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

Take is going strong so far
Still have some adjustments and cleaning up equipment and wiring.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

Tank is now cleaned up and pretty happy with how it turned out.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

Just one of my Catalina gobies coming to the front to beg me for food as usual lol.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

So my pH has been low. As low as 7.3. but dkh is at 8.2. decided to add an air pump to see if that helps. Seems to raise to 7.6. I'll check today again and see. May pick up a mag kit as well. But everything seems happy. So not worries about dosing anything and may increase water changes.

 

[Katrina71]

Just one of my Catalina gobies coming to the front to beg me for food as usual lol.

My son is working on a 3g pico. Do you think Catalina would do well in an even smaller tank?

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

My son is working on a 3g pico. Do you think Catalina would do well in an even smaller tank?

They do like colder water. Make sure it is tank raised and has plenty of caves or holes to hide in. They aren't big swimmers. They just hop around. Originally both of mine were in a 3 gallon. Try to keep temp no hire than 78 even though they are tank raised, they still do best in colder. 75 or less is ideal. Wild caught I recommend 71 around.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

My son is working on a 3g pico. Do you think Catalina would do well in an even smaller tank?

Also look into flaming prawn gobies or trimma gobies. Lots of varients and suitable for small tanks.

 

[SPR1968]

The new tank looks very nice Ben and keep the pictures coming

And welcome to R2R as well!

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

The new tank looks very nice Ben and keep the pictures coming

And welcome to R2R as wel!

Thank you. It's been a roller coaster. Been in the hobby for over 10 years I believe and keep learning new stuff as it advances. From having a break through with keeping Elegance corals to finally able to keep some SPS. It's amazing what little knowledge you learn you actually have as you progress lol.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

So tested my numbers. Originally my pH using Hanna calibrated at 7 and 10 then reverified and consistent at .1 off) reached only 7.4 (7.5). over the course of adding an air pump it has bumped up to 7.7 (7.8) in 3 days. I tested the water where I get my salt from at store and said 7.8 (7.9). on the other hand my kh was 7.8 using another Hanna product but yesterday 8.2. prior last week was 7.6. no water changes between. Just bought a salifert mag kit today. From testing I had to go to 2 ml and reads about 1560.
I'll be getting calcium checked as well. But numbers seem all over the place. Everything is happy so I don't plan on doing anything. Just did a water change a 70% then a 60% then10%. Ensuring to get most the debre out. Going to do bi weekly as to lower the water change amount.

As long as everything looks happy I'm not to worried as they are not unheard of numbers and many have had success. Just not sure with all them numbers at once.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

Since adding the Air pump pH has increased reaching 7.8 high and 7.6 for low end. The corals are still extending their polyps and everything happy. Got a video of the Catalina gobys begging for food as well as a closer look at the corals in my tank currently.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

Tank is doing well so far. Started getting the initial algae and diatom blooms so slowly adding cleanup crew. 2 more snails yesterday. This will take a bit of time for it to clear up being apart of establishing new dry rock. One of my sexy shrimp for some reason jumped out of the tank. But does make great Elegance food lol.

I am hoping today something I have been wanting for a long time may be coming in today. We shall see.