Pico thoughts...

[Townes_Van_Camp]

I have a little 2.2 gal cube and my kid (21yr old) is wanting to put mushrooms on the bottom and a Duncan right in the middle, nothing else. I have a little filter and tiny little powerhead that will work in it. I also have a rapid led daylight reef par38 bulb. I would need an ATO, and heater controller. That is all the easy stuff.

Because she doesn't want any stock in it at all, I am going to force a turbo snail in it. Am I correct in thinking that filling it and doing water changes with water from my reef tank be a good way to go to keep nutrients in the water? My water change water is 440 cal, 9.9 alk, 1350 mag, 7.9-8.1ph, 10-15ppm nitrate. I feel like I am under-thinking this. But, If I am only adding nutrients via WC water and allowing the snail to graze algae. Shouldn't this be substantially easier than doing it with fish and shrimp?

 

[Quietman]

Yes. And that's exactly what I did with my five gallon. WC in display went into that (as long as levels were good...which they always were). You will likely need to feed the snail a bit though.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Yes. And that's exactly what I did with my five gallon. WC in display went into that (as long as levels were good...which they always were). You will likely need to feed the snail a bit though.

How did it work out for you? I'm starting to really think about trying a single Acro in this cube. I put my old rapid LED daylight reef par 38, 12 inches over the water and was laying down 250 par at the bottom. When I realized I had that much light, I decided to jump in all the way.

 

[Quietman]

How did it work out for you? I'm starting to really think about trying a single Acro in this cube. I put my old rapid LED daylight reef par 38, 12 inches over the water and was laying down 250 par at the bottom. When I realized I had that much light, I decided to jump in all the way.

Worked out well. It's a Fluval Spec V. It used to be a small FW planted tank with a betta and stock light. I tore that down to set up FW 55 gallon when the betta died. Had the tank lying around and really wanted some of those soft polyps that I don't want in a display tank so I picked up a light and set it up. Also had my yellow watchman goby and shrimp pair in there. I took it down when I found the dinos in my display also were in the pico. Wasn't going to try and fight that in two tanks.

Thinking about doing it again. I moved the polyps to the display on their own island but really want them out of tank if possible now that dinos are gone.

It did take regular weekly 50% water changes (only was using some media in chamber) to keep nutrients in line. But only 2.5 gallons so half of what I was doing in display.

I may not go with the Fluval (just too small of filter section). Think small tank (10 gal) and using large HOB filter. Take a look at Susan Nichols on youtube. I like how she does small tanks.

Susan Nichols Nano Tanks