Small wins: Have you had long-term success with a pico reef?

[docforestal]

Just started a 2.2 cube, cycling now, plan macro algae, soft coral hermit or two, snail or two maybe a shrimp

 

[ChiCity]

What light are you using on this tank? It’s gorgeous!
Also, shoutout from a fellow Chicagoan!

believe it or not,
just a single 15” reefbrite xho strip

(chi love!)

 

[1Meshy]

Currently got a 10 gallon nano reef, and now just recently started a 5 gallon pico dwarf seahorse tank. Hope goes all well for the new babies <3

 

[Will_WhatIsThis]

My 2ish gallon anemone bowl has been set up for about a year and a half now. I do almost a complete water once a week and scrub the glass and that’s it. All that’s in there is a heater with an emergency shutoff, and an air stone. I got a bit lazy so the tank used to look even better than in this picture but it’ll be back to it’s former glory soon.

 

[Devaji]

always wanted to try but never have.

 

[Sandbaggin87]

Small wins: Have you had long-term success with a pico reef?

It seems that lately pico tanks have got a lot of attention and tiny tanks have been showing up at reef shows, at LFSs, and in advertisements from many online vendors. Do you think these are just a fad or are they sustainable? Is it possible and is it likely to keep a pico reef over a lengthy period of time? Have you kept a pico or nano tank for more than six months? A year? Two years? Tell us about you experience with the longevity of keeping a pico tank and share in the discussion any tips or insights that you may have!

Eshopps Deskmate tank; photo by @aquaman.shalom

I have a five gallon glowfish tank I'm going to try for a Pico, still cycling the tank but should be ready to go in a few weeks. Plan on doing a small zoa garden in it.

 

[DeniseAndy]

I guess according to that my 6g is a nano. It has been running for well over 5 years. It is my traveling tank. I wish I had some good pictures of it. Here is one from almost exactly a year ago. When corals outgrow it, I replace them or cut them down. I have many gobies in the tank. They are the Eviota species mostly, maybe a Trimma also. Tiny things.

 

[mattdg]

I run large tanks, but absolutely love the smaller systems. I've had several over the years, the longest running was this 5 gallon reef. The video was posted in 2006, but the tank was set up from 1999-2006! Back then people had a lot of negative things to say about smaller systems and this was definitely considered a Pico Reef.



Also had the one in the last article of RH Mag 2013 set up for 3 years

www.reefhobbyistmagazine.com/read-magazine.php?did=6574320_52742289

And this most current triple nano vase, a true pico reef at 1 gallon total water volume for all three, recently set up.

 

[bigdaddydz]

Wow those are amazing results! I never personally had any luck with the smaller tanks.

 

[T00LFan]

believe it or not,
just a single 15” reefbrite xho strip

(chi love!)

Tank looks great.

Is that the 50/50 or the actinic blue?

 

[AwakenedReefer]

I set this 7G up last June and it has done well-ish. There was a few months I started falling back on maintenance and figuring out how to/what methods to keep everything stabilized has been fun.
I have had a couple set backs in doing so. Once, and idk if I should admit this, I made fresh saltwater with a miscalibrated refractometer and that killed off most of the coralline and caused some corals to lose color but things are doing better now.

This is not my first or last nano but it is my first in over a decade and I honestly enjoy them. Especially now that you can literally buy just about everything you need and it 10x smaller and cheaper though not equally cheaper.

I personally would recommend them to anyone especially if your a committed person that can persevere and likes to learn the fast way. Lol.
I also truly believe they are here to stay. We have a a broke generation coming around that was told their entire lives the reefs are dying but they are to lazy and scared to go outside and do something about it. So I do believe they are more inclined to want a reef tank than previous generations. Especially given most everything is learned for them at this point and everything is plug and play.
Who knows but if anybody is on the edge I would do it. You can put them anywhere.

 

[ChiCity]

Tank looks great.

Is that the 50/50 or the actinic blue?

thank you…
it is the actinic blue xho

 

[AIRDADDY]

I kept a 3.6 gal mini reef a few years ago when I was in Alaska. I received surprise orders to finish the last 2 of my 25-year military career in Kodiak AK. I decided to go unaccompanied so the kids didn't have to switch schools, and I was rewarded with a room in the barracks. just broke down my 210 gal and sold all my livestock before moving so I wasn't planning on doing anything until I got back home to restart the 210. Then I saw the nano/pico-challenge on YouTube and that was the only spark I needed.

 

[52728299]

What's the secret? I just need to keep algae out of my 9.7g tank, any advice? Just more cuc?

 

[Azael]

I started with a pico a little under 10G and it was going very well, but I upgraded when I wanted more fish and corals.