Starting Pico to Dream Big

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

I have been out of reefing for a while due to not feeling well. I want to get back in but with an end goal in mind. Take a single coral and grow from frag to massive colony.

for 3 years i have been working from home. I have been married, bought house, lost 2 dogs and now have 2 more. Now I may be going back in office full time (unsure yet). But wanting to start this project there and keeping it minimal unless I start at home.

UPDATES and Equipment in Use

1 Gallon container (originally thought this was 1.5 Gallon)
Amazon product

This Pump is extremely quiet and powerful
Amazon product

I am using the White color. (Not the 16HD version)
Amazon product

Using older model/version of light diffuser/shade
Amazon product

Using Benepets as it doesn't seem to foul up the water.

Current Livestock

1 SPS Unknown
1 Elegance coral
1Coco Worm
1 Purple Sea Fan
1Purple Gorgonia
1 Blue Leg Hermit
Various Hitch Hikers

Prime HD Light Schedule

Schedule 9AM to 9 PM

1 Gallon SPS Pico Project Log

 

[officialreefbros]

This is a bold goal! Good luck, will be neat to follow along

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

This is a bold goal! Good luck, will be neat to follow along

Done similar before as far as maintaining and growing in small tanks. Had some amazing ones. But growing a frag to large colony is a whole other level for me. I know its possi le but the large tanks will make it much harder for me as the coral grows.

Ill need to watch how it grows with flow. Flow growth pattern will be part of the key.

 

[officialreefbros]

Done similar before as far as maintaining and growing in small tanks. Had some amazing ones. But growing a frag to large colony is a whole other level for me. I know its possi le but the large tanks will make it much harder for me as the coral grows.

Ill need to watch how it grows with flow. Flow growth pattern will be part of the key.

Nice! I'm super curious with it being that small!!

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

Lots of thinking through the night and morning. While thinking for work, I did not think of a backup plan if i cant setup at work. I would do this setup differently. I would setup using the following possibly for light and container

50watt version
Amazon product

And have already one of these sitting. Just needs cleaning. Not sure size.
Amazon product

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

So currently i have found my old par 38 tuna blue bulb with certain leds taped over using electrical tape. This light did really well with corals in the past. Using the 1.5g jar. I have a small single piece of dry rock that will be the base and starting point for the coral. I will upgrade light later on or if light isnt doing well.

Before I can start, I have a few chores I need to do. Using this as a reward to setup as wife approves lol.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

I dont know if this is the exact rock ill use. Will add sand as well. This par 38 did extremly well and will on pico prior. And will keep wife happy not spending to much lol. Will upgrade light eventually or if it is not working well as it did before. Pups wanted to help as well.

The whites and other colors are taped off as I found this was more beneficial and colors wete much better.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

Received a couple pieces in the mail today. The air pump which is pretty quiet and the algae scrubber.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

So the tank is up and running. Stopped by Mad Reefer to pickup some items. Live sand, a couple pieces live rock broken down to fit. Will glue later, saltwater of course and fritz bacteria. Very hard to get the camera to show even with orange lens. I had more but went out of the hobby for a while so everything was put up.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

Currently I am working on a spreadsheet to help keep track of parameters and monitor. I do not have all the testing kits as most are expired. I will begin testing what I can in the tomorrow hopefully. I have not done all the formatting conditions yet so those will be added as well. this will note if something is to high or to low.
1.5 Gallon Single SPS Pico Project

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

now that the light is off, and water almost clear, here are some pics

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

Updated the table today. parameters seem to look well. I will need to order another ammonia test to be sure as everything including tap water was testing for ammonia. testing liquid looked compromised. I also needed to recalibrate the refractometer. would like to get a par meter but to expensive.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

Just received.my order of benepets. I have used this for years in my tanks. Doesnt foul up the water and everything loves this. From small fish, inverts and corals.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

Tested water again today to see if any changes. I have had my air pump hose come off prior nights except last night. Most of us would say that oxygen can increase Alk (tested in KH or DKH). you can see the changes in log 1.5 Gallon Single SPS Pico Project . PH bumped up from 8 to 8.1, Alk from 9 to 11. temp from 77.8 to 77.3. Since the lid does not allow much gas exchange including CO2 and O2, Bacteria likely depleted some oxygen in tank when hose was off, which led to prior levels. Need to monitor and possibly replace hose if happens again. Checked Alk in sealed transport container and was 11 KH. Since container does not have a food source for bacteria and kept clean, Bacteria should not be able to establish to deplete oxygen levels. no water movement also does not allow gas exchange. Curious how long a sealed container with parameters checked before and after sealed for set period of time would test.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

I noticed strings coming from the rock work. I didnt think they were verminted snail as I saw no thin strings or net just 2 thick strands. I went ahead and did a tiny amount of food from benepets i mean tiny. Didnt measure....
Saw no web like mucus only the string verifying to me the are spinoid worms. Also want to see if anything else appears. Sorry for very blue photos (edit also just spotted small bristle worm crawling into small hole in rocks)

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I noticed strings coming from the rock work. I didnt think they were verminted snail as I saw no thin strings or net just 2 thick strands. I went ahead and did a tiny amount of food from benepets i mean tiny. Didnt measure....
Saw no web like mucus only the string verifying to me the are spinoid worms. Also want to see if anything else appears. Sorry for very blue photos (edit also just spotted small bristle worm crawling into small hole in rocks)

Any way you can get the photos under white light?

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

I can if I turn off. The light in room is bright enough. Im hoping to eventually get another phone camera filter.

 

[Poseidon03]

Flowing this for sure! Might be one way to convince my wife to let me have another one. Hook it up to my 240 and do an auto water change every day.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

Flowing this for sure! Might be one way to convince my wife to let me have another one. Hook it up to my 240 and do an auto water change every day.

You could even set it up with a doser. Have it swap out water from main to pico then to sump. I thought of doing this where I have fresh salt and empty bucket and have it change out the water so its all new at end of week or more. This depends on size of tank as well.

 

[Poseidon03]

You could even set it up with a doser. Have it swap out water from main to pico then to sump. I thought of doing this where I have fresh salt and empty bucket and have it change out the water so its all new at end of week or more. This depends on size of tank as well.

Yupp, that was my thought! I'd love to see how the acro growth rate and growth pattern would be from one compared to the other. I could also do reverse light cycle to help pH, hmmm.