UNS 30A (Dual) AIO Reset (Closed)

[Tahoe61]

You are pretty much going to get rid of everything and gut it. DO NOT use their pumps. They are a fire hazard. Mainly the USB plugin but it's not a good pump.

I would also forgo their lid and get a custom glass piece cut. This way you can ensure all the equipment has holes and lighting mount will also fit. But the back lid isn't bad. Front lid I found to allow to much evaporation.

Lighting is a little tricky as it is deeper vs wider so overshadowing things can be easy. Lighting is a pain to find. I recommend one with a good spread over the tank vs a central fixed point light.

You will also want to either use their standard nozzle or buy a different or custom return nozzle. Their random flow nozzle will stop turning and is noisy.

I will say the tank itself is built really nice. I do recommend buying their filter sock adapter for it to protect the pump unless you plan on using a tray system or their sponge filter. I just use filter sock and adapter.

There is definitely some better bare bone options but it's a really well made tank. I would compare foot print of display area to others to see. Just realize you are really just paying for the tank and nothing else.


DO NOT USE THEIR USB PUMP OR PLUG
I don't know if this has been addressed but both the original and the replacement burnt up and smoked and my personal USB plug adapter would spark as well.

Thank you for your honest opinion. I pretty much gut every AIO. I am going to pass on the UNS. Back to hunting.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

Thank you for your honest opinion. I pretty much gut every AIO. I am going to pass on the UNS. Back to hunting.

What I like most is the quality of the build. But it looks amazing when setup right. If your looking just for a small tank, I recommend just a rimless small tank no sump and not an AIO. There is tons of options. Build custom lid and just need water movement. Round tanks are also great as you can run with just an air pump and a light. Square tanks can be run with just a wave maker and light. But have to stay up on maintenance.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

So today I ended up with a wonderful supply. The Mad Reefer who I have been doing business for over a decade gave me a frag of my original sps coral that I loved. This was an amazing piece and found out earlier that it was still around. Meet the new yet old coral frag!

These polyps will get a bit longer. This was an hour or so after a dip in Revive and did a 100 percent water change as well.

 

[Tahoe61]

Very nice!

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

Here is some updated pictures from the other day. Also added a porcelain grab on Friday as well.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

Thank you to @ISpeakForTheSeas helping me ID this montipora eating nudibranch. Not a fun thing to find while you are walking out the door for work.

 

[Tahoe61]

Ugggg. So alien looking. Nice thing about Picos though you can deal with pest quickly and efficiently, because there's no where to hide.
The Acropora is looking awesome.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

Ugggg. So alien looking. Nice thing about Picos though you can deal with pest quickly and efficiently, because there's no where to hide.
The Acropora is looking awesome.

From what I saw this morning there may not be anything to salvage when I get home. Since entire rock is one piece, I will pull it entirely out and pop off the piece. Hopefully they are all hiding on the bottom of coral and not else where on the rock lol.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

So my tank is doing really well. Sadly I will be having to remove my elegance. It has decided to go through a growth spurt. It is also time for a water change which I will be doing tomorrow .

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

So a lot has and hasn't happened lol. The tank is doing well and corals seem happy so far.

I just recently got in contact with Aqua Illumination for the Axis20. They are sending me a new one due to the issue getting worse. The axis 20 was shutting on and off above 90 percent. Recently, even after cleaning, it would not work above 85 percent. They were quick to respond and I uploaded video and images as requested. We shall see how this one does.

The SPS hasn't grown yet it seems. There was slight recession which I expected being freshly broken off and glued but seems stable now. It is almost always bright eyed and bushy tailed lol.

It was happy and sad Sunday. Peaches turned 3 years old. It was also marking the approach of loosing her sister.

 

[Tahoe61]

Happy Birthday Peaches! The tank is looking really good. Makes me want an Elegance every time I see it.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

Happy Birthday Peaches! The tank is looking really good. Makes me want an Elegance every time I see it.

Thank you. There are a lot of nice elegance out there. They are my favorite.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

Things are goingg to get even more busy and less time for tank now that we are having a baby. Current due date is November 27th.

Further more at some point while I was at work, our closet shelf fell. This bowed out and popped the dry wall across the entire wall. I will be popping back in with dry wall screws once I find studs and patching. I also ordered stand alone shelves to build and use.

On a more aquarium note, I am currently working on solving the issue with Aqua Illumination as to why their axis 20 pumps shut off and on repeatedly at higher speeds. Today will be during water change to just have it run in a bucket of water by itself and see if it repeats.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

Since I have gotten my sps coral I have taken pictures, mostly in mornings before work with lights out. This coral when I first had a piece years ago almost completely deteriorated. After a while it came back and became one of my favorite corals. It is very hardy and forgiving. While I am having a similar experience, it seems to be stabilizing now. I will try to add dates to each picture above them to mark progression.

2/27/2025

2/28/2025

3/7/2025

3/11/2025

3/13/2025

3/14/2025

3/16/2025

3/17/2025

3/18/2025

3/22/2025

3/24/2025

3/25/2025

4/7/2025

4/13/2025

4/14/2025

4/18/2025

4/20/2025

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

4/20/2025 did quick light setting and turned off for these photos so it's still should be dark for them.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

Tank is doing good still. I am in the process of getting information for equipment. While 100 percent water changes are easy on picos. This 7 gallon is becoming messy lol. I am also spending 50 a month with water changes. I will be looking to do a gallon a week.

Current plan is to get a wave maker to move detritus off bottom more. Which I'm looking at Nero 3. While I was looking at the jecod dmp 5, I have been working with AI on my axis 20 and the issues with their pumps shutting off at around 95 and above. While they were getting ready to send me a 3rd pump, I asked if I could upgrade as I wouldn't need to run as high and should avoid problem just in case. I also offered to pay difference and they agreed. Plus they were waiting for more axis 20s.
This will also allow me to control the pumps and lights on 1 app.

The next phase will be getting calcium, alk, and mag test kits as well as a nano skimmer. Since I plan on exporting less water, I will need to filter more. Plus this will increase oxygen and I will not need my air pump.

From there, I can test to see if I need to dose and eventually get a dosing pump if needed.

This should save me at least 10 to 15 a month out of the 50 and create less mess.

I also picked up some lightning dove tail snails today as well.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

So the SPS is doing something interesting. While the base seems to be slowly receding, the sps is growing new polyps. Maybe due to the shading underneath which has been going on for a while. This piece last time I owned it almost completely died before regrowing back. Will be getting test kits this week is the plan to start preparing the tank for new equipment and maintenance. I did not do a water change last week as I want to see what the levels are without.

First picked up.

Later on a bit ago.

This morning

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

So for the first time in over a year I am testing my parameters using salifert
Calcium 400
Magnesium 1350
ALK 5.7
Phosphates 0

Using API
Ph 8.2
Nitrate 0