toastiireefs

New Light came in! This one does not give me electric shocks when I touch it so for that, I give it an A+. I also like that I will be able to adjust it. Currently the temperature is sitting at 78 ish without a heater. I have the tiniest Korallias in there, but even still that is 240gph- I like how compact it is, but still feels like too much power, we shall see how that goes. FullSizeRender.jpg by Sara MARRIOTT, on Flickr Light turns out very blue in photos because of the actinics. But I think I like it. IMG_1329 by Sara MARRIOTT, on Flickr

It's wet! IMG_1316 by Sara MARRIOTT, on Flickr IMG_1317 by Sara MARRIOTT, on Flickr Rockwork is almost how I would like it. I am a bit nervous I won't have room for my powerhead in there! I put some dried caribsea live sand in there to jump the cycling. I got some liverock from BRK as well last weekend. This morning ammonia was 1ppm. I am going to let it do its thing, maybe add a little flake in there in a few weeks to make sure the tank can handle it. Very excited! (Side note: went to get some supplies for the dog at PetSmart with the Husband, he started eye-ing the 75gallons and the 54 gallon corner aquarium. I feel like this pico may be short lived.)

I know I already feel the slippery slope. (I technically haven't started anything yet!!- I can still plan right??) I think my light is strong enough for hardy SPS, from what I have seen from other aquariums- I am thinking like some pretty Montis on a magnetic frag plug. But before this happens, I need to get my tank wet first! The other thing I am debating right now is bare bottom or putting sand in. I think I am going to end up with sand. Though many of the picos on nano-reefs forums seem to favor Bare bottom.

Yea! I have intentions of a Zoa/ricordia Garden-- buuuuut I have a feeling in 6-7 months I will want to get some hardy SPS frags.

Aquascape options IMG_1292 by Sara MARRIOTT, on Flickr IMG_1291 by Sara MARRIOTT, on Flickr IMG_1290 by Sara MARRIOTT, on Flickr Photos of the tank with the light, though new fixture is being purchased IMG_1269 by Sara MARRIOTT, on Flickr IMG_1266 by Sara MARRIOTT, on Flickr

I am having a hard time uploading /embedding photos into this post. https://drive.google.com/open?id=1dDzJkfMUX4aZGEUIC0eR5Oqkmxany0w6 It is currently still dry. Trying to think of some aquascaping options. I have an idea of creating a couple (1 or 2) "floating shelf rocks" that are epoxied/silliconed to the back of the aquarium. Similar to a frag rack, except with rock. Curious if this is possible. But not sure if it would hold and I would have to do that dry I think. So I may delay filling this until Monday. Any ideas and advice welcome! I also had a light mishap. The gooseneck I had gave me an electric shock, was not wired correctly, so I returned that, and am getting a new light fixture, that will clamp onto the table instead of the tank, so not ideal, but will work for now. I am looking forward to having this 'scaped and filled and cycling!

So after two years of this 3 gallon Fluval sitting dry in my closet, fretting over which light replacement I will need, I FINALLY have ordered all my kit in order to start filling this tank! I have the Niello Par38 light on the way, may or may not upgrade this depending on quality, but I have seen some other people have this light on their nanos so hopefully it works out! Plan is to have a Zoa Garden, GSP, maybe LPS down the road. Fish wise: 3 gallons is small. A frogfish was living in this in it's previous owners house (who was a very experienced aquarist). What type of fish would be appropriate for this size aquarium, the more charismatic the better. If the answer is "nothing" then that is also fine too. (Would love to do dwarf seahorses, but getting captive reared ones seems difficult these days after the government was petitioned to put them on the ESA. If anyone knows a reputable source for them I would be interested to know!). Only needs left are sand, and epoxy. Once everything arrives this week, I will be putting it together, posting pictures, and letting this baby cycle. I have never had such a small aquarium before so this will be an experience!

Yup moonlights are more for my benefit Always liked the way they looked at night. But definitely not a requirement. I guess at the end of the day any of these will work, just worry about over powering the tiny tank.

Alternatively this light Fluval SEA Marine Nano LED Aquarium Light - 20W (does this light look any good?) https://www.liveaquaria.com/product/5834/fluval-sea-marine-nano-led-aquarium-light-20w?pcatid=5834&c=3753+3754+3761+5834 or the SB Reef Box Nano Sprite (this link is being saved for later: https://www.liveaquaria.com/product/5969/current-usa-truelumen-led-lunar-lights?pcatid=5969&c=3753+3754+3761+5969 )

So two years later, and this question still has me stumped. THOUGH the 25$ one is LIGHT only, you have to pay 25$ for the gooseneck too! So I think I am going to go with the SbReef light ones, I have seen some other tanks with that. Stay posted, new thread to show yall how this pico goes!

Are you having any issues with coral growth with that light? Trying to decide if I want the box light or the gooseneck Bulb. Can you switch the lights on those so that they are just actinic/blue. I have the Fluval 3 gallon, so not sure how much light I need.

Those lights look nice too! Rated for 5 years? That would be cheaper than replacing this one every year- unless I got more than that out of it! I may go for the 25$ first and see how that goes?

Awesome! Thanks everyone! I am glad to know someone else has this light! The reviews looked pretty decent, and it is such a small tank that it doesnt need a lot of power! I definitely do not mind replacing that bulb every year or so! Yea I think I am going to go with zoas and a goby/pistol shrimp pair. S

Hi, I have this 2.5/ 3gal fluval that has a freshwater light, I may have already posted this question somewhere else. BUT I am thinking of purchasing a Par 30 or 38 bulb on a gooseneck, with the hopes of doing softies-- generally a zoa garden with a goby- main goal but MAYBE some LPS/ SPS? depending how it goes down the road- i do not need overkill lights at the current moment. But these lights only have an on off, there is no switch to only put on the actinic. I was wondering should I get an all Actinic bulb as well, or should is there something that can provide some "moon light" at night. or is that just unnecessary all together? Here is the Bulb i was planning on, if anyone knows of a better one please let me know :-D I am trying to do this tank on a shoestring as much as possible because it is so small, i just do not want to spend hundreds of dollars on a light. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CXTZN2Q/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A2TWRNEH2276JE https://www.amazon.com/LUMENTEK-Aquarium-Light-Lighting-Aquariums/dp/B01G4BRRN6/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1469562829&sr=1-1&keywords=par+38+reef+bulb Any opinions and recommendations appreciated.

do you have any updates on this tank? I still have not set mine up because I am out of town for work 1/2 the month so I have no time for a tank. BUT i am interested to see what you have done! S

I have the same tank and I was also looking to upgrade the light (just to grow softies) I was looking at something like this on a gooseneck clip I think http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00YYT50KS?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_sfl_title_20&smid=A2KN7UQ38V9ZMR

So Updates:: I traveled to asia-- apparently everything went well with my fish carer-- only job was to feed not do water changes. However, I returned to an algae forest and a dead fish. to be fair my dead fish had been eating funny for a while-- looked like she was blind. Also one of my SPS had been turned upside down for who knows how long, still alive, but severely bleached. Trying to nurse that one back to health. Had a lot of growth on my green, purple tipped Monti cap, and I HAD growth on my green cap too. I then traveled to belize left my husband with directions (he failed). Came home to a partially dead green monti- most probable cause at the moment is algae smothering or temperature fluctuations. My hammer coral has spilt (WOO) and I broke apart my candy cane coral, got ride of the algae smothered pieces and glued the good pieces to another rock that is easier to clean. I have done a few water changes and suck up as much algae as possible. there is less growth now. all my standard parameters are 0 (Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate). temp is 76 I have been dosing with nano 2 part solution every other day, every two days? I added another powerhead for more flow. And I added a firefish which so far seems to be doing well. And a Turbo snail, which I may not have acclimated very well. poop. he was running around the tank, and then now is hiding under a rock and hasnt moved in a few days. but I cannot pull him out-- he is attached to the rock or glasswork and wont let go. SO I suspect I have a phosphate problem due to my algae growth, but I am running media in my skimmer. am still working on water changes to get that under control. seems to be getting better. My coraline growth has stopped and retreated-- due to algae smothering, but I am wanting to get that back up. What is the best way to do this? Continue treating with 2part to keep my Ca and Mg up? I have not tested these parameters yet, but I am planing on taking my water to get tested at my LFS. I think I need a skimmer upgrade- or maybe it just needs to be serviced. The skimmer is rated for a 40 or 50gallon (i dont remember now). but does not seem to be pulling a lot out of the water, though I only have 3 small fish in a 30 gallon, and do not feed every day.

Thanks for the advice!

So, I am going to be traveling soon given the holidays. I have 5 corals- 2 LPS and 3 SPS 2 clowns annnnd a cardinal. I have a few friends who are in town who can help with feeding probably 2-3 times a week. My cardinal doesn't eat pellet-- so an auto feeder wouldn't help. And my clowns eat the alage in the tank so they can sustain them selves on non feeding days. I have two trips planned: Thanksgiving for about 5 days-- I would feed and do all maintenance before I left, and try and find a friend to feed once in the middle-- and once when I get back. Not a problem The trip I am worried about is my honeymoon which is 30 days. A REALLY LONG TIME TO BE AWAY FROM THE TANK. Not entirely sure how to handle that one. I think if i do a water change on either side of the trip the water quality SHOULD be fine. If I can get a friend to clean the skimmer every week or every other week, topping off - and feeding every few days? Does anyone do anything else besides having an auto feeder and auto top off? Next Turns out I am moving back to DC in July/August!!! Do not know if I want to start all over and sell everything in North carolina, or if I want to transport all the critters to DC. I might sell a couple things. But should I decide to bring everything with me-- I was thinking some sealed buckets for the live rock with a bit of water in it. , bring the tank up empty (except for about an inch of water covering the sand. bagging up each fish and coral separately and placing in the empty tank or in the rock buckets. I would love to be able to set everything back up in DC. Alternatively-- I may ask some people to hold on to JUST a select few of the corals I have-- for a frag. Until I can get my tank set up etc-- Any suggestions- am I being ridiculous thinking I can move everything?

you are very right-- I think I am going to strive to only have CB fishes-- which I should already try and do. my black clownfish is a bit agressive- so that is possible.

It was this kind of blenny http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+23+2592&pcatid=2592

they called it a tiger blenny-- but I do not know if that is the right ID of it. I did not QT this fish (i know it's bad of me). I drip acclimate. Yes it can live for a month without food-- but i guess you do not know when it wasn't eating? But i am pretty sure it was eating. All I have is two clownfish and a cardinal fish. who are all doing well (as of this morning). It has been looking just "unsettled" for the last week-- I feed every other day, and skim, and have a HOB refugium that has calerpa in it

tiger blenny died this morning. linked the informatio here http://wamas.org/forums/topic/69888-first-dead-fish/

Went to bed last night-- everything looked like normal.-- Blenny was purchased a little less than a week ago and seemed a bit skiddish but I thought it was eating because the algae on the skimmer pump looked grazed on. This morning blenny was dead in the "lair" of the clownfish -- looked a bit skinny and nibbled on but no obvious spots or discoloration or anything else that looked abnormal. Didn't have time to take a picture this morning-- or check my parameters-- but I just did a water change less than a week ago- I buy filtered water and mix it myself. I checked the salinity yesterday and it was 35 ppt All my other fish looked perfectly fine this morning -- nothing else was out of the ordinary. :( All my fish come from the same store. I will check all my parameters when i get home tonight-- i really hope all my other fish are doing okay! Tank has been up and running since august with no other problems. i am just sad :( here is my build thread. http://wamas.org/forums/topic/67892-back-in-the-hobby-20-long/?do=findComment&comment=627263

Some pictures of the tank New additions: 3 montis green with purple rim, green and undata "tiger" blenny-- do not know which type it really it is. AND FUN NEWS!!!! Zoa finally budded! there is an itty bitty zoa next to the bigger one! Also my tank has been purpling up very well!