Mark's Pico reef (6g)

[Mark_C]

Sale of the species specific didn't work out, and as I was looking at the tank (which was going to be seahorse specific) I thought, its Saturday, off work as wife is sick and watching kids, I don't want to work on the floors, I'm a bit bored, and surely I don't have enough stress. I should make a pico reef.

Heading out today to purchase lumber for a stand build and to check out some tiny power heads and rock.

Figure I'll run it as a low light coral/shroom tank with a few inverts and maybe a tang or two.

 

[AnthonyiLLMaTiC]

Nice little setup!

 

[art13]

I think a naso tang would look perfect in there

 

[Mark_C]

With plague rampant in the house, I spent Saturday doing a bit of set-up.

Few more bits and pieces salvaged, plus just bought a new heater and pump. I plan on filling the Aqueon with some rubble, a sponge, and a small bag of Phosban.

Stand and tank in position...

Kitchen Aquascaping (man its tough to aquascape in a 10" square area, had to break up some rock)...

Filled and the cycle begins...

And thats about it for a few weeks.

Had everything on hand outside of pump ($15), heater ($15), and stand ($70), so it was an additional $100 out of pocket.

Had I run the build full out of pocket probably would have run around $150, not including stand...
Tank $25, Dry rock (7-8 lbs) $15, Aragonite $15, Eheim daylight/actinic $35 on sale, Heater $15, Pump $15, Aqueon HOB quietflow filter $30

Stockwise (suggestions appreciated) I'm thinking..
Mixed zoas and shrooms
Couple of nasarrius snails
A nerite or margarita and a few dwarf ceriths
Yellow clown goby
Porcelin crab
And a Naso Tang (thanks Art) OR a Moorish Idol.

 

[horseplay]

Overstocked already. No more livestock!

Good job on the aquascaping. Guess the beer helped.

 

[kschweer]

Sweet little tank! Did you build the stand? If so awesome job!

 

[art13]

Jester goby? if you pull the crab that would also be a nice tank for pipefish, they're just a bit harder to feed.

 

[Mark_C]

Thanks all,

1. Beer always helps.

2. Didn't build the stand, bought the wood to build it myself, but decided to buy one as I wanted it to look good.

3. I thought pipefish, especially as I raise pods, but they would quickly outgrow the tank. I like the looks of the jester goby, might pick one up for my main, but dont think there'd be enough for it to eat in the small tank (edit - LiveAquaria has captive bred that eats frozen brine/mysis). I was tempted to look into a green mantis shrimp, but decided to hold off and make a species specific 30 for a peacock mantis some time in the future. Going to keep looking for something interesting and on the lower maintenance end.

 

[Mark_C]

Rescape. Had a bit of time, some rock and a hammer.
Wanted to get as complex as possible while maintaining flow in a 10" x 10" area with enough shelving and space to grow a decent zoa garden with an acon on the bed.

Left side...

Front...

Right side...

Top down...

Going to peroxide it, rinse it, and start curing it in the tank.

 

[art13]

Looks like a day or two worth of work there, very nice though.

 

[Mark_C]

New stocking thoughts. Want to have a maxed out active tank with a few small (<1") tenants.
With the new scape, there's a good amount of grow space as well as considerable swim space.

Corals
Mixed zoas
2-3 mushrooms
1 small acan
Frogspawn or Hammer (are LPS possible in a 8g pico)?

CUC
4 dwarf/micro ceriths
1 Florida cerith
1 nassarius
1 nerite

Inverts
1 pom-pom crab
1 porcelin crab
2 sexy shrimp

Fish
Tanaka's pygmy wrasse

 

[art13]

You could probably add more snails, I would do 3-4 nassarius, probably 8 or so mini cerith and one more nerite. Lps would be fine, if there's a way to do an ato though that would be a big plus for stability, if you leave out the Lps though you don't have to worry about testing for alk and calc.

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

Oh, I am looking at seeing this come together!

 

[Mark_C]

Got the MP40 in.
Fortunately theres some space left for the tang.

 

[Trio91]

Looks good bud. Looks kinda like my little guy

 

[art13]

Did you happen to get a second mp40 for the dead spots you'll have behind the rock?