Pico set-ups: how to run a successful 1-5 gallons saltwater tank

[Funghi]

I have kept my pico for a couple months now and have had super great success with it and figured this might be the place in the forums to share with you my knowledge and experience with "bonsai-like" reef keeping. I have a busy schedule so I'm just testing the waters to see if this might be an interesting topic for some people and if I should post some helpful tips and what I have done to be successful and not stress out losing my mind because I cant even fit my hand in the tank lol.

So im going to see, please let me know if this is an interesting topic for people and if I should take the time to make a detailed thread for it. cheers friends!

 

[Trio91]

do it...i ran a small 10gal a while back

 

[Mrx7899x]

Sounds cool I had a fluval spec for for about a year and half it was a great tank just did 50% water change once a week.

 

[Jim]

good timing - Im running a new pico badly. I think that would be a welcome thread here

 

[Mark Shelly]

I could use some advice.

 

[Mark_C]

Heya F!
Good to see your post, looking forward to your experiences and happy to share some of my own.
Pretty sure it all starts with a round tank and rockin' stand

 

[Funghi]

Hahaha wow I am actually surprised this got a lot more attention than I thought. I'm gunna post tomorrow about it. I actually run a system that balances mostly everything out where I am currently no longer doing water changes. Thats the big thing, and if the system can be replicated into larger tanks you might be able to not have to change water ever. I'll post more tomorrow, happy everyone wants the thread!

Mark, that tank is gunna be up an running and such a show piece before you even know it. Can't wait for you to see it when it's all seasoned and nice!

 

[Jim]

interesting, i went a bit opposite in approach...changing a DD medium coffee cup amount of water daily. So far no algae issues to speak of; however the majority of zoa frags that I planted about a week ago haven't opened and look like they have no intention to.

 

[Funghi]

interesting, i went a bit opposite in approach...changing a DD medium coffee cup amount of water daily. So far no algae issues to speak of; however the majority of zoa frags that I planted about a week ago haven't opened and look like they have no intention to.

Ya so my first pico I went with the same approach about 5 years ago or so. The problem with this method is that the tank is just constantly adjusting to water perimeters constantly. Tide pools often have corals in them and definitely experience 100% water changes which is what I was doing before in my pico systems. I then had began reading about never doing water changes and this blew my mind. In the same idea as the kickstarter project "PJ reefs" (pico jar reefs) I had wanted to create my own self sustaining eco system with coral that I wouldn't need much maintenance on it at all. I found a good way to balance everything out in my tank, I feed every other day now, pellets and frozen but not much. I use the pellets to supplement the live stock (my two clown gobys, two sexy shrimp, and emerald crab) and feed the frozen target feeding the corals. The biggest thing is to limit the feeding or how much you use during the feeding. My tank is 3.7 gals and I usually try to ration out for each organism, for all my corals i usually don't thaw more than a dime or nickel size piece of frozen reef food. If you have the ability to blend it and puree it do so and then let it sit in like a shot glass so that you have a suspension the lighter fluid being at the top and then the meaty particles on the bottom. The cloudy water should be for your find filter feeders, feather dusters, zoas, leather corals, etc. then the meaty bits for your mushroom corals ive had great luck giving bigger chunks to my green star polyp. As for the pellets most of the time I only do the smallest amount. This is more so that the fish and CUC get some amount of nutritional food source besides the weekly frozen coral feeding so you dont have to use much for pellets. I stick to only the tiniest pinch for each organism. My sexy shrimp should really only eat 3 grain sized pellets and same with the two gobys and the emerald crab. Overall I should only put in about 15 pellets, no more than a pinch ya know? So i do that like mon wed fri and then frozen on the weekend. Leaving your tank with this dirty water will allow nitrates in your tank but you dont have to fight them off like the plague! nitrates in low doses lik 5ppm-20ppm can act as a fertilizer source for certain corals like xenia and clove polyps.

My suggestion for you Jim would be to test your nitrates, and if you dont have much try not doing a water change until necessary. The water in your pico should almost always be clear for the organisms to feel they can breathe and if you limit feeding I would think you might not need to take water in and out every week. I havent done a water change on my pico in over a month now and feed very regularly.

The trick to this which I didnt include is going to be more detailed in the write up, but Jim, if you decide to go with trying NOT to do water changes (which i highly recommend for the pico setup) definitely definitely DEFINITELY put macro algae in your tank.

I cannot stress this enough, the macro algae in turn if provided with enough light should absorb excess nitrates created from the food and waste in the water, that means limiting feeding limits the excess nutrients and dissolved organics in the tank, which in turn doses a steady food source for the macro in your tank. I like to use both green and red macro in combo, I would highly recomment chaeto and the best part about the macro is you can seed this tank now with pods and they will have a sanctuary in the macro algae which will also help eliminate excess small food and waste bits as they will clean them up too!



This is most definitely not the write up but its something to start for right now with your tank Jim. I will post the real deal later today I have an outline written out near my bedside so I'll get around to including it all today sometime. If anyone has any other questions or things they think I should cover in the write up please let me know.
Right now I have just the following:

1. intro
2. equipment
3. set-up
4. stocking
5. arranging
6. maintenance

I have sub categories to each of them in more detail, Im just wondering if im missing any crucial categories to my outline. intro includes my background and experience to provide detailed support to my pico journey, equipment includes tools and tank necessaries, setup includes how to start it and how to start easier than harder, stocking has livestock suggestions and balancing the bio footprint, arranging includes space management and placement for optimal feeding and viewing, maintenance includes what I usually have in my routine for cleaning and house keeping.

did i forget anything? lol

 

[Funghi]

interesting, i went a bit opposite in approach...changing a DD medium coffee cup amount of water daily. So far no algae issues to speak of; however the majority of zoa frags that I planted about a week ago haven't opened and look like they have no intention to.

The real point I was trying to make with this Jim is you definitely dont have enough livestock in this tank to need to do water changes weekly unless you are feeding so much that your nitrates are higher than 20ppm. It just doesnt make sense with only zoas and a couple snails in there. Should be little to no waste produced at all. I would definitely stick some macro in there and then see if you can hold off on the water changes, test 24 hours after each feeding, limit feedings. But not changing the water should allow your zoas to stay open and grow instead of constantly trying to adapt to the new water influx.

 

[Funghi]

interesting, i went a bit opposite in approach...changing a DD medium coffee cup amount of water daily. So far no algae issues to speak of; however the majority of zoa frags that I planted about a week ago haven't opened and look like they have no intention to.

about a week ago

I missed this, in my pico things usually tank at least a week to become fully open upon entry of the tank, Had some xenia that took a bit but it had a tough time finding a comfortable spot. Time wise, makes sense they are still adjusting but I think your water changes might be part of the reason why they are closed still imo.

 

[Funghi]

 

[Funghi]

 

[Jim]

thanks for all that; a lot to digest
To your last point I am noticing today and past couple days that the few survivors are looking stronger and the others are showing signs.. so havent lost hope on them.
I have a few mangroves in the water but was more for asthetics but I could certainly toss in a few mixed greens from the fuge of my other system. Not so much a fan of chaeto since its kind of ugly, hard to spin and I never had much luck growing it as others for some reason. Funny thing about this pico is that the mangroves are the best performing, when in past history they have been fussy pita. I think its bc some natural daylight hits this tank that might also work well for the lettuce macros.

 

[Funghi]

totally Jim! that sounds like a great plan, nab some from the fuge and find some places to splash some of that lovely plant matter! test the nitrates and if they are low or nonexistent don't worry about a thing. That's fine if you don't like chaeto no worries, I have been debating putting a mangrove in mine but with the lid I dont think I could fit it in there sadly. They are such a cool plant! and are definitely helping with the nitrates probably at some degree. I would just throw a little more in there. The more in there, the better waste control which means you can throw in a little live stock as long as they all have adequate room. I am running into trouble with my tank with room wise since I just added a new goby and really shouldn't have but couldn't resist buying him.. lol

 

[Funghi]

Sorry mates time keeps getting away from me. Promise the how-to will get written up and posted soon, happy holidays everyone!