HELP First Pico Reef!!!

Amelia Lee · Dec 16, 2015

I think I will get a small hang on filter to put my media in and the purigen. What brand purigen do you use? I think I will opt out of the protein skimmer. I've seen a lot of powerheads but I worry they will be too strong.

Ice · Dec 16, 2015

koralia 240gph I use in mine works awesome. I hid it in the rockwork which also helps not make the current so strong.

Amelia Lee · Dec 16, 2015

So I ended up deciding on a small canister filter I found online solely for the purpose of using my Seachem Bio Media and the Purigen. I will make sure to keep it clean which won't be a problem. It is a small, cheap hang on canister filter and I will use as necessary I think.
Here is the link... (yes, I know it isn't your perfect $200 canister)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...ster filter&qid=1450317682&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

For my lighting, I don't want to cheap out. I went to the LFS store today and the woman there recommended me just some small marineland LED light. I read the reviews online and some people said they worked (which may or may not be true) and some people said definitely not for reefs. It is just a cheap regular LED light with not much wattage I believe.
Here is the link http://www.amazon.com/Marineland-LE...317983&sr=8-1&keywords=marineland+led+11+inch

I believe I am going to go with a light from Fluval. I have found 2 that seem very similar, one can be used for fresh and salt and one is solely salt. Both lights are similar in pricing. Here is the link to the first, the Fluval Sea Halo (solely salt)

http://www.petsolutions.com/C/Aquar...-Sea-Nano-Halo-High-Performance-LED-Lamp.aspx

Here is the link to the second light, the Fluval Nano (fresh and salt compatible)

http://www.amazon.com/Fluval-Nano-Aqua-Plant-Performance/dp/B00BNRZB0S

Which light is more efficient and plausible? I want soft corals, zoas, and who knows what else eventually. I don't want to have limited ability just because I went cheaper on a light. I want beautiful color and no issue growing the corals. I like the actinic lighting a lot!
I also don't want to overpay for something I don't need. What do y'all think?

klesel · Dec 16, 2015

The sea nano think would be perfect. Think you would be able to keep pretty much any kind of soft corals with it .

KSReefing · Dec 16, 2015

If you're saying that you aren't wanting to cheap out on the lighting I honestly would go with a kessil with a gooseneck mount. I would just get one of the 150 or 160's. I honestly don't know anything about the fluvial lighting I just know that the kessil looks amazing and you would be able to grow whatever you wanted. I would hate to spend around $100 for a light and not have it be able to do what you want so you have to upgrade down the road.

Amelia Lee · Dec 16, 2015

KSReefing said:
If you're saying that you aren't wanting to cheap out on the lighting I honestly would go with a kessil with a gooseneck mount. I would just get one of the 150 or 160's. I honestly don't know anything about the fluvial lighting I just know that the kessil looks amazing and you would be able to grow whatever you wanted. I would hate to spend around $100 for a light and not have it be able to do what you want so you have to upgrade down the road.

Do you think I'd be able to find one cheap somewhere? Are the Kessil's really that worth it?

Peanut · Dec 16, 2015

How often do you intend on doing water changes. If its often enough, you wont need much filtration at all

Chrisfish · Dec 17, 2015

I started out with a 3 gallon nano and now an 8 gallon nano and did not use a protein skimmer on either. I have a hob Aqua clear filter that I use seacheam purigen filter floss live rock rubble and some good algae, kind of a diy refugium , lol. And weekly water changes and all parameters are good. I also have had freshwater tanks for years and am new to this. And just bought a 30 gallon tank and stand and will be working on it after Christmas . Here is a picture of my 8 gallon.

Derek4real · Dec 17, 2015

Amelia Lee said:
UPDATE: Went to LFS in Dallas to ask questions and buy a few things.

Which LFS did you go to?

Amelia Lee · Dec 17, 2015

Peanut said:
How often do you intend on doing water changes. If its often enough, you wont need much filtration at all

every couple days or as needed. I'm going with a small canister filter just to use media and purigen in my tank. I will use as needed!

Amelia Lee · Dec 17, 2015

Derek4real said:
Which LFS did you go to?

I've gone to a couple! Fish Gallery and Frank's Tanks
any suggestions?

Derek4real · Dec 17, 2015

I actually work at Fish Gallery. I was off yesterday. You should come by the store. We actually have the the Fluval NANO (for reef) as well as a few other LEDs to choose from that I think would be a good choice. Just cause we don't have a particular model doesn't mean we cant get it in. We just simply can't afford to stock EVERY brand of light. But I can make some suggestions based on several tanks I have helped put together. If you want to see the Fluval NANO out of the box, I'd be more than happy to show it out of the box.

Amelia Lee · Dec 17, 2015

Derek4real said:
I actually work at Fish Gallery. I was off yesterday. You should come by the store. We actually have the the Fluval NANO (for reef) as well as a few other LEDs to choose from that I think would be a good choice. Just cause we don't have a particular model doesn't mean we cant get it in. We just simply can't afford to stock EVERY brand of light. But I can make some suggestions based on several tanks I have helped put together. If you want to see the Fluval NANO out of the box, I'd be more than happy to show it out of the box.

Would you suggest a fluval or a kessil? Yesterday, I spoke to the woman in the saltwater section and she just showed me the stock Marineland LED y'all had sitting on top of a set up tank. I found it online and it was only like $38 and that just doesn't seem adequate for me! I have been looking at the Kessil a150 with gooseneck, the Fluval Reef Halo, the Fluval Nano (reef), or a Par38. What do you suggest? I'm not actually in Dallas so it's a good ways to the Fish Gallery. Only reason I'm not there much more often!!

Derek4real · Dec 17, 2015

Amelia Lee said:
Would you suggest a fluval or a kessil? Yesterday, I spoke to the woman in the saltwater section and she just showed me the stock Marineland LED y'all had sitting on top of a set up tank. I found it online and it was only like $38 and that just doesn't seem adequate for me! I have been looking at the Kessil a150 with gooseneck, the Fluval Reef Halo, the Fluval Nano (reef), or a Par38. What do you suggest? I'm not actually in Dallas so it's a good ways to the Fish Gallery. Only reason I'm not there much more often!!

We stock Kessils, I think those would be overkill depending on what your wanting to do coral wise. We actually had a 12x12x12 cube with the Fluval Nano LED and got good results with it. we ended up selling the whole setup. I personally dont like the look of the PAR 38s. I would suggest using the AI Prime, Fluval Nano/Halo, or the Kessil. In my opinion, I think the AI Prime has the most adjustability & functionality. I think its a great bang for your dollar.

Hopefully you can come by when I'm there and I explain everything in person instead of typing everything out. Or you can call the store and pick my brain too.

I was taking my finals yesterday. Hope I passed.

Amelia Lee · Dec 17, 2015

Derek4real said:
We stock Kessils, I think those would be overkill depending on what your wanting to do coral wise. We actually had a 12x12x12 cube with the Fluval Nano LED and got good results with it. we ended up selling the whole setup. I personally dont like the look of the PAR 38s. I would suggest using the AI Prime, Fluval Nano/Halo, or the Kessil. In my opinion, I think the AI Prime has the most adjustability & functionality. I think its a great bang for your dollar.

Hopefully you can come by when I'm there and I explain everything in person instead of typing everything out. Or you can call the store and pick my brain too.

I was taking my finals yesterday. Hope I passed.

Thank you! I finished class Thursday. Hope I passed too! I don't like the Par38s as much as well. I've seen the AI Prime, not sure if I want to spend that much depending on how much I could get the Fluval Halo. Unfortunately, my tank isn't in Dallas, it's back at school! I am planning on stocking my tank with live corals online (not ideal but better than anything in CStat).

genetao · Dec 17, 2015

Amelia Lee said:
UPDATE: Went to LFS in Dallas to ask questions and buy a few things. Bought some Seachem Matrix Bio Media because I was recommended that. Lady steered me away from a protein skimmer as long as I stay on top of water changes, is this a good idea?! That makes me nervous, I don't want overkill but sometimes more is better?! What do I do? She said canister filter would be pretty good to keep tank clean but have also had other suggestions... very confused because I have no idea what will work best!
I bought Instant Ocean Reef Crystals and a large bucket to mix in. I'm going to try mixing a gallon or two and testing it with my hydrometer to practice. I also got some Marine Stress-Zyme just for acclimation etc to try and help my livestock out whenever I eventually get some!

FWIW, I have a 1.75 gallon pico sitting on my desk at work and have NO FILTRATION whatsoever. Meaning no skimmer, no filter of any kind. Just a tiny powerhead, 10 watt Marineland heater and a DIY LED light. That's it. This tank has been running for about 9 months so far and looks better than when it started out.

Actually this was my junk frag tank before and threw in my ugly corals in here. It wasn't until I started dosing nitrates to about 1-2 PPM, did I start to see a huge difference in coloration! They were really coloring up, because I guess I was starving them too much beforehand with such clean tank.

The only thing I dose is nitrates everyday, and do a water change once every two weeks. No SPS or LPS in here, otherwise I'd need start dosing Calcium, Alkalinity and maybe even Magnesium. (Remember this my office tank).

Below is a quick shot of my tank with a crummy Iphone. It doesn't really show the true colors of the corals, but you get the point.

bullet · Dec 18, 2015

I have a 2 1/2 gallon nano from marine land and use a filter bag with carbon mix and a heater for a beta tank. the tank does well with a coral banded shrimp some