Pico Reef Tank
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My Tank Thread
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A 1.5 gallon tank can be a tall task to pull off but it can be done.
Maybe a very small Marble Starfish would be a nice invert. to add.
You really need to read up on pico's to see what your getting into.
With a 1.5 gallon water changes could be all you need but I would not use anything else than pure RO/DI fresh salt water to make those water changes.
I'd get a Auto Water Top off unit the keep the salinity stable too.
sbash
Valuable Member
1.5 Gallon is pretty specific... Did you already have a tank in mind?
Some of those Beta-fish tanks are pretty nice; they also are AIO style with a 'sump' built in.
Cycling a small tank like this is quick (instant) if you use all live rock. I have details my most recent pico here: https://www.reef2reef.com/posts/3903858
That is also our resident pico thread; however, for specific questions, you would be best to post in the nano forum.
Where my 1 gallon pico is located, I do not have access to RO/DI water (at least that I have found), so I buy 1 gallon jugs of distilled water, 0ppm for a bunch of stuff and 0TDS. Make sure you read the labels (even with RO water)!
The biggest challenges I have had were lighting and flow. I started with a 1.5w bubbler that I had lying around and had to buy a 3+ watt bubbler to get enough flow; and even still I am not satisfied. For lights, I designed and built my own (PM me if you are interested in details). Otherwise for lighting, there are several small pendant reef lights available.
Check out brandon429's posts about his pico vase. Very good stuff there. He does a full water change and sandbed rinse every week.
Some of those Beta-fish tanks are pretty nice; they also are AIO style with a 'sump' built in.
Cycling a small tank like this is quick (instant) if you use all live rock. I have details my most recent pico here: https://www.reef2reef.com/posts/3903858
That is also our resident pico thread; however, for specific questions, you would be best to post in the nano forum.
Where my 1 gallon pico is located, I do not have access to RO/DI water (at least that I have found), so I buy 1 gallon jugs of distilled water, 0ppm for a bunch of stuff and 0TDS. Make sure you read the labels (even with RO water)!
The biggest challenges I have had were lighting and flow. I started with a 1.5w bubbler that I had lying around and had to buy a 3+ watt bubbler to get enough flow; and even still I am not satisfied. For lights, I designed and built my own (PM me if you are interested in details). Otherwise for lighting, there are several small pendant reef lights available.
Check out brandon429's posts about his pico vase. Very good stuff there. He does a full water change and sandbed rinse every week.
Still working on getting pics. This app is glitching. Right now, there's a goldfish which I will be rehoming, and a betta I am putting in another huge tank. Are there any lower price filters and heaters that you know work well?
we don't use filters, not that you can't but just naming the going techniques nowadays. we use airstones mostly or small pumps in some setups. the current heater I use was 40xx off amazon, neotherm 50 watt my tank is one gallon. wattage of heater doesn't matter, its any thermostat controlled heater you would select, that's the one I clicked.
you can use one if you like, many don't simply because they aren't needed, if they're using an airstone already. its ok to have one if you like, they add more space that needs cleaning too. any space in your pico reef that catches and holds waste particles needs to be flushed out occasionally
search out what this person does with a 1.5 gallon tank, to get it out to 5 years old now with professional level corals inside: Maritza the vase reef. if you use a square tank for your pico reef vs a vase, expect lots of work on topoff. if you use a vase, no work regarding topoff. at 1.5 gallons, a vase is orders more stable than a standard square open top tank, i must recommend vase only at that size for a new keeper.
MVR has all the details, check out one of their threads and study it and let us know what you think applied to the one you are considering.
a square tank is 100x harder to keep going safely vs a vase, regarding salinity control. the reason is due to how lids fit on a vase vs a square tank...evaporation control differences.
search out what this person does with a 1.5 gallon tank, to get it out to 5 years old now with professional level corals inside: Maritza the vase reef. if you use a square tank for your pico reef vs a vase, expect lots of work on topoff. if you use a vase, no work regarding topoff. at 1.5 gallons, a vase is orders more stable than a standard square open top tank, i must recommend vase only at that size for a new keeper.
MVR has all the details, check out one of their threads and study it and let us know what you think applied to the one you are considering.
a square tank is 100x harder to keep going safely vs a vase, regarding salinity control. the reason is due to how lids fit on a vase vs a square tank...evaporation control differences.
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