My Insane Project

[SW Addict]

Here's a shot of my 2.5gal Reef. It's only about 3 weeks old. Only 3 corals in there for now. More to come though.

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[Kuli_Loach]

Uh wow. That is going to be a pain but a heck of an accomplishment if you get it going good. Keep a deal of water by it's side at all times, evaporation is the main concern in one of them.

[SW Addict]

Not a problem. I have a 10gal tank of top-off water sitting under my 125gal reef. I use that to keep both tanks topped up. The nice thing about that tank is that it has buffer in it for the Alk and it also has trace elements in it as well.

[Kuli_Loach]

I would link it to your 125g to keep nutrients in it at all times. It could REALLY help big time or put like a 10g sump on it.

[SW Addict]

Well, with it's location neither of those are an option. I want to run it as an autonomous tank anyway. I have a Skilter 250 on it for water movement so it really gets a ton of water flow, the corals in it will be mostly Zoanthids and Green Star Polyps. The Skilter also has the advantage of adding another half gallon to the volume. It is a large challange but it's one that I really want to undertake, so far it's a blast.

[Kuli_Loach]

Very cool. If you want, I have a bunch of nano tank stuff you can see if you want and we can trade or w/e.

[cocoa_pleco]

thats a cool tank!

on ebay there was a cool 2.5g like yours, and the owner put a TINY overflow with a little 1g long sump, it was a crazy tank, went for $30

[SW Addict]

That's crazy. I know a guy here who did something similar, except he made his an all-in-one setup. I won't be selling mine. :)

[squirt_12]

Very nice!
Do you know what other types of coral you are going to put in it? As well as any inverts??

[Rue]

Cute!:hmm3grin2orange: :19:

[SW Addict]

Pretty much going to be sticking to different colored Zoas and Green Star Polyps in there, it is a very high flow tank and thus not really suitable for a lot of soft corals. I am considering trying a Monticap in there simply because I do have such high flow and sufficient light. The biggest drawback to that would be the calcium need for that coral since it is a SPS. In such a small tank, that calcium need could become a problem.

[Kuli_Loach]

You can try shrooms and ric's.

[SW Addict]

I have a single Mushroom in there right now, but really, the flow is way too high for it. I have a 100x/hour turnover rate in there.

[Lady Hobbs]

It looks nice already and will be looking great when you're done.

[gem]

Brad...it really isn't that hard to keep calcium up in the pico. You pretty much replace it with every water change. With a tank that small stick with larger than normal water changes. I did nearly a gallon a week on mine. Had no problem keeping calcium at 450. The monti should be ok in there. You can also mix kalkwasser in with your top off water. That should eliminate any need to dose for calcium or kh. But I would still test frequently. If you do end up dosing.....use a two part, like B-Ionic. Gonna be kind of hard to figure out dose though.

[SW Addict]

I'll see, I may try it. Just need to find someone with a frag of it around here.

[gem]

What???? Send me money...I'll get you a frag of Monti and send it with the other stuff. Like Orange? $14.99 if there's any left. Good sized frag too.

And BTW. Have been messing with my pico tonight. Hehehehehe :hmm3grin2orange:

[SW Addict]

Oh, I wasn't meaning that nobody here has it, I just need to contact them. :)

[Incredulous_Ed]

Pffft, kids these days. ack in my day, a 300gal was a nano reef! anyone thinking of keeping one in less than 100gal was insane.

[gem]

Kids??? LOL You can't possibly be THAT old. And if you are...then technology and understanding of NSW chemistry and coral husbandry has come far enough along to actually allow such miniature reef tanks. The lack of information and understanding is what made it insane even 20 years ago to have a SW tank any smaller than 100 gal.

[gem]

GB....how bout an update??? I updated mine!!!! Ok....well...I'm about to.

[SW Addict]

Not much to update, I'd take a picture but the tank looks dirty with all the pods crawling all over the glass. I have a Monticap Frag coming sometime soon and supposedly some pink and some blue zoas as well (hint hint) so I will get some pics and an update when those all arrive.

[NickFish]

Pffft, kids these days. ack in my day, a 300gal was a nano reef! anyone thinking of keeping one in less than 100gal was insane.

Kids??? LOL You can't possibly be THAT old. And if you are...then technology and understanding of NSW chemistry and coral husbandry has come far enough along to actually allow such miniature reef tanks. The lack of information and understanding is what made it insane even 20 years ago to have a SW tank any smaller than 100 gal.

Gem.....Ed's post is what we call sarcasm-A statement in which it is obvious from context that the speaker means the opposite of what he or she says. lol!

Can't wait to see the tank finished GB! Sounds like you won't be able to go very far from home for awhile, those things need a ton of maintenence!

[SW Addict]

I have a very tight fitting lid and I run my SG on the low side. I can actually get away with not topping it up for a couple of days without any problems. Nitrates won't get out of hand, I have no fish or shrimp to create problems. The only thing I need to stay on top of is my Alkalinity, Calcium, and orther essential elements and those I get when I top up and when I do water changes. All my corals are small right now so none of those things are being used quickly.

[gem]

Nick....thanks for the insight. I know what sarcasm is.....just didn't read that way. Hard to tell in type and when you don't know someone. LOL What's funny is...I'm probably old enough to be his mother.....so I was typing and thinking....hmmmmph cocky little teenager. LMAO


GB....I know I know......it's coming!!!! LOL I have the box sitting here with your addy on it and everything.

[Tigerbarb]

My question is how you can even work with 2.5 gallons of space. I was wanting a 2.5g reef for my computer desk, until I found out how much maintenance would go into it and that the cost to set up a 10-20g was not dramatically higher.

[SW Addict]

You use 10" tweezers for aquascaping Tigerbarb. There's very little room to use your hands, I don't use my hands in my tanks anyway.

[NickFish]

Nick....thanks for the insight. I know what sarcasm is.....just didn't read that way. Hard to tell in type and when you don't know someone. LOL What's funny is...I'm probably old enough to be his mother.....so I was typing and thinking....hmmmmph cocky little teenager. LMAO


It is hard to tell sometimes, since you can't hear the persons voice.

What are you keeping the calcium and SG at in that tank ILMGB?

[SW Addict]

Nick, I use Oceanic Salt so my Ca reading is usually over off the scale of my test kit but after a while it does drop and it is maintained about about 500-600. I keep the SG in the tank at right around 1.023 to allow for the small amount of evaporation that I get. When the tank is full it is at 1.023 but will creep up to about 1.024 with evaporation.

[gem]

500-600? Wow! That's pretty high GB. It's my understanding 450 is good but s/b under 500. At least that's what reefers here agree on. But then.....I could be wrong.

tigerbarb - no there isn't a whole lot of room to work with....but you can make a really nice aquascape in a 2.5. I have often posted a FTS of my 2.5 pico and had people shocked that it was that small as they said it looked from the picture to be at least a 20. But, yes they require alot of maintenance. Even a 10 gal isn't for the lazy aquarist. 2.5 gal even more so. the whole idea of doing a pico that small is the challenge of it. Kind of a "because I can" thing. I've done it quite succesfully. It takes dedication.....or rather close to obsessiveness.......to keep one going healthy.

[SW Addict]

Unfortunately I can't change the Ca content of Oceanic salt and I'm not really into switching brands, I've used it for a long time and I like it. I may look into something different, but for now I have a large container to use up. :)

[Tigerbarb]

What model of light are you using on your 2.5g reef, GB?

[SW Addict]

18w Power Compact desk lamp from Home Depot. :)

[Dave66]

Unfortunately I can't change the Ca content of Oceanic salt and I'm not really into switching brands, I've used it for a long time and I like it. I may look into something different, but for now I have a large container to use up. :)

Just FYI, GB, I use Reef Crystals with my tanks. Like the proper ratio of the majors and minors in it. Calcium reactors kick in when they drop from animal usage.

Dave

[squirt_12]

18w Power Compact desk lamp from Home Depot. :)
Thats all your using and it will work??? Could you post a link to the bulb your using??

[SW Addict]

Squirt, the tank is only 10" deep. We're talking about just over 8wpg of PC light here. It works very well. Reef tanks don't need T5s or Metal Halides.

[gem]

got any really cool corals in there yet?????

[sktadood13]

uhhhh..............im sorry........was 2.5 a typo?

[SW Addict]

no, 2.5gal is correct. LOL

[gem]

uhhhh..............im sorry........was 2.5 a typo?
LOL not a typo

[NickFish]

no, 2.5gal is correct. LOL

It looks like it could be much bigger! If it weren't for the filter intake for size reference I would have thought it was a 10 or 20 gallon!

[SW Addict]

Gotta love those close up shots to throw off perspective. LOL

[squirt_12]

Squirt, the tank is only 10" deep. We're talking about just over 8wpg of PC light here. It works very well. Reef tanks don't need T5s or Metal Halides.
HHMmm thats cool. Would you be able to post a picture of the model your using??