Picotope 3g

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Neatfish

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May 1, 2012
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My Bat Cave somwhere in TX
Picotope
3 Gallon Aquarium Kit



Hey everybody I'm new to SW but not to FW I been keeping aquariums for a while now and decided I want to try out a pictope reef tank. I been reading threads on here about this stuff already. I talked to a lfs they said they sell premixed SW for $1.99 or something like that a gallon all I need is 3 gallons. They said they sell live rock too that I would only need $5 worth. I'll probably just use dry sand or maybe no sand. I don't think that I would need to upgrade my light it's a 9w 50/50. Somebody said i might need a ATO because of humidity. I'm sure that I could make one. I went with the 3g picotope because I want this for the bed room maybe plus I already have a planted 29g FW tank and wanted to go with something new and small. I might move by the end of this year and wanted something small I could take with me where ever I go. I like the zoanthids and corals. I will do the ac70 mod for a refugium not sure about the diy ato yet. I have a 100w submersible heater that is automatic set at 78* for a 10-30g it's small enough to fit this tank is this heater alright for this? The tank should be here sometime this week can't wait. I was thinking about was a red banded trimma goby or neon goby.
 

greech

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May 13, 2009
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Lighting should be fine (assuming the bulb is new"ish"). Only concern is going to be the heat it generates and keeping the tank temp stable. Heat will also be an issue with evaporation, which is bad enough on a small tank without heat issues. If you can upgrade to an LED pendent in the future, I think you will be happier.

An ATO would be great but it is not required if you are committed to topping off the tank at least once a day (may need to do it twice).

The heater is fine as long as it fits. It would be ideal to find a heater that fits in the AC 70 so you don;t have to look at it :).

Get a refractometer to measure specific gravity. That tank's water parameters will shift pretty quick as a result of evaporation. You should also be confident that your water changes match temp and specific gravity. This will be a fairly cheap tank so spend the extra $40 and get a refractometer.

I would go with the neons. Trimma's do not have the best track record (especially in warm tanks).

$1.99/gallon is kind of steep but if the water is good quality (made with zero TDS RO/DI), I suppose it would be worth it since you won't need much per week to do your water changes. You will need RO/DI for top offs though.
 

Ballyhoo

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Jun 27, 2010
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Also invest in a top quality test kit, since your water volume is so small quality can swing quite rapidly. Also I'd keep some "emergency" water stored somewhere in case you have a water issue and can't get to the lfs or they aren't open.
 

Neatfish

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May 1, 2012
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My Bat Cave somwhere in TX
The tank is new I order it from Dr.s&f. The tank should be here sometime this week can't wait. I'm going to mix my own water better to get the learning experience from it. What other fish and easy coral could I keep?
 

greech

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May 13, 2009
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Any of the smaller gobies would work but unless they are neon size you are looking at one max. Corals are really up to you. SPS corals would probably do ok even under CFLs due to the extremely small size of the overall tank but they will also be more susceptible to swings in water temp/quality. If it were me I would go with small LPS frags like acans, blatos, favias, etc. and throw in an easier SPS or two up top (monitipora, digitata or seriatopora (birdsnest)) once you get a handle on the tank. You can also consider zoanthids and nice ricordea if you like soft corals. You could also look into maxi-mini carpet anemones and anemone shrimp/crabs. Any fish you put in that kind of tank will likely be eaten though.

Just avoid corals that will blow up quick and take up a lot of space (open brains (lots of these), frogspawns, torch, hammers, etc.) unless that is the main/only coral you want to keep.
 

Neatfish

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May 1, 2012
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My Bat Cave somwhere in TX
Yea buddy I just got off work and what was waiting on my couch? a box with my heater for my 29g and my picotope 3g. I got this stuff from doctor Smith and foster it was packaged pretty tight with styrofoam on top and bottom. I didn't like that the box for the aquarium had a little bend or two on the sides and some dust but not much this better not be used I'm thinking so I took the tank out the box to check it out the tank is wrapped all the way around with plastic and the filter and light were in two different boxes inside the tank everything looked good. This tank is freaking awesome looking too man it looks 10x better in person can't wait to take off the plastic and setup it up this weekend. So it's down to a neon goby or orange stripe prawn goby or greenbanded goby or red spotted goby if I could find one and easy and soft corals. I'll probably buy premixed SW for now and keep somd di water for top offs.
 

tanker

Josh Holloway--Be mine!!!
Sep 1, 2003
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SW fish in anything less then a 5gal is kind of risky, but a small goby MAYBE ok. I just think it will not be easy feeding one fish, Why not just a few inverts instead?? A Banded Coral Shrimp would be nicer, or a cleaner shrimp with a few hermits.
 

Neatfish

AC Members
May 1, 2012
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My Bat Cave somwhere in TX
I don't want to get something that's going to freak my wife out because she'll make me take my tank down that's why I wanted a fish. Here's the tank dry. It's been snowing all day so I'll wait to get out the house and get the stuff I need.

 

cpetrosky

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Jan 22, 2011
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yellow clown goby all the way for a 3 gallon. i have one in mine and i love it.
 

cpetrosky

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Jan 22, 2011
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oh and get a maxi mini nem and a bunch of sexy shrimp:p there so entertaining.
 
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