3 Gallon Pico Tope
Toronto Danforth
Introduction
I setup this tank planning to use it as a mini mixed reef but I ended up getting some baby clowns and needed a place to put them so for now I have what is to be a bonded pair of platinum clowns Percs. Also I have a lot of macro algae in there as you can see from the picture. I plan to turn this into a mini reef later on when I have the time maybe even a seahorse tank if it is possible, may have to be dwarfs. Anyhow this is my 2nd system that I call my sons system who is 3 years old and I am trying to get him into the hobby. I recently Bought a new Canon T3i DSLR Camera with a 18-55mm lens and even more recently purchased a 100mm f/2.8 Macro lens which is amazing for Macro photography so be ready for many more pictures down the road!! :)
Background
Started the hobby back in 1992 and have been in the marine hobby ever since , I have seen reefs in person from all corners of the world and will always be fascinated with the hobby!The hobby has gone through many changes since 1992 and we still don't know everything not even close .. There is always something new to learn and that is one of the things I love about this hobby!! Really I should call it a career :)
Filtration
I have maybe 2-3 pounds of Live rock rubble in this system and a lot of macro algae as well as the kit filter which is a Hang on Back filter that came with my pico tope in the box setup similar to an aquaclear filter just smaller I have a carbon filer pad and a floss pad,a few bio cubes andit has been running so long without a cleaning there must be a lot of beneficial Bacteria. I also use carbon when ever I change the media in the pico tope. It may look like I don't do a lot with this system cause I really don't but what I do do I used to post with my other system under maintenance so I will post what i do here from now on as I plan on doing something cool with this system. Any suggestions would be appreciated!!
Lighting
All I have for lighting right now is an 18 inch t8 florescent fixture from Globe with a cool white bulb. Though Planning to upgrade!
Flow
I only have one small pump/powerhead for flow similar to a rio 50 in size not sure of the name brand but has the same flow as a rio 50 I also get a small bit of flow from the filter that I have on the system that came with the Pico Tope Box kit , it is similar to an aquaclear hob style filter and looks the same only smaller.
Salinity
Calcium
Alkalinity
Temperature
Nitrate
Phosphate
Ammonia
pH
Cheato Macro Algae , Culipera Macro algae ltos, 2 small babie Platinum Clown fish, Various snails,hermit crabs and tons of Pods and mini stars of all sorts
17 Coral
2 Fish
Pineapple Express Zoa
Sp sp
Platinum Perc Clown
Sp sp
6 Invertebrate
Equipment
Additive
Kent Tech I
Food
Lighting
18 inch floresent light
4G-1 12x3 watt LED Aquarium light
Medication
I don't really test much in this tank as it is only for a pair of small baby platinum clowns at the moment also it is full of pods and culipera and cheato ..I would say this is more like a separate refugium for the main system! I just keep my salinity around 1.026-1.028 sometimes but mostly 1.026 and the temp around 78-80 and it seems to be thriving .. I have never seen so many pods , it is literally like a pod factory!
Dosing See more
Kent Tech I 0.3 ml · Kent Tech I 0.3 ml · Kent Tech I 0.2 ml · Kent Tech I 0.6 ml · Kent Tech I 0.5 ml · Kent Tech I 0.5 ml · Kent Marine Super Buffer 0.1 tsp · Kent Tech I 0.5 ml
Currently I only use reef Crystals Salt and no other additives in this tank but that will change when I figure out what to do long term for this small system!
Feeding See more
Fed Omega One Marine Flakes · Fed Omega One Marine Flakes · Fed Ocean Nutrition Prime Reef · Fed Ocean Nutrition Prime Reef · Fed Omega One Marine Flakes · Fed Polyp Lab Reef-Roids · Fed Omega One Marine Flakes · Fed Coral Frenzy · Fed Ocean Nutrition Prime Reef · Fed Omega One Marine Flakes · Fed Ocean Nutrition Prime Reef · Fed Argent Cyclop-Eeze Freeze-Dried · Fed Ocean Nutrition Prime Reef · Fed Ocean Nutrition Prime Reef · Fed Polyp Lab Reef-Roids · Fed Ocean Nutrition Prime Reef · Fed NutriDiet Marine Marine Flakes Seachem · Fed Ocean Nutrition Prime Reef · Fed Ocean Nutrition Prime Reef · Fed Instant Ocean Marine Chips omnivore · Fed Omega One Marine Flakes · Fed brine,pe cyclopeeze,pe mysis phytoplan,zoplan and marine snow soaked in selcon and garlic guard · Fed Polyp Lab Reef-Roids · Fed NutriDiet Marine Marine Flakes Seachem · Fed Omega One Marine Flakes · Fed Coral Frenzy · Fed cyclopeeze,rotifers, zo plan,phyto plan and frozen cyclops soakied in selcon and garlic, fed only a little squirt with the turkey baster · Fed io marine chips omnivore · Fed pe mysis soaked in selcon and garlic · Fed brine shrimp soaked in selcon and garlic · Fed Omega one Marine flakes · Fed dendros brine soaked in selcon and garlic guard for 1-2 hours · Fed all fish Big al Brine soaked in selcon and Garlic Guard for 1-2 hours · Fed all fish and shrimp PE mysis soaked in selcon and Garlic Guard for 1-2 hours · Fed NutriDiet Marine Marine Flakes Seachem · Fed Julian Sprung Sea Veggies mixed seaweed flakes · Fed Omega One Marine Flakes · Fed Coral Frenzy · Fed Polyp Lab Reef-Roids · Fed NutriDiet Marine Marine Flakes Seachem · Fed NutriDiet Marine Marine Flakes Seachem · Fed brine shrimp soaked in selcon and Garlic guard · Fed pe mysis soaked in selcon and garlic guard · Fed Omega One Marine Flakes · Fed Coral Frenzy · Fed Polyp Lab Reef-Roids · Fed Frozen CyclopEeze · Fed Instant Ocean Marine Chips Omnivore · Fed Coral Frenzy · Fed Rotifers · Fed Brine and pe Mysis · Fed NutriDiet Marine Marine Flakes Seachem · Fed Polyp Lab Reef-Roids · Fed brine and pe mysis soaked in selcon and garlic guard · Fed Omega One Marine Flakes · Fed Julian Sprung Sea Veggies mixed seaweed flakes · Fed NutriDiet Marine Marine Flakes Seachem · Fed Argent Cyclop-Eeze Freeze-Dried · Fed Polyp Lab Reef-Roids · Fed NutriDiet Marine Marine Flakes Seachem · Fed NutriDiet Marine Marine Flakes Seachem · Fed Sera Marin Pellets · Fed instant ocean brine shrimp gel food · Fed PE mysis and brine soaked in selcon and Garlic Guard for 2 hours · Fed Julian Sprung Sea Veggies mixed seaweed flakes · Fed Omega One Marine Flakes · Fed Omega One Marine Flakes · Fed Omega One Marine Flakes · Fed NutriDiet Marine Marine Flakes Seachem · Fed brine and PE Mysis · Fed Instant Ocean Marine Chips Omnivore · Fed NutriDiet Marine Marine Flakes Seachem · Fed Omega One Marine Flakes · Fed Omega One Marine Flakes soaked in Garlic Guard · Fed NutriDiet Marine Marine Flakes Seachem · Fed brine and PE mysis soaked in selcon and Gaerlic Guard for 30 minutes · Fed NutriDiet Marine Marine Flakes Seachem · Fed Omega One Marine Flakes with Garlic · Fed IO Marine Chips Omnivore · Fed brine , Omega Brine and PE mysis soaked in selcon and Garlic Guard · Fed Ocean Nutrition · Fed Omega one marine flakes with Garlic · Fed Omega one marine flakes with Garlic · Fed frozen brine · Fed Omega one marine flakes with Garlic · Fed NutriDiet Marine Marine Flakes Seachem · Fed Pe Mysis · Fed Omega one marine flakes with Garlic · Fed Omega one marine flakes with Garlic · Fed omega brine and PE mysis soaked in selcon and garlic guard · Fed Omega one marine flakes with Garlic · Fed Omega one marine flakes with Garlic · Fed Omega One Marine Flakes with garlic · Fed NutriDiet Marine Marine Flakes Seachem · Fed NutriDiet Marine Marine Flakes Seachem · Fed fed omega One Marine Flakes with Garlic · Fed fed omega One Marine Flakes with Garlic · Fed fed omega One Marine Flakes with Garlic
I feed my fish a large variety of foods one day will be Omega one flakes sometimes soaked in Garlic Guard and or Selcon and another day PE mysis or brine sometimes live smetimes baby then back to cyclopeeze and another type of flake or pellet .. I have over 20 types of food at least!!
Maintenance
I try to do a 50 percent water change once a month or preferably more but at least 50 percent a month... I would like to do 10 percent a week but I don't have time for that at the moment as the big system take most of my time and I also have a 3 year old son and a wife to look after.. :) Also I should add that I try to clean the pumps and filters once a month but usually ends up being every 3-4 months, Which is working for now but not good for the pumps.
On average you perform a 47.4% water change every 18 days.
0% total water change in 2024-11-28T10:40:59.492396Z[GMT].
Inspiration & Goals
My Goal for this tank is to turn it into a mini reef system preferably sps but probably an all Zoanthid system with nice rock work and a small clown Goby and shrimp.. But with all collector Zoas.. I got the idea for this from tanks I saw online on sites like reef central tank of the month and nano/pico sites!
Acknowledgements
aquariumpros.ca , Bob fenner, Coralife for helping me so much free equipment when I had a problem with one of their products! Nanoreef.com , M.A.S.T and gtaaquaria.com, also Reef Crew For supplying me with great phytoplankton and great service Thanks Brian!! You Guys are great..and all fellow hobbyists for collaboration and all web forums it has helped me and I am sure almost all other reefers :) Keep up the good work everyone and try not to buy anything without researching it first!!