End of week 1 for the 6gal... *pic*

[Brie]

Just figured i'd post a pic of my little project. I'm trying to shatter stereotypes, and successfully keep a pico tank as my first saltwater tank. lol.

Anyhow, nitrites are high and nitrate are beginning to appear, so cycling is fully underway..

Having to be ghetto and using acrylic betta shipping cups to hold the light up for now. My store has been out of the mounting legs for a bloody month, and the LFS doesn't even carry them. grr... Something to buy online, next payday I guess.

Right now there is only live sand, a bit of live rock, a small HOB filter(that I have some carbon and floss in ATM), and a powerhead. I'm picking up the Tunze nano stream powerhead next payday as well. The Aquaclear one I picked up is driving me crazy with its size. Lighting is a Coralife PC 65w single tube hood. I also ended up deciding against a protein skimmer after talking to several people. It appears that as long as I do my weekly water changes, there is really no point to having one?

Anyhow, here's a shot of the tank as it looks right now. I tossed in some mexican turbo snails the other day to help control the diatom I was getting on the rocks. Dunno if they'll make it through the cycling or not. After it's done I plan on adding a couple Electric blue hermits.

 

[Passinetti2007]

You'll do fine, I sucessfully had a 12 gal nano as my first tank, a 6 gal can't be that tough. Looks great, love the light stands.

 

[Krish]

So far so good! Just keep up with the water changes once the tank has cycled as the smaller the tank, the more easily it is influenced and you should be fine. If you plan on adding more live rock (which by the looks of it now I'd recommend a bit more) you'd want to add it in as soon as possible otherwise the longer you take, the longer it will take your tank to fully cycle

 

[Brie]

So far so good! Just keep up with the water changes once the tank has cycled as the smaller the tank, the more easily it is influenced and you should be fine. If you plan on adding more live rock (which by the looks of it now I'd recommend a bit more) you'd want to add it in as soon as possible otherwise the longer you take, the longer it will take your tank to fully cycle

Thanks.

I do plan on adding more.. I'm waiting on the next shipment at work which should be arriving next week.. I have about 6-7lbs in there right now(it was one large peice I broke up into smaller pieces).

I also bought Kent Marine Nano Part A and B, and plan to use it as my only supplimentation. It seemed to be pretty highly recommended.

 

[plack]

Hi,

Congrats

I'd get a blue background.It will hide the power cords and hang on filter.

I also would watch the summer temperatures as having a cover on the top will not help it from cooling off even though the lights may not have that much heat .

I would get the calcium and more importantly alkalinity test kits to see where you are at before adding any of the 2 part mix.

I like the sand ! Is that a mix ? It looks like chunks of black charcoal broken up in some spots the rest looks more like sand
Paul

 

[plack]

A mad thought. Now please don't laugh too hard but for an auto top off for a really small tank how about a gerbel sized hanging plastic water bottle ? without the metal end !

 

[Brie]

Hi,

Congrats

I'd get a blue background.It will hide the power cords and hang on filter.

I also would watch the summer temperatures as having a cover on the top will not help it from cooling off even though the lights may not have that much heat .

I would get the calcium and more importantly alkalinity test kits to see where you are at before adding any of the 2 part mix.

I like the sand ! Is that a mix ? It looks like chunks of black charcoal broken up in some spots the rest looks more like sand
Paul

Yeah, I just hadn't bought the background yet. Although personally I hate blue, I always use black.

And i'll be removing the plastic top thing as soon as I get the mounting legs for the light. Although I am kind of worried about whatever fish I get jumping out of the tank, given its only 9" tall. I may end up rigging up some sort of mesh to velcro over the tank. I want to get a little goby of some kind.

The substrate is Agralive Indopacific Black live sand.. No idea what it is they use for the black stuff.. It feels almost like carbon, but in naturally shaped peices.

Thats a good idea though about a top off system. I planned on using a dripper, but not a hamster bottle. lol.

 

[edwing206]

That tank looks WAY bigger than a 6 gallon. Looks like you're off to a great start.

 

[Brie]

That tank looks WAY bigger than a 6 gallon. Looks like you're off to a great start.

Well, to be technical its 6.6gal. The tank measures 24 x 7 x 9 roughly.. Here's a shot to give you an idea of its size in comparison to a Pepsi can.

 

[edwing206]

Oh, now it makes more sense.

 

[Snowboarda42]

Nice! I like it

What are you planning on keeping in there?

I want a little one now to have Pipefish and SeaHorses