Half Gallon Pico

[smaller=better]

so, ive been keeping reefs for a long time, and quickly discovered that i enjoy the whole process that goes into building a small tank and enjoy pushing the limits of what i can keep in them.

my latest project is as follows:

0.5 gallon tank (7.5"x4"x4.5")
9W PC Picotope Perchlight
Redsea Nano Filter (liverock rubble and the black pad it comes with, mostly for catching cat hair out of the water column)
Hydor Heating Pad (hidden in the filter and controlled by a dimmer and a timer)
Gravity Fed ATO (basically a hamster bottle and a tube)

the stock so far is:

Fish:
1 Ostracion Cubicus Boxfish (1cm, makes him easier to maintain when hes in the small tank, and he eat cyclopeeze and has negligible bioload)

Inverts:
1 Baby Nassarius Snail
1 Dwarf Zebra Hermit
1 Bumblebee Snail
2 Cerith Snails

Corals:

softies:
4 Ricordea Yuma
A bunch of different Zoos

LPS:
1 Aussie Pink Hammer
1 Green Hammer
1 Chalice Coral
1 Tiny Plate Coral
a few Hulk Acan heads
one Red Acan head
3 Different Duncanopsammia morphs

SPS:
Orange monticap
2 different plating/encrusting montis
a brown/blue deepwater tabling acro frag

theres also a Silver and Blue Gorgonian that is either a Murciea or Eucenia. either way im 90% sure its photosynthetic (its healed over where it was cut)

 

[smaller=better]

More pics

 

[smaller=better]

Even more pics :razz:

 

[returnofsid]

That is awesome!! I'm pleasantly surprised at the amount of corals you have for such a small system. Great job!!

 

[smaller=better]

That is awesome!! I'm pleasantly surprised at the amount of corals you have for such a small system. Great job!!

thank you

my goal in setting this up was to be able to keep what i would keep in say a 75 gallon reef, just shrunken. i try hard to ignore that the tank is as small as it is when stocking

 

[ROLLINS]

Very Nice!! - How old is the tank? - What is your schedule of water changes. Any challenges or problems you have come across? Great Job

 

[small alien]

Yes, what's the upkeep like? How long has it been running? Dude, that's super-cool. Way to go.

 

[user 2204]

Very nice tank and so small too. I too am curious as to the maintenance on such a smaller tank.

Alex

 

[boosted306]

Wow, this gives me hope for my new 2.5 pico.

 

[doublenut]

Wow my first tank was a 1/2 gallon. I had a pepermint shrimp, damsel, hermits, snails and I thought I was pretty cool. I had it for over a year. Nothing compared to yours. I have worked up to a 55 gallon and it isnt as stocked as yours or looks as nice.. That tank of yours is awsome. I dont know how you can do it. The 55 gallon is half the work of that. I was working on my nano constantly. All I can say is wow and keep up the good work.

 

[ULTAQUARIUMSVCS]

Thats awesome. Very nice!!!!!!!!!

 

[Krish]

Nice little setup!! Remember to cover your mouth when you sneeze or turn away from the tank

 

[Herefishyfishy]

You can even add some Sea Monkeys.

 

[smaller=better]

hey guys! thanks for all the kind words....i apologize for my long absence but ive been busy with a few other projects that are litterally running me into the ground....

im going to try and answer a few questions as well as post a few updated pics of the now maturing (almost 6 months!) half gallon pico

first of all, i dont even do water changes on the damn thing....i jsut refil the top off and to be honest i havnt checked the salinity in over 2 months.....

i feed the dendro, acans, and yumas when the they all seem open and i feel bored....prolly a few times a month....

i have been pleasantly surprised with the outcome of this tank, i expected it to be far more challenging but aside from a few algea scrubbings before pics are taken the tank is surprisingly maintenance free....alright, enough talk, more pics

Current Stock List:
NON-PHOTOSYNTHETIC:

Dendrophyllia sp.

GORGONIANS:

Unidentified Silver/Blue Gorgonian *

SOFT CORALS:

Purple and Green Ricordea Yuma
Purple and Orange Ricordea Yuma
Grey Ricordea Yuma
Mixed Zooanthids
Green Palythoa
Neon Green Sinularia
Purple Tree Coral
Blue Cespitlaria

LPS CORALS:

Tiny Plate Coral
Australian Hammer/Anchor Coral
Green Grape Coral
Chalice Coral
Red Australian Acan
Purple/Green Australian Acan
Green Duncan
Giant Duncan

SPS CORALS:

Blue Deepwater Acropora
Red/Green Fuzzy Acropora
Red/Green Encrusting Montipora


as you can see the stock has evolved and expanded to a point i didnt think possible....not to say i havnt lost a few in my efforts, ill be the firs to tell you ive lost a few real nice peices that i had hoped would take....i havnt added anyhting new for a few weeks and i think that this is probably where the stock will stay. especially with my other projects beggining to take over my time.

 

[smaller=better]

more pics

 

[smaller=better]

even more pics

 

[Myteemouse]

STUNNING!
I love it..

 

[smaller=better]

STUNNING!
I love it..

thank you very much for the compliment

 

[ajnweb]

Very Cool!

 

[user 2204]

What is your evaporation like with such a small tank? I know you mentioned a hamster bottle and line for your ATO system, very cool idea.

Cheers,
Alex