A Pico Reef's Journey: From California to New York City

[ISFNick]

October 27, 2024 (New Black Ice clown, new LPS corals)


August 20, 2024 (Moved to NYC in July, shipped rocks and corals to NYC and moved into a Lifegard 3.8 Peninsula)


May 30, 2024


March 18, 2024

January 23, 2024 (Marineland Contour 3g)

 

[ISFNick]

Two years after starting my last build, I've decided to start another little pico reef, this time in a 3-gallon Marineland cube.
I'm going to keep this build really simple. I'm using pre-mixed Fritz Red Bucket saltwater for my weekly 1-gallon water changes, and I have a 4-year-old piece of live rock generously donated by a local reefer.
For flow, I'm running the stock Marineland pump, and for light I'm running an AI Prime 16HD with violets at 40, blues at 30, cool white at 20, and zero for everything else.
In the filter, I'm running an InTank media basket, with filter floss up top and Aquabiomics Live Reef Rubble as biological filtration in the back, pre-cycled. This and the live rock will help me kickstart my path to success and skip the nasty stage and nitrogen cycle.

For livestock, I have 1 small clownfish, a couple hermits, and a trochus snail. Simple.

For corals, I have 1 acan head and 1 zoa frag to see how LPS and softies respond, and they're already open and eating Reef Roids. I plan on adding more LPS, and lots of zoas.

Thank you for reading!

 

[ISFNick]

Little update:
Picked up 6 frags from a local reefer, including a forest fire digi, and exosphere zoas. Really hoping to see the zoas add some coverage.

Also dosed some copepods and phyto as well to support the ecology of the system.

 

[Chrisjordan004]

Awesome tank. Looking forward to watching this one grow out!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Little update:
Picked up 6 frags from a local reefer, including a forest fire digi, and exosphere zoas. Really hoping to see the zoas add some coverage.

Also dosed some copepods and phyto as well to support the ecology of the system.

Love the aquascape!

 

[Jim Gomoll]

Looking forward to watching your Pico progress.

 

[ISFNick]

So, massive update.

A lot has changed. I started my first job out of college, in New York City, moved my live rock and coral with me, and got a new tank. And it's going really well.

But, here's a quick recap of the last eight months.


(March: I continued adding to and developing the reef. The clownfish unfortunately passed away and I got a Damselfish named "Glimmer")


(May: I kept adding coral, and the rock kept growing coralline algae all over it)

-
Eventually, I got a job offer in New York City (putting the degree to use!), and decided that it was worth taking my tank with me. But before moving to New York, I decided to move just the rock and coral, not the fish, sand, or tank.

So before boarding my one-way flight from SFO to JFK, I shipped a box to Brooklyn containing my new tank (a Lifegard 3.8 peninsula), my live rock (4 years matured), and my coral.


(August: Living in my cousin's apartment temporarily, with the new tank beginning to thrive)

I kept up with weekly 1-gallon water changes (pre-mixed Fritz RPM, Alk 8.5), and the reef continued to grow from this simple, consistent rhythm.

(September: Moved to my own apartment)

About a month later, the tank is now at its best. I also finally got around to getting some iPhone camera reef lenses, so my photography will be MUCH better from now on!


October 10

 

[ISFNick]

Mandatory pictures!

 

[ISFNick]

THE UPGRADE

Since my Royal Gramma died, the tank has been feeling pretty gloomy. It’s been a couple months since I’ve bought coral for the reef, and I’ve only bought softies. So, I decided it was time for some variety.

New Additions:
Glitter Bomb Goniopora
Holy Grail Micromussa
Teal Tip Gold Torch
2 Free Favias
1 Black Ice Clownfish

I currently have these LPS corals on 3D printed frag stands made to be secured in the sandbed. They’re getting used to the pico now, and in a week or so I’ll mount them onto the rock in spots I’ve already picked out.

Also the clownfish is named Bubbles.

 

[ISFNick]

Some new pictures taken with a Sony AVIV:

Loving the success of this tank!

 

[ISFNick]

Figured I’d give a short outline of my basic maintenance and tank upkeep.

- change out a gallon of water every 1-2 weeks, which amounts to a 33% total change. I buy premixed saltwater (Blue Fritz RPM) at Pacific Aquarium & Plant on the Lower East Side. Even though this tank is listed as a 3.8 gallon, it holds maybe 3.2 gallons empty, filled to the brim.
- No dosing.
- Test Nitrates and Alkalinity once a month
- I feed a pinch of Hikari pellets every day, and 3 hermits clean up the rest. I have 2 small trochus snails eating away at film algae.
- I have an AI Prime that is on from 10-10 the following settings:

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Some new pictures taken with a Sony AVIV:

Loving the success of this tank!

those zoas look great!