# "Zen Sands" Picotope new pics 5/11



## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

So I have decided that the one thing my house is missing is a fish tank (I used to have a 75 gallon koi tank, but I sold it to get my parrot a new play gym). 

Once this is complete I will have every Order of life living in my house: Mammalian (dogs and humans), Avian (Saba and Teak), Reptilian (African Housesnake), Amphibian (Dart Frog), Insectia (flies and crickets for frog), Fish (uh...the fish), Invertibrates (Shrimp), Plants (plants), Fungi (there is some of that in the frog tank, Bacteria (are everywhere).

Instead of just focusing on the tank I have set up a whole plant corner in my birdroom with an orchid that hopefully I can keep alive.

Here is the first step! The wood is African Root Wood, the bottom is a combination of Plant Gold and sand, there is one rock and one bit of petrified wood. I've painted the back black with good old fashion acrylic.

There is a 9w 50/50 on the little lamp and a 29W tropical grow light (that was turned off for this photo cause of camera glare), so there is more light than it seems in this photo and I will be getting all low light plants. I have also moved the pico light to the back up on a peice of glass.

The water is pure RO with RO Right added to give it a soft/medium hardness. The heat is provided by a reptile heat pad stuck to the back glass. CO2 will be provided by a slight overstock on small schooling fishes (hopefully Aussie Blue Eyes). 

I'll be updating pics as I go!

Day One:


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## Craigthor (Sep 9, 2007)

I don't think the fish will provide you any CO2. Nitrates they will though...


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## ZooTycoonMaster (Jan 2, 2008)

Craigthor said:


> I don't think the fish will provide you any CO2. Nitrates they will though...


x2

Plus I'm not too entirely sure if the heat pad will work.


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

The heat pad is working well, mostly since it is a bird room which is already kept at an air temp of 77, it's keeping the tank around 78. So it doesn't have to work very hard.

Fish go through respiration the same any any other animal does, so why wouldn't they provide CO2? I used to have a 2 1/2 gallon closed system with plants and fish and it lived happily and grew well for three years (until I upgraded to the 75).


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## ZooTycoonMaster (Jan 2, 2008)

They produce some CO2, but not alot.

And why would you need CO2 if you don't have any plants?

And where is the filter...


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

I will have plants I was just letting the water temp stablize. The filter is hidden behind the drift wood, if you look through the arch you can see the waterfall.


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## ZooTycoonMaster (Jan 2, 2008)

Oh now I see the filter.

I think you should turn off the 50/50 light, since the actinic does nothing for the plants. Just leave the plant grow light on, and that'll be good enough.


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

That filter is as silent as the grave, it's great, although it's little more than a way to get a little flow through the tank and give a place for bacteria to grow. It has a tiny sack of carbon and a tiny bit of a filter pad inside.

I have moved the 50/50 to the back of the tank and pointed it down back behind the driftwood just so that I can see back there and give the tank a little more 'depth'. I know the actinic does nothing for the plants, but I like the hue it gives to the back of the tank.


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

I just planted this tank with:

Java moss (like everyone else in the world)
Petite Nana
Anubias
Crypt Beckettii
Crypt Wendtii (green)
Dwarf Red Lilly
And a bulb of some description.

I'll take a pic when the water declouds (I stirred up some of fertilizer under the sand which is like a kind of clay Plant Gold). 

All plants are Low Light and Easy to Medium. It's a lot in a little tank and I don't expect everything to survive. We shall see how it goes!


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

Okay, here's the pic...so murky right now. I mucked around in the sand/Plant Gold a bit too much.


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## Ugly Genius (Sep 27, 2003)

Looks great!

But do one thing.
Change your signature. You officially have a planted tank. And a good one!


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

Heehee! Thanks! I forgot about the sig! I'll go hunt that down. Hugs!

I've chosen all *easy* plants so hopefully they will be happy. 

Off to change sig!


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

I love these fish! They are Galaxy Danio (Danio margaritatus) sometimes known as Celestial Pearl Danio. I want some and I know just where to gets them. They look like tiny trout. Very small, inch or less.

Undiscovered until 2006.


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## DarioDario (Nov 8, 2008)

From the looks of it your tank is too small to house a healthy school of CPDs. Also without a lid they are going to jump so I would suggest looking for something else.


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## SearunSimpson (Jun 5, 2007)

Agreed about the CPD's.

The Celestial Pearl Danios are good schooler I find, and need to be in a group of at least seven or so, and will require a tank of at least 10gls. I tried them in a 5.5gl and that was still too small.
With a tank of that size, I would suggest some sort of shrimp, either RCS or CRS to start out with- they will also double as an algae crew.


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

Here's a pic with the water not so cloudy, I'm thinking of scraping off some of the black paint behind the archway to give a bit more dimension. 

Jumping can be a problem, although the surface area of this tank is large enough to house such fish (I've been over to the CPD forum).


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

I went into a pet shop today that had a petite nana with eight leaves (I counted them) for 29.99. I laughed at their insanely priced plant. I got the nana above for 9.99.


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## PinoyBoy (Mar 14, 2008)

Phoenix can you take a shot from the above? like a birds eye view?
and also a side view. thanks. love the driftwood.


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

I can do that no problem! I'll take them tomorrow...can't go in that room right now cause that's where the parrots sleep and they get angry if I wake them before dawn. Giggle. I'll also drag out the tripod so I can take some 'no flash' shots.

I pawed through a HUGE box of wood at the fish shop looking for those two pieces. Then I boiled them for hours while my husband looked at me like I was insane.

This is the parrot, Saba, and from this picture you can see why she is to be obeyed at all times.


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

It put a little life in my tank, two little cherry shrimp. One of them is berried, has anyone had good fry from buying berried shrimp or does the stress of transport upset them? They have been in the tank about 12 hours and are swimming around and eating. They are so much fun to watch. Here's a pic of the non berried one munching on the single fish flake I placed in the tank.


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

Here are some other views.

Side view











Top view


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## JRB77 (Apr 7, 2008)

Really like your tank. I have the same one in my office full of Red Cherry Shrimp. I know you'll find them entertaining as I do, and if you can get a few more, you'll have a nice breeding colony in no time!
(BTW, very jealous of how nice your pictures turn out!!)


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

Thanks! One of the shrimp is heavy with berries if they don't hatch I'll get a pair of males (I ended up with two females). 

I LOVE watching the shrimp, I sat there for two hours last night just watching them effortlessly zooming around the tank. 

The photos are taken without flash on a tripod with the lights in the room turned off and a Nikon D40.


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

I added a sponge over my intake cause I'm afraid that if my berried cherry shrimp does hatch her little ones that they'd all get sucked away and chopped up. 

I'm also putting one on the filter in the ten gallon where I plan to start breeding Galaxy Danios from a already captive bred source. I'm so taken by this fish that I want to help the captive bred population to hopefully reduce it from being snatched from the wild.


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## ZooTycoonMaster (Jan 2, 2008)

Wait is the tank cycled?


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## mott (Nov 23, 2006)

Looking like A good start just one thing that bugs me is I think the DW is just too big for the tank standing vertical like that. The wood on the right looks like it has some interesting holes did you try laying it horizontal? 
One more thing I'm surprised nobody mentioned is don't bury the rhizome of the nana like that or it will rot with time. You can bury the roots however.


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

I used mature water from a friend of mine's tank for most of the water. So don't worry about two little shrimp spiking my tank.

I'm going to be removing the nana and placing it on driftwood in the ten gallon.

I like the oversized wood.


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## Craigthor (Sep 9, 2007)

Mature water doesn't mean a tank is cycled. A matured filter from another Tank would be the only way to avoid a cycle on a tank. Mature water is just dirty water added to a clean tank. 90% of the bacteria a tank needs is either in the filter, or on the surfaces of the tank, plants, wood, etc.


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

True, but I have lots of plants and such with a nice crop of bacteria on it. 

Have I done this 'textbook'? no. Will everything be okay? Most likely.


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## PinoyBoy (Mar 14, 2008)

your birds eye view made me laugh until i scrolled down some more. thanks.
i just wanted to know how curved the bow of the tank is. nice bird.
the shrimp looks verry red.


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

It just bows a little, it's very nice, I love the shape!

As for the shrimp...weeeeelll....perhaps 'some' of that red is from photoshop when I upped the levels to remove the wash. Although it is a very bright shrimp.

She's a silly parrot


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

New plants in, some plants out.


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## monkeyruler90 (Apr 13, 2008)

although the danios look cute you should totally look into getting some dwarf puffers, they do great in small tanks and they're awesome fish to have. i've heard they might get alot with the shrimp but i wouldn't risk it.

DP's are great, they're super adorable!


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

I do love dwarf puffers! (they would eat my shrimp I'm sure). But I hear they need a lot of space to do well. I'm actually going to put the danio in my new ten gallon set up.

So now I have NO idea who is going to live in here. It might end up being a 'fry' tank.


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## Aquamadman (Aug 10, 2007)

I dont mean to be critisising in any way here but arent those Danios a rare and endangered species ? If I were you Id try to get them to spawn for the continueing of the species. BTW I really love what youve done with the wood letting it stick out of the water like that.


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

I'm pleased you like the wood, I really wanted something that was 'thinking outside the box'.

If you look at my ten gallon (just set up, link in sig) I've changed my mind about the danios in the pico and set up a ten gallon tank for them to spawn in. So, yes, you're right about them and I am going to try and breed them...which I have been told is not so difficult. If the pet trade hadn't demanded so many of them so soon they wouldn't be endangered, which is sad.


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

Another shot of shrimp!


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## Haagenize (Sep 30, 2008)

Phoenix-cry said:


> Another shot of shrimp!


Your cherries look VERY red, and the picture is very nice, it almost look like there's no water in the tank


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

Thanks! These guys are very red! I love them! This pic is 'true' colour, the one before is a little high colour from photoshop leveling. 

I boiled my driftwood basically overnight to keep any and all tannins out, I like my water as crystal as I can get it. giggle. So I'm pleased you find it clear!! Hugs!


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## luckydud13 (Jun 21, 2008)

Looks good. If I were you I would put some bumble bee gobies in there. The would be awesome!


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

I've never had luck with them. I know they like salt, but even then they don't seem to thrive for me (back when I was trying them in a larger tank). I'm not sure what I do wrong, but they normally don't live more than a few months for me. I've only tried them twice, but each time they did no good even with salt. All my levels were perfect and all the other fish (Endler's and neons) did just fine. I will admit that the tank was not full brackish and I don't want to have to brackish this one.

Any advice on them? Cause I do love them.


I'm starting to lean towards something really tiny like embers or perhaps long fin white clouds


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## monkeyruler90 (Apr 13, 2008)

wow, nice shrimp
i love the plant right next to it, what type is that?


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

That is a Dwarf Lillie, it will send a pad up to the surface one day! I hope!

I do love my little shrimp. The other one I have is with eggs, but she's always on the wood in the back and doesn't photograph as well. Hopefully I'll have lots of red babies soon!


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## Badcopnofishtank (Jan 20, 2004)

Nice RCS tank, I love the large stump in the back.


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

Thanks!


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

Here's the temp fish of the tank! I have a pair actually a male and a female. Once they get bigger they'll be moved into the ten gallon, which should be mature and stable by then.

He's a Aphyosemion gabunense marginatum killifish.


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## PinoyBoy (Mar 14, 2008)

you should grow HC on top of the wood. or moss that can grow emersed.


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## DarioDario (Nov 8, 2008)

Hope u got a lid on that killie is too nice to find on the floor


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## jeko (Jan 3, 2009)

very nice journal, i like the last pic alot


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

I've placed a temporary lid on the tank until they are ready to be in the ten gallon.

And what is it with people giving advice around here with a side of serious attitude? What's wrong with just saying "Hey you know killiefish are known to jump so make sure you have a lid"? Just because this is cyberspace doesn't mean you don't have to be polite.

Jeko: Thanks!


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

Pino: I'm thinking of doing something like that.


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## blazeyreef (Mar 17, 2008)

your pionus is a cutie! 

tank looks great


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

Thanks! Saba is a nut! giggle.


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

Here is my 'pint sized' CO2 DIY for my picotope. It is a Florida Naural Orange juice bottle, that has really nice thick plastic. I used the drill a hole and aquarium seal the tubing in place. I'm soaking the limewood airstone for 24 hours to get it to sink and to get the first burst of CO2 from being in the tank (something I learned here). I'm using the jello trick (only I just used plain Knox gelitan) and only 1/4 tsp of yeast.

There is no check value because the DIY is going to be higher than the tank's water line...so there is no chance of backflow.

Comments?


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## MedicBMC (Jan 3, 2009)

Nice! That seems like the perfect size for our picotopes! I'm going to use a similar bottle. Where did you get the wood? I've never heard of the jello method? what's that?
What's your recipe btw?


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

The wooden airstones are for protine skimmers so you can get on at any saltwater fish shop (even PetCo). 

For the jello visit this thread: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/diy/9916-jello-co2-thread.html I cut everything in half for the little jar and cut the yeast down to 1/3.


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## MedicBMC (Jan 3, 2009)

I made mine today It was so simple probably was done in 5 minutes. I hotglued the inside and outside of the cap. I got a lime wood diffuser and am not just sitting waiting for it to start bubbling. Kinda pointless my tank has no plants, but I was bored. =]


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

Hotglue was a really good idea! I wonder if it will hold the seal as well since it isn't flexiable though. Of course it probably just mean in a few months you'll need to make a new one...no big deal.

Actually before the plants is a good idea cause then you can make sure that your pH doesn't go wild and it won't hurt anyone.

Since I put in my CO2 in my ten gallon the plants have gone WILD!! The cambomba grew like four inches! It's all the way to the surface now!


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## MedicBMC (Jan 3, 2009)

Yeah if it doesn't work out I'll make a new one. I guess it is a good idea haha I'm going to check my pH tomorrow and make adjustments if needed. How long have you had your CO2 in your tank? I can't believe it that's awesome.


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## deleted_user_16 (Jan 20, 2008)

those CPD's are endangered, for an unknown reason to me, seems like lots of people think its easy to breed :/


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

CPDs are endanged cause when they were first found no one bothered to try and breed them, they just captured and exported them in MASSIVE amounts 15,000 fish at a time. So the wild population dropped like a stone. Now a few years later people seem to have noticed the mistake and most are captive bred because it is easy to do so. There is also a chance that science has not found where the main population lives, just this one spot (hard to know). So yes, they are endangered due to man, and at the same time they are very easy to breed. Sad, eh?


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

I have only had the CO2 in my ten gallon for a week! I'm so amazingly impressed with how happy the plants are. I just hope they can wait until I get my aquascaper kit in the mail off of e-bay. giggle. This morning when I saw the cambomba was at the surface already I was just amazed. 

I also use Plant Gold liquid and in the substrate...it is supposed to be good stuff.

I haven't placed my CO2 in the pico yet, that will be tommorow. Everything in there is growing slowly, we'll see if this shoot everything up!


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

Added the CO2 to the picotope today all of the water tests came out well. No ammonia, nitrites/nitrates, Ph of 7.2 KH of 4 and GH of 7. Let's hope the pH holds!

Plants are happy, will get another pic soon.


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

Here is what we look like now. The fauna is seven white clouds and cherry shrimp. Killi moved to ten.


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## chicago_animal (Sep 14, 2008)

I went to the link you listed for the Jello CO2 but the pics are down. Would you happen to have them? Im also going to use this for a Pico


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

i don't have the pics, I just did it without them. Somewhere around this thread I have pics of my set up


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## chicago_animal (Sep 14, 2008)

Yeah they are on Page 4. I was looking for the Step by Step pics. I saw yours and thought it doesnt look all that bad. 

Have you tried the DIY Yeast http://www.plantedtank.net/articles/DIY-Yeast-CO2/7/


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

I'm glad I stumbled across this journal. Very nice! Your pics are great


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

Sorry, I don't have any step by step. It's fairly simple and no fail though.

CLW- Thanks! I'm proud of my little tank. Once it really gets grown in I'm going to haul out my polarized lens out and get some real shots.


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## chicago_animal (Sep 14, 2008)

It better be easy cause I'm ditching my saltwater setup in the pico after seeing your planted pico! lol


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

Sweet!!! Go fresh plants! giggle. Itty, bitty, coral tanks are kinda fun, but for the pico I think plants and small fresh water fish are the way to go.

Do you have pics of your salt?


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## monkeyruler90 (Apr 13, 2008)

wow. look nice. those fish are smalllll, they make the tank look a lot bigger. nice optical use!


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

Thanks! I wandered into a pet shop that sold tiny white clouds as feeders. Got these guys for 1.50 for all seven! I love the way they school, they always stick together.

Once I get my aquascaping tools from e-bay I'll clean up that gigantic Crytp in the back. I can't wait to get the tools! fun!


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## chicago_animal (Sep 14, 2008)

Well I got the Pico about 1 year ago and had a piece of Live Rock in it to get it cycled but after a month I just decided it was going to be a pain as it requires alot more attention cause of the size. Its best to go larger with Salt Water so if something goes wrong you can try to catch it before it takes over your tank. I took down my 24 Gallon Nano and am using it as a planted as well. I went to vegas this summer and when I came home everything dies. I decided if I do salt again I will go with a bigger tank. 

This guys pico made me want to do it Saltwater :


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

Wow!! I can see why that inspired you...that's stunning! Of course I can't imagine how much work that thing must take! 

It is sooo easy to dump a bunch of money into a little tiny saltwater reef and then kill it all with the blink of an eye.


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## chicago_animal (Sep 14, 2008)

I had a 12g before (all of these: 12G, 24G and Picoi are JBJ) and one day everything was looking bad. It was going so great for 4 months then CRASH! I lost alot $ in that so I decided to not do it again. The I started going back to the SaltWater forums and fostersmith.com had a sale on the 24G so I bought it. Didnt have as much $ in it as I only had it for 5 months but the Live Rock was expensive.

Im gonna convert my old 40G into SaltWater someday but no time soon. I am going to focus on planted tanks now as plants are like 60% cheaper then corals for the SW. 

If I win the lotto then I will start a 200G SW. lol


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

Not only are the plants cheaper, but they grow so much faster that you don't need a whole lot to stock a tank!

My friend has a 24 JBJ Nano that is stunning! But she has poured lots of money and four years of her life into it. giggle.


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

Here is my best pic so far of the Picotope. I got out my polarized filter and started mucking around with the F-stop, shutter speed, and exposure. Always works out better than any of the 'auto' settings. 

Still having trouble showing off the 'true' colour. My plants don't look this yellow, they are a very bright green. 

I had to buy a really small Python to do my water changes...there was shrimp poo collecting on the bottom that needed sucking up.

And yes, I love filling my tank to the tippy top. I top off with RO water every morning (give dogs fresh water, give parrots fresh water, giver plants fresh water, give tanks fresh water...every morning. I spend about an hour in animal care each morning). 

Enjoy!


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

So many people have names for their tanks...so I named mine 'Zen Sands'. giggle


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

I added CO2 on the 11th, five days later look how happy the dwarf lillie is!! 

All of my fauna made themselves scares for this shot. I was so surprised when I looked at this shot and saw none of my shrimp or fish! They are in there! Giggle. My Red Cherry Shrimp are getting big! At least an inch now and really, really, really red!


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## chicago_animal (Sep 14, 2008)

Everything looks great. I just startyed my DIY CO2. The bottle is 1 Pint of water. So I have a 1/2 Cup Sugar and 1/8 TSP of Yeast. Hopefully this will work.


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

Thanks! No major algae (cross fingers) yet!

I have a around 1L rather than 2L on the picotope and I just the recipe in half...I use the jello method, personally I'm all about the jello. I'm getting some champagne yeast in the mail soon!


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## chicago_animal (Sep 14, 2008)

Yeah I was reading that you did the jello method. I got a regulator for my 24G tank but for the pico its just going to be DIY. Is the jello method better just cause it lasts longer before having to add more to the container? I might switch it to Jello when its time for the Picos Co2.


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

yup, jello lasts longer


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Your lilly is loving that CO2, I can't believe that difference. Amazing!


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

I was shocked to see the growth! I guess CO2 really does make a difference!


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## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

great looking tank the green plants next to the dwarf lily look great


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

Thanks! that's mm (forget the real name) it is like glosso but darker. Grows the same


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

Marselia Minuta, Its looking good. 

If you want it to carpet then just seperate the nodes and plant at a distance where if you could imagine it filled in it would be.


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

That's the stuff! Okay, so it will grow in a line and not in a clump...got it, I'll seperate when it gets a little bigger! Thanks for the tip!


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

I moved some stuff around. I also added a bed of pelia cause I am getting in CRS and I hear they love it.


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

Here are the new inhabitants of the Picotope, turned it into a CRS tank!

They are still blanched out from the stress of travel, there are six of them (A grade).


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

I looked in my tank today and there were baby Cherry Shrimp!! I had bought a berried Cherry but I didn't think that they had hatched. I found two babies today!


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Wow. The babies actually make me less afraid of shrimp, lol! Tank is looking great!


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

No way you can fear this little guy!


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## ZooTycoonMaster (Jan 2, 2008)

Phoenix-cry said:


>


Wow they look so cute!! Although this one looks like a B/C grade.


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

this was taken moments after adding them to the tank, they were blanched from travel. Here are the same shrimp 12 hours later.


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## chicago_animal (Sep 14, 2008)

I love how yor tank is looking. Keep it up


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

Can you take a top down pic with a ruler next to it? I'm really tempted to buy one of these babies


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## Ebichua (May 13, 2008)

They're still B grade but great shrimp


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## boltp777 (Jan 16, 2009)

Phoenix-cry said:


> I moved some stuff around. I also added a bed of pelia cause I am getting in CRS and I hear they love it.


 you should also get a japanese moss ball they love them too =)


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

Here is my Crystal Red Shrimp trying to escape! Giggle


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

hmm... how's the surface movement in your tank? He may be trying to find more oxygen. Or, maybe he's just getting a feel for his environment.


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

There is plenty of oxygen, the filter pushes the top around, there are lots of plants and lots of surface area. I think he liked the scent of the filter pad...mmmm decay.


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## Ebichua (May 13, 2008)

My tiger shrimp do that to eat the gunk off the outflow of my HOB. It's normal(ish) and they never actually walk out of that. The water pushing out keeps them submersed, in a sense.


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

Yeah, I watched him for a while and eventually he slid off. I just thought it looked so silly!


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## catfishbi (Jun 10, 2008)

wow nice tank  here is my Pico


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

Ooooo! I love your shrimps!!


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## catfishbi (Jun 10, 2008)

thx!! they are crazy little shrimps


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

They are really nice one!


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Phoenix-cry said:


> Here is my Crystal Red Shrimp trying to escape! Giggle


Did he make it out, lol! Still scary, though.


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

Naw, he got just a touch further up and slid back down again. giggle


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## limz_777 (Jun 29, 2005)

what do you have in the tank as subsrate ? looks two layer


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

I have sand and plant gold.


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## limz_777 (Jun 29, 2005)

Phoenix-cry said:


> I have sand and plant gold.


whats plant gold? its used as a bottom subsrate?


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

Plant Gold is a powder that turns to clay that you put in between two layers of sand to make sand a better place for plants to root and grow. It has trace minerals and such and turns into a consistancy much like a muddy lake or river bed. So far I have had really good luck with it. It is in all the LFS here in Minnesota, but no one else seems to have heard of it.


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## limz_777 (Jun 29, 2005)

yes i never heard of it too but the colour seem to blend in well with the fine sand , i am using fine sand as subsrate too ,just love the soft look of it, can 't really find any info on it ,is plant gold the brand name? is it laterite ,subsrate Gold?


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## C2C (Apr 7, 2009)

2 of my tiger shrimp made it all the way up and into the bottom of my HOB filter that came with it...


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

Ahahaha! Tiger shrimp on the move!


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## equi_design (May 6, 2009)

I just wanted to say I enjoyed your journal. How are the baby shrimps coming along? 

Thanks for the great photos & inspiration.  (And my "zoo" chores take about an hour each morning too. Dogs, birds, fish, hedgie & orchids)


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

As embarassed as I am the babies were all killed...accidently by me. I had this strange algae in the picotope and thought that an overdose of excel would take care of it. Well....it did, but all the babies are gone now even though the adults made it. So now I'm waiting for them to breed again.


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## ClPat (Apr 30, 2009)

Wow that sucks...but hopefully the CRS will start breeding again. And don't feel embarassed, no one makes no mistakes. At least now you know to watch your excel dosing carefully. Did you at least get rid of the algae? Anyways, great tank and journal.


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

the algae is all gone and the plants look great! giggle.


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## ClPat (Apr 30, 2009)

cool


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

My shrimp are way camera shy. Here's how the tank is growing. 










Here's one of the new fish that are living in here with my shrimp. They are Tiger Endlers Livebearers.


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## ClPat (Apr 30, 2009)

Great Fish, I love the look of those!
I see your foreground's coming along great. Cool


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

Thanks! I got them from a friend who has bred so many he's using them as feeders!!

I got that pellia for free at a pet shop, it was looking sad and now it's all happy, I just love it!


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## fastfreddie (Sep 10, 2008)

I love this little tank! You must visit the LFS a lot! You always have something new in your tanks!


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

I'm constantly at the LFS!


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## Reginald2 (Mar 10, 2009)

Looks great. Did you paint the back? That pellia looks great, could you post a close up of it?


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

I did paint the back, black with some acrylic. I'll try to get a close up in the next few days!


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## C2C (Apr 7, 2009)

did you take out the wood?


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## Bigga514 (Nov 2, 2011)

Great tank i took the time to go trough it, must say you convinced/taught me diy co2(off to craft store!!) and im eager to try!!!


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## JessDay06 (Nov 6, 2011)

I have the same tank!!! I just set it up and am SUPER excited! Does your HOB that came with it do a good job? And the light?


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