Tips for Having a successful pico reef part 1

[@g-reef]

Great tips, gave me the inspiration to start a pico 1.5 gallon, what would you recommend on lighting schedule, how about dosing if you do that too

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

Not too intense for lighting all depending on what corals you have. Forget dosing. Just do those waterchanges 👍 😊

[@trevjustin7512]

Absolutely beautiful, very practical 👌

[@heldbygravity]

Beautiful! How many litres is this Pico tank?

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

Around 3 gallons

[@phsanchez100]

Great video

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

@Pat.H , thank you 😊

[@serieuxster]

The Pico tank is really flourishing!

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

Easy at we go. In a few months with some more coral, this pico should look amazing

[@rosspendleton0899]

Very informative keep up the great work 🐠🐡🐟

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

Thanks 😊

[@alphawolfxz3497]

I use the same light on my 2 gallon pico and it does well. I have a high Chanel 2 and low Chantal 4 and that’s all i have on it. I like the blue lighting and fluorescent colors

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

This little light is brilliant.

[@coolcandyfish1359]

You are some day going to be a very successful KZbinr

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

Thank you so much. Means a lot. I just love this hobby

[@redrivervivariums6823]

20% water changes not 50%, 50% creates a higher chance of shocking the livestock from a larger change in parameters

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

Agreed. Just getting over a dino outbreak after the tank got a little toooo clean. Tested alk today it was 6.5dkh. I have started dosing a little All for Reef which has seemed to work to raise the DKH to 8. Kept off the waterchanges for 2 weeks and things are looking up 👍

[@Kriswixx]

what gallon per hour pump you got in that bad boy? Whats good in there. do i need a 185gps and a 220 koralia? what's good my man.

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

Hi Krisswixx 👋, it's an ehiem 600 Cheap to run 7w Flowrate: 250lph - 600lph (min-max) Pumping height of 1m (max) Dimensions: 72mm x 38mm x 62mm (lxwxh) Atm. Got zoas, sps, mushrooms, acans, blastos, goniopora and the tiniest bubble tip with 2 baby clownfish.

[@Kriswixx]

@@hcaquaticsreefing TYVM!!! I'm getting one. Stock is 106 and its broken, i want serious flow. sounds good!

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

No problem 😊. Happy reefing

[@z.s3072]

Looks great. Man i just cannot get mine going, wish i started with live rock. A few months in and it looks like shite. Its a love hate thing.

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

@Z.S,oh no 😔. Did it take a while to cycle or has it got loads of algae in there at the moment?

[@z.s3072]

@@hcaquaticsreefing Dinos at the moment, its def been a learning experience. Prob feeding to much and/or messing with it by trying to chase perfect parameters. Overall prob messing with it too much.

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

@Z.S. What's the plan to getting it sorted?

[@frankbelford2304]

Really vibrant . Where can we buy corals like this?

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

Frank Belford we can source them, email me for details. 👍

[@TheNichols1981]

what is that light you are using

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

Hi Kaylon Nicholas it was using a Lominie Aquarium Led Light from amazon. Just upgraded to an AI Prime 16HD

[@TheNichols1981]

@@hcaquaticsreefing does it have a timer built in it if not or how do you time your light

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

@Kaylan Nichols I used a smart plug 👍 kzbin.info/www/bejne/oZzLmICsmMpoeqc

[@geneepak]

Great setup! What kind of filter is that?

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

@Gene Park thanks. I am using the Orphek Coral kit to help with filming the tank.😃

[@geneepak]

@@hcaquaticsreefing Thanks for the reply! I actually meant to ask what kind of aquarium filter you are using haha! (the one with the duck bill exhaust pump)

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

@Gene Park ohh.... 😆. In the back chamber I have Seachem Matrix A tiny bit of Redsea carbon Fine Filter Floss That's it! Plus heater and return pump 😊 Also I am dosing 1:4 diluted All for Reef kzbin.info/www/bejne/l4fIdGOQiJZ0lbc

[@geneepak]

@@hcaquaticsreefing thank you!! What brand pump is that? It’s so useful that the filter serves as a jet maker. I aspire to have a setup like this!!

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

@Gene Park, its easier than you think. I have no doubt that you can have amazing Pico. I have a few videos on my channel, showing how we set it up and the pump is an ehiem 600. What I realised with this hobby patience really helps you get amazing results. kzbin.info/www/bejne/r5DQfX6ngMl-qqc

[@leoserieux2622]

Wow. This is stunning. I’ll call you Father Nature? Aqua Man? you decide lol

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

😆 . Can I have both ?

[@Nightmare_bassin]

Is a 6 line wrasse to big for a 5 to 10 gallon

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

Hey Bradley, might be a littl small, as they are a very active fish.

[@Nightmare_bassin]

@@hcaquaticsreefing ok thank you so much for replying to me on such short Notice

[@stevejobs7346]

what size tank is this?

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

Asger Its just under 12 litres 😊

[@stevejobs7346]

@@hcaquaticsreefing would i be able to have a pair of clownfish in a 10 gallon?

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

Maybe not Maroon in my opinion but Percula, Ocellaris and Tomato Clowns would be fine.

[@stevejobs7346]

@@hcaquaticsreefing yeah im thinking of getting a pair of ocellaris🤘🏽 thanks for the answer man love the vids!

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

Thank you. Amazing fish. Keep me posted with your progress. Post a picture on the Facebook page. HC Aquatics Reefing

[@stevemunn367]

Yes great video, really loved it, I’m looking for some new lights for my 4’x2’x2’ aquarium but I don’t want WiFi , can you recommend some lights for me please 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻🇬🇧

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

Hey Steve how about the AI prime 16hd or Hydra ? Works via the Ai app via bluetooth. ORPHEK is a good shout for a 4' tank 👌 as well.

[@galaxyslayer5195]

is it ok to put clowns in a tank that small cuz I have that tank and I wanna put them in there but every time I look it up google says its to small

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

You can have tiny clowns in there, just be aware when they get bigger, have a plan to move them to a larger tank. 👍

[@Glitchfishy]

After watching this video I bought this light, i would have bought an Ai Prime but it's just out of my range at the moment, but do you mind if I ask what percentage you were running the lights at? Your Pico is looking incredible

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

@GlitchfishGames. Thanks 😊. I had everything at 100% and the whites just around half way. Just have a play with the channels and see how your corals respond, good light . I recently upgraded to an Ai and well....let's just say, it was a learning curve lol.

[@Glitchfishy]

@@hcaquaticsreefing Maybe you could do a video on your settings and what you run for your Pico with the Ai Prime 😂 idk how lengthy that would be but it's always interesting to learn more about our aquariums Also thankyou 😂 I'll definitely have to tinker for a bit haha

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

@GlitchfishGames no problem will get that made. 👌

[@apdroidgeek1737]

Ok my pico reef is now doing great, Finally! But i cant get rid of the algae on the sand! And my hammer is sting all my corals, hammer coral mighf not be good for pico reef.

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

@apdroid geek keep doing water changes that settles and yes hammer corals do have sweeper tentacles so be careful where you put them. 😉 happy to hear its settling nicely 😊

[@Jayblack184]

Would changing the water more regularly encourage it to grow faster and would you have to stale or let the water sit for a bit before you change it or are there Chems to balance out the levels?

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

All depending on your corals. Certainly having a good waterchange routine will help export nutrients from such a small tank. And replacing with new saltwater will definitely replenish all the trace elements the corals require to grow. It's all about observation to get to that sweet spot where your tank is balanced.

[@Jayblack184]

hc aquaticsltd ah ok so is there like a time table for water changes for certain size tanks?

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

Its recommended at least 10% weekly. Smaller the tank, the easy that would be to carry out a waterchange. The larger you get you will have to create easier ways to dp them. Which can be done very easily

[@Jayblack184]

hc aquaticsltd ok cool cool start off small then work my way up. I’m interested👍🏽

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

Check out this link to see what you need to start off kzbin.info/www/bejne/g6e2qnWZf6-notk

[@milkspotscausemetospazzout6813]

I have a 1 gallon..to make water changes less stressful on coral I take a bit of water out ,add new water,take a bit more water out,add new water ..I let the new saltwater mix with the old as I pull water and add new water..it's been working for me great..

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

That's a good way to do it 👍. No coral is exposed to the air. Great stuff, 😊

[@THEFIFTHDIMENTION]

​@@hcaquaticsreefingwouldn't real tides expose them ?

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

In nature, some corals are and have evolved that way 👍

[@apdroidgeek1737]

Idk why mine keeps failing, ive folllwed the rules, cycled my tank, i got no fish, i didnt even feed, a week after my tank is dead, like wtf, i had successful pico reef before but since the texas black out, i cant keep one anymore, they just keep dying, idk what i did wrong my ph keeps fluctuating, its not the salt batch i tested my water before putting it on, it has good water flow.

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

@apdroid geek, oh no! Sorry to hear that. You may need to keep some sort of feeding going on to keep the bacteria active and producing NO3, IMO. I saw the news about the blackout by you guys, and it looked very serious. When you saw pH swings, how low to you get?? Have you tested your water or serviced your RODI unit lately? I usually have a little check list for testing and waterchanges etc, when I start a new tank. Maybe that can help to fault find as you go along?

[@apdroidgeek1737]

@@hcaquaticsreefing it was actually the batch of salt... never using the reef crystal again.. the normal IO works fine for me.... reef crystals have so much alk it precipitates very fast and thats why i got high ph.

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

I'm happy 😊 that you got to the route of the issue. Hope the system is doing well now 👍 👍 👌

[@Soyelrikosuave]

Hello, nice pico! If you don’t mind what settings are you using for each channel? I have the same light and wanted to get an idea I also have a pico (14L) . I believe you have to click each channel if you don’t mind sharing how many clicks or percentage I would really appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

Thank you Channels 1, 3&4 are on 100% and channel 2 is around 50%.

[@Soyelrikosuave]

@@hcaquaticsreefing thanks, how many litres is this tank boss?

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

12 litres

[@emmajames9454]

💪💪💪

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

👍

[@clintcharles6808]

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

Thank you 😊

[@ChrisAce1661]

Personally I wouldn't use carbon for clarity especially in a reef as you would be pulling lots of essential nutrients for corals out. The secret to clear water in both fresh and saltwater aquariums is the beneficial bacteria. I currently have a pico myself and I do as much as I can to add as much complexity to the filtration as possible. My tank is a 3.7 gallon set up almost exactly like this. Use your own filter pads that you cut to size and double them up. Mine came with a ceramic bead cartridge that slides right in behind my filter pads. In the second chamber I used to run a home made skimmer that wasn't pulling anything out so I removed it and filled that space with sand and ceramic beads that I had lying around. 100 percent water change every Friday and you pretty much can't go wrong.

[@maverickreefer3255]

👍🏾

[@waterlover]

Lol, a successful pico reef just needs water changes, flow and top off system. Had my 2.6 pico for two years but I had way more sps then this tank . A true mixed reef is what I had . Fans in summer is a must turning off the light during day to help keep it cool during the main heat. A glass lid during the winter. Done just remember people two water charges a week and 75% water charges not 50 like this dude said

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

Hey Water Lover. Thanks 😊 great tips here. 👍

[@jordow63]

6 years on my 2.5 gallon and I’ve maybe done 6 water changes total. No more than 50% at most. The most successful tank I’ve had.

[@waterlover]

@@jordow63 I did water changes every three days to keep corals happy

[@jordow63]

@@waterlover depends on what corals you keep. Just saying, it isn’t always necessary