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2.7 litre Pico challenge

Awesome looking tanks. Ive sen these vases before and I think they also come in 8" and 10" sizes as well. For filtration maybe you could get an Eden 501 type filter and split it between the two tanks ? You could use airline tubing for the inlet and outlet and you wouldnt need a spraybar or anything in such small tanks. Boyu make a Eden 501 type knockoff that is rated for about 150 or 200 lph, maybe you could try that if you think the eden would have to much flow. I think its called the EF 05.
 
Thanks guys i'm glad you like tanks.

Mortis- I would not recommend splitting one external filter between two tanks, it will be almost impossible to balance the flow rates, and may result in one of the tanks overflowing. Unfortunately (for my carpet) i speak from experience on this :lol:

Cheers,
James
 
Just a quick update, the tanks have been planted for about a week now and things seem to be going well.
The plants are pearling nicely and there is no algae as of yet,
For the first few days the water we were changing was yellow, but this has gradually improved and water changes of about 80% are now performed just once a day.
We are dosing the tanks with ADA products which are added by the droplet rather than the mililitre.
At the moment each tank recieves:
7 drops of Brighty K per day
4 drops of Florish excel per day
1/2 drop of Green Gain twice a week
1/2 drop of Phyton Git once a week
To administer a 1/2 drop, 1 drop is added to a 5ml syringe of water, 2.5 ml of which goes in each tank.

4082145303_4bb2fa8afd_b.jpg

Plants pearling 3 days after planting

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coke can just to give a sense of scale.

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Jenny planting

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smaller hands and years of tweezer practice seem to be an advantage

Cheers,
James
 
James

I have already commented on these, but i really am impressed.

I hadn't really seen many Pico's, and i am now finding myself drawn to them because of your thread!

Thanks and keep up the journal :thumbup:
 
Thanks for your kind comments Andy, they are much appreciated.
I feel that picos have a unique appeal, looking more like a living ornament than an aquarium.

I was playing with my new Nikon D60 for the first time yesterday, and i have to say i'm well impressed.
I've little idea of how to use it yet, but i think i'm going to enjoy learning.
Here are a couple of photos i took yesterday, the tanks are 8 days old now and i think the plants have grown a little.
Any hints and tips on how to best use the Nikon D60, and improve the quality of these shots, would be gratefully recieved.

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My Tank

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Jenny's Tank


Cheers,
James
 
Thanks Adam.
It's ADA nile sand with a few grains of forest sand at the edge of the HC.

Cheers,
James
 
They're looking fantastic James! I don't see a problem with you entering them into the contest if you want to! I guess it depends on the budget part of the rules, though if you already had the substrates/ferts for other tanks then they don't count :D
 
SteveUK said:
They're looking fantastic James! I don't see a problem with you entering them into the contest if you want to! I guess it depends on the budget part of the rules, though if you already had the substrates/ferts for other tanks then they don't count :D
Thank you Steve :D .
The picos were set up as part of the rescape of my 20 litre. so the substrates and ferts are small quantities of what were bought for that, and the plants and hardscape came from the breakdown of the old 20 litre scape.
My budget therefore stands at £16 for tank and lamp :thumbup: :D
If I enter, do i just start a new thread as per your template?

Cheers,
James
 
Thanks Tony,
I hope you manage to convince Sara to have a go, it's great fun.
At the moment i'm trying to get Jenny to join Ukaps and enter her scape in the contest.

Cheers'
James
 
Thanks George,
i think with just a bit more persuasion she may well enter.
Go the UKaps WAGs :thumbup: :thumbup: :lol:

Cheers,
James
 
Just a quick progress report,
The tanks have been running for 18 days, and i've so far resisted the massive temptation to install CO2 and a filter.
The HC is doing really well, its growing low and dense, and pearling nicely.
Finding the right liquid carbon dosage for the Riccia has been a challenge, too little and it won't pearl, too much and it starts to turn white. For the last few days i've been dosing 5 drops of Excel per day plus 2 drops of ADA step 1 and the Riccia is finaly showing some signs of growth.
I'm starting to get a bit of brown slime algae now, but then i suppose that's inevitable. Hopefully it will pass quite quickly.

Heres a photo of my tank at 17 days
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Cheers,
James
 
That looks sweet James, amazing pearling. Are you still using the Argos lights?
Tom
 
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