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The new pump was a fail, Far too powerful for this size. so much so that it was overflowing from where the inlet sits into the sump area. So switched it back out for the original pump.
More plants came, had ordered some Orange Juice. Will see what it looks like in here. So far it is doing well within a few days and showing new growth.
I am contemplating making a lilly type outlet for for this using drinking straws, as they fit onto the outlet pipe.

I have ordered a new one of these tanks, and will keep this one for spares.

Hey Gill,

My Pico tank has finally arrived on the slow boat from China. It's a really nice tiny little tank, and I'll post a thread on it in due course, but the little pump on it is has pitifully low flow.

Did you manage to resolve the low flow on yours? I know you tried that eBay pump, and you reported above that it was too powerful?
 
No Worries will be good to see your take on it.
So yes thet clear plastic straw idea worked brilliantly. As it is now forcing the outflow thru a narrower field. and thus creating a more substantial flow rate. I have played about with the angle of the cut on the straw. And found that a larger angle cut gives a faster flow rate and causes the venturi effect to draw oxygen into the water column.
I will take a video of mine so you can see.
I would advise to block the sides of the outlet with moss so that the inhabitants are drawn to the algae growth and get stuck, which one of the bloody mary shrimp did with mine.
 
So this has flooded my shelf area x2 that this sits on. Over the last 36 hrs.
The slightest debri in the inlet makes it flood. A leaf had detached from the orange juice and blocke the top slit horizontally.

And the next was that the inlet was gurgling alot.
So cut up a straw and inserted it into the channel. To help the water flow.
And then added a teeny triangle of course sponge and that was enough to cause a blockage and flood last night.

So I am loosing my ragg with this thing.
The older version never had this problem. And had set that up multiple times with different scapes.

If it happens again I will throw it out the window.

So for now I have cut a 3mm strip of course sponge to stop any debris causing it to flood
 
The tank I’ve got has a tube inside the weir tube, so that the weir is both top and bottom draw.

F8CD5CD9-4680-43E7-A63D-EF5D2394B84B.jpeg


It was something I was going to put into place anyway for better circulation, so I was really please when I saw it was already built like that, but adding it to your tank may help if the weir gets blocked?
 
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Cheers for that.
I am going to remove the weir. And see if that helps.
That way the water will just flow down the triangular section.
 
Otherwise it's a new tank for me.
Off for 3 days, so going to take a trip to the world of waters nearby. And also have a look at wharf and bardills
 
I set this back up this afternoon as was bored.
I Can't find the original light unit. so have used the light from the Palu tank.
Used the larger pump i had used and it seems to be working better this time. Thought will monitor it to see id there is excess flow.
Modded the Inlet weir to allow more water in from the top, so hopefully this will help with the increased flow from the pump.

I chucked in a load of mulm from the shrimp tub and a blue Ramshorn and 1 blue shrimp to keep this ticking over till i decide to scape it.
Put in a plastic plant from the shrimp tub for it to hide in and graze on the algae that has grown on it.

I feel like building my own hardscpae this time, that can be removed all in one piece. So deciding whether to make it out if wood or stone.
The hardscape will take some time to source and build with superglue and a glue gun etc. And I think this time there will be no planting other than the tiniest amount of moss.


I still have an issue with the inlet gurgling and i am trying find a solution to that.
 
In the sump area I have added some mature biohome media in the 1st partition, 2nd x2 coarse pads, 3rd fine, 4th fine and poly pad to polish the water. Squirted mulm into it all to seed it well. And also old water from the tubs outside full of life etc.
Seems to have settled a bit more and the gurgling from the inlet has stopped for now.
Used the straw method again to direct the flow better. And you can see the current hitting the front pane which is good.
It looks a bit chappy with the plastic plant, but it's for the female shrimp to feel safe in. Until I create something better.
Will go foraging for bits in the morning while walking the dog in the nature reserve nearby. Plenty of piles of branches and twigs, and look for some interesting hardscaping materials around the freshly made lake by RRoyces new nuclear sub building.
 

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Back from Morning Walk and found some lovely twigs to use. Made sure I collected from under the oak trees for safe wood.
They have been boiled for 45 mins on high and then baked in the Ninja for 10 mins till very brittle.
And as they are so brittle it gave me the idea for the scape.
Snapped apart 15 twigs to make lots of logs and tree bits.
The idea is a wasteland from Reign of Fire when the Dragon passes over and burns everything to ash, And all thats left is the charred remains of a forest etc.
Will see if I need more twigs once initial scaping is down.

Just going to start glueing the main structure together.
Also had the Idea to make Micro leaf litter using a leaf shaped hole punch, if I can find one online. Think that will look cool. I have some IAL left over and can collect oak leaves.


Pix to Follow
 
A few pix from this morning.
Helper while foraging
 

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Found an old peice of cholla wood, so have torn that apart and its soaking atm and will add that to it aswell.
I will add a litttle black sand for substrate, but only need enough to cover the base. Hopefully prices have not gone up at Deans, as last time I went, it was £3 quid for a bag of Unipac black sand.
Excuse the lead weight, its just to weigh down the main wood hardscape till it sinks.
 
Pix just after lights on.
Added the cholla wood last night.
Not alot of tint from the wood, which is good.
Shrimp look happy.
Stuffed some foam into the gaps around in outlet, as the shrimp kept trying to get down there.
 

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Printed out a background for this and it looked good, but it has been wicking water from the sump. So have took it off, doesn't look too bad just clear as the wall behind is grey. The Blue Velvet Shrimp pair have settled in well, and can see them in the hollow under the main stumpy thing.

Sand:
Limpopo

NS6-LIMPOPO-SAND-1.jpg


Or Black micro
MG-BLACK.jpg


or just plain black
CS-BLACK.jpg
 
I agree with @Myrtle, no.3 sand is the best. A moss wall sounds a great idea, though trimming might turn into a bit of an ordeal!
When you post photos can you include a pencil for scale? I'm so used to seeing folks 250l tanks on here that I'm imagining it as huge with logs for hardscape, not itty bitty twigs! 😄
 
I agree with @Myrtle, no.3 sand is the best. A moss wall sounds a great idea, though trimming might turn into a bit of an ordeal!
When you post photos can you include a pencil for scale? I'm so used to seeing folks 250l tanks on here that I'm imagining it as huge with logs for hardscape, not itty bitty twigs! 😄
Is that better, shrimp food packet for scale ;), that packet is a snow food and will last me months. For my Shrimp I tend so buy sample packs and mix them all together. so that they have as varied a diet as possible. As well as fresh greens.
They are having fresh nettles this morning.
20230505_094907.jpg

Trimming will be fine. I have some nice sharp spring scissors ✂️ from the tool section.
 
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