This video is about how I set up my pico salt water planted tank. I'm totally noob in this hobby, so please forgive my noob mistakes here. Anyway, as a newbie, this is very challenging. Add too much nutrient and algae will grow (I mean microalgae), add less nutrient and dinoflagellate will take over the entire tank quickly. The macro algae them self seems fine with too much or too little nutrient for short term. So far, I test and adjust the dosing daily, I think I should established my dosing schedule to save my test kits.
I'm aware that people often scold newbie who try to set up a pico tank, but I don't see the problem with macroalgae only tank. I mean, if it's about animals or corals, I agree that newbie like me should start with the recommended size, but it's just algae. The jelly that we eat are made of them. Seaweed culture is not rare, so macroalgae source for the hobby can be sustainable. I think this can be the starting point for newbie who want to experiencing salt water tank, but not ready for the financial and long term commitment for keeping corals with less guilty feeling than keeping fish if it's failed.
Anyway as a newbie, here are what we'll need that's not part of the tank, lamp, stand and filter:
1. Refractometer, perhaps, the most important tool in this hobby.
2. Digital scale to make it easier to measure the salt.
3. Salt, not just normal salt. Get specific salt for reef tank, macro algae also need minerals that the coral need. Not as much as corals nor as sensitive, but they still need them.
4. Reverse osmosis water (RO water). I don't recommend to use tap water. Too much problem will come.
5. Container to mix saltwater if you use artificial salt water.
(No 2 to 5 isn't needed if using natural salt water, but no 1 is still needed.)
6. Water jug to keep emergency salt water.
7. Gloves. I often forgot to wear it, but for your own safety, wear gloves if doing something with our tank.
8. Towel, salt water spill is 100000000000x worse than fresh water spill.
9. Moping tools set, just in case no 8 failed.
10. Thong and or tweezer. Clean your tweezer 3 times every after use or it'll rust even if it's stainless. Try to get carbon tweezer if possible.
11. Stainless scissors. The same with tweezer, clean it 3 times every after use.
12. Syringe for easier dosing in small tank.
13. Small measurement cup, just in case we need to dilute something.
14. Microfiber cloth, to wipe our tank or any water spill on the table.
15. flash light to inspect your tank when the light off. You'll surprise for what you'll find.
16. Tooth brush or something else to brush the debris on the macroalgae or glass.
17. Magnet cleaner, if you prefer it than tooth brush.
18. Small hose for water change.
19. Bucket for water change.
20. Test kits, at least, alkalinity, nitrate and phosphate. Those are the nutrients that we need to dose daily, so it's important to have them. Magnesium and Calcium test will also needed, but it's not so often.
21. Alkalinity, Ca and Mg addition (often referred as "the big 3"). I prefer to use all in one solution because it's simple.
22. NO3 and PO4 fertilizer. We can use fresh water fertilizer, but not all in one fertilizer. It's better to get the one with NO3 and PO4 separately.
23. Micro fertilizer, I personally didn't dose this yet because my tank still need routine water change. The micro nutrient are in the salt mix for coral.
24. Don't use freshwater CO2 injection! There's CO2 reactor for saltwater, but it is to dose Ca and alkalinity. Macroalgae can use bicarbonate, hence, it's more important to monitor and dose alkalinity as needed than CO2.
Other than that, in the tank, we have option to use live or dry rock. Live rock will have plenty of biodiversity that our tank will need including beneficial bacteria and coralline algae (the one that make the rock purple). We still need to cure them if they are shipped, if they are from LFS that only take a few hours from your house, just need to clean them and boom! Instant cycle. The cons is we'll also introduce pests. In my tank, I breed aiptasia now. Dry rock will need the cycling first. The nitrogen cycling in salt water take longer than in fresh water. In that case, you'll also need ammonia and nitrite test kits. There are also option to add sand or bare bottom. Both are fine, I guess.
Негізгі бет Setting Up Pico Saltwater Planted Tank
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