Pico Tanks

Rcpilot

Rcpilot

Reef enthusiast
Anybody got a pico? Wanna share any info about it?

I was looking at the 3g Eclipse Was thinking about drilling it and running a 10g sump underneath the stand. I wonder if the bio-wheel pump could be modded into a refugium? Maybe a Quiet One 1200 for the return pump with a bypass line and valve to regulate return flow. No idea what to do for lights. I'm thinking 50w DE MH or some kind of PC fixture with a few of those little 13w T4 biax bulbs that I've used in another fixture a few times.

Thanks for any input. :Cheers:
 
 
I've been looking at the Marineland Eclipse 3 and the Picotope 3. Both are 3g kits. Both are reasonably priced with the Picotope at $42 and the Eclipse at $36. Both will need upgraded lights. The Marineland is about 3" taller. It's also cheaper. The Picotope looks cleaner IMO. It's just a glass box. The Eclipse still has that "plastic aquarium" feel with the black cover. Both will surely need some kind of filter mods - maybe even ditch the stock filter altogether and do a modded HOB power filter from one of the articles posted above. I'm thinking it has to be LED or power compact lights. Probably power compacts. I don't know of any MH lights in the 20w-50w range.
 
Yeah, I knew about the 70w Viper. But thats a LOT of light for a little 3g tank. :shock:

I never considered LED's. Don't they need a lot of cooling area to prolong bulb life? Or have they improved in recent years? I would love LED's but just never looked into it because of cost.

I know I can get the little 13w biax T4 bulbs for $8 apiece and they have colors in 6500k, 10k, actinic, combo 10k and actinic, true actinic and 450nm. I'm thinking 3 or 4 of those bulbs would be pretty nice over any 3g tank. Lots of combinations to play with.
 
The LEDs do need heat sinks to keep them cool. But I am sure you could find a heat sink the size of the top of the tank and they would keep nice and cool. But remember, all that heat goes up away from the tank not into the tank. Plus why not experiment fully?:mrgreen:
 
I'm not even sure if I'll do this. I'm really interested, but want to have a good grasp on the equipment and mods I'll have to do. I kinda want to run a sump on it. A 10g sump with full auto top off, a skimmer and a fuge area would be rockin' Cost is a factor though. I might not set up a big display again. I might keep my 29g frag system downstairs and just have a small pico in the living room on a tiny stand in the corner.

I do appreciate all the help so far. I'm doing dozens of searches to read user reviews on these 3 tanks now. You can buy the Marineland Eclipse 3g tank only for about $25+shipping. I want to mod the hell out of it anyway, so that might be a good base to work off.

Bare bones glass box. Start drillin' and cuttin' PVC.

Got to keep in mind, it's just a thought right now. :question:
 
Look at all these 18w PC bulbs:
Light Bulbs - find the lowest price - compare prices at more than 100 aquarium stores

I wonder how picky ballasts are when it comes to what type of bulb they will drive? I have 2 of these sitting around:
Perfecto 24" - (15 & 20H Gallons)

The ballast in those ^^^ is multi-voltage. On the side it says 14 - 15 - 18 - 20W and it drives a T8 thats 18" long and 15w - normal output T8 bulb.

I wonder if it would drive an 18w PC bulb? These ballasts are a "reactive" ballast. I don't know what that means. I think it means that it acts as a giant resister instead of a step-down transformer. If it's a reactive ballast, will it drive a PC bulb? These cheap fixtures also have a little starter. I think it's a pre-heater or a start capaciter. Not sure. Need some help from an electrician.

Anyway, I could build a fixture together with dual 18W PC bulbs if these ballasts will drive the bulbs. 36w of PC light on a 3g tank ought to do it. :mrgreen:

Or, there might be a T5 option if the ballasts will drive T5 bulbs.
9 Watt Slimpaq Actinic T5 Lamp

If those ballasts will drive the T5 bulbs - can I take (2) 9w T5 bulbs and run them in series against that ballast? Thats 18w. It should put out up to 20w , but will it do that with multiple bulbs in series? These bulbs are kinda long at 16.5"
 
I doubt those would power the PC bulbs.

Not sure if this is what they mean when they say reactive, but in electronics, there are two types of loads

Reactive and resistive. A reactive load is generally a coil of wire. Like a motor, inductor, or transformer. Resistive loads are well, more like resistors. Heating elements, incandecent bulbs.

I know what you are talking about the starter. Not quite sure what it is, or what it does for that matter. I just know that when I was in the fresh water world, if the light didnt turn on, and a new bulb didnt make it work, change this and 90% of the time, it workd.

I also this that is no a multivoltage ballast, it is probably a multi tap transformer. You just hook it up the right way and it could most likely power a 20w flourecent tube. I think that is a 24" t8.
 
Just talked to my electrician buddy. He said no dice. They are for T8 only. I'm moving, so they go in the trash. :mrgreen::mrgreen:

It's easy enough to find some other bulbs. I will start looking into the LED's and the small T5's
 
I know!! I've been plotting and scheming this thing all day long. I think I will probably go ahead and do this.

Thinking about equipment:
Probably buy the Marineland 3g Eclipse System 3 bare bones replacement tank for $25+ shipping. It gives me flexibility without trying to mod the full system and make use of parts I paid for. I like to build my own anyway.
https://www.marineland.com/store/Acrylic-Aquarium-for-3-gallon-Eclipse-System-P350C0.aspx

I like the Aquatic Life Mini Protein Skimmer:
AquaticLife Internal Mini Protein Skimmer 115

I think I'll drill it with 3/4" overflow and also 3/4" return. I'll use threaded bulkheads on the tank side. That way I can put a strainer on the drain and some line-loc on the return.

10g tank should do the trick for the sump. I'm going to buy the skimmer BEFORE I glue the baffles in. Last time I made a sump for my frag tank without having the skimmer in my hands the darn skimmer compartment ended up 1/8" too narrow and I cracked a baffle trying to force the skimmer in there.

Not sure on a pump. I'm thinking it will have about 3 feet of head pressure. It's a 3g tank and I'll want to turn it 15-20x per hour. So something in the 45-60gph range at 3 feet of head. The ViaAqua 180 is 80gph @ 2 feet of head and it's $7

I still don't know what to do for lights. It's probably going to end up being PC since those are simple and inexpensive. I'm still thinking 3 or 4 of those 13w bulbs would be more than enough. 1 actinic - 1 460 - 1 10k and maybe if I decide to use the 4th bulb 1 combo 10k/actinic I would think that would grow anything I want in the tank.

I was making threats to build an all LPS tank. Given my budget - this 3g pico may be it!! :rofl:
 

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