Hoochi's pint sized Pico

[hoochi]

It's actually a little over 2 pints




Its a 10x10x10 cm cube
I don't really add any ferts and I normally just top it off after it evaporates. Water changes are whenever I feel like it.

Theres some Utricularia graminifolia and HC in there. No fauna except loads of seed shrimps. I've got some GSA starting on the glass in the corners but I think this tanks done OK considering that the light is a 23w spiral compact fluorescent.

[Subotaj]

sweeet!

[ikuzo]

how old is this pico? do you have serious algae problems with that much of light?

[rodney]

Cool!
But what is the point to a pico, is it just looks or what? Can yu keep anything in it besides plants?

Thanks, rodney

[hoochi]

Originally Posted by ikuzo

how old is this pico? do you have serious algae problems with that much of light?

The pico is almost 2 months old. I did have some problems with hair algae and diatoms when I started the tank but those went away after a few weeks. I guess the reason I don't have serious algae problems is because most of the light doesn't actually make it into the tank, a lot of light is diffused around it.

Originally Posted by rodney

But what is the point to a pico, is it just looks or what? Can yu keep anything in it besides plants?

It's mostly just for looks but when the pico become established and all the UC has filled in I plan to put a couple cherry shrimp in and see how they do.

[dufus]

Technically, a pico in reefs i believe is under 5 gallons. in FW, it's more like under 1 gallon.

the point of near ALL planted tanks is just for looks.

but you can put some stuff in picos.

that size could do some cherries, maybe, or microfauna, such as water fleas, copepods, maybe even carnivourus aquatic beetles like circus beetles.

Maybe a toad tadpole.

[dufus]

Oh yea, and maybe ada will start selling 10cm cubes now!

[bulrush]

A toad tadpole is good at eating algae but they mature in about 4 weeks.

And a cherry shrimp will multiply if you put more than 1 in there. Soon you will have 30 shrimp.

[hoochi]

here's an update


Utricularia is filling in nice and slow


From my point of view

[tropicalfish]

Looks real nice? Do you do water changes? (Real tiny ones of course hehe )

[hoochi]

I don't do that many water changes actually. Maybe every 2 weeks I'll do a 50% change.
I do however lose a lot of water through evaporation so I'm always topping off the tank.

[hoochi]

Time for another update. Finally got some fauna for the tank, a little Heterandria formosa. Got a bunch of these guys and I figured a tiny juvenile would do ok in the pico.

All the old HC leaves melted on me but new growth is sprouting. Utricularia melted too but came back strong with nicer looking leaves. I've started to dose excel at 1 drop a day and 3 drops at a water change.


FTS and you can see the Heterandria formosa right in front of the rock.


Here's a closup of the tiny guy looking for something to eat. Its only about 6mm long right now.

[bsmith]

that is a tiny fish.

sweet pico, btw.

[sandiegoryu]

Wow that is sick. That UG is growing nicely! I've always seen it grow much higher than that!

[tcy81]

very nice UG lawn.
you didnt dose any liquid fertilizer except excel ?