How much to set up a Picotope 3 gallon?

[becact]

I have my biocube 14 humming along nicely, and am going to move it from the bedroom to the living room soon so it can be seen by more people. But I'd still like a little tank in my room!

If I get the picotope kit, what else do I need (necessary or recommended upgrades) to make it a good tank? I want to keep this one cheap, with just some sand, live rock, a small CUC, maybe a very small fish and some low light softies.

I know like anything else you can go crazy with mods but what do you think I need to spend on the must have upgrades for this particular model? I'd rather not upgrade the lights or pump if I don't have to, but I may have a spare 27 watt bulb and ballast from the stock BC14 hood I could build into some kind of light, if need be.

Anyone have success with a stock equipment picotope?

[bsagecko]

I think the stock equipment would be fine for a picotope

I would say that is about $50 and then prbly another $50 for rock/sand/coral/fish

The only fish I recommend is a clown goby

I think it be better if you went with 3 sexy shrimp and no fish

[becact]

thanks for the reply.

I don't mind skipping a fish. I just want some motion in there.

[fishwood]

I had a yellow tailed damsel live for two years in a picotope (waits for the impending beating). He didn't die after that, I just traded him away.

Picotope - $50

Live rock - $15 ($5 per pound, 3 lbs)

Sand - $10 for a small caribsea aragonite bag

So $75 to get the thing up and running.

If you want to do just softies, you can stick with the stock light. But don't expect great coloration because the stock picotope light is, to my knowledge, the smallest in all of the saltwater aquarium hobby at just 7 watts. For $25, you can upgrade to an 18 watt dual bulb CF by coralife. And an AC20 with live rock rubble might work better than the stock filter, which I believe is basically just the Azoo palm filter with a generic brand.

[ecostitcher]

For movement, you can add 3 sexy shrimp.

[scaz]

i have a pico and I am thinking about getting some porclien crabs for it.

[leezer]

I have a 3 gallon picotope. I like it alot. As far as the stock equipment, they leave a bit to be desired. I added the coralife 18w 50/50 light and still run the stock 9w 50/50. I also ended up burning out the motor on the HOB filter, so now I have a 66GPH submersible pump pushing water into the HOB filter and also directing some off to the side for circulation.

Overall, I've spent probably about $300 on the tank, parts, and inhabitants. But if you have another tank that you can steal corals from, it should be substantially cheaper...I'd guess about $100.