Whos got the oldest pico?
- Thread starter Bri Guy
- Start date
reefer1024
New member
I ran a 2.5 pico for 2 and a half years before I upgraded it. I miss that tank 
buttons buster
New member
picos are possible I had a pico for over a year but took it down to upgrade
saltman123
New member
Pics are WAY Possible. Head over to nano-reef-dot-com and you will find a ton of people rocking them out. They have motivated me to eventually set up a nice 3 gallon pico. Now I am just waiting to find the time in my life.
adam.crouch
New member
mines been running for over a year now 
its 15litres
its 15litresglennr1978
New member
I know of a 10g that has been running for over 6 years.
I took mine down about a year ago. It had been running for a little over three years. I just got tired of taking care of two tanks, so I put everything into my 30 cube.
brandon429
Well-known member
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Good thread. yes this is a completely valid concern, I hardly see any picos that last over a year as well and I constantly look for them on the boards.
I wouldn't consider a 10 gallon a pico IMO... one good way to start verifying age is to look at coralline growth in picos, that too is as rare as a year+ life span, and frankly it usually takes the better part of a year to paint the inside of any tank purple. I have seen quick coralline in well-dosed picos, but not enough to fill up a tank within the year.
Sorry to hijack but my reefbowl was 2.5 years old at the time of filming on this link, it lived to 3 yrs before my ac crashed one day and killed it. I set up another one that is now 1.8 yrs old, it's just like this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3lhEeOCpao
also check out the links provided in the information portion of the vid, those are year+ as well
I think that another intersting aspect to consider is the -scaling- of these systems across the board and that relationship to larger (more commonly acceptable) reefs...scaling insofar as larger reefs need sometimes a gallon of topoff water per day, and picos need usually a shot glass, larger tanks get fist-sized frags, picos get thumb-sized...larger tanks need 50+pounds of live rock to fill out an aquascape, most picos need about 3 lbs...
the scaling I'm particularly interested in scientifically is life-span/metabolic scaling such as developing old tank syndrome (in picos that have sand beds) vs the timing of larger reefs developing OTS with the usual care methods...even though the critique exists that any pico under a year was temporary holdings, the same could be said for the vast vast majority of larger tanks that don't make it to 5 years. So, in scale, a year+ pico in my opinion is the equivalent of a 5-8 year old larger reef, still only in the top 2% of reefkeepers IMO!!
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Good thread. yes this is a completely valid concern, I hardly see any picos that last over a year as well and I constantly look for them on the boards.
I wouldn't consider a 10 gallon a pico IMO... one good way to start verifying age is to look at coralline growth in picos, that too is as rare as a year+ life span, and frankly it usually takes the better part of a year to paint the inside of any tank purple. I have seen quick coralline in well-dosed picos, but not enough to fill up a tank within the year.
Sorry to hijack but my reefbowl was 2.5 years old at the time of filming on this link, it lived to 3 yrs before my ac crashed one day and killed it. I set up another one that is now 1.8 yrs old, it's just like this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3lhEeOCpao
also check out the links provided in the information portion of the vid, those are year+ as well
I think that another intersting aspect to consider is the -scaling- of these systems across the board and that relationship to larger (more commonly acceptable) reefs...scaling insofar as larger reefs need sometimes a gallon of topoff water per day, and picos need usually a shot glass, larger tanks get fist-sized frags, picos get thumb-sized...larger tanks need 50+pounds of live rock to fill out an aquascape, most picos need about 3 lbs...
the scaling I'm particularly interested in scientifically is life-span/metabolic scaling such as developing old tank syndrome (in picos that have sand beds) vs the timing of larger reefs developing OTS with the usual care methods...even though the critique exists that any pico under a year was temporary holdings, the same could be said for the vast vast majority of larger tanks that don't make it to 5 years. So, in scale, a year+ pico in my opinion is the equivalent of a 5-8 year old larger reef, still only in the top 2% of reefkeepers IMO!!
saltman123
New member
As I mentioned before, there is a different forum dedicated solely to nano's, and pico's. Countless pico's around 3 gallons running for over a year.
here is one of my favorite's that just got Tank of the month:
If you want to read 16 pages worth of progress you can read:
Pico
That forum is FULL of pico's.
Have faith!
here is one of my favorite's that just got Tank of the month:
If you want to read 16 pages worth of progress you can read:
Pico
That forum is FULL of pico's.
Have faith!
tinyreef
New member
i think much of this topic deals with the ease of an upgrade with a pico versus the hassles of doing the same with a macro/traditional tank.
for instance, my current display tank (75g oceanic) is something i know is a ginormous pita to upgrade/change/teardown. so my subconscious thought is that it's going to be in position for the next x-amount of years...whether i like it or not. :lol:
but frankly, its previous incarnation (72g aga bow) only existed its last couple of years of its lifespan (8+ years) because of personal inertia, i.e. laziness.
whereas a nano (especially a pico) is simply an afternoon's worth of setup or tear-down. the ease of that (versus the mega-project of a macro tank teardown) greatly increases the chances of changing over to another tank or setup just because the hobbyist's tastes/whims change.
imo, it's very much like "how often do most people change houses?" versus "how often do they change cars?"
but there's no reason (imho) why a nano/pico or macro tank can't last until the silicone seals give. nothing lasts forever but "time limitations" have never affected my decisions in tearing down or changing over.
otoh, personal laziness
and cost (in terms of money or time) have always been the motivators.
for instance, my current display tank (75g oceanic) is something i know is a ginormous pita to upgrade/change/teardown. so my subconscious thought is that it's going to be in position for the next x-amount of years...whether i like it or not. :lol:
but frankly, its previous incarnation (72g aga bow) only existed its last couple of years of its lifespan (8+ years) because of personal inertia, i.e. laziness.
whereas a nano (especially a pico) is simply an afternoon's worth of setup or tear-down. the ease of that (versus the mega-project of a macro tank teardown) greatly increases the chances of changing over to another tank or setup just because the hobbyist's tastes/whims change.
imo, it's very much like "how often do most people change houses?" versus "how often do they change cars?"
but there's no reason (imho) why a nano/pico or macro tank can't last until the silicone seals give. nothing lasts forever but "time limitations" have never affected my decisions in tearing down or changing over.
otoh, personal laziness
and cost (in terms of money or time) have always been the motivators.harleychic
New member
I started my 3 gal. April of 2006. It's a Tom Decokit. Stock filter for flow only, small heater and 2x18w pc. It's nothing exciting, a few small coral frags and some sexy shrimp, but it is the easiest tank I've ever owned!
adolfo425
New member
You guys are right Picos are pretty easy to keep if you can keep all parameters of the water in check and do regular maintenance on the tank. I have also seen a lot of picos get upgraded within a years time frame. Reason for this is mostly because people run out of space to load more colorful corals or want more fish in their setup. I have also seen tanks run for long periods of time. I am hoping i can keep mine running for longer than a year.
Adolfo
Adolfo
My 2.5 has been up and running for over A year and a half, and is in my opinion, a very health tank, but it does take a special type of attention. This is my smallest tank ever, the largest 230 gal, this one is more fun, but much more exacting in patients.
I am now hooked on picos/nanos
I am now hooked on picos/nanos
buttons buster
New member
Hey daniel I would love to see some pictures if possible thanks
yellowslayer13
Premium Member
I had my 3 gallon up for 20 months before I upgraded. I would have kept it but my mother said only one tank
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