Office Pico

[new2salt1]

I currently have a betta fish at work and while it is interesting to me, I am pretty much sold on buying a 3 gal pico for like $40, and setting it up in my office with LR, maybe some mushrooms, aragonite sub, and probably just some cool inverts. Prolly not a fish.
Besides keeping thelighting on a timer for the weekend, what other maintenance concerns might I have?
Also, does anyone has experience with these pre-made picos? Is the flow from the "bio-wheel" enough, or do I need to use a small powerhead?
Thanks!!

 

[joebob7]

i have a 3galllon picotope
with some zoos, shrooms hammer coral and GSP
the flow from the filter isnt much and i want to get a small powerhead
the temp is pretty bad because its always changing (but i put a big heater in and its fine now)
i do a water change every 2 weeks for about .75 gallons
the only regular maintenance is adding water for evaporation every 2 days
i feed the corals sometimes too
i hope this helps

 

[new2salt1]

As far as the heater goes, why do you have to use such a big one?
Have you ever seen these Whisper heaters that dont have a knob to adjust the temp? They purport to keep the tank between 77-80; 20 gallons or less will never drop below 77, and it turns off automatically at 80.
I just realized I got one for XMas, and I think I am going to put it in the pico.

 

[krazekajin]

there is a flat heater that is the size of a credit card that my LFS store sells for around $10.00. A person could almost put inside a HOB filter so that it is not in the tank. I have a 3gallon Pico that I love. It has three peppermints, pistol shrimp (my goby passed away) and a serpent star.

 

[joebob7]

the small card heaters DO NOT work (or at least didnt for me)
i had on in my 3 gallon and the tank was always room temperature
the large heater makes sure it never gets too cold
those whisper ones are good with the knob to adjust temp