2G Fluval Spec Pico
 

Got a Fluval Spec sans for $10. Figured I'd take a shot at a pico.

DIY Skimmer:
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...ps392170be.jpg
In action:
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...ps99fef781.jpg

It works! (Kinda); It does skim out gunk however it seems to accumulate more in the airline tube than the bottle (had to clean out the airline tubing tonight):
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...ps8d763632.jpg
Everything together (without the back partition):
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...ps96750a56.jpg

For lighting I settled on a Zetlight:
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...psb89a3fee.jpg

Hmmm:


Sand and rock:
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...ps6118854d.jpg

With water (light isn't actually as purple as my camera makes it out to be):
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...pscc3e2a36.jpg


Fast forward a month and a half. The algae plague is my fault for continually forgetting to buy a timer switch (plus forgetting to turn the light off...):
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...ps4f0a44fc.jpg

So I bought a snail (hasn't quite caught up to the algae):
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...ps6273c93a.jpg

Also bought a hermit crab (the blue berry mushroom and montipora I just moved from my other system).
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...ps75d2b070.jpg

Sorry about the crappy photo quality. My cellphone camera doesn't seem to agree with the Zetlight. I'll eventually get around to using my real camera.

Suggestions on livestock?
I do actually have two ricordea's in there.