let me see some FLUVAL SPEC V'S

[AwkwardShrimp]

this is my spec v i picked it up on black friday.
crappy phone pics, might edit later with better pics
Stock everything

Substrate is something sold as a planted tank substrate with bacteria for instant fish adding? Not as good as a properly cycled filter but hey better than nothing in my book.

Fauna is around 25 maculata rasboras(hard to count them)

Flora is DHG in the front. Java fern windelov, java fern narrow leaf, anubias afzelii, and anubias nana
all the java and anubias are tied to red lava rock so i place seriyu stone in front to hide that

will my DHG survive no ferts, excel, co2? i know it will not carpet in the tank without co2 etc.. but will it survive? dont want it melting

[vnghost]

those must be tiny to have 25 of them.

[STS_1OO]

I think i'll be upgrading the light to a Finnex 16" Fugeray which will output about 30 PAR at the 12" height (from substrate). I think that, with some root tabs and infrequent ferting will maintain dense growth of the low-to-medium light plants.

I was going to go with the Ray II which is a nice LED assembly but at 50 PAR for the 16-inch and 72 PAR for the 18-inch at 12" height, it will put me squarely in the high-medium to high light range warranting CO2 and the whole deal. (I'm still hoping to get some confirmation from our TPT light experts with this).

I'm thinking crypt parva, wendtii, java ferns and some reds to make the tank pop. Ideally, I want growth to be compact and low (not a fan of tall plants that reach teh surface in short, rectangular tanks).

All of this without having to upgrade to CO2 or a regular ferting regime. I'll let you know how it works out.

[hoody123]

Well, I'll let you know how it goes with the Ray II when I get it. I've got CO2 in my Spec V, so I'm looking forward to the results I might (might not, who knows?) achieve .

[edjonaso]

Originally Posted by hoody123

Well, I'll let you know how it goes with the Ray II when I get it. I've got CO2 in my Spec V, so I'm looking forward to the results I might (might not, who knows?) achieve .

I'm really interested to hear the result, I'm currently running a Finnex Fugeray 16" + CO2 on my Spec V but due to the layout design there's a shaded area near the back of my tank, so i feel like i could use a little more light for my tank.

I'm thinking of upgrading to Ray II but after reading the PAR data, I'm not sure if I'm ready for a high light setup.

My plan B is to get a 20" Fugeray for better light coverage.

[AquaMD]

I have found out that if you don't cover the hole midway down on the filter wall, you barely get any surface water into the overflow.

I had a film on the surface and watched it - it would go into the filter then then right back out. Once I covered the other hole, the surface skimming was much better.

I realize the hole is there for the avg consumer that buys this tank and is used to a hob filter where the water level is not as important. The hole prevents the pump from running dry but it completely messes up the filter design.

[MABJ]

Originally Posted by AquaMD

I have found out that if you don't cover the hole midway down on the filter wall, you barely get any surface water into the overflow.

I had a film on the surface and watched it - it would go into the filter then then right back out. Once I covered the other hole, the surface skimming was much better.

I realize the hole is there for the avg consumer that buys this tank and is used to a hob filter where the water level is not as important. The hole prevents the pump from running dry but it completely messes up the filter design.

How did you plug it? In the normal 2g spec it is the same way. I put mesh in there to stop my shrimplets AND adult shrimp from getting stuck in there.


MABJ's iDevice used for this message :p

[AquaMD]

Originally Posted by MABJ

How did you plug it? In the normal 2g spec it is the same way. I put mesh in there to stop my shrimplets AND adult shrimp from getting stuck in there.


MABJ's iDevice used for this message :p

If I thought of it before I set up the tank, I would of filled it with some aquarium silicone. For now I just put a thin filter pad in front of it. It's good enough now to divert most of the water flow. Going to look for a thin sheet of plastic to cover the how, the sponge will keep it plastered against the wall.

[ownedbycats]

I just got a Spec V, and am just starting to set it up. It's not really a planted tank at this point, more of an UN-planted tank, since my fish store has basically no low light plants available right now.
You said the pump goes straight to the bottom? with the suction cups pointed at the floor of the tank. so does the cord go in the outside corner of the tank, or next to the compartment with the sponge? The pictures aren't very helpful with cord placement.

EDIT: Never mind, I got it in. Still seems weird to have the tube going on a slant across the space.

[DBenz]

I've also noticed the surface skimming isn't very adequate, good idea to plug up the bottom hole or atleast put a piece of sponge in it to reduce flow.

I got impatient with my shrimp hiding in the tank so they went back into their 2 gallon evolve tank and I picked up 1.2 Fundulopanchax garderni at a semi local fish store. Pygmy Corydoras in the future.

[STS_1OO]

Originally Posted by edjonaso

I'm really interested to hear the result, I'm currently running a Finnex Fugeray 16" + CO2 on my Spec V but due to the layout design there's a shaded area near the back of my tank, so i feel like i could use a little more light for my tank.

I'm thinking of upgrading to Ray II but after reading the PAR data, I'm not sure if I'm ready for a high light setup.

My plan B is to get a 20" Fugeray for better light coverage.

I actually just ordered the same light (fugeray 16") and am a little disconcerned to read that.

Overall though, save for that shaded area, how is the lighting? Enough for solid, compact growth without the need for CO2?

I'd appreciate your feedback, thanks!

[daylily]

Someone gave me a bunch of plants to try. Some are really losing lots of leaves and some leaves are turning black from the tip to the stem. They have been in the Spec V for 3-4 weeks.

Can anyone recommend a better lighting system? I dont really want to try CO2 with this Spec V. I would rather wait until I get a 40 long going.

Also, I bought Flourish, and Flourish trace, but do not know how much of each to give how often.

Thanks!

[STS_1OO]

Originally Posted by daylily

Someone gave me a bunch of plants to try. Some are really losing lots of leaves and some leaves are turning black from the tip to the stem. They have been in the Spec V for 3-4 weeks.

Can anyone recommend a better lighting system? I dont really want to try CO2 with this Spec V. I would rather wait until I get a 40 long going.

Also, I bought Flourish, and Flourish trace, but do not know how much of each to give how often.

Thanks!

Well its tough to say whats going on when you say "bunch of plants" lol. Plants vary and have different requirements.

The right way about this is to select the type of plants you want and buy appropriate lighting. Alternatively, if you can hang lights and have a small enough tank, you can oversize the lights for future hight tech ventures and just raise it so the PAR levels at the substrate put you in low light range.

Having said that, I ordered the 16-inch Fugeray. After much back and forth and many responses from TPT members, I think the 30 PAR at 12" depth it gives is the way to go (as opposed to something like the Ray II which for the 16-inch was 49 PAR at 12") for no CO2 and simple fert regime.

As for the ferts, the bottle tells you how much to place in the tank. For now I'd begin with that. But you should consider reading up on ferts and such. They add nitrates to your tank and generally require waters changes, the size and frequency of which depend on how often and how much your fert.

Its really work reading up on all of this before diving in head first. (Many of us learned the hard way lol)

[vnghost]

Originally Posted by daylily

Someone gave me a bunch of plants to try. Some are really losing lots of leaves and some leaves are turning black from the tip to the stem. They have been in the Spec V for 3-4 weeks.

Can anyone recommend a better lighting system? I dont really want to try CO2 with this Spec V. I would rather wait until I get a 40 long going.

Also, I bought Flourish, and Flourish trace, but do not know how much of each to give how often.

Thanks!

If I remember right it's 1 ml per 10 gallons of water. So half of that. Each line on the inside of the cap is 1ml. I don't dose my tank at all and growth is slow but is growing.

[daylily]

Sorry, I am new to this. I am trying my best to learn.

I have a syringe like thing that came from my vet (never used) that is for up to 1 ml, so easy to get .5 Was not sure if I should use the full amount that the labels say to. Although I am new to planted aquariums, I have been a perennial (outdoor) gardener for 30 years. I know that outside, it's better to under fertilize, as it can build up in the soil. I'm thinking the same idea might apply to aquarium planted tanks?

I have been doing a 50% water change once a week.

I've been trying to read up on this, but there is so much conflicting info, it's hard to know what to do. Do you have a website or article that you would recommend that I go by?

The plants were from a member of a local fish club. He had me bring water to test, and knew the spectrum and strength of my lighting on the Spec V, and tried to give me plants that would work.

It should be noted that my well water is really hard, and PH is 7.6 or 7.8 depending which test I go by. Tank is cycled, and has one betta in it so far.

I will list what I have ID for...
These seem to be doing well - developing roots and growing from the tip...
Hygrophila polysperma 'Rosanervig', Brazilian pennywort, Water Wisteria (Hygrophila difformis), Hornwort, Cryptocoryne wendtii sp 'Green Gecko'., Hygrophila sp 'Bold' (doing really well - no leaf loss and growing roots out of the stem, and still dark bronzy burgundy color), Java Fern, Egeria najas/Narrow Leaf Elodea

These are the ones loosing lots of leaves and don't look to good...
Bacopa australis, Water Sprite, Italian Leopard vals, Hygrophila sp 'Tiger', Nesaea triflora

They person who gave them to me thought the ones that are not doing well could be because of lighting, water parameters, or damage when I am planting them.

There is a photo of the tank earlier in the thread.

Sorry, didn't mean to take the thread on a side track.