[MABJ]

Hey all, thanks for reading another of my journals. This tank has come a long way, and I'd like to preface the whole story of this tank with a full tank shot that I'll keep pretty current.

------- The journey from the beginning.

I've been saving this for a weekend project, and a lot of my business just cleared up, so I can finally get to this!

I've recently started an 18" long 2.5 gal tank and it has sucked up my time and resources, but it is set up and has fauna in it now. But now this tank will be my focus for a while!

So if you don't know the dimensions of a Fluval Spec, it is almost awkwardly tall.

Roughly 10" tall, 6" deep and 7" across. Something like that.

I'll have some rocks to work with

And some driftwood


And of course the tank, which will be a clean slate. No plants, removing this gravel and cleaning the tank up.


Basically I'll be working with a cycled this:


Finally, I hope to keep nerites, ramshorns and only CRS in this tank.

 

[MABJ]

OK! So after a miserable time cleaning the tank out, I rinsed it out and cleaned some scum off the glass.

I took out all the snails I could find, had a hard lesson about what springtails are and trashed all the gravel.

I replaced everything, so it will probably take some time to build my old BB and the tank goodies up for the shrimp.

Let me know if anybody has suggestions! The tank just got flooded and I applied some moss.

I'd love some plant suggestions.






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[MABJ]

I added some moss and flooded it. Hopefully it'll all take off, cycle quick and I'll get all the micro fauna that are so good for shrimp




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[MABJ]

Had to leave the lights off today unfortunately. But I did get some H. Formosa I'm excited about. I think I'm going to put 4 in here.. I may need to take my time before I get the CRS and just go with some rillis or something of the sort until I'm 100% confident this is ready.


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[MABJ]

Update:

Well I haven't done much, but I know the good stuff is growing! Some of my moss has made progress, but I'm havin issues keeping my Anubias Petite down.

I have noticed the oddest thing... Seems some seeds or something escaped my cleaning. I've got some interesting plants growing emerged well and submerged decent. Can anybody ID them?



The second is hard to see, but there are 4. 2 in and 2 out. All are growing on wood.

Also, I want to put some of my Least Killifish in here but I'm not sure if the flow is too much. Thoughts anybody?

Current FTS



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[MABJ]

I'd love some responses on this! The Moss is starting to grow out, and it has a CPO in it temporarily.

Let me know what you all think of the scape.


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[Basil]

Anything new with this Spec?

 

[MABJ]

Anything new with this Spec?

Heyya! Just waiting for some feedback. There's not much interest in this spec I guess.


It is playing host to a naughty male crayfish that hurt its female partner.

Thanks for commenting

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[mr2]

Highly recommend the flual 13w pc lap for your spec if you can score one cheap. As you know I went saltwater with mine recently but prior to that it was my desk tank and when I got one it made a big difference, it really brightens up the flaura and fauna.

 

[MABJ]

Highly recommend the flual 13w pc lap for your spec if you can score one cheap. As you know I went saltwater with mine recently but prior to that it was my desk tank and when I got one it made a big difference, it really brightens up the flaura and fauna.

Really!!! I was looking for some discussion on this... I thought it might be TOO much light.. 13W on a 2g? Sounds like merit for Co2


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[MABJ]

I've got a resident crayfish in here, which is keeping me from bringing other tankmates in it, as I'm sure he'll harass them. He's kinda mean! He looks at me when I come around, but when I try to net him, he's gone. >_<

I tried to net him because I'm going to put CRS in here, as the title presumes, but he's preventing that.

I will say I had to move this tank from college to home for a month, and it proves to be a very easy tank to move, whereas long tanks are a PITA to move.

 

[DoubleT]

Love the driftwood! What kind of rock is in the tank? Can't wait to see it with some shrimp.

 

[MABJ]

Love the driftwood! What kind of rock is in the tank? Can't wait to see it with some shrimp.

Oh thanks so much!

This is sandstone by bartohog. I need to reposition the top piece a little. Actually, let me do that. This thread deserves a FTS update.

 

[MABJ]

Alright. So the moss has filled in a little, and I put a little nylon to reduce the flow by a bit, so I can put some struggling fry or shrimp in here to stretch and heal.

Other than that, I've been letting things happen. Feeding hen necessary!

FTS:



And my temporary ruler of this tank (LOL):




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[mr2]

Cool crayfish maybe you should just leave him in there! As for the fluval 13w light, it's rally not too much light IME, although it certainly could warrant co2 or at least excel. A better idea to reduce the flow would be to put a small hole in the tube leading from the pump to the outflow piece, right near the top, maybe 3/16", not bigger. The other benefit of doing it that way is that you can put your heater back there if you do. Otherwise if you put the heater there it won't work correctly because it heats up that small space quickly and then shuts off right away leaving the rest of the tank cold. Another thing about specs.... They all leak eventually alt least a little bit so next time you redo the tank I'd re silicone it. Also the foam filter doesn't work as well as plain old filter floss jammed in the back compartment, I use accrurel brand floss with great results. What ever happened to the plant growing out of the driftwood?

 

[MABJ]

Phew that's a lot to respond to! Thank you!

-I don't think I'll be picking up that light unless I really need to, I kinda like this stock light.

-As for leaving the cray in there, I agree he's neat as all hell! I like him a lot, even more as he's been alone. But this tank is going to be a species only tank for SS-SSS crystals from Nick. I actually just ordered my solution tank it should solve everything. It is another Deep Blue Professional (The best siliconed, rimmed tanks I've ever handled) tank. One gallon with a divider down the middle. I haven't figured out exactly how I'll do biological filtration along with mechanical, but I don't believe I'll need much. There will only be two crayfish in it. If I have an abundance of bad neos, a few neos too. It'll be full to the brim with mosses and driftwood.

-Filtration, yeah I heard about that before, but I'm trying something completely new now. I'm going to do a canister on this tank I will custom fit the tubes and pipes and *hopefully* it will make this tank 100% CRS ready.

-Spec leaking... Wow this is one of the best quality tanks I've ever owned.. And I've had a lot of different tanks in the past. I've never had a leaking issue with mine, and this will be my second year with it soon. I hope it holds out. I move it 6 times a year lol.


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[MABJ]

Oh and the plants growing on the driftwood are still there lmao. I just kinda let them go. I'll snap a picture. Tbh I think it is grass 0.O. 🙉



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[mr2]

Phew that's a lot to respond to! Thank you!

-I don't think I'll be picking up that light unless I really need to, I kinda like this stock light.

-As for leaving the cray in there, I agree he's neat as all hell! I like him a lot, even more as he's been alone. But this tank is going to be a species only tank for SS-SSS crystals from Nick. I actually just ordered my solution tank it should solve everything. It is another Deep Blue Professional (The best siliconed, rimmed tanks I've ever handled) tank. One gallon with a divider down the middle. I haven't figured out exactly how I'll do biological filtration along with mechanical, but I don't believe I'll need much. There will only be two crayfish in it. If I have an abundance of bad neos, a few neos too. It'll be full to the brim with mosses and driftwood.

-Filtration, yeah I heard about that before, but I'm trying something completely new now. I'm going to do a canister on this tank I will custom fit the tubes and pipes and *hopefully* it will make this tank 100% CRS ready.

-Spec leaking... Wow this is one of the best quality tanks I've ever owned.. And I've had a lot of different tanks in the past. I've never had a leaking issue with mine, and this will be my second year with it soon. I hope it holds out. I move it 6 times a year lol.


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A canister huh? I'm guessing like a toms mini or something, sounds sweet. Ya know that's kind of overkill though, you could just get a cheap hob filter and combined with the specs internal filter it would be just fine. You could get a big one like a tetra whisper 20 and mod it to fit, or just get this one that fits with no modification and the best part is it'd only cost you 9 bucks!
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=9821
the inlet on the hob pulls water in and down, the same way the specs design does no custom plumbing required. As you know I am using the filter floss, so I just poked the inlet pipe of the hob through it, but I was thinking it would work great if you froze the foam filter the spec comes with and then drilled a hole for the hob inlet pipe. The canister would be nice for the increased water volume though. You could also do a sump like I'm doing in my thread, with a 1/2" PVC overflow, but if you're moving constantly that would be a pain in the butt.

As for the specs leaking, yes they do tend to leak a tiny bit after a long time of use. The owner of my LFS has had a bunch set up and they all do it after am few years. I bought the spec the day it came out and mine started leaking 6 months ago. It's really not a big deal, just a few drops and once it gets down to about an inch from the rim it stops leaking strangely. I wouldn't go putting it on a mahogany desk or anything is all I'm saying, it's not going to empty itself overnight or anything though.

As for your mini crayfish holding tanks, you can make some DIY tiny sponge filters. Just go get 2 fluval chi filter sponges from petco for 2 bucks each, they're like a round cylinder of foam with the inside drilled out. Then get a short length of tubing the same diameter as the hole in the chi filter sponge (it's the same size as the aqueon water changer tubing cause that's what I used) drill holes in the tubing inside the foam piece so water can get through the foam, and run an airline tube down to the bottom of your brand new 3 dollar sponge filter! You could also run them both off one air pump using a gang valve. Lmk if you want me to snap a pic of my setup like this.

 

[MABJ]

A canister huh? I'm guessing like a toms mini or something, sounds sweet. Ya know that's kind of overkill though, you could just get a cheap hob filter and combined with the specs internal filter it would be just fine. You could get a big one like a tetra whisper 20 and mod it to fit, or just get this one that fits with no modification and the best part is it'd only cost you 9 bucks!
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=9821
the inlet on the hob pulls water in and down, the same way the specs design does no custom plumbing required. As you know I am using the filter floss, so I just poked the inlet pipe of the hob through it, but I was thinking it would work great if you froze the foam filter the spec comes with and then drilled a hole for the hob inlet pipe. The canister would be nice for the increased water volume though. You could also do a sump like I'm doing in my thread, with a 1/2" PVC overflow, but if you're moving constantly that would be a pain in the butt.

As for the specs leaking, yes they do tend to leak a tiny bit after a long time of use. The owner of my LFS has had a bunch set up and they all do it after am few years. I bought the spec the day it came out and mine started leaking 6 months ago. It's really not a big deal, just a few drops and once it gets down to about an inch from the rim it stops leaking strangely. I wouldn't go putting it on a mahogany desk or anything is all I'm saying, it's not going to empty itself overnight or anything though.

As for your mini crayfish holding tanks, you can make some DIY tiny sponge filters. Just go get 2 fluval chi filter sponges from petco for 2 bucks each, they're like a round cylinder of foam with the inside drilled out. Then get a short length of tubing the same diameter as the hole in the chi filter sponge (it's the same size as the aqueon water changer tubing cause that's what I used) drill holes in the tubing inside the foam piece so water can get through the foam, and run an airline tube down to the bottom of your brand new 3 dollar sponge filter! You could also run them both off one air pump using a gang valve. Lmk if you want me to snap a pic of my setup like this.

Wow awesome stuff.

Please do lemme know how you do yours. I was just going to buy some online. I don't have a petco around unfortunately.

I'm nervous now! I've never siliconed anything.

The canister isn't toms mini, as I've heard terrible things about it.

It is a zoomed 501! I am planning on yanking the stock filtration, maybe I can use it to fashion a filter for the new tank lol. I'll modify the tubes to fit the spec.

I wanted the extra water volume, extra filtration + mechanical filtration. I'm planning on CRS and I don't like the occasional ammonia spikes I get with the stock filter.


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[MABJ]

I think I had a smashing success.

I received my zoomed 501 today. It took a learning curve to put it together, figure out how it runs, ect. I assessed the tubes, and I still may cut the rubber tubes, but I used a copper tube cutter to cut my thick plastic pipes.

I measured, measured again, cut them and assembled things. I rinsed the unit out, then I hooked it up with the old filtration system still in place. It works reaaaaaaaaaaaallllllllllllllllllllly well.

I might not even pull the stock pump? Everything seems to be perfect. You be the judge.



First picture is before I got it all into position.



Everything is now on and in position.




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