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My Twin Specs.

9K views 24 replies 8 participants last post by  apocalypto 
#1 · (Edited)
The beginnings of my Spec.


Flora

Java Fern
Anubias (nana or barteri?)
Duckweed
Waiting for my LFS to get their plants shipment to fill it out.

Fauna
White Platinum Plakat (Emrys)

Hardscape
Manzanita Branch
River Stones

Substrate
ADA Amazonia
Fluval Stratum

Light
Ikea JANSJÖ LED Light
warm white (2700 Kelvin).
Energy consumption: 3.0W.

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I'm not currently using the stock LED light because it is being used elsewhere. I don't know how this light compares to the stock light. Hopefully it will keep my lowlight plants alive.

Currently having a problem with my Betta flaring at his reflection in the glass when I put the black background on. Maybe I'll leave it off...and yes the tank is sideways because when it's in it's proper orientation it takes up too much space on my small desk. I don't mind it.



Experimenting with moving the manzanita around.




He is incredibly hard to photograph because unlike my other longfin bettas he is always zooming around. He often looks like a white streak in photos.




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APRIL 2012

 
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#3 ·
THANKS!

I think it needs to be filled out some more though. Maybe a smaller piece of wood lying in the substrate and another anubias perhaps. I will have to see what my LFS gets next week.

Hah, actually the original light is lighting my bowl right now. The reason is because I prefer a warmer light by my desk. The bowl resides next to my aquastyle tank because both have cooler lights.
 
#6 ·
How did you attach that light to a bowl? Or is one surface flat?

My anubias has been perpetually melting away (bought a healthy looking one in one of those Petsmart tubes, grown emersed). Only plant I have that's dying and not perking up :/ and it's supposed to be low maintenance.

You could probably add another anubias on the right, or a crypt for variety. Also some foreground plants, maybe dwarf hair grass?
 
#5 ·
It's still pretty strong, but this guy can take it. I actually think he likes it. The only mods I did were extra sponges in the intake and I didn't stick the tube in the pump completely. It just sort of sits slightly off to the side. I might try stuffing a small piece of sponge in the tube if I see him struggling. So far he is fine.

I tried putting my crowntail in there first, but he didn't like it at all. He was pushed around. He hid behind the stump and would only come out if I unplugged the filter. Then he would sit on the gravel and sulk.
 
#8 ·
Another alternative is marsilea minuta, they do fine in low light. Looks like I had the same idea as you about the light, but couldn't get the Spec light to fit on my vase/bowl. I'll be grabbing the IKEA light with the rounded base, don't have anything to clip onto.

It's a 4.2W LED @ 2700k, it's cheap and I'm mainly looking for an ambient light :) Bet it's probably on par with the Spec stock (can't find ratings anywhere).
 
#12 ·
xenes, which light are you referring to? The Ikea one? I didn't do any mods to it, but I have noticed it flickers sometimes and goes dimmer. I think it's maybe because I splashed water on the bulb accidently so when it goes dim I have to tap the switch for some reason to fix it. I'm not sure how well it will grow my plants especially the repens. I didn't think I could change the bulb on this light.

Also I just got some marsilea variety of some sort. I'm growing it in my ebi first and hopefully it will be a success so I can transfer some here.

Thanks.
 
#14 ·
Yeah the IKEA one. I read that was a common problem, saw this in an Amazon review:

intermittent power switch. Lamp would often go dim then off. Finally pried apart switch and found what I think was a loose piece of plastic. Reassembled it and now it works great. I'm a retired industrial electrician and know how to cope with electrical switches. Don't try this yourself.
Never asked you where you got your betta?
 
#15 ·
xenxes, I guess I won't be opening up my light then. I got my betta from a LFS here in Vancouver. He was being sold as a female in a tank full of his sisters. I'm pretty sure he was mislabeled though.

biogenetic, I like to collect interesting pieces of driftwood when I see then at stores especially manzanita. Lucky that I finally found a purpose for this one.
 
#17 · (Edited)
I put a small, very small slit in the tubing in my Spec. It accomplished nothing, lol. Then I gouged a hole into the tubing as if I was taking apart a side of beef. This actually succeeded in slowing the flow down enough for a Crowntail Betta to swim comfortably in. I also added a strip of filter sponge rubber- banded to the output nozzle. This helped even more. Whe the Crowntail made his way to the Ebi I added a Dragonscale Plakat and his zipping around like crazy. Debating on taking off the sponge on the end of the output now.
 
#18 ·
Update? Hmmm....the betta died of dropsy a few weeks ago. It was rather unexpected. Not sure what caused it, but I think it was food related. I have a killifish in there right now and will try to update with a photo soon.

I did set up another Spec as well for my new halfmoon. Hopefully I will be able to update that as well. They sit side by side. I'm going to need a new light for them both. Hopefully I can use just one light to light them both at once. Thinking the 13 fluval light set an an angle.

As for the current...the killie has no issue with it, but I am running the pump at it's lowest with the tubing removed completely. Instead of the water being directed through the tube, the water just sort of spills out of the hole (removed the nozzle too). I also put extra bio media and sponges in that compartment to slow the water down. I plan on doing the same with the new spec. Hopefully the halfmoon will be able to stand a little current.
 
#20 ·
Hmm...do you think the 13 watt fluval light might be overkill on a single 2 gallon? Isn't that beyond the high end of the lighting/watts per gallon rule? Not sure.

Someone recommended the Coralife T5 11" fixture, but I'm not sure if I like the light sitting directly over the top. I would have to remove it every time I need to feed them.

I was thinking it could light both since I have lowlight to medium light plants with excel. I really don't want algae issues. Plus I think the killie and betta would appreciate a dimmer setting. Opinions?

I will try to take a photo tomorrow of my new Mustard gas halfmoon.
 
#21 ·
Update April 2012.

Original Betta died a few weeks ago. Now I have two specs and one has a pair of Australe Orange Killifish and the other a Halfmoon Betta.

I started a mesh moss wall. Simple Michael's craft mesh and Java moss with suction cups. It was super easy, but all the tutorials I've seen show java moss sandwiched between 2 layers of mesh and then attached to the wall. I only used one layer of mesh and sandwiched the java moss between the mesh and the back wall of the tank because I couldn't fit 2 layers on suction cup due to the thickness.

Just hope it grows. I'm still waiting for my Tom's light so right now it's low low light with my Ikea lamp. Good news is the Betta has already stopped flaring at the back of the tank with the mesh up.

Anyone have suggestions on the moss wall? I'm a little worried the nutrients and light won't get to the moss because of the mesh and back wall. Should I take it apart and use a finer mesh at the back?

 
#23 ·
Update:


My Tom's 9W light finally arrived so now it's lighting both 2 gallon specs at once. The edges are a little dimmer, but I think it will work with what I have planted in there. Though I have to say it's a bit blue for my liking and I prefer a slightly warmer spectrum.

As for plants I added:

Spec Left: Just a little more anubias nana and a small stone with weeping moss attached.

I decided to change the mesh on the wall because the plastic one was just to thick for light to reach the java moss so I used a thinner mesh, but it has smaller squares so that's the downside compared to the plastic. I haven't seen anything really poke through yet :(.

Spec Right: Added anubias nana, pogostemon erectus, more staurogyne repens, some subwassertang, that seems to be breaking apart and just floats around all over the place. It's not nice and thick and a ball like some that I've seen. I'm assuming high light will make it grow tighter?

As for the wall on this side I decided to try a weeping moss sewn on the outside of the mesh instead. It's a lot faster than waiting for it to grow through the mesh. I like it so far. When I have enough weeping moss I might move some more into the left tank.

I'm not sure the betta will be able to sustain this much plant growth so I've started dosing more regularly.

I really like the look of the tanks so far. The bettas seem to enjoy their homes, but the left betta has a case of finrot that won't go away. It started after he blew his tail from excess swimming. He also startles easily so he jerks around a lot which doesn't help. Gah...halfmoons are so finicky. So far treating with salt and small water changes.

The one on the right seems to be doing very well and has huge bubble nests.

Btw, the 2 tanks are separated with a piece of cardstock so the bettas can't see each other so they won't be stressed from excessive flaring.
 
#24 ·
Minor changes today...

Thinned out weeping moss on the right and moved it into the left along with some erectus so that the tank looks some what connected. Gave up on the java moss wall.


Subwassertang - Mine isn't a nice tight ball like ones I've seen. Hopefully this will help.


Weeping Moss - So much nicer than java moss.


Betta - He looks like a flower.


Betta - Still recovering from a case of finrot and blown fin.
 
#25 ·
Hey, your tanks look great! I am going to start on my Spec moss wall tonight, thanks for the inspiration! I have a ton of java moss so I will be using that, I should be able to put it on pretty thick for an almost instant moss wall possibly. I think i will try tying mine to the outside of the wall and not sandwich it...whats the benefit of it being sandwiched?

Funny you said your betta looks like a flower - every time I've seen the first pic of him I think its a flower in there, looks like an orchid! Beautiful fish.
 
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