# My Fluval Spec (Lots of pics)



## Basil (Jul 11, 2011)

Hi all. I'm fairly new to this forum and to planted tanks in general. I picked up a Fluval Spec and decided to run it as a freshwater planted tank. I set it up last night and now it's cycling. Any advice and comments are welcome!

Specs:
Tank: Fluval Spec 2 U.S. Gal.
Light: Stock for now
Heater: Marina C10 
Substrate: Seachem Flourite
C02: None
Flora: Dwarf Hairgrass, Needle Leaf Ludwigia
Fauna: None









Unboxing









Rinsing the Flourite.









Flourite meet tank









Planted and filling









Filled and cycling.

Should I be adding anything to the tank as it cycles to help the plants out? Should I add Excel or API Leaf Zone while it cycles?


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## Basil (Jul 11, 2011)

Update. So I'm pretty sure I did not plant nearly enough plants. It's cycling but I lost two parts of my Needle Leaf. :/ So now the question is what do I add to the middle of the cycle? I tossed in a Anubias Petite so we will see how it does. Ammonia is 0 but I'm off the charts with Nitrites and Nitrates. So do I go more stems or a bunch of floaters like Frogbit or Anarchis?

Pics: 


























If you look closely at the right needle leaf you can see some die off at the base of the plant. Top of the plant is still green and growing?


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## tenzero1 (Nov 29, 2011)

You can separate the DHG out if you want it to eventually spread all over.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Throw in some floaters, great at absorbing nitrites and nitrates. Also, if you have any pre-established tanks squeeze some of the filter mulm into this tank. Will speed up the cycling process a ton.


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## sockfish (Jul 11, 2007)

I use Frogbit and hornwort to help start my tanks.

sox


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## Basil (Jul 11, 2011)

Thanks for the help. Yeah, I got some Frogbit and duckweed so it's gettin tossed in there. Should start multiplying like crazy, since I've got crazy nitrates and nitrites.


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## Deano37 (Jul 17, 2011)

great tank i am currently cycling mine should i add excel or anything to help out plants


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## Basil (Jul 11, 2011)

It does help some. Mainly it's the lighting hat really drives how fast the plants will grow. More light, more uptake of nutrients. I'm going to be upgrading to the Fluval 13 watt powercompact light.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Deano37 said:


> great tank i am currently cycling mine should i add excel or anything to help out plants





Basil said:


> It does help some. Mainly it's the lighting hat really drives how fast the plants will grow. *More light, more uptake of nutrients*. I'm going to be upgrading to the Fluval 13 watt powercompact light.


This is very true. If you're running low medium light plants you can suppliment once a week with excel. However, higher light plants with more lighting will need CO2 injection or excel to supply plants with organic carbon. If you're talking about your shrimp tank Deano37 I would get excel in case of algae bloom, but not really use it unless you must.


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## 150EH (Dec 6, 2004)

I have a larger high tech tank with Flourite red and it's a lot of work getting plants to grow properly and I have no luck with plants that are very demanding. I also have a 2.5 gallon nano with Fluval Stratum, no C02, no ferts, and the plants grow slow but nicely and it's all the plants no matter how demanding. I would consider trying a small bag of Stratum or ADA AS before you add any fish or shrimp, it makes a huge difference.

Oh, it bufferes the water nicely too, my pH, kH, & gH are lower than my tap water so it's great for shrimp, there is only one drawback I forgot to mention the Stratum is super light and moves easily, the AS only drawback is the initial ammonia spike but it is heavy like soil and your plants will grow like crazy.


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## Basil (Jul 11, 2011)

Well my tank is progressing. Here is the newest resident.










So far only added him, new Fluval light (thanks somewhatshocked), and Frogbit as the floating plant. The flow is not overpowering the betta but he will gain some fin strength from swimming in the current.


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## sssnel (Nov 8, 2011)

You are off to a great start! I have a Spec and grow DHG, blyxa and staurogyne repens in there with the stock lighting on for 12 hours a day. I do dose excel daily as well. I have a friend that has hers with DIY CO2 and the stock lighting and it is doing well too.


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## dinosaurodon (Jun 1, 2011)

That's one nice looking betta!


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## Basil (Jul 11, 2011)

Thanks dino. He's pretty sweet lookin. I know when I saw him I was like "Wow, he looks like a koi but blue.


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## pedropete (Feb 27, 2012)

neat set up! how're the plants? have your water parameters stabilized? any updates?


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## Basil (Jul 11, 2011)

Water params are looking fine and this tank is in for a re scape. I've got a nice piece of driftwood to put in here. My plants also getting re done. I'm still gonna have the Ludwigia Arctura but I'm going to add in more DHG and see if I can't get it to carpet more.
I hope to get this all done before I head off to Texas for a 3 day conference. I will be dosing two drops of Excel and only one drop Flourish as well. That should help keep everyone green and happy. I will also be adding in a few root tabs to help out the DHG and other root feeders. Flourite is good but needs some help.


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## atom (Sep 28, 2011)

ooooooh nice betta. Any issues with him and the current?


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## Basil (Jul 11, 2011)

Nope. When I set it up I sanded down the blades of the impeller which reduced flow. I kept the pump on its lowest setting and I put a sponge over the outflow, which also reduced the flow. Artemis is quite content with his home and loves to eat and swim among the plants.


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## Basil (Jul 11, 2011)

Algea update. I've been having algea issues lately with my two nanos and I am positive it's from an unstable water change schedule. Now that summer is here and I now have a full time job everything should begin to fall into place. Today's water change consists of vacuuming out algea and rinsing my sponge out to remove some green hair algae. Can't wait to get my tanks cleaned up and proper again.


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## maxwellag (Mar 30, 2012)

So how's the DHG doing? I also have a Spec.


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## Basil (Jul 11, 2011)

DHG is clumped and has algae in it. It's growing in clumps so it needs to be spread out more and I'll need to manually remove the algae. Also have any pics of your spec?


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## maxwellag (Mar 30, 2012)

Basil said:


> DHG is clumped and has algae in it. It's growing in clumps so it needs to be spread out more and I'll need to manually remove the algae. Also have any pics of your spec?


Not right now, because all that's in it right now is sand. lol. I have plants growing to go into that tank, but I am waiting on the co2 system.


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## Basil (Jul 11, 2011)

Update - decided to re do the tank. Removed the algae filled DHG and planted some microsword instead. I've got some driftwood soaking currently and will place it in the tank soon. Also put a big Anubias in as well. Enjoy.


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## smirkis (Oct 1, 2012)

any updates on this? how's that light working out for you? i'm trying to decide if i should upgrade to that light or get a stronger led light for my spec. im curious to how your tank looks now tho, its been almost 5 months since you posted a pic!


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## Basil (Jul 11, 2011)

Well I have no new pics and the light I currently have on there is prefect both in size and power. The spec is currently undergoing some work and I'm adding in some driftwood plus more plants. I highly recommend the Fluval 13 watt fixture. As far as led lights go I have seen one person used this on their tank.


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## andrewss (Oct 17, 2012)

nice spec, I am waiting for my spec 2 gallon to come in the mail and I actually went with the 13 watt clamping light too - good to see you are happy with that setup


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## Basil (Jul 11, 2011)

Yup! It's a great light and it fits perfectly.


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## Basil (Jul 11, 2011)

New FTS 1-30-13


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## Basil (Jul 11, 2011)

Added a small piece of DW. Enjoy.


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## Basil (Jul 11, 2011)

Update - Jungle Mode


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## Basil (Jul 11, 2011)

All cleaned up. Pulled the Pothos plant out and now it's planted in it's own pot and trimmed the roots of my frog bit. Also built a ring to keep it confined and allow more light into the tank. Enjoy.


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## I<3<*))))>< (Jun 10, 2013)

Looking nice!! 
I was thinking of getting some frogbit for my Flora, but was worried about it stealing the light from the other plants. Really digging that ring idea with the tubing! I'll be doing it that way if/when I add some to the tank.


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## Basil (Jul 11, 2011)

It really helps. It makes it easier for me to feed my betta, since he doesn't have to fight through the frog bit now. And now maybe the DHG that is in there will grow a bit more now.


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## Basil (Jul 11, 2011)

Update 

Planted some S. Repens since the DHG was pretty slow to fill in without co2. Enjoy!


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## horsedude (Nov 10, 2012)

Nice Betta, the colourations almost look like they have magnetic propaties. How are the plants doing?
Good luck


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## parrottbay (May 14, 2012)

update?


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## AlbertoniO (Apr 22, 2014)

Nice tank you have there. Especially loving the Betta and your floating plants. I have a fluval chi and since the LEDs are submerged I might consider putting some of those. There is some environmental light. You reckon that would be enough??


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## shoteh (Nov 13, 2007)

Is my eyes messing with me or has that betta changed colors throughout your progress.


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## Basil (Jul 11, 2011)

Update - 

You're eyes do not deceive you, that is a new betta I got. The first one wound up getting dropsy and passed. So what you think of the tank now?


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## parrottbay (May 14, 2012)

Put an otto in there as a friend...  He will help with the brown algae


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