# Fluval SPEC!!!



## GhostRider (Jan 17, 2011)

Okay guys i just got my Fluval SPEC for very cheap. Any way I'm going to take my time with this one seeing how this is my first tank ive bought and I'm actually going to plan out. So id like to see lots of pics of what your guys Fluval SPEC's look like! Also please answer a couple of questions for me. Such as; How many watts is the 31 LED light? and What mosses and plants do you think i can put in this tank as good options. Also should i go wood or rock hard scape? Here is what i was thinking....

Substrate; Either Brown Florite, or maybe aqua soil of some sort? (suggestions)

Light; The stock one. i was thinking it would be cool to maybe cut the back of the lid and add two of these lights if i wish to grow higher light plants. (thoughts on this)

Plants; I am thinking maybe a HC (what exactly is that stuff really called?) or DHG carpet. Maybe a taller plant in the back. and some sort of moss. I could just go moss. (thoughts once again).

Stock; I'm thinking about trying my hand at RCS breeding. Do you think they will do good in here? Do you think i could get a small fish also? but that's minor.

Also my last two questions are do you think it has enough filtration stock? And what heater do you recommend?

P.S. I love the no equipment look of this tank!!! Cant get enough of it. only three wires (Heater, Light, Pump) and you only see a little nozzle! So amazing. roud:


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## Loop (Jan 8, 2011)

HC = Dwarf Baby Tears = Hemianthus Callitrichoides


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## GhostRider (Jan 17, 2011)

Forgot to mention i plan on dosing Excell every day and thoughts on maybe Co2?


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## !shadow! (Jan 25, 2010)

you have a lot of options my friend. l recommend getting a list of things you want and don't want in the tank sort of like a plan. That way you're a bit more organized and you scape what you like and what you don't like. lf you fail to plan you plan to fail as the old saying goes. l have the same dilema as you do at times but then l remember to narrow it down to what l like and then l go from there. One step at a time would really help. Something like this
plants:
do's-
don't-
fish:
same
high light tank or..low light tank this will decide wether you will need co2,ferts(you can still add it but if you wanna dish out the extra cash for regulator, co2 tank, glassware and etc. ferts as well. excel is a expensive alternative to co2 unless you got a small tank. 

ada soil would be perfect for hc if you decide to go that route. pm me if you need more help l gotta go to bed for work tomorrow. good luck


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## EKLiu (Jan 14, 2010)

The light uses 7 watts. I don't think its bright enough to grow a nice carpet of HC.

The filter is more than enough for the size of the tank. It could easily provide filtration for 5X the water IMHO.

Shrimp will do just fine, I have 3 CRS and 3 RCS in mine. I do think it will get crowded once they start breeding though.


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## antbug (May 28, 2010)

I have blyxa and petite nana in mine right now and they seem to be growing fine. I'll take a pick later tonight and post.


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## GhostRider (Jan 17, 2011)

Thank you I love the pics lol. With the shrimp just as soon as they get big enough some of the babys are going to the pet shop. I was thinking of maybe a root like affect in the back with some petite nana, maybe a lil java moss on the branch and a carpet of glosso. I am also thinking of DHG in the back for more cover.

So thats the update. thoughts are very much apriciated.

Also i was wondering wat the best heater you think is for this thing. havin a hard time finding anything that small. and the small fluval mat heaters.
Thanks for the comments guys.


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## antbug (May 28, 2010)

crappy cell phone pic, but here it is...


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## GhostRider (Jan 17, 2011)

That is awsome!! Thats inspiration for mine right there haha. what heater are you using and what are you keeping in there as far as livestock?


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## antbug (May 28, 2010)

GhostRider said:


> That is awsome!! Thats inspiration for mine right there haha. what heater are you using and what are you keeping in there as far as livestock?


 
No heater. I will be keeping RCS and/or BTOE in this tank. 

Last night I came home to this....


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## antbug (May 28, 2010)

My son was using my nightstand to climb up on my bed and ..... let just say it's a good thing he didn't get hurt.

I do have to say I was impressed with the tank after the fall. Nothing wrong at all. The light was covered with water and AS and after a quick dry off, it turned right on.

The tank is now set up in my office where it should have been in the 1st place.


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## GhostRider (Jan 17, 2011)

Thats is amazing. Definatly shows the quality of the tank and light. Also a blessing your son wasnt hurt. Hope you can get your tank looking back the way it was..

And i was wondering what are BTOE?


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## GhostRider (Jan 17, 2011)

I now have a pic over in aquascaping for anyone who would go check it out and leave your opinion that would be helpfull. Thank you once again


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## antbug (May 28, 2010)

GhostRider said:


> Thats is amazing. Definatly shows the quality of the tank and light. Also a blessing your son wasnt hurt. Hope you can get your tank looking back the way it was..
> 
> And i was wondering what are BTOE?


The tank is now on my office desk and it looks the same. I lucked out on that one.

BTOE = Blue Tiger Orange Eye


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## GhostRider (Jan 17, 2011)

Oh i was just lookin at those. Those are very neat looking. i want some blue tigers so bad but i need to start with rcs first so i dont waste money if somthin goes wrong.

and yess you did get lucky lol maybe a lil shock from loosing some bio?


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

get some christmas moss up on those branches of that DW. would really compliment the other plants.


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## Polyhead (Jan 27, 2011)

EKLiu said:


> The light uses 7 watts. I don't think its bright enough to grow a nice carpet of HC.


Not even close to that. The power supply that it comes with for the lamp is a 5 volt 500ma model. That is a 2.5 watt power supply. I'm willing to bet the total consumption of that lamp is 2 watts.


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## Polyhead (Jan 27, 2011)

GhostRider said:


> Thats is amazing. Definatly shows the quality of the tank and light. Also a blessing your son wasnt hurt. Hope you can get your tank looking back the way it was..
> 
> And i was wondering what are BTOE?


Not really, the kid would have learned something had he been hurt. It's really the only way kids learn is to get hurt once in a while.


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## EKLiu (Jan 14, 2010)

The lamp uses 7 watts. The power supply might only make 2.5 watts for the leds, but the total power consumption measured at the plug is 7 watts.


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## GhostRider (Jan 17, 2011)

I agree kids do learn when the get hurt. but fish tanks can be very heavy, and falling off a night stand can be really dangerous. That could injure an adult let alone a child. That just may not have been the best case for learning be getting hurt. 

Also whats the highest light plant you could get in there with that light would be the easier answer to that question.


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## gBOYsc2 (Dec 4, 2010)

Kids are indestructible!!!!..... well.....almost! Thankfully he didn't get hurt. A tank that size couldn't really cause serious injury unless it landed right on the little fellas foot.

Glad to see they are both still in tact. 

Is the light removeable? Or is it permanently fixed to the spec? Also does either of you know how comparable it is to the Dymax IQ3 light or the Taam Rio LED?


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## GhostRider (Jan 17, 2011)

No clue on how comparable it is id be interested in that to. And the light is like a c clamp. you screw in an hex head screw to tighten it to the wall of the tank.
And the foot was what i was worried about with a tank like that lol. I know if that thing landed on my foot id be spitting out language more colorful than the rainbow!


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