# Narhay's Office 2 Gallon Fluval Spec



## narhay (Feb 28, 2007)

Hi all,

I won this tank at a local fish club raffle and it's been running with water for about a month now. Everything about the aquarium is stock. The sand is Caribsea select grade aragonite. I will dose dry ferts and excel probably once a week.

*Fish:*
1 - _Betta splendens_

*Plants:*
_Anubias barteri
Enchinodorus tenellus_

So far, the light has managed to sustain the plant growth, but I'm not sure about long-term. I'll keep you updated. Pictures are shot with a Canon EOS 500D (T1i rebel).


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## BradH (May 15, 2008)

I like it!


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## Kosey929 (Mar 27, 2011)

BradH said:


> I like it!


Me too! It's perfectly simple.


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## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

Kosey929 said:


> Me too! It's perfectly simple.


Me three! The fish is nice too! It's so simple, yet so beautiful! Loving the E. Tenellus! The only thing I don't like is the rock... Too smooth. But otherwise, great!


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## narhay (Feb 28, 2007)

Thanks for the compliments. 

I know what you mean about the rock, but my girlfriend wanted perfectly smooth rocks and this is what I could find. I prefer a more textured rock, but to each her own.


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## BlueJack (Apr 15, 2011)

very cool!


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## Quentin (Mar 16, 2011)

Nice beta, nice tank, nice pics.


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## narhay (Feb 28, 2007)

Thanks again. We moved the aquarium to her office this weekend. The process was quite the ordeal.

1 - Drain half the water
2 - Unplug the light and filter (no heater for now)
3 - Pick up aquarium and put in car
4 - Place on desk at office
5 - Fill up the tank
6 - Plug in

All done


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## Fisharefriends (Jul 21, 2011)

Wow love this tank!!!! So perfect. And I don't mind the smooth rock.. Looks cool and unique!


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## duff (Feb 26, 2006)

Looks great and I love your betta!


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## narhay (Feb 28, 2007)

Thank you for all the positivity. I hope the light will be able to keep the plants growing.


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## narhay (Feb 28, 2007)

No photos of this aquarium, but here is one of my new coral 









Pocillopora


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## kangared (Apr 7, 2011)

:drool: very pretty. I'd like to try salt someday and keep some soft corals. Do you have pics of the whole tank? Very nice closeup pic of your betta too!


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## shrimpnmoss (Apr 8, 2011)

nice tank!


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## narhay (Feb 28, 2007)

kangared said:


> :drool: very pretty. I'd like to try salt someday and keep some soft corals. Do you have pics of the whole tank? Very nice closeup pic of your betta too!


I don't have recent photos of the aquariums, but I can take some tomorrow when the lights are back on and the corals are a bit happier. They were just moved recently today and some were fragged. Saltwater is quite a bit easier than you would think. You need a decent light, water flow, a reliable heater, water, an aquarium, salt and something to measure salt content (refractometer). The rest of it is optional. You can start with a very low tech saltwater aquarium that requires little maintenance and has very nice results. 

The little aquarium is nice. I had wanted to make it into a little reef tank, but my girlfriend is new to aquarium keeping so I wanted to make it low-tech and simple for her to maintain, especially with limited time at work.


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## BradH (May 15, 2008)

People always say salt is easy, but I don't see it. I knew a few people with saltwater tanks and it was always one thing after the other. Had to put this in there, that in there, buy the water mixed from the lfs or mix it. Red algae, ect. I don't know maybe they didn't have a clue what they were doing, but I told them to ditch the saltwater and go planted. lol I would like to have a mini reef setup one day myself. The colors you can get are amazing.


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## kangared (Apr 7, 2011)

I've heard that too, that it's not so complicated. It's probably not as bad as I think, just more steps in maintenance and more money for livestock. But I'll go there someday, the colors are irresistible  Looking forward to seeing the pics!


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## narhay (Feb 28, 2007)

It's not that complicated. Livestock is more money for sure, but you can buy small frags and watch them grow. There are a few more items you'll have to purchase, but it's definitely the next step and you can do it on a budget.


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## narhay (Feb 28, 2007)

The leaves are growing small brown algae spots on them. I am thinking this aquarium is too small for something to eat it. Any ideas? Shrimp would become betta food immediately.


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## BradH (May 15, 2008)

Put in 1 nerite snail.


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## GDP (Mar 12, 2011)

I really like this tank. Awsome looking betta too. I actually like bettas. Used to think they were stupid, until I got one and love it more then any other fish.


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## narhay (Feb 28, 2007)

Yes, the betta at first was being blown around by the pump on its lowest setting, but it was used to sitting in a cup at a pet store. I think once it regained its muscles, it has been just fine.

I will have a look into nerites. I love how little this tank has cost to stock. Betta was $2, plants were $20 and rocks were free. Sand was from another project, so maybe $3.


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## 2in10 (Feb 8, 2011)

Beautiful tank, very sweet pico


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## Basil (Jul 11, 2011)

Any updates on the Spec? How are the plants doing under the stock light? That really is a beautiful fish.


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## magma (Oct 31, 2011)

Neat tank and betta. The rock in middle looks a little out of place. Perhaps some java moss on it would make it blend in better..


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## narhay (Feb 28, 2007)

Hi all,

The spec is doing quite well. The E. (or H.) tenellus was removed because it grew too tall for the aquarium and was taking up more space than originally anticipated. Just the rocks, betta and anubias remain. The betta had dropsy for about 2 weeks, but has made a miraculous recovery literally overnight and has been fine for the past 2 weeks now. 

Everything is doing well. The tank is holding up, the light has grown these plants almost too well and the pump is still chugging along and is silent.


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## biogenetic40379 (Jan 19, 2012)

What would you classify the light as? low? super low? Medium?


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## narhay (Feb 28, 2007)

Update...the betta died after several illnesses despite regular maintenance and care. The light I would consider as low...it grew plants just fine and is still doing so today.


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## narhay (Feb 28, 2007)

An update on this. The wife still has it on her desk with a new betta who is going onto one year shortly. The grass was removed and only the Anubias remains which has almost filled the entire aquarium. Approximately 1/3 of the led lights in the fixture have burnt out. I am thinking of getting something to replace it. 

I will ask her to take some photos for us.


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