Fluval Spec Zoa Garden Build Thread

[x3thelast]

might pick up an orange zoa i found at the lfs tomorrow. pics wil be up if i do buy it

 

You can get away with water changes once a week normally or every other week? I haven't changed my 4 gallons water in 3 months now. I've been too busy with work and other things. The one gal takes like 5 mins and I'm taking a different approach on that tank.

 

But 3 monts. ALL my corals are doing wonderful including all my inverts and one clown

[JoshuA c]

Bought two different zoas for a remarkable price of under $14!!! they are nice but i need to wait till tomorrow for a picture. they are nice, but one has zoa pox so i need to fix that. i believe it is from over lighting so maybe a change in light will get rid of them. i still need to do some research. i don't believe it can spread so it should be fine.

[JoshuA c]

just finished my biocube's led modification which is exciting for me. the colors really pop now. its a nice change from power compacts. some good led experience under my belt for this thread's led build.

[JoshuA c]

sorry for this guys but i think im just going to go with a innovative marine skyye led arm like gun nut. 14K of 10K? im thinking 14k. or what if i went with eco pico. i was thinking of just one strip of the 12k/453nm and if i need another later on then i could just do that. which one you guys thinking?

[JoshuA c]

 

I've built my ATO

Its a hamster bottle helb up by the arm and base of the stock led that came with the tank.

I am stillusing the stock light as the refugium, i just have taken it apart. I know how i will hold the refugium lgiht, but i am waiting for my tank light to come in and then i'll make it and post pics.

 

I bought an 8 watt 14k innovative marine led from another nano-reefer and it should be in around thursday. I know its over kill (but the price was too good to pass up), so i'll put it a bit higher than normal

 

I also got some floss and that wil be added to my filter. I got loads of it for like $2 from petsmart. It came in these huge pads that i can easily rip horizontally to make thinner pads for my nano.

 

Also, i don't think i'll have a bio filter in the back portion. its not really doing anything. the bio filter will be the LR in the display instead and i'll have a bigger refugium. So now it goes: sponge -> floss -> carbon -> refugium.

 

Once i get my light and get my refugium light all together, i think i'll be done. am i forgetting anything?

[eklikewhoa]

Very nice looking build!

[tommer]

saltwater corrodes metal and that will relase toxins

[JoshuA c]

saltwater corrodes metal and that will relase toxins

 

What metal are you referring to?

[JoshuA c]

got my light today and it looks and works great! i'll post pics soon.

[JoshuA c]

 

 

 

 

Here is my rockscape and my new light (8 watt Innovative Marine 14K). I've been working on the rock work and i finally have found something i like. it looks better in person...

[JoshuA c]

because i have such a strong light for this size tank, do you guys think i could do more than just zoas? do you think i could sustain SPS or high light encrusting corals?

[lljdma06]

I think you'll struggle to keep the glass clean with the rocks being so close, but if you're aware of that, then you'll be fine. I personally find the glass a pain until I left more distance between the rocks and the sand. I like my innovative marine light that I used on my spec. I only have the 4w though, but I keep only easy corals and nps in my spec.

 

I don't see any reason why sps wouldn't grow in your tank other than it'd still be way too new. Give it 6 months of stability and replace the zoas with sps. That's what I'd do if it were me.

 

L

[JoshuA c]

I have one of those really thin magnet glass cleaners. i'd rather have a great rockscape than perfectly clean glass. I'll take another look at it with that in mind, though. Also, I havent started the tank yet, so when i do, i'll make sure it is stable before i put any SPS in. Thanks.

[JoshuA c]

Here is what i think i am going to go with. i am planning on having zoas/palys on the rocks, an acan in the back corner, rics (or other mushrooms) in the right corner on frag discs, and some macroalgae scattered.

 

 

 

[JoshuA c]

I have given up on my own homemade hamster ATO. I realized that during spring and winter break i won't be there to refill the hamster bottle so i am purchasing the JBJ ATO and attaching it to a 5 gallon bucket. I will have to redo my filter, though. I am going to take off the top and bottom compartment and just leave the biggest one for the chaetomorpha. I will then have the floss on the sponge on the carbon on top of that. I will have the JBJ set in mode B allowing me to have a maximum and minimum float switch. I hope to test the ATO out in my 29 gallon at home before i leave for college.

Also, i have made a minor change to my rockscape, adding a balcony and removing the small rock. I made a plave to put a frag on the balcony giving me a total of FIVE frag placements and i will glue on a gsp frag to the back!

 

 

And yes for all the non-believers, I did get into college. Its pretty much between UCI or UCSD.

[JoshuA c]

I bought the JBJ ATO. Now i need to buy a pump (im looking at the aqualifter pump) and a bucket.

I decided that each summer i will sell (for money or credit) my rock with the zoas on it to a lfs near my college then start over each year. It will be fun and that will also allow me to make any adjustments over the summer if there is something i don't like. Also, i wont be putting any GSP on the back wall because if it grows on the back then i cant take it off each year.

 

So right now, i am leaning towards getting 4-6 zoa frags for the rock, and acan frag for the sand underneath the overhang, and then maybe a ricordea mushroom garden on the sand.

[Reef Fever]

looks really good, but like stated above..with the rocks against the glass it will be difficult to clean. I made that mistake in my tank in one spot. I got lucky though and its all coraline that grows where i cant get to it. so it doesn't look terrible lol

[ExSmoker]

I like the rocks and placment.. If you plan to never move thoes rocks you could use putty to fill in the cracks between the glass and rocks...

or just move them 1/2" away from the glass...

 

Best scape IMO.. It "ROCKS"

 

 

 

 

 

Here is my rockscape and my new light (8 watt Innovative Marine 14K). I've been working on the rock work and i finally have found something i like. it looks better in person...

[JoshuA c]

looks really good, but like stated above..with the rocks against the glass it will be difficult to clean. I made that mistake in my tank in one spot. I got lucky though and its all coraline that grows where i cant get to it. so it doesn't look terrible lol

 

That's a good idea and I'm glad you reminded me cuz I forgot about it. I'll try to move the rock to the left a bit when I set up the tank.

[JoshuA c]

Simple Update: I can move the rock a bit to the left without the overhang hitting the left glass so there is a chance i can do this when i set up the tank. I can't confirm this because the gravel holds the rock up a bit so i couldn't see it is its true orientation. From what i have seen, though, i can make room for my cleaner to get all the glass.

 

Also, do you guys recommend a certain depth to my sandbed? I was thinking, that to make cleaning easier, i would have a very thin sandbed. I don't want a bare-bottom because i don't like the look (no offense x3thelast, your tank looks great), but would a sandbed just thick enough to cover the bottom glass and hold my rock in place be fine? I won't be having any rubble in the filter so would the rockscape and cheatomorpha be enough of a bio filter?

[JoshuA c]

I have put together a simple and flexible layout for the tank's corals:

 

 

It will be a zoa and ric garden. I saw a ric garden on another pico tank (I think it was a Fluval Spec) and it looked so cool so I'm doing my best to emulate it, but I want mine to take over the entire bottom of the tank!

[JoshuA c]

I've decided to scrap the ric garden idea due mostly to funding. But, I have found, and reserved, zoanthids from another nano-reefer. He worked with me on prices and I am getting a great deal on pink zippers, blue macaws, golden teachers, sunny d's, and magicians all being delivered to me at UCI. If everything goes as planned, I will write a great review thread in the feedback section.

[JoshuA c]

It's obvious by the numerous fluval spec builds that the stock pump is insufficient on its own. I've, hopefully, solved this problem by gluing a small pump (55 gph) to a bracket that I'm not using from my ATO. It can clip onto the glass of the tank or the back wall. What I'm not sure on yet is where to place it. I want random flow (reportedly better for the zoas) without hindering the view of the tank. What do you guys think?

 

Next on the list: I need a dosing pump for my ATO. I'm looking at getting the Aqua Lifter (and a spare diaphragm just in case). The problem with this is that the pump can only lift water 30 inches and the tank will be higher than that. So I've come up with three solutions:

1) Get a different pump

2) Raise the bucket of water

3) Get two pumps

 

Which of these do you guys think is the most pragmatic, or do you guys have any other ideas you think would be better or worth mentioning?

Thanks

 

 

[JoshuA c]

Minor set back:

During winter break, the dorms are closed so I emailed the housing office to ask whether or not the electricity is left on. They replied saying the maintenance crew runs some tests on it and there is no guarantee as to if the tank will have power or not. The woman advised me to take my fish home for their safety. With this said, with $70 worth of zoas alone, I'm not willing to take the chance and leave them and pray or move them to another tank for three weeks. Therefore, I will be waiting until post-Winter Break to set up my tank. This will be slightly beneficial because it will allow me to get acclimated to college for the first quarter without worrying about a tank.

 

Next, I think that I will be canceling the in-back-refugium idea. I'm worried that it will be one more stress of the tank. It's purpose is to remove phosphate and nitrite ---> Phosphate: I plan to buy phosban which is good for 75 gallons, plenty in my 2 gallon system with monthly water changes and daily top-offs. Nitrites: I'm not feeding the zoas so the nitrogen cycle will be very small so the nitrites will be kept down with the partial water changes.

 

This decision, however, is based off several questions:

1) How much care does cheato need?

2) Does it need a cycled tank or can I add it after one day?

 

What do you guys think? I value all answers, opinions, and ideas. Thank you in advance.

[spazizz]

I liked post 64 aquascape the most. Going bare bottom should make moving the tank around easier if you plan on moving it. I personally wouldn't run a nano with out a fuge. JMO.