Chad's Fluval Spec V Mixed Reef

[Chad Walters]

_________________________________________________

 

Current setup:

Fluval Spec V

Neptune Apex Jr.

Current Marine LED

BRS Screen Top Kit

Cobalt NeoTherm 50w

Koralia Nano 240

MiniJet 606 Upgrade

BioCube Protein Skimmer (In rear compartment.)

5 LBS Live Rock

Bare Bottom

Filtration Includes BioCube Skimmer, Filter Floss, Chemi Pure Blue, Purigen, Phosguard.

Stocking Includes CUC, True Percula Clown, Yellow Tail Damsel

Coral/ Inverts Includes GBTA, Kenya Tree, GSP, Lobophyllia, Duncan, Torch, Assorted Mushrooms, Radioactive Zoanthids, Florida Ricordia.

 

Red Sea Coral Pro Salt (Switched from IO Reef Crystals January 2015)

 

Before and After Attached is from July 2014 to January 2015

[aviator300]

Hey, where did you go???? It sounded interesting.

[Chad Walters]

Sorry for such a delay, misplaced my password for a little while... Tank is now going on five months...

Anyways back to my tank:

Fluval Spec V
Minijet 606 Return Upgrade
NeoTherm Heater (Got it to fit sideways in pump compartment.)
Digital Thermometer
Added Hydor Nano 240 Powerhead
Current Orbit Marine LED Fixture
inTank Media Basket with Filter Pad, ChemiPure Blue, Purigen, and Phosguard in that order.

Added some more live rock and mixed some crushed coral in with my live sand to keep sandstorms to minimum.

Current Coral include GSP, Orange Acan, Lobo, assorted colors of mushrooms, kenya tree, torch, and zoas.

Livestock include your typical nano CUC with two hermits, true perc clown and yellowtail damsel. (I am watching this closely no bullying so far.)

Prob going to get a small skimmer for this system even tho water changes take care of most, looking at the Biocube Skimmer.

[Chad Walters]

BioCube Skimmer ordered from Amazon, we will see how well the setup goes come Thursday!

[jeremycee]

looks great !

[OCNcheffy]

I have the exact setup as you, with with a few frogspawns half way up the tank. I feel like they don't get enough flow and barely move.. I already have the minijet 606 as well. When you added your nano 240 powerhead, did it seem like everything was getting blown around? Or did it provide just a bit extra "gentle" current for everything?

Thanks

[Chad Walters]

I was very surprised the Nano 240 didn't have near the flow I was expecting, its about perfect in combination with the MiniJet 606 in my opinion. I have mine in the top left corner (see pictures) so that the MiniJet return is blowing down one side and the Nano 240 down the other twards the overflow. Seems to work pretty good. I've only had it for about a week but everything seems fine even mushrooms which are low in the tank under the 240. I would recommend it for the Spec V.

 

Edit: I have also noticed more debris in my prefilter on my inTank media rack than before, I attribute this to the 240 helping blow it twards the overflow.

[jtwisconsin]

I had a True Perc Clownfish and an Azure Damselfish (close relative of the Yellow Tail) in my Spec V and they were perfectly fine together for a year. Planning to do the same for my office 6 gallon as well.

[Kijho]

Nice looking Spec man, best of luck!

[Chad Walters]

jtwisconsin - That's good to know, I haven't had any problems at all.

 

Kijho - Thanks man!

 

 

The BioCube skimmer came in today and is set up and running as we speak. It was a little bigger than I anticipated and wouldn't fit where I wanted it due to my live rock and I love how my scape is so I don't want to move it around and not be able to get it "right" again.

 

For now the skimmer is in the front left corner beside the powerhead (I moved it to right still blowing twards the left). It doesn't look the greatest but its growing on me... I kind of like the "equipment" look. After all, it is what keeps our wonderful tanks going...

 

 

I'll post up some pictures tomorrow when the lights come on and see what ya'll think.

[OCNcheffy]

jtwisconsin - That's good to know, I haven't had any problems at all.

 

Kijho - Thanks man!

 

 

The BioCube skimmer came in today and is set up and running as we speak. It was a little bigger than I anticipated and wouldn't fit where I wanted it due to my live rock and I love how my scape is so I don't want to move it around and not be able to get it "right" again.

 

For now the skimmer is in the front left corner beside the powerhead (I moved it to right still blowing twards the left). It doesn't look the greatest but its growing on me... I kind of like the "equipment" look. After all, it is what keeps our wonderful tanks going...

 

 

I'll post up some pictures tomorrow when the lights come on and see what ya'll think.

Yeah that'll be great to see how your skimmer looks. I'm very interested in this as well.

[Chad Walters]

Here are some attached pictures of the BioCube skimmer. Its growing on me... what do you guys think looks wise?

 

I've gotten about a 1/4 cup of skimmate so far looks like urine for what its worth... Lol.

 

On the topic of protein skimmers, anyone have any recommendations on a small on for this tank if I decide against the biocube skimmer after further use?

[OCNcheffy]

 

Here are some attached pictures of the BioCube skimmer. Its growing on me... what do you guys think looks wise?

 

I've gotten about a 1/4 cup of skimmate so far looks like urine for what its worth... Lol.

 

On the topic of protein skimmers, anyone have any recommendations on a small on for this tank if I decide against the biocube skimmer after further use?

Hmm, I actually think that looks pretty slick! I'm gonna order one now too. Which airpump did you purchase? For a small nano tank, you want mostly dry skimmate, due to changes in your salinity from constantly pulling "wet" skim from the tank.. Are you able to adjust it so it's mostly dry? Also, I noticed you got rid of the plastic lid and just used the orbit marine as a cover... Has this worked well for any jumpers?

[Chad Walters]

OCNcheffy - I am just using the air pump that came with it for now, I have seen people upgrading to the Whisper 20 so I may pick that up and try it out. I'm still playing with the adjustments on it trying to get it as dry as possible, I monitor my tank atleast twice a day and the wife is also instructed to watch the water level and how to use refract so I'm not extremely worried about the salinity changes at this point. It comes with an airflow valve to adjust it with which I may upgrade as well as its seems a little "cheap".

 

As far as the lid - unfortunately I have had a jumper, my true perc, found him and got him back in the tank luckily... With the skimmer installed and the orbit marine having to be slid over a bit theres not a lot of open area now so hopefully no more jumps. I am actually in the process of trying to find a make shift cover. I still think he was startled which is why he jumped.

 

 

Edit: Deff. purchase through amazon, heck with that $50 price tag at Petco!!!

[ninjamyst]

woohoo...more fluval spec Vs. following.

[OCNcheffy]

Is it loud as well? I have my tank in the living room, so it's gotta stay pretty quiet.. Thanks for all the info so far!

[Chad Walters]

OCNcheffy - Yes very loud. Lol. Mines in my den so its not a huge deal but its deff. loud. Another reason I'm thinking of going with the Whisper pump.

[Chad Walters]

Update on the Biocube skimmer, it is deff. pulling out skimmate. Its still a little wet but alot of big "chunks". Other than having to replace the limewood air stone this isnt a bad skimmer despite some reviews Ive read...

[Chad Walters]

Update for you guys....

 

Decided to drastically change the aquascape for the Spec V, had to move a rock and realized there was a TON of detris under the rocks, I had plenty of flow so I think it was just too crowed with live rock to effectively keep detris suspended. Pictures below.

 

I removed the biocube skimmer and powerhead when I was rearranging and forgot how nice the tank looked without the equipment so I haven't put it back. Monitoring everything to see if its really needed. Although it was nice having it all...

 

Moving of the live rock left me with extra rock and some corals, what to do?

 

FRAG TANK.

 

Introducing my Spec III Frag Tank.

 

Made the egg crate racks myself, added the rock left over from the display, already had a intank basket for it, ordered a light off amazon and went on a frag spree. Attached is my progress.

 

Also got a little scooter "blenny" dragonet for it. Don't worry plenty of pods, even dosed some Agagen Tisbe Pods when I set it up. He also accepts pellets and frozen mysis believe it or not. I must have gotten lucky.

 

 

What do you guys think?

 

 

 

 

 

EDIT: Forgot to mention the home made top out of BRS screen kit to prevent any jumpers while not blocking light or gas exchange. Also switched fixtures on both of these tanks for Fluval Sea High Performance Marine and Reef LED's on Current USA controllers. ..... and uh... sorry for the dirty glass. Maintenance day is tomorrow!

[Chad Walters]

Current full setup shot, all cleaned up.

[OCNcheffy]

What settings are you running your orbit marine at? I've heard running almost just blue with maybe 20-30% white improves coloration and growth.

[Chad Walters]

I no longer have the current on my system, when I did I ran it on the M1 pre programmed setting it came with. Seemed to work fine for me.

[Chad Walters]

Update: Pictures coming later today. I was able to put the protein skimmer back in and add the powerhead back. The Nano 240 is at the back wall below the return, the biocube skimmer is in the back filter chamber. I was able to take out the inTank basket, place the skimmer in on the left hand side, used a piece of eggcrate to create a "fence" and place chemi pure blue purigen phosguard and filter floss on top in beside the skimmer. The temp probe is in there as well and the neotherm heater is still in the return compartment. Also added a BRS screen kit top.

 

Pics sometime today, yall will be amazed how it all fit!

[Chad Walters]

Pictures attached as promised! What do you guys think?

[iadubber]

Nice! Did you have to mod the skimmer at all?