Fluvial Spec V temperature control

[sedatedlabmonkey]

I've just started cycling my Spec V and currently trying to figure out the best way to keep a constant temp in the display. Initially I had the heater in the return chamber with the pump. This seemed to work initially, holding the temp around 78° F. This morning the temp was down to about 69 in the display and 82 in the return chamber. The heater is a 50 watt that came with a Marineland 10g kit I had laying around.

 

Has anyone tried putting the heater in chamber one? I was thinking of building a simple media rack to replace the stock media. I plan on running filter floss on top, then chemi-pure elite and purigen. I could build it narrower than the chamber to allow room for the heater.

 

Any thoughts or suggestions?

 

Also planning on incorporating some sort of controller and cooling fan eventually as well.

 

Thanks!

[Chad Walters]

I placed my heater in the display against the false wall. I kept having temperature fluctuations just as you have stated. Placing it in the filtration compartment may help as more water will be flowing over/past it. The problem in the return compartment is the water above the return pump doesn't circulate as much due to the size of the compartment and the placement of the intake on the pump.

 

As for incorporating a controller, I know its overkill, but I have an Apex Jr with an extra EB4 and it has simplified my life so much. Love being able to turn things off without fumbling for cords and the ability to check the temperature from wherever I may be. Same with the alerts as we all know a small fluctuation in a pico happens fast. I get alerted before anything bad happens.

 

I really recommend the cobalt neotherm 50 watt heater. Much better quality and easily set.

 

If you haven't already a return pump upgrade to a minijet 606 will help with flow in the overflow area as well.

 

EDIT: Filtration

 

I use Chemi Pure Blue, Purigen, Phosguard with some filter floss ontop. Seems to work, I don't use any media basket I just stuff it in the compartment beside the small biocube skimmer I have in there as well. inTank makes a pretty nice media basket with racks for your filtration media. You can also build one out of egg crate/light diffuser.

 

Take a look over at the Pico Reef section there are a ton of Spec V builds mine included. A quick search will turn up even more.

 

Theres so many things you can do with these little tanks the sky is truly the limit!