My First Pico: Fluval Spec III @ 4 months.

[ConnorKessler]

Hello all, I have been a member of this forum for a couple years now but rarely ever post. About 2 years ago I started up my first reef tank in a BioCube 14. Started off well but it eventually crashed, and crashed hard. But so it goes when you are first getting your feet wet in the hobby.

 

When it crashed I learned from my mistakes and decided bigger would be easier-ish. So I bought a RedSea Max C-170. LOVE. IT.

 

Currently I have only 2 clowns in it and no corals since I am still getting used to working with a large tank. I also wanted to learn a bit more about corals before I dump $$$$$ into a 34 gallon tank and wind up killing everything.

 

So i figured hey...I have this Fluval Spec laying around. Let's not toss it, let's start a pico and start with some simply softies and work our way up. Whatever I find I have success caring for, I will feel buy more for my main tank.

 

I am currently running it with ChemiPure Elite, Purigen, stock filter foam block, a typical heater, and a WavePoint 8watt LED fixture.

 

Here are some pictures after the first 2 months.

[ConnorKessler]

It is now month for and I have added and lost a couple things. The big red paly died off for a reason I have yet to explain.

 

I have added a large cluster of orange zoas which are doing great (my phone camera doesnt do them justice), a super sexy orange plate coral, and a chunk of favia. Also some great eagle eye zoas.

 

 

I have more to add but my girlfriend showed up so ill add more later

[ozzyvega]

Nice, im cycling a spec 3 right now. Could you post a pic with the light in it for size reference? Considering this light.

[ConnorKessler]

Nice, im cycling a spec 3 right now. Could you post a pic with the light in it for size reference? Considering this light.

 

Sure thing, here it is.

 

It's very small and looks quite good to be honest. Best of all it is cheap, cheap, cheap.

 

I know, I know, usually skimping so hard on price for a good light is not usually a great idea. But this light has been very, very good so far.

 

Don't get me wrong, it's not the brightest light out there at all. And it is heavier on the blue light. My phone's camera make the blue really over saturate, I promise it's not nearly as bad in person. But for low-med light corals, it's been perfect. My mushrooms and zoas have done very, very well. They are full and their colors really pop in the light. My plate coral has looked nice and fluffy under it.

 

The only thing that I may have in the tank that I think might have been a stretch is the favia. My favia has been receded the last couple weeks. I am strict on good water changes and it definitely isnt getting too much light. Colors havent bleached. But I think it may require more light than this fixture has to offer.

 

I am actually thinking of upgrading the light to a kessil. I had a kessil on my biocube and it was phenomenal. I thought it may have been too over the top for this pico so I went with the wave point. But I figure I can adjust the kessil way down to be at the optimal lighting.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions towards new lighting or thoughts on the kessil?

[ozzyvega]

Awesome thanks for the pic. I wanted to see the size of it over the tank. Your right I don't like to skimp on the important stuff, especially light. But mine will probably be softies only. A little desk top play tank. So im just feeling around for options. Looks great man. Keep updating.

[mogul218]

I'm throwing an Kessil A80 on my Spec 3 in a couple of days. I'll post results when it arrives.