JoshuA c Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 JoshuA's Fluval Spec College Picoreef This is a thread to document my Fluval Spec II that I will have with me as I attend college. Zoanthids: Sunny D's Magicians Pink Zippers Bam Bams GSP Albino Blizzards Blue Hornets Darth Mauls (on the way) Sunrise Sakura (on the way) Fruit Loops (on the way) Utter Chaos (on the way) Rastas (on the way) Other Corals: Red Acan Purple Acan Orange Rhodactis Hairy Mushroom Invertabrates: 3 hermit crabs FTS (dry) FTS (January 23, 2014) FTS (February 16, 2014) Current FTS: Some pictures of the corals Here is the original title page that I posted about a year ago so that the rest of the thread makes sense: I'm going to college next year and I'm planning on taking a tank with me. I want something simple and good looking and so i'm going with a 100% zoa garden. This is my build thread. For anyone who wants to see pictures of the actual zoas in the tank, i'm sorry but you'll have to wait for a year, though i am starting to gather a zoa collection. i started with a fluval spec reef, but i had to take it down cuz it wasn't working. now i am back at with more thought from the start.1) i hated my aquascape so i decided to make my own in a new style that i developed after many hours of hard thinking... not really. i decided to use extra egg crate and use silicon to cover it with cheap little gravel stones from petsmart. i made the entire structure out of egg crate first, then added silicon and rocks little by little, using previous rocks to support the next days adding. i don't have pictures of the process because i wasn't sure if it would even look good i split the aquascape into two pieces, but it would be feasible to do one piecei would upload pictures right now, but photobucket is acting up and won't let me upload anything. i also decided to make a surface skiimmer. first i raised the tank's water line by blocking half of the overflow teeth. also, for some reason, there is a small slit lower down the tank allowing water into the filter. i plugged this up also.i am going to do a diy led fixture on the tank. i won't start on this until later because i am currently installing leds on my 29g biocube. i am planning on going with 3 450nm blue, 2 430nm ultraviolet, and 2 white leds but i will be using the poll suggestions (i've already given my vote).Also, i will be using the stock led light for a refugium in the filter of the spec. the glass is frotes and therefore, semitransparent.next, for more flow, i have built a chamber for a small pump i found on ebay into my rock work. when i get pictures up, you will be able to see it. for anyone who is doing something similar, i highly recommend this, especially for a nano. it save space and looks better also.hopefully i will figure out photobucket's problem and upload pictures. Link to comment
JoshuA c Posted July 9, 2012 Author Share Posted July 9, 2012 Here is the right structure Heres the back with he pump in it this is a piture of the side of the rock with the pump's nozzle sticking out heres the left structure and the back of it and here are them both in the tank Link to comment
JoshuA c Posted July 9, 2012 Author Share Posted July 9, 2012 More tank shots Blocked overflow Little slit all blocked up Link to comment
Jenna Ann Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 I like how you camouflaged your powerhead. I like the shapes too! Link to comment
albertthiel Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 I'm going to college next year and I'm planning on taking a tank with me. I want something simple and good looking and so i'm going with a 100% zoa garden. This is my build thread. For anyone who wants to see pictures of the actual zoas in the tank, i'm sorry but you'll have to wait for a year, though i am starting to gather a zoa collection. i started with a fluval spec reef, but i had to take it down cuz it wasn't working. now i am back at with more thought from the start. 1) i hated my aquascape so i decided to make my own in a new style that i developed after many hours of hard thinking... not really. i decided to use extra egg crate and use silicon to cover it with cheap little gravel stones from petsmart. i made the entire structure out of egg crate first, then added silicon and rocks little by little, using previous rocks to support the next days adding. i don't have pictures of the process because i wasn't sure if it would even look good i split the aquascape into two pieces, but it would be feasible to do one piece i would upload pictures right now, but photobucket is acting up and won't let me upload anything. i also decided to make a surface skiimmer. first i raised the tank's water line by blocking half of the overflow teeth. also, for some reason, there is a small slit lower down the tank allowing water into the filter. i plugged this up also. i am going to do a diy led fixture on the tank. i won't start on this until later because i am currently installing leds on my 29g biocube. i am planning on going with 3 450nm blue, 2 430nm ultraviolet, and 2 white leds. Also, i will be using the stock led light for a refugium in the filter of the spec. the glass is frotes and therefore, semitransparent. next, for more flow, i have built a chamber for a small pump i found on ebay into my rock work. when i get pictures up, you will be able to see it. for anyone who is doing something similar, i highly recommend this, especially for a nano. it save space and looks better also. hopefully i will figure out photobucket's problem and upload pictures. Woe ... checked the pics and that is SOME scaping you have done ... must have taken you weeks to get all of that accomplished but I like the end result ... very nice Link to comment
JoshuA c Posted July 9, 2012 Author Share Posted July 9, 2012 Woe ... checked the pics and that is SOME scaping you have done ... must have taken you weeks to get all of that accomplished but I like the end result ... very nice about two weeks Link to comment
Islandoftiki Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 Love it! I'll be following along! Question: How are you going to handle heat management issues? Extra/higher flow pumps in the Spec can cause it to run hot. Link to comment
albertthiel Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 about two weeks Not surprised ... you must have a lot of patience ... good for you Albert Link to comment
JoshuA c Posted July 9, 2012 Author Share Posted July 9, 2012 Love it! I'll be following along! Question: How are you going to handle heat management issues? Extra/higher flow pumps in the Spec can cause it to run hot. the pump i am using that is embedded into the rock is smaller than the sock pump so i'm not sure if there will be much heat there. i have a heater that can be set to a specific temp. the overflow will have a waterfall effect to get some air cooling. also i will be leaving a section in the back to let me put ice packs in easily and change them easily. Link to comment
GunNut1911 Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 WOOHOO! Another Spec-er! Sweet scape! Link to comment
philaquatics Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 I'm going to keep track of this i'm excited for you. my college tank didn't work out mainly money got me in the end. but best of luck and keep us posted! Link to comment
JoshuA c Posted July 10, 2012 Author Share Posted July 10, 2012 WOOHOO! Another Spec-er! Sweet scape! i've been watching your tank too. looks good. if you have any good ideas feel free to add them here to help me. This tank should be relativly cheap and i'm stretching it over many months. i already have all the supplies, save for the zoas, but i'm stocking up on those as i go and keeping them in my frag tank. What i have already are: utter choas (jealous much?!) radioactive green watermelon purple hearts miami vice some yellow ones (idk the real name?) red people eater Link to comment
JoshuA c Posted July 10, 2012 Author Share Posted July 10, 2012 for my diy led light, should i make a hood? i was also thinking of bending two metal bars over the top to put the heatsink on and have the bars in a wood base? any other ideas? Link to comment
JoshuA c Posted July 11, 2012 Author Share Posted July 11, 2012 i'm also going to put together an ATO that is simple and i found on youtube. i honestly thought the idea was brilliant. it is completely gravity operated and if put together correctly, will work very well. no electronics to get stuck or shock me either i'll explain the system as i go. Link to comment
1.0reef Posted July 11, 2012 Share Posted July 11, 2012 utter chaos paly. Cool looking Utter Chaos Paly, maybe when my Fruitloops and Tangerine Dreams grow out we can trade I like the scape and how it camo's the pump. Link to comment
JoshuA c Posted July 12, 2012 Author Share Posted July 12, 2012 Made small inserts for the filter to seperate the filter stages. they fit in the back and allow room for the heater i made three for four levels: floss/sponge pad; carbon; refugium; live rock. used silicon to make the different levels. Link to comment
albertthiel Posted July 12, 2012 Share Posted July 12, 2012 Made small inserts for the filter to seperate the filter stages. they fit in the back and allow room for the heater i made three for four levels: floss/sponge pad; carbon; refugium; live rock. used silicon to make the different levels. Super and I admire your dedication to the scaping and your patience it getting it all done Link to comment
Islandoftiki Posted July 12, 2012 Share Posted July 12, 2012 Nice media rack. (That's what she said!) Link to comment
JoshuA c Posted July 14, 2012 Author Share Posted July 14, 2012 i should be able to post a pitcure of the media rack completed tonight hopefully. i just recieved my leds and drivers and heatsinks for my retrofit of my biocube so i might not post anything on here for awhile unless i start my ATO (which will probably happen) Link to comment
Poseidon. Posted July 14, 2012 Share Posted July 14, 2012 I must say, you have a lot of patience. I don't think I could have pulled off that rock work. Especially using silicone. LOL. It looks hot though. I'm also interested in your ATO build. I did a wacky build and its let me down a couple times now. So I just bought an ATO for the tank. I'll be following along on this to see how you finish it up. One thing I have never understood though.......Why are Spec owners placing a piece of plastic behind the overflow? Is it just to get a higher water level in the tank? I'm at a loss on this? Link to comment
JoshuA c Posted July 14, 2012 Author Share Posted July 14, 2012 One thing I have never understood though.......Why are Spec owners placing a piece of plastic behind the overflow? Is it just to get a higher water level in the tank? I'm at a loss on this? we block this small hole in the bottom of the back of the display part to make the overflow into a surface skimmer because now water only has one way to get to the filter. then we block part of the overflow to raise the water level and maintain a surface skimmer. Link to comment
GunNut1911 Posted July 14, 2012 Share Posted July 14, 2012 I cant give you any tips. Sorry, it looks like you are doing better than me! Link to comment
JoshuA c Posted July 14, 2012 Author Share Posted July 14, 2012 the media rack fits but i decided to put a bottom on it for ease of use issues so here are some picutres of it while the silicon is setting. its up-side-down right now Link to comment
JoshuA c Posted July 14, 2012 Author Share Posted July 14, 2012 finished the media rack, and photobucket is working again! and is the video that i am using as instructions on my ATO Link to comment
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