Fluval Spec Owners Thread

[mokeyz]

Hello Spec Owners!

 

I am diving into the reef keeping hobby as a fun and challenging project for my daughter and I. I have had freshwater planted tanks or varying complexity for years, and am ready to move to saltwater. I am pretty much decided on a Spec V. I like the look of the tank and am drawn to the AIO approach of this type of tank.

 

As someone who is new to this hobby I would love feedback on the setup plan. In addition to the Spec V, I am leaning towards the following components.

 

Filtration

Tampa Bay Saltwater "package" - 5 lbs live sand, 10lbs live rock, various inverts.

InTank media basket

Aqua clear sponge

Chempure

Macro

floss as needed

 

Equipment

Finnex Fugeray Marine +

Mini jet 404 or 606.

50 watt heater (haven't landed on type yet)

 

I haven't decided on stocking yet. I figure we will get the tank set up and the sand and live rock established then decided on stocking. Will probably keep it to one small fish and a handful of corrals.

 

Plan on getting my RO/DI water from the LFS for now, may go with a RO/DI unit of our own eventually. Expecting on daily or other-daily top offs as needed, and once a week, or every other week water changes, depending on how water tests.

 

Anyone have any ideas where the 404 or 606 pumps can be found (discontinued ?), or a similar replacement that fits the space of these tanks.

 

Any feedback and guidance would be very appreciated.

Thanks

 

This thread provides answers - I'm just starting a Spec V myself.

 http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/365029-fluval-spec-5-pump-question/

[solomonster]

Hi guys!!! This is my tank! Lol I wish i could take better pictures like the ones on this thread lol.

 

Tank: Fluval Spec V 5.5Gallon tank

Lighting: Currrent USA Orbit LED

Flow: Hydro Nano 240

Filration: Floss and Chemiblue

Livestock

- Cleaner shrimp

- Engineer Goby

- Watchman Goby

- Porcelain Crab

- Emerald Crab

- Pistol Shrimp

- Clown Fish

- Various snails and Hermit crabs

- Rainbow Anemome

- Haitian Anemome

Corals

- Green Torch

- Purple Torch

- Yellow Hammer

- Galaxy Coral

- Rainbow Acan

- Metalic Blue Mushrooms

- Zoas

- Candy Cane Coral

[Reefdreamers]

This thread is old but maybe can get it going again. I have a spec v reef so far I'm running a 18-24" current USA orbit marine pro with ramp controller and my corals love it. fits perfect on the tank. I made a diy media basket out of egg crate and will make a build thread soon. Have a 256 gph nano circulation pump. And some zoas, a hammer and a toadstool

[jbb]

This thread is old but maybe can get it going again. I have a spec v reef so far I'm running a 18-24" current USA orbit marine pro with ramp controller and my corals love it. fits perfect on the tank. I made a diy media basket out of egg crate and will make a build thread soon. Have a 256 gph nano circulation pump. And some zoas, a hammer and a toadstool

 

Nice, have a build thread ?

 

I keep saying I'm going to update my thread, and never do . Maybe tomorrow

[Reefdreamers]

 

Nice, have a build thread ?

 

I keep saying I'm going to update my thread, and never do . Maybe tomorrow

I have a tank thread but haven't updated it or been able to post pics I'm going to try now actually

[Cichlidrookie]

Here is my update if anyone wants to read.

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/359599-cichlidrookie-fluval-spec-v-build/page-2

 

Teaser.....

 

[Bondéus]

Hello all spec owners! I will post some pictures of my ordered spec V aquarium soon. Here is a picture of my upcoming diy LED and filter basket as i will do of my own. Later i will also add a skimmer.

[tkao]

Does anybody have an upgrade suggestion for a pump other than a mj606? Can't find one anywhere...

[BMMMW]

Love this thread....

[BMMMW]

Make sure to let us know what skimmer you add and how you did so. I assume it will be a hole cut through a media basket based on your drawing. Looks like a good idea!

 

Hello all spec owners! I will post some pictures of my ordered spec V aquarium soon. Here is a picture of my upcoming diy LED and filter basket as i will do of my own. Later i will also add a skimmer.

 

[scottmckinney67]

Does anybody have an upgrade suggestion for a pump other than a mj606? Can't find one anywhere...

aqueon aq600 works fine, pop cover off, file little nub, drops in

[tkao]

aqueon aq600 works fine, pop cover off, file little nub, drops in

How is the flow???

[jbb]

How is the flow???

 

it's actually rated at a little above the 606 in gph, so it should be a great substitution.

[Bondéus]

According to me i think the mj606 gives a massive flow in the 5g and i installed it in my spec v, i just added my live sand and the water is cloudy at the moment.

 

Here is a look of my own diy media basket:

Dryrock scaping:

 

i love the look of floating scapes

 

Added sand and cloudy as hell now..

[tkao]

aqueon aq600 works fine, pop cover off, file little nub, drops in

Can you explain Which nub you are referring to?

[hinnenkm]

IMG_7731 by katieh4002, on Flickr

 

I've since added a few things and moved some stuff around, but all the livestock is still doing well

[ItalianReefer]

According to me i think the mj606 gives a massive flow in the 5g and i installed it in my spec v, i just added my live sand and the water is cloudy at the moment.

 

Here is a look of my own diy media basket:

 

 

Dryrock scaping:

 

i love the look of floating scapes

 

Added sand and cloudy as hell now..

Any more updates or pics? I like what you are doing here. What fish do you plan to keep? Are you using a lid on yours or no?

[Bondéus]

Any more updates or pics? I like what you are doing here. What fish do you plan to keep? Are you using a lid on yours or no?

Yes ofc, had to do some changes when my plastic hook broke that held the floating scape.. i'va added a lot of corals so i need to get rid of some, sadly.. I will focusing on acro's and some lps..

 

Inhabitans is:

 

Porcelain snail

Fire shrimp

sleeper blue dot goby

sixline wrassle

bicolour blenny

bicolour dwarf angle (very small)

Mandarin

 

Here are some pictures:

 

Original light

 

vs New diy light

[ItalianReefer]

I know there has been some talk on this but little details. Since the MJ606 pump is no longer around, I have looked for a different pump to bring more flow to the tank. I saw someone mentioned the Aqueon AQ600 pump that is rated for 159gph. But no one that I have seen explained how well it fit. I bought it and can tell you it fits very well with little modification. The back cover needs to come off. The front cover has to stay on for the nossel, but you have to take it off to pop off the front adjusting dial. After that, just take a razor blade and cut the nub on the back flush with the sides. Then cut the half circle rail, that the adjuster dial was on, off as much as you can. It is a little taller than the stock pump, so you will have to shorten the return tube. After that is should slide in just as easy as the stock pump.

[Bondéus]

I know there has been some talk on this but little details. Since the MJ606 pump is no longer around, I have looked for a different pump to bring more flow to the tank. I saw someone mentioned the Aqueon AQ600 pump that is rated for 159gph. But no one that I have seen explained how well it fit. I bought it and can tell you it fits very well with little modification. The back cover needs to come off. The front cover has to stay on for the nossel, but you have to take it off to pop off the front adjusting dial. After that, just take a razor blade and cut the nub on the back flush with the sides. Then cut the half circle rail, that the adjuster dial was on, off as much as you can. It is a little taller than the stock pump, so you will have to shorten the return tube. After that is should slide in just as easy as the stock pump.

I bought the mj 606 1 month ago from ebay. They still exist but they are giving a annoying sound because i have the aquarium in my bedroom..

[NewbReefer316]

Starting my Spec V tonight. Bought 5lbs of Pukani from BRS and it came in as 2 large pieces so I will be busting out the hammer and trying my hand at aquascaping for the first time tonight. I have no idea what I'm doing so this should be interesting!!!

[ItalianReefer]

Starting my Spec V tonight. Bought 5lbs of Pukani from BRS and it came in as 2 large pieces so I will be busting out the hammer and trying my hand at aquascaping for the first time tonight. I have no idea what I'm doing so this should be interesting!!!

Good Luck! post pictures if you can. Have you done any mods to the tank yet?

[NewbReefer316]

Yes ofc, had to do some changes when my plastic hook broke that held the floating scape.. i'va added a lot of corals so i need to get rid of some, sadly.. I will focusing on acro's and some lps..

 

Inhabitans is:

 

Porcelain snail

Fire shrimp

sleeper blue dot goby

sixline wrassle

bicolour blenny

bicolour dwarf angle (very small)

Mandarin

 

Here are some pictures:

 

Original light

 

vs New diy light

 

Sick build and the floating scape is crazy! Do you have a build thread?

 

Good Luck! post pictures if you can. Have you done any mods to the tank yet?

Thanks, all I've done so far is silicone the two equalizing holes and ordered a sicce micra plus. I've been waffling back and forth on everything such as lighting, bare-bottom or not, and just found out yesterday that the BRS pukani leaches phosphates forever so I was thinking about either ordering some dry rock from reef cleaners or the live rock from kp aquatics. Might lean towards the live rock and use the leftovers to seed the 40B I'm working on. Yesterday I thought about just getting a nuvo 10g. My indecisiveness is ridiculous!

[ItalianReefer]

Here are shots of my tank. It has been running for nearly one month now and just started stocking corals last week. I'm doing a zoa/paly and mushroom only tank. (It is hard to stick to this plan when I really like acans and leathers too.) I used the Hawaiian Black CaribSea sand and the rock is from my old tank that started out as dry reef saver rock 8 months ago. I'm in the process of building my own filter rack for the back chamber. (Pics to come once complete.) I'm currently using half of the stock filter sponge with one of the compartments holding two Chemipure Blue nano packs. I did put aquarium safe silicone on the bottom hole going into the back chamber and the top slot in between the filter chamber and return pump. The stock pump is changed out for the Aqueon AQ600. I took off the Current Orbit Marine lighting and put one of my AI Primes on it. I have seen much better growth and color from the Prime over the Current lighting from my previous tanks.

 

I would like to have a small fish in here, was thinking of one baby clown, but not completely sure.

 

Suggestions are welcome!

[Cichlidrookie]

Clown is nice. I have a clown and tail spot blenny. My clown use to just hang out by my return pump but now that the blenny is in there they swim around a lot more. This blenny stays small and help with algae a little.