New Fluval Spec 2 Purple Softie Tank

[Arubix]

Hi Nano-Reef! I'm new here and I got inspired by this site to start my first pico tank.

After hours of research I decided to go with the Fluval Spec 2 tank.

I'm pretty much going for a softie tank with cat-eye palys, a Purple Asterospicularia, and some purple shrooms. All purple! Not my favorite but my lady fancys the color and I think it would look sweet.

http://www.exoticfrags.us/shop/images/CatEyes-Paly01.jpg
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/detailed_image.cfm?pCatId=3180
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2336/2148573144_d1e4d2c046.jpg

 

The TANK!

Anyways, setup is complete but after inspection of the light and research on the web, I'm not too sure what this thing is capable of. Does anyone have experience with the stock LED lights it comes with? I just need to know if my softies will hold up to this light or not.

Also, the flow doesn't seem to be strong enough either. It's like these tanks were made for freshwater aquariums. *gag*

Started sculpting my aquascape. I used some gorilla glue to mold everything in place. This was just some leftover rock I had from my seahorse tank that I didn't use so it was dried up.

 

 

Heres a pic of the tank with the dry rock and substrate in it. It's cycling now, and I started dosing with Bacter-genM.

 

As far as my fish goes, I was thinking about a purple firefish or possibly a purple pseudo/dottyback. Not too sure about the dottyback tho cause I've never heard of them being a type of nano fish. Anyone know anything about them being in a pico?

***Update: 20130522***
Ordered a New BoostLED Par30 along with some other necessities(refractometer, tongs, etc.).

I'll post pics when the light is set up.

[MeepNand]

You could probably grow some small softies, but I would upgrade ASAP so you can get some LPS.

And they are made for freshwater. Just the reality of small AIO systems.

[Stkef9]

Im not sure how much room you have but you could upgrade the pump with something that will give you pretty good flow seeing as its a little small for a circ pump, and then maybe make a media basket out of egg crate or acrylic like the intank media basket I just got for my biocube. I have a fluval spec V im considering making a little coral tank but I currently have FW pea puffers in. And as far at the light goes I would definitely consider looking around for a nano LED fixture with a little more as the Fluval stock lights arent meant for much more than FW.

[Arubix]

If all I'm planning on keeping is soft coral, then will that suffice? Or should I upgrade anyway?

 

Also, is a PAR30 from say HomeDepot the same as getting a PAR30 from an LFS or are those special in some way?

[Jay Wee]

I have a similar Fluval Spec 3. But it's a planted fresh water set up with some shrimps and a beta. I'm intrigue to see what you do with your spec. I might convert it into a saltwater too. I'm following this thread.

[MGDMIRAGE]

Oh god, I'd only put tiny gobies in the spec, I have a Neon Red Eviota goby in mine, they are far too small of a tank for an active fish.

[Drift Monkey]

If all I'm planning on keeping is soft coral, then will that suffice? Or should I upgrade anyway? Also, is a PAR30 from say HomeDepot the same as getting a PAR30 from an LFS or are those special in some way?

 

A PAR30/38 would work well here. The ones from home depot won't have the correct spectrum though...but there are plenty of options out there (ledtric, etc).

[JR!]

Nice start so far. I pmed you about a bulb btw

[Stkef9]

I'm pretty new to this hobby as well. Have had freshwater for years but for proper coral growth you would want to make sure the bulbs are in the right light spectrum. Not sure how familiar PAR is to you I'm still learning but this little article gives you some good info on par and wavelengths for saltwater.

http://blog.captive-aquatics.com/captive_aquatics/2010/08/par-and-reef-aquarium-lighting-what-is-par.html

 

And in a 3 gallon you wouldn't be able to keep much for fish. Maybe one small guy, I would suggest sticking with just a little reef invert tank, get like a coral banded shrimp and some cool softies and maybe a couple zoas.

 

Check into maybe the coralife mini aqualight comes with a 10k bulb and actinic bulb for around 50$ and replacement bulbs are cheap. That would get you by with softies. That gives you 4watts per gallon which is decent.

[Arubix]

Thanks for all the great info.

 

I was looking at the LED lights from LEDTRiC and I saw these on sale. Are these going to be overkill for just some softies?

 

http://www.ledtric.com/led-components/ledtric-pico-twentyk-10w-par30-reeflamp/

 

As far as the fish goes, I already have 2 other tanks with every kind of invert you can think of. I was just looking for something that I didn't have yet so that's why I suggested the Purple Pseudo. But if its just a tiny tank for the pseudo then I suppose I could just stick with a tiny goby of some sort. Since the theme of this tank is going to be 'purple', I'd like to get a purple fish so I shall keep looking and be open to suggestions from NR.

[Stkef9]

No problem good luck with your tank! I got my first SW up and running about 3 weeks ago.... already loosing my baby eagle eyes im afraid

[Arubix]

No problem good luck with your tank! I got my first SW up and running about 3 weeks ago.... already loosing my baby eagle eyes im afraid

 

Yeah dude, I would of let that thing cycle for at least a month. Especially since it's your first tank.

[Stkef9]

Well I got all cured LR and my water tests have all been spot on, LFS said it would be fine since they are supposed to be pretty hardy. Plus it was only a $3 frag so not a huge loss

[I4O9]

Following along. I dig the idea of a monochrome reef, plus purple is my favorite color. Might try it myself in the future. I'm excited to see how the tank develops!

[Arubix]

Following along. I dig the idea of a monochrome reef, plus purple is my favorite color. Might try it myself in the future. I'm excited to see how the tank develops!

Thanks! I can't wait for this thing to be cycled already. I'm kind of hving second thoughts on the fish so I might take the advice from a previous poster and add a shrimp or something. I know at one of my LFS they have a Hawaiian Ghost Shrimp. Could be a possibility.

[1reefluvr2]

I had a sudo in my spec he out grew it so to a bigger tank he went. I built my own Cree fixture it grows everything from Lps to sps to zoas and Gorgs & dandros

[andi.rahl]

I know you're aiming for all purple, but why not pick a small fish that has a color the compliments purple?

[Arubix]

Sorry for the late reply shinynic... but yeah thats a grand idea as well. A lot of colors compliment it well so I'll keep my eyes peeled. I've even been thinking about adding a harlequin shrimp or another cool invert like someone else suggested. We shall see I suppose.

 

Big update coming up in a couple of minutes.

[andi.rahl]

I hope you find something soon

[Arubix]

***Update: 20130529***

 

BoostLED Par30 arrived. Installed it into a tall corner lamp with a flexible arm. Reaches right over the tank beautifully. I may get a different lamp later on but this will do for now.

 

 

 

 

The candle on the bottom left is aftermarket. Instead of activating the moonlights at night, I figured I would active the 'mood' lights. OH! Giggity.

 

On another note, I was also looking at IslandofTiki's pest spec 2 and I went and did some modding with my filtration. I created the egg grate media basket thing for better flow on the bottom. Its not as sharp as Tiki's but it will do for now. I also kept the bio balls that came stock for the cycling process. Once its done cycling then I'll probably add a chemi pure ellite or something.

 

 

 

I took the stock filter block thing and cut off the top part for some temporary mechanical filtration. Ordered some filter floss as recommended by Tiki so thats going in there.

 

 

 

Next, I used a piece of the egg grate fixture to block that hole that fluval put on the botton. I patched it up from the back with the acrylic and super glue. I then super glued the front of it just in case there was a leak.

 

 

 

I also took out the sand. I originally got it from my seahorse tank and I didn't like it because it has some brown and white grains in it. So I ordered some tahitian moon black sand to replace it. Barebottom for the time being.

 

Lastly, I replaced the shotty stock pump with a ViaAqua pump I got with some refugium I ordered a while back. It's about 100gph at full speed so that's a lot better than what I have now. I just took off the pump flow adjuster and took off the back cover and then I filed the front cover down until it fit snuggly in the overflow. Had to cut some of the stock tubing too so it didn't bend.

 

 

 

 

And here's the final product so far. Stay tuned and I'm always open to constructive criticism.