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View Full Version : Fluval Spec 5g Crustacean tank


NanoMel
01-29-2013, 07:20 PM
Hello!
This is my first salt water tank so i thought seeming that my brother uses Canreef all the time for his 55 gal. Tank i would post my tiny 5 gal tank here. It's been running for 3 months now, i used live sand, dry rock with a piece of 'seed' live rock from my brothers tank to get it started. I really like my Fluval spec. Water levels have been awesome, no complaints there.

Currently i have 2 pom pom crabs, 3 sexy shrimp and a snail. (snail came from the live sand if you can believe it or not!! Lord only knows now long it was in that bag before i placed it in my tank but now it has a forever home)

As far as coral goes i have a purple mushroom, a water mellon mushroom, a rock full of some sort of mushroom and a star polyp rock. :)

Plans for the future include just adding more coral to it, i was hoping to put in a piece of frogspawn possibly add some life to the tank, any thoughts on what i should add would be appreciated. No plans to add any more crustacean's i think this amount of life in the tank is enough.

BIGGER plans for the future are to get a second fluval spec 5 gal, put them end to end and create an external sump under both tanks to help with stability and allow me to have a porcelain crab tank beside my pom pom tank. :) Any thoughts on how i might be able to get that to work would be helpful to as this is my first salt tank. Many thanks for checking it out. -Mel

-What my tank currently looks like-
http://i.imgur.com/8YtU7GO.jpg?1

-my pom pom crab pair-
http://i.imgur.com/z9WNKgj.jpg

-sexy shrimp enjoying the mushrooms (not sure which kind)-
http://i.imgur.com/m8DwONE.jpg

-Not sure if anyone's observed this but in the mornings when i turn on my light my sexy shrimp are blue, here is a side by side comparison of morning and 10 minutes later!-
http://i.imgur.com/MwQgmkA.jpg

11purewater
01-29-2013, 07:24 PM
Very nice!I have the same tank on my desk:biggrin:

NanoMel
01-29-2013, 07:50 PM
Thank you! It's an awesome little tank and oh so quiet! We call it cat TV in our house our two black cats adore the fishtank.

somewherebeyondthesea
01-29-2013, 07:58 PM
I've got a 5 G spec as well!

I currently have:

1 pulsating xenia
GSP
Birdsnest
Crocea Clam (really small one)
Frogspawn
Ricordias
Mushrooms
2 hermits
2 turbos
1 nassarius
1 clown goby
1peppermint shrimp

note! ---> i use supplemental feeding for my clam and SPS
I also added additional lighting for my SPS coral!


Happy Reefing!:biggrin:

NanoMel
01-29-2013, 08:24 PM
This is So neat! Not many people have a fluval spec in my area (that i know of) set up with salt tank. It sounds like you have some lovely things in your tank how long has it been running for?

somewherebeyondthesea
01-29-2013, 10:37 PM
This is So neat! Not many people have a fluval spec in my area (that i know of) set up with salt tank. It sounds like you have some lovely things in your tank how long has it been running for?


It's been running since christmas, but the rock, water, and half the critters were all from a larger tank (hence cycle time was shortened).

Most people are afraid of nano and pico tanks, but the reality is if you pay close attention to params and weekly water changes you should have little to no issues IMO.:biggrin:

fishoholic
01-30-2013, 01:15 AM
I love little tanks! I have a 2.5g that is my favourite tank to maintain in my house, admittedly because water changes and cleaning are super easy to keep up with :biggrin:

That is crazy with the sexy shrimp! I've never seen that before. I have 2 and now I'm curious if mine are the same way and I've just never noticed, I will have to make a mental note and check in the morning. I also love the pom pom crabs, they're so cute!

NanoMel
01-30-2013, 01:23 AM
Very odd right?! I havent been able to find any information on it so i thought i would try here and see if anyone had seen it happen before. They are only blue for about 3 minutes after the lights go on then they quickly change to blue. They are happy, eating exploring all the time and it happens to all of them so hopefully its nothing bad. :cry:

Yes the pom pom crabs are my pride and joy! I LOVE them, i cant wait to have a second nano tank with a pair of porcelain crabs they are my second -very close- favorite crab. :smile:

425nm
01-30-2013, 01:26 AM
Are you using the stock light or did you switch?

NanoMel
01-30-2013, 01:36 AM
Are you using the stock light or did you switch?

Currently using the stock light, i have been trying to figure out a good replacement but havent found one yet. My brother uses a EcoTech Marine Radion XR30w (Gen 2) LED Light Fixture which i love but... clearly thats a bit too intense for a 5 gal. haha any thoughts as to what might work?

NanoMel
01-30-2013, 01:44 AM
Here's a new coral i picked up today, all the little polyps are mostly closed. Some new re-decorating i did of the tank, nice to have something new in there. Clearly the sexy shrimp love it!
http://i.imgur.com/3Q5K9Z2.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Lqvr6R3.jpg

Also a neat photo o took of my pom pom crab Lana eating a bristle worm. Nom Nom...
http://i.imgur.com/o1slhJC.jpg

NanoMel
01-30-2013, 01:45 AM
..... OH MY!! haha what large photos... gonna have to try and fix that sorry :(

425nm
01-30-2013, 02:13 AM
Currently using the stock light, i have been trying to figure out a good replacement but havent found one yet. My brother uses a EcoTech Marine Radion XR30w (Gen 2) LED Light Fixture which i love but... clearly thats a bit too intense for a 5 gal. haha any thoughts as to what might work?
Well I have a 2.5gal fluval spec which I'm going to make into a pico when I find the time. I'm thinking of using a par38 bulb (not yet decided what kind). However that might give you a spotlight type effect (unless you use two).
Perhaps a reefbrite strip?
http://www.reefbrite.com/reefbrite-tech-led/
They are apparently available in Canada, however I am not sure where.

Do you just have rubble in the overflow? I was thinking of making the overflow into a refgium with a DIY air driven skimmer. Also replacing the stock pump with a hydor pico:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=21414

11purewater
01-30-2013, 09:36 PM
Here's mine.Using the stock LED light for the HOB refugium and using a dual strip T-5 fixture abovehttp://http://i1161.photobucket.com/albums/q519/11purewater/nano005_zpsac3f335a.jpg

gridley
01-30-2013, 10:29 PM
Welcome to Canreef - it looks like you have a good start - I'll be following along as I've thought about starting one at work.

mseepman
01-30-2013, 11:39 PM
If you are looking at lighting...see if you can figure out how to use a Panorama Pro from Modularled...That would probably be pretty decent on that sized tank.

NanoMel
02-01-2013, 09:36 PM
Thanks everyone for the lighting ideas!! I REALLY enjoy this tank its so much fun, and being my first tank i still have a bunch to learn but luckily i have some good people guiding me in the right direction! :) Here's some more photos for you. :)

First photo is my new 'trumpet coral??' and some sort of polyp rock. The top photo you can see was taken late at night when it was feeding. Kind of neat.

http://i.imgur.com/Biv8b41.jpg

And here's a full view of my tank Hoping to add some Zoanthids and other colorful corals to my tank... right now theres too much, brown :)
http://i.imgur.com/ehswLSc.jpg

NanoMel
02-10-2013, 05:09 PM
So.... my female Crab Lana has... and egg pouch!! I know they have never been raised in captivity but man is it cool! sorry for the poor image quality she has been very illusive since getting eggs this is the best i could do!
http://i.imgur.com/Cyw7ujK.jpg
And some of my tank corals...
http://i.imgur.com/eMoqcsD.jpg
Hope you enjoy! :)

Ryancw
02-10-2013, 06:13 PM
Currently using the stock light, i have been trying to figure out a good replacement but havent found one yet. My brother uses a EcoTech Marine Radion XR30w (Gen 2) LED Light Fixture which i love but... clearly thats a bit too intense for a 5 gal. haha any thoughts as to what might work?


haha, im currently using a spare radion on my girlfriends spec till we decide on a light to get, crazy overkill. i would look at just modding the stock arm with 1 or 2 panorama pro led strips. an AI nano or sol would be another option but much more expensive. if your handy i would just DIY led and mod the stock light arm.