Fluval Spec 2 Zoa Garden
- Thread starter JoshuAc00k
- Start date
Figure I'd start a thread for my fluval spec 2 gallon system. This will be a simple system because it will be at college with me and I don't want to be doing a lot of maintenance. That is why is will be a zoa garden. I'll post FTS every now and then in the first post and put updates in further posts.
Lighting
Innovative Marine Skyye 8 Watt LED 14K
Filter
Floss, Purigen and Carbon
I've gotten rid of the stock sponge because it takes up all the space in the back chamber.
I've left the stock pump in for now (and if I need more flow I have a small spare pump that I can stick in the display).
Other Hardware
I'm using a JBJ ATO to keep up the water level.
I have the heater stashed down the side of filter compartment.
Modifications
I raised up the overflow area to keep a higher water line than the normal spec.
Closed up the small gap near the bottom of the back wall to create the overflow.
Lighting
Innovative Marine Skyye 8 Watt LED 14K
Filter
Floss, Purigen and Carbon
I've gotten rid of the stock sponge because it takes up all the space in the back chamber.
I've left the stock pump in for now (and if I need more flow I have a small spare pump that I can stick in the display).
Other Hardware
I'm using a JBJ ATO to keep up the water level.
I have the heater stashed down the side of filter compartment.
Modifications
I raised up the overflow area to keep a higher water line than the normal spec.
Closed up the small gap near the bottom of the back wall to create the overflow.
I believe it is called a gang valve. I'm using it to hold the ATO freshwater in-line in the tank and it seems to be doing a great job.
The tank has ammonia in it which I believe is a good sign that it is cycling, especially if it goes away over the next couple days. The ATO is working great and salinity hasn't moved. I'm looking forward to a very low-maintenance college-stress-relieving tank.
The tank has ammonia in it which I believe is a good sign that it is cycling, especially if it goes away over the next couple days. The ATO is working great and salinity hasn't moved. I'm looking forward to a very low-maintenance college-stress-relieving tank.
Update:
The tank's been up for a week. It's too clean. Not much algae growth so I'm a bit worried. Hopefully it will spread a bit more in the following week. The ammonia is around 0.75 ppm and dropping so thats a good sign.
I went to get another piece of LR to make sure I had some in the tank because I wasn't sure about the piece I had in there. At the store they had $5 dollar frags so I just bought one of those and the worst thing that happens is the frag dies but I still have the bacteria and algae. It's a pretty cool zoa and hopefully it lives. I don't (though most people do) think it is bleached. There are reports of white zoas (usually they are people eaters, but I don't see the special mouth) being actually white, growing and spreading and staying white, so hopefully mine are okay. I like them and they look okay.
The tank's been up for a week. It's too clean. Not much algae growth so I'm a bit worried. Hopefully it will spread a bit more in the following week. The ammonia is around 0.75 ppm and dropping so thats a good sign.
I went to get another piece of LR to make sure I had some in the tank because I wasn't sure about the piece I had in there. At the store they had $5 dollar frags so I just bought one of those and the worst thing that happens is the frag dies but I still have the bacteria and algae. It's a pretty cool zoa and hopefully it lives. I don't (though most people do) think it is bleached. There are reports of white zoas (usually they are people eaters, but I don't see the special mouth) being actually white, growing and spreading and staying white, so hopefully mine are okay. I like them and they look okay.
Thanks, it actually took me a bit a time to get it to where I liked it.
New zoas today, BamBams and Blue Hornets, from Standaman4 and they look good so far. The Bam Bams are already opened and happy and the Hornets are almost there. Ammonia is at 0 also which is good. I'll post the next FTS next weekend when I get the last of my zoas.
I'm getting a sample of Coral Frenzy soon so I'll be able to see if my zoas like those (I'll have to feed sparingly because of the size of the tank) and if they do, then maybe I'll invest in a jar. We'll see...
New zoas today, BamBams and Blue Hornets, from Standaman4 and they look good so far. The Bam Bams are already opened and happy and the Hornets are almost there. Ammonia is at 0 also which is good. I'll post the next FTS next weekend when I get the last of my zoas.
I'm getting a sample of Coral Frenzy soon so I'll be able to see if my zoas like those (I'll have to feed sparingly because of the size of the tank) and if they do, then maybe I'll invest in a jar. We'll see...
Not too much has changed. Ammonia is at 0 and I bought a refractomter to keep my salinity in check. I still need to calibrate it with RO DI which I can get tonight. Then I'll do a water change thursday or wednesday depending on how much work I need to do. No growth to report, but the brown algae has receded which is a good sign for the cycle.
Here are some pictures to keep people a little bit interested.
Here are some pictures to keep people a little bit interested.
Thanks! It took a lot of tries to get a rockscape I liked. It's surprisingly difficult with such a small tank.
I'm still not sure what I want to do with the sand bed. I was thinking of mushrooms too because I saw another fluval spec with a bunch of rics down there and it looked great. But I may try some sort of LPS. I'm actually trying to get a torch coral and acan for the bottom right now, along with a mushroom and maybe some zoas... We'll see how it works out, but I'll definitely keep this updated.
I fed the zoas today with my sample of Coral Frenzy and the Magicians loved it!!! I am curious if it will have an impact and maybe I'll invest in a jar of the stuff (but my tank is so small the sample may last me quite a while). I'm going to test ammonia tomorrow to see how much of an effect the feeding had, if any.
I'm still not sure what I want to do with the sand bed. I was thinking of mushrooms too because I saw another fluval spec with a bunch of rics down there and it looked great. But I may try some sort of LPS. I'm actually trying to get a torch coral and acan for the bottom right now, along with a mushroom and maybe some zoas... We'll see how it works out, but I'll definitely keep this updated.
I fed the zoas today with my sample of Coral Frenzy and the Magicians loved it!!! I am curious if it will have an impact and maybe I'll invest in a jar of the stuff (but my tank is so small the sample may last me quite a while). I'm going to test ammonia tomorrow to see how much of an effect the feeding had, if any.
