2Sunny
Active Member
So I had this running for almost a year as a "copepod hotel" with just live rock, sand, chaeto, pods, and a snail. It worked better than I hoped, but eventually I set up a refugium on my main display and transferred the citizens where I'm happy to report I have experienced an enormous explosion in life and the chaeto is basketball size, and I no longer need any chemical filtration on my system and my water changes have gone to zero. Anyways, thats not the point. Point is I was looking at the Fluval Spec the other day and thought what a shame it's sitting in the basement. My wife actually liked the "copepod hotel" and so when I told her I was going to setup the pico tank again she was all for it. Plus I recently tried to setup a clown harem with 7 clown fish, and it looks like 5 will live peacefully enough to leave them alone, but that left me with 2 little ones that were being badly picked on with torn fins and all. So . . . I took them out and moved them for a short time to the refugium (where they went crazy gorging on pods) until such time as the Fluval Spec was ready. I could have used the light that came with the Fluval as that was what I had for the "copepod hotel", and it grew chaeto fine, but this time I want to try more so lucky for me I had an old AI Hydra laying around which I could use thus allowing me to try some more challenging corals in a pico. So far I'm just testing some orange ricordia and the response seems excellent. Ultimately I'd like to upgrade to the Fluval Spec V and then keep a a bonded pair of gobies with a shrimp, plus a chalice, and a euphyllia, but first will try what I have on hand. Of course to reach the 100-200 PAR level I have to have the LEDs turned WAY down, but the fluorescence is superb, even the clowns glow. Mind you I am fully aware that I will eventually have to move the clowns back to my sump if I can't find them a permanent home locally, but at least for now they make for an interesting display. I plan on adding a green euphyllia today and perhaps a snail as well. So far zero nitrates or phosphates, but I had had the Fluval filter pad in my refugium for some time so it came biologically active already, the sand also came from my refugium so it too is alive, as well as the live rock pieces of which there are 2. My plan is to do large water changes as necessary to control the nutrients, but based on my previous experience when I actually never changed the water, I expect so long as I diligently clean the surface of the sand bed weekly I will have little trouble. My hope is that like the WWC Marineland 2.5 Pico, I will be able to keep this pico alive and healthy because of the access I have to excellent quality water the is "alive" from my refugium. Anyways, I'll be sure to update this periodically whether or not I am successful. 
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