# Fluval Spec betta home



## teija (Sep 30, 2010)

After great debate and some researching current options, I am finally on the way to a new betta house. Grete_J was so kind, and gave me a deal I could not refuse on this beauty. Many thanks!

Over the weekend I finally got a chance to finish cleaning it out and start it running. I am now pleased to present... my Fluval Spec Betta-house (sans betta...but not for long)! 

*Fluval Spec:*









*All cleaned out and ready to go!*


























*
Experimenting with possible layout option - I like these three rocks that "interlock":*









*Aquasoil under-layer:*

















Before water added... Plants given a quick wash/scrub and trimmed. Java fern tied to driftwood, small Amazon sword added in empty back corner...oh, and a couple of plant weights temporarily tied to the driftwood after it started floating up (forgot to re-soak it before using it):









View from the top:









I will also be adding some moss balls but after a massive cleanup of them, I'm letting them 'settle' in a vase with some Flourish Excel for a few days before putting them in. I have split up the largest ball, which did not seem to want to stay together, and removed any of the brown/dead areas from it. Was tempted to try the neat "carpet" effect I saw the other week at PJ's pets, but decided against it for now. Instead, I now have many smaller moss balls - but perfect for 'nano' sized tanks!

Flow adjusted to the lowest setting, water, ferts and conditioners added - ready to cycle! I nabbed the foam from one of the current betta tanks to help seed the new tank:









As of yesterday it was looking slightly brown due to the tannins from the driftwood (or also the mud from the Aquasoil?). Odd, because this driftwood was already used in another tank and I didn't think it had much left to leech. Don't want to change too much water or add any carbon yet as I want to wait for the plants to settle in and ferts to deplete.

Hoping to add one of the bettas this week - just have to figure out who is moving where, and decide which current tank gets decomissioned. Decisions, decisions! 

Anyone have any low-tech plant stocking suggestions? I am considering dwarf chain sword for ground cover... But not sure if I can keep a shrimp cleanup crew with my bettas... Only one way to find out I guess!


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## Tarobot (Jun 27, 2010)

excel will kill mossball i think cause they are considered algae, or so i read in the co2 post.


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## teija (Sep 30, 2010)

Hmmm, thanks for the heads up.... I will have to read up on it! EDIT: Found this, saying it should be fine, but also read somewhere else that they have not had as good of a result using Flourish Excel...

I know I can't use one of the Flourish ferts with vals (managed to kill all of mine with that), but can't remember which one...and can't remember if that applied to Crypts as well... d'oh! (Darn this aging brain of mine)


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## InfraredDream (Jun 24, 2010)

Beautiful! Your betta will love it!


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## teija (Sep 30, 2010)

After three weeks I guess it's time for an update!

The water quickly lost its brown tint (phew!)  A couple of water changes later, and with a bit of time for the plants to settle in (thought I'd lost one of them, but it seems to be trying to come back) it is still looking good...

These two photos were taken about 2 weeks ago - the driftwood had its weights removed, and the betta is busy investigating his new home.



















I have been dosing with a couple of drops of Flourish Excel every other day, and Amazon Elements once a week. Not sure if my moss balls like that fert regime, but the other plants should benefit.

Last week I came home to find white/clear slime ALL over the driftwood, and air bubbles floating around in the tank.  I scrubbed it off, it came back, scrubbed it off again...but it still keeps coming back. Can't put any shrimp in there as I'm sure my betta will have them for lunch... any other ideas? I don't want to remove the driftwood as I've tried to tie the java fern to it.

Also noticed a few teeny, tiny white worms on the glass last night  but will try not to worry about it too much yet. I'm pretty sure they're the harmless variety - probably due to two days of excess food dropping to the bottom. I have to remember to turn off the pump when I feed my betta - he can't catch his "quick" food otherwise! 

Over the past couple of days I have seen that my betta has started using the upper branch of the driftwood as a "hammock"  Very cute... Haven't caught it with my camera yet though, as he gets excited when I come to the tank and starts swimming around.

While the plants (and fish) in my Biocube struggle, and this tank continues to try getting established, I noticed this morning that over the past week or so the crypts in my other betta tank (2 gallon) have really started turning green, and I'm pretty sure have grown much larger! I have never seen this kind of "overnight" result, so am happy to see that perhaps the dosing IS doing some good.  I will continue to be patient with my Spec...


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## Atom (Apr 21, 2010)

I hate it when my moss balls fall apart. I don't know why it happens.

As for the slimy wood...it's natural. My manzanita did that when it was fresh in the water. After a couple of months it stopped. You can maybe add a nerite snail, which may consume the fungus on the wood and also pick any uneaten food.


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## teija (Sep 30, 2010)

Update!

The slime on the driftwood seems to finally be disappearing. Moss balls are a bit on the brown-ish side at the edges (seems to confirm they don't like Flourish Excel), but the other plants are slowly settling in. The java fern looks about the happiest I have seen it in the years I've had it - one of them is even stretching a root from the "tree" to one of the rocks. There is a bit of algae starting on the front rock, and the right-hand side of the tank glass (where the light is situated), but will just have to set up a timer to regulate the lighting a bit more rather than the current system (me switching it on and off whenever I remember). 

Got myself upgraded to an iPhone 4 so the picture quality is much nicer than my old 3GS...but I took these photos before I realized I still had the plastic on the back (over the camera lens)...lol! Thus, a tiny bit blurry.










View from the side:









Mr. Betta is very happy in there, and is regularly using the upper branch as a hammock.


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## thefishwife (Apr 21, 2010)

Looks really good! Do you have a heater in there???


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

You could probably fit one into chamber 1 in the back, but I can't tell by the photos.

Cheers,
Chris


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## Tarobot (Jun 27, 2010)

ya you could. i have it done it before the tiny marina c4? c7? forgot the series but it's for 3g and has no dial fits behind the pump area perfectly!


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## teija (Sep 30, 2010)

I have a pad heater I can throw in if necessary, but our apartment is usually warm enough. I don't have heaters in my other betta tanks but those are acrylic (this is glass) so as it continues to get colder I'll keep my eye on his thermometer.

I have a tiny Stealth heater that I've been using in my little tanks.... but it has been recalled (just haven't gotten around to sending it in) and the replacement isn't as compact. It's a shame as I loved the perfect size of it!


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## Grete_J (Oct 5, 2010)

Cute!! Looks much nicer than when I had it set up!


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