Happy New Year! I like to take some time every year to look back at the previous year at Spec-Tanks and look forward to what is planned.
Our Two Tanks – A Relaxing Oasis in a Virus Filled World:
Any review of the year 2020 deserves mention of the global Coronavirus pandemic. Our family has been spared major setbacks and is all healthy headed into 2021. That is something to be very thankful for!
Like most people around the globe, our world was turned upside down this past spring. We quickly transitioned to me working at home every day (something I have never done) and us educating all 4 of our kids at home (also a first).
All of this added significant challenges for our family. However, it also brought great blessings. I enjoyed eating breakfast with my kids daily and helping them with schoolwork in the afternoon. I also appreciated the freedom to take a break during the day to enjoy our aquariums.
Throughout the workday, I might change the filter media, fill the top-off water, or feed the fish. Tasks of the work week generally ended early, and I could commit every Friday afternoon to performing maintenance on our aquariums.
Both the freshwater planted Spec V and the new Saltwater EVO are doing great!
Tank Progress and Future Plans:
The high-tech planted nano is probably in better shape than it has ever been. I trim the HC Cuba weekly, making it more attractive and healthy compared to the bi-weekly (or longer) trims of the past.
The saltwater is closing in on being a year old. I think the progress is typical of a first-year nano tank. We went through a brutal ‘ugly’ phase a few months in, but that algae and diatom outbreak is significantly reduced these days.
The near-term future of the planted nano is the same. The substrate I used with our rescape last year is holding strong, so I don’t think I will need to replace it for a while.
For the saltwater EVO, I look forward to the continued maturation of the system. I’d like to see the coralline algae growth take off, and we plan on adding a few corals this year.
What is Upcoming in Spec-Tanks for 2021:
I have gotten way behind on articles in 2020 and have a lengthy queue to get through. Priorities for upcoming articles:
- Fluval EVO 13.5 Review: With a year under our belt, I think I can offer a good review on this tank. It is very well made, and I don’t have any major complaints thus far.
- Aquami KPS Nano Wavemaker Review: This is an awesome addition to any saltwater nano. It’s easy to use, but I plan on outlining some setup tips in a review.
- AI Prime HD Light Review: We put this light on the EVO a few months ago. Even without corals, I think it’s beneficial for our tank. It is as adjustable as I could imagine and has added great beauty to our tank.
- AutoAqua Smart ATO Lite Review: This has been the best ‘bang for the buck’ of all the add-on bits for our new EVO. I couldn’t imagine running any saltwater aquarium without an Automatic Top Off.
- Spec V Pump Upgrade – Cobalt MJ Mini 606: I upgraded the pump in our Spec V last year, and it is a worthy upgrade. I will discuss the pump and the plusses/minuses of use in a Spec V.
- Instructional Article – How to Fill Paintball CO2 Tanks: Long story, but finding anyone willing to fill the paintball CO2 tanks we use for our planted nano isn’t easy. I bought a 20 LB bulk CO2 tank and have started refilling our paintball CO2 tanks at home. I plan to write a full how-to article for those looking to do this themselves.
Beyond these major product reviews, I have many other instructional articles, including finishing the Project EVO Marine series.
I plan to keep the focus of this website the same next year as in the past: Create articles that are helpful, encouraging, informative, and packaged in a format that I would enjoy.
Best of luck to you and all your endeavors in 2021!
Looking forward to the updates and future posts!
Hi. Will you be purchasing / reviewing the Spec 16 gal? Always looking forward to your posts.
No immediate plans, but I’d sure like to. I’ll try to add it at some point.