The challenge a five-gallon tank poses to aquascapers Then there is nothing less than magical about Fluval Spec5 Gallon: a machine that combines modern comforts and classic elegance like no other on the market today. Large sprawling aquariums offer endless possibilities. But there is always something special about working a thriving aquatic ecosystem into a narrow space. It is not something that can be whipped up like instant pudding; it demands persistence, original thinking and careful planning. Over the years, however, I have come to appreciate this more and more.
If you’re on here, chances are good that the Fluval Spec 5 Gallon is a classic boring tank and suitable for beginner and experienced aquascapers alike. Trust me though, this tank is anything but basic. In such a small space, you have no choice but to focus on detail – every plant, rock and piece of wood must be placed with precision. Everything matters in this tank.
I remember the first time I set up a Spec 5 Gallon aquascape. Having worked with larger tanks for years, I was both intrigued and a little nervous about scaling down. How do you create a stunning, balanced aquascape in just five gallons of water? As I have discovered through trial and error, the answer lies in simplicity and thoughtful design.
Choosing the Right Hardscape: Less Is More
In an aquarium, the hardscape is your foundation. This becomes something even more essential in a small tank such as the Fluval Spec 5. Limited space requires you to be thoughtful about the rocks and wood that you choose. When I first began to work with these smaller tanks, I made the mistake of trying to fit too much hardscape into the space. An odd piece of Seiryu here, another branch there-and next thing you know my tank felt cluttered and cramped.
I’ve learned over time that less is better with hardscape in the Spec 5. One or two well-placed stones or a single piece of driftwood can provide exactly what a focal point to draw your eye that’s not overpowering space. One of my favorite setups used a single piece of spider wood as the centerpiece. Its natural, twisting branches gave a feeling of movement and structure, yet still left plenty of room for plant growth.
Story: I remember back when I tried to imitate Iwagumi layout in Spec 5. Typical Iwagumi aquascapes tend to rely on a simple rock layout, but the small size of the tank presented its own challenge. I spent hours picking and tweaking stones to go into the tank, then stepped back and watched them as though each were its own performance. After repeated attempts—removing, re-arranging, replacing entirely with other stones—finally one day I hit upon a layout that somehow just felt right. It taught me something important about patience and balance in such a small space.
Plants That Thrive in the Fluval Spec 5 Gallon
When it comes to planting the Fluval Spec 5, it is always important for me to remember that envirnoment is tight on space for the little creatures living in another world. We don’t have room to sprawl like some citywide festival of greenery. So when selecting plant species, you want them not only looking good but fitting within scale of your tank as well. Low-laying plants such as Hemianthus callitrichoides (dwarf baby tears) or Micranthemum ‘Monte Carlo’ are perfect for creating a sumptuous carpet effect without burdening the tank too much.
Nota bene: One of the plants I frequently use the Spec5 for is Anubias nana petite. Though it is small and grows slowly, this makes it perfect for small aquariums and you can stick it to rocks or driftwood in order to add height or texture. Bucephalandra species are also plants that can be grown in the aquarium successfully; they have leaves of different shapes and colours which add variety to a tank without requiring too much trimming.
I remember one particular Aquascape: a lush, jungle-like environment was desired in the Spec 5. Layers of green were made by attaching Bucephalandra and Anubias — on pieces of driftwood that grew over time. The result was a beautiful and complex arrangement resembling something far larger than its actual size might seem at first glance. Crucial for getting plants to fill the space was choosing ones that worked with it, rather than against it. This will be one of many things we look at today!
Lighting and filtration: Building a lot of content around Lighting
The LED daylight that comes as standard with the Fluval Spec 5 is perfectly adequate for most low- to medium-light plants. Nevertheless, if you have any plans to grow high-demanding species or want the colours in your plants really to pop, then changing over very quickly to a much stonger light makes all of the difference. I personally think that the stock lighting has worked fine for my purposes, especially when using very low-maintenance plants like mosses, ferns and crypts. The important thing here is balance in the lighting–not so strong it promotes algae growth, but strong enough for healthy plant growth.
For the Fluval Spec 5, The highlight also comes in circumference. The built-in filtering system is quiet and efficient, robbing little space inside the aquarium while maintaining very high water quality. But one needful change I have found helpful is to replace the standard foam filter with a finer pored sponge-this can make any detritus that gets past it more difficult for bacteria to break down, and traps it in the sponge instead of circulating back into your tank. This helps call clearer attention to whatever pieces of waste are being carried around within hardly any effort on your part. It is particularly important in a small tank where any detritus, large or small, can quickly have a profound effect on the overall aesthetic of the system and how well it functions.
As I recall, there was a time when I did not realise the importance of filtration in such a small tank. Back then I was using a heavily planted tank with lots of fine-leaved plants like Rotala and Ludwigia which often lose their leaves. After a couple of weeks I noticed the water there isn’t any rich collecting debris which is not just ugly to look at but was also starting ruin water quality. I swapped out the filter media for a finer sponge and within days the water was clear, plants were thriving again. It was a small change that made all the difference.
Balance is key in a 5 gallon tank Stocking can be tricky. With such a small tank flexible options are not so easy to come by, but all that doesn’t mean you can’t create subtle, well-balanced ecosystems. Small species of fish have always had a special place in the aquarium for me. There’s something about those tiny little fish which I find most appealing: they don’t need much space or much disturbance, so they are perfect for invertebrates and shrimp as well as to add movement and color without overcrowding your system when kept as a small school. For something slightly larger, peacock gudgeons are also good.
The Fluval Spec 5: The Home Shrimp Aquarium
Neocaridina Shrimp, for example, are pretty robust. Not only that but they have attractive colors and are adept algae cleaners. I have live setups in which shrimps were the primary cultural agency, and so it is that the small fish we kept among plants grew well. The shrimp in the pool soon made themselves at home after just half an hour. The only thing that dissatisfied them was water free of any nutrients, which would reveal too much not to have any bad smell for us to put up with after long periods inside one room! As they finally crawled back to their own world on a hot day like this, I took it upon myself to give them regular foods in an effort to console them.
Shortly afterwards what did I notice but a low lying sunbeam?a straggling bird flew smally up into sky and disappeared
So for people who want to keep shrimp, the secret is to create a reliable water environment. You also need to take care that they are not fed too much. In a small tank, leftovers from a previous meal can very quickly turn into toxic decomposing materials. Nevertheless, shoppers keep returning to it in surprisingly large numbers.Yet, let me tell you a story in which I was wrecked right from the outset when moving from one of my previous 5-liter to another.. In 1948 I tried putting too many fish into the box sized for just 25 guppies and thought if they were all little everything would be fine.
After the year had passed I saw with my own eyes that water parameters had started to shift again [in your tank], it did not feel so much like home. came out transferring some fish or other to another location, while keeping all number one advice: Do not unescorted introduce 10 school’s along back into 5 gallons where they will be kings no longer than one dayIt is a lesson in holding back that has stayed with me ever since.Maintenance: Keeping Your Fluval Spec 5 in Prime Condition
Just turn it off? I love the way Fluval 5 changes. The small size makes it easy to change water and, with a well-filtered tank like this one, without taking out the rocks for cleaning or doing cleanings very often which might mean frequent clogs. I usually do 20-25% water every week, so together we keep stable parameters and the plants are looking their best.
One thing I find useful is to use a small gravel vacuum designed for nano tanks. It lets me tidy the substrate without disturbing anything else in my tank. In such a small tank as the Spec 5, it’s important to be gentle—-if you make a mistake here or there, up comes an entire plant and orderly plantings tile is once again mixed up.
Anecdote: One time during a water change, in my haste to finish siphoning the substrate I accidentally knocked over the central rock today. Getting everything back to the way it was took hours. It was a lesson for me that in aquascaping, among other things, one should not haste. Since then, I’ve always gone slow, even with something as straightforward as a water change.
Now let’s go further into the specifics of small tank aquascaping—thats where magic lies, really. With the Fluval Spec 5 Gallon, perfect balance is the key. Every factor must be in harmony: the plants, the fish, water parameters and the hardscape. But more than this, there is an art to creating an aquascape which feels spacious even in the confined. space.
Creating Depth and Perspective in a Small Tank
One of my biggest problems in aquascaping the Fluval Spec 5 Gallon is trying to make the tank look larger than it actually is. A good layout can create an impression of depth, drawing the eye into the picture and making that 5-gallon container seem much more spacious. Over the years, I have developed a number of techniques to achieve this, and it something I truly take pleasure in—almost like playing tricks on myself through the eyes of my new aquascapes.
In a small pond, the key to gaining a sense of depth lies mainly in the layout of your manmade hills and real foliage. For example, in the foreground of the aquarium I like to use smaller stones and plants and then gradually increase their size as I move towards the back. This creates an illusion that makes the back of the tank appear further away than it actually is.
An example that illustrates this point is an aquascape I once designed in which Hemianthus callitrichoides covered the foreground as a carpet, masterpiece plants such as Cryptocoryne wendtii and Ludwigia palustris were played in mid court and the rear garden. The transition from little tiny plants to larger ones helps creating depth, and it will definitely make a small tank appear much bigger than it actually is. In addition, I used smaller pieces of Seiryu stone in the front and larger pieces in the rear, further increasing this effect.
My anecdote : I found that when you experiment with depth in aquascaping and gaze at a tank for no less than an hour, the rocks seem to be speaking back to you. Every inch counts – just one small adjustment can change the perceived depth completely. This brought to mind an art class I once took that the teacher stressed the importance of composition and perspective in drawing. In some respects, aquascaping is a way of painting with nature and creating depth challenges you its most rewarding.
First on the importance of positionning plants, lighting is another critical aspect of the dimensional effect. The built-in light on the Fluval Spec 5 Gallon is quite effective, but for a truly three-dimensional feel, experimenting with different lights can make all the difference in the world. I often tip that light a little or put another light source back to throw shadows (and highlight) over the hard scape. This generates contrast areas–places more brightly illuminated against areas less so, which draws the viewer’s attention and adds depth. Indeed, because it for one of my more dramatic aquascapes, a clip-on LED light in addition to that within it lighting was used.
Positioning at an oblique angle a little above the hardscape from one side, you can see how dramatically light plays off landscape here and keep up with presence. The rocks cast long shadows on even further from one’s eye level–see now they fall off into nothingness! So here lighting adds to today what couldn’t possibly have been there yesterday. As a result, this aquascape takes on an air of mystery and dimensions that simply wouldn’t have been feasible with conventionally produced lighting.
Anecdote: It was the first time I had ever tried this idea of directional lighting in a small tank. I had just gotten finished setting up a new aquascape – it looked quite nice but there was something missing. It seemed flat to me. Just on a whim, I added a second element: a light source positioned at an angle. Not only did the whole scene suddenly come alive, but shadows now lent it depth as well. Far from looking like a simple glass box with plants, the tank became a tiny underwater landscape full of subtle interest. From then on, I was hooked.
Keeping Algae at Bay: Avoiding a Standoff for Forever
Algae is a constant, annoying enemy that any veteran aquascaper knows full well. Algae outbreaks can be particularly difficult to control when they occur in the cramped quarters of a small tank like the Fluval Spec 5 Gallon. The most effective method I have found in fighting algae is to tread a fine line between light, nutrients, and CO2. Too much of any one factor will lead to algae blooms, while too little can stunt plant growth.
In the early days of playing with the Spec 5, I had a particularly bad outbreak of green hair algae. I had been overusing liquid fertilizers, thinking that adding more nutrients would speed up plant growth. Unfortunately, what I hadn’t noticed at the time is that in a small tank it’s easy to overdose on fertilizers, so you get nutrient imbalances and problems with algae instead. After struggling with the algae for weeks, I finally cut back on the fertilizers, started injecting more CO2, and reduced the duration of light. Within a couple of weeks the algae had subsided, and my plants were growing like weeds again.
Anecdote: There was some point I was so fed up with an algal outbreak that I nearly tore down the entire tank. I had tried everything—dimming light, cutting back fertilizers, adding more shrimp to eat algae—nothing seemed to work. Then in a moment of desperation, I decided: stop fussing with it for a while. Astonishingly, the algae began to recede on its own; as the plants fought back successfully. It was a reminder that sometimes, the best course is just to take it easy and let things go their own way.
CO2 Injection: Do I Need It in the Fluval Spec 5 Gallon?
This is a question I get asked a lot: Do you really need CO2 injection in a small tank like the Fluval Spec 5 Gallon? The answer, as with many things in aquascaping, is: it depends. If you want to grow high-light, demanding plants such as Rotala macrantha or Ludwigia repens, then yes! CO2 injection could help you achieve that nice lush growth. However, if you are using lower-end plant species like mosses, ferns or Cryptocoryne – you can often get away without injecting CO2. This is especially true if you keep the water parameters stable and follow your fertilization regime to a tee.
Having said that, I ’ve found from experience that CO2 injection can even help take a small tank aquascape to another level. Not only do the plants grow faster and look better, but in a low-tech setup too (even with no T5 lamps over your head) you can still observe these results. Also, those little streams of carbon dioxide bubbling up through the water add a dynamic, attractive note that I find mesmerizing.
Anecdote: My first taste of using CO2 gas In a Fluval Spec 5 Gallon, the device was easy and convenient. With that in mind, though, I kept pulling up just short of putting all the necessary ingredients into the water Lovelacy?I may be nervous about this…I am old enough to remember the installation of Dukes in Vancouveria up at SFU where John Brydon got 800 acres, but let that go for now. Next option was to make up DIY CO2 from yeast and sugar water, which was OK for a while but a bit of also in comparison to pressurizing carbonate gases (Hence even if you could umove or permeate anything else the open-end bottle method would slowly eat up your carbon.)I remember the first time I Setting up a pressurized CO2 system.
Oh wow, what a difference that made to growth and mood of the fish! The plants came alive and rich with color; beautiful to look at indeed. But also the whole health of my tank improved dramatically; so much so that now I can not imagine aquascaping without having one there in an emergency backup if needed.What to Stock in a Spec 5? Small Yet Extremely Effective Fish stock in a Fluval Spec 5 Gallon is all about selecting species that will thrive in a confined area without swamping space or overwhelming the little ones. As I mentioned above, Chili rasboras and Ember tetras are my favorites, and I also prefer to put a single Betta fish into the mix.
They are easy on the eye with vibrant colors and elegant movements making them perfect for a small, heavily planted tank; yet at the same time they get along too well with the others to eat heavily on compounds produced by algae.Meanwhile my own experiments have included setting up a shrimp-only spec 5 Fluval. Shrimp are fascinating to watch, and an excellent source of cleaning as they eat algae and leftover food from the tank’s substrate. I once had a colony of red cherry shrimp living in this way… It was really fascinating to watch them go about their business and pick at plants or whatever else was around; also since they require very little care compared with fish, low-tech aquariumkeepers find them ideal animals to work with as a combined fOW scale setup.
Anecdote: There used to be a woman who owned one tiny puffer fish in a rock-style Fluval Spec 5, and it looked great. But after the initial attractiveness faded away you realized that all this maintenance took time. Puffers are famous for being messy eaters. In a small tank like this one, if you aren’t observant and proactive, the water quality can deteriorate rapidly. After hearing the experiences of my friend, in the end I decided to stay with what had always worked for me: shrimp and small schooling fish. Finding the balance between what you love and what the space allows is the key to success.
Final Thoughts: The Joy of Small-Space Aquascaping
There’s something special about aquascaping a small tank like the Fluval Spec 5 Gallon. It makes you think in ways that larger tanks do not: thoughtful, precise and creative. Every decision–from where to put one individual stone, what fish species you choose to keep with it–feels like it carries weight and matters, until the final result is a living, breathing miniature world.
The Fluval Spec 5 is more than just a tank to me: a test of my skill, an outlet for creativity, a place I turn to for relaxation and inspiration. In the Fluval Spec 5 Gallon, whether you’re a beginner taking your first tentative steps today or an old hand seeking challenge tomorrow, there are limitless possibilities. There is a great sense of accomplishment in mastering small-space aquascaping, in a world where larger often feels better.
When you are about to aquascape in a small tank such as the Fluval Spec 5 Gallon, passion for art and pragmatism are two sides of the same coin. Space utilization is the key in every inch of the tank, all of its parts (plants, fish, hardscape) should work together harmoniously to produce a balanced and healthy system. Technical questions aside, there’s also the joy of turning a single glass box in which nature runs her daily business underwater world teaming with vitality. In this final chapter, I delve into more subtle matters, including long-term care and also some of my own plant-fish combinations; how fluval spec motivates an aquascaper to think creativelywithin his limits.
Long-Term Maintenance: Achieving Stability in a Small Tank One of the toughest things about maintaining a 5 Gallon Fluval Spec is to keep the long-term water parameters stable. In terms of water volume, everything happens so fast that a small change in pH, ammonia, nitrate or nitrite levels can lead to big changes. So, a general principle of maintenance is that facilities should be kept consistent if you want any hope at being successful for any sort of period. Regular water changes, careful feeding and the monitoring of water parameters all help to prevent sudden crashes. For me, 20% weekly water changes have become a routine task.
It is no great burden–only takes a few minutes–andessential for maintaining the tank in top condition. One mistake I made early was to think that, because it is small, I could be slack on maintenance. But when you neglect the smalltank, things do not go well. Now I appreciate esprit de corps that regular care demands over time and the goods that it brings: plants healthy, fish alive, clear water.
Anecdote: A few years ago, I planted a Fluval Spec 5 with dense vegetation. I neglected to switch the water for ages because I was so wrapped up with other stuff the past few weeks. New to this kind of thing, I erroneously thought it shouldn’t matter if you missed a few changes Within weeks, I noticed that the less active the fish seemingly had become and plants were starting to droop at their tips. And above all, algae taken over. The little tank had acted me a less costly way of learning something After a period of regular maintenance picked things up again and my tank seemed to, but that lesson had been driven home hard: In the small aquariums consistency can mean everything.
In the Fluval Spec 5 Gallon, however, the low-tech approach does not really fit. Here I can look at both perspectives and am willing to try using whichever approach seems more suitable for a particular setup. On the one hand: low-tech aquascapes. With their homemade CO2 reactors (we’ll look at this in more detail later) and vice grips squeezing algae-covered driftwood against a rock are remarkably simple to maintain. By avoiding plants which need the bright light and more complex system of care that high-tech gardening demands, a beginner or someone looking for an easy setup can be very successful with low-tech plans.
Plants like Java ferns take a little photosynthesis more than their low-light cousins, green water will vanish completely in about six weeks so you can look for Malayan lava snails as soon as three months after setting things up
In contrast, high-tech tank setups can be very demanding. With the right choices, however, they also have benefits that are out of this world. A high-tech approach discards the haphazard and irregular character of low-tech tanks for the sheer luxuriance and rapid growth of the lush planted aquarium. I’ve tried both methods in my Fluval Spec 5 Gallons, and while high-tech tanks are fantastic for thematization and the distances of different types of plants, there’s also something very satisfying about maintaining a Japanese garden once every fortnight with no worries beyond changing water every two to three weeks.
The Fluval Spec 5 Gallon overhaul
In another aquarium, I decided to take a more high-tech approach. I replaced the light, installed a CO2 system under pressure and put in plants such as Rotala Rotundifolia and Alternanthera Reineckii. The growth was tremendous—within a few weeks, the plants had covered the tank and the colors were dazzling. By the same principle of rapid growth, of course, I found that these plants had to be trimmed and pruned nearly every two weeks in order prevent the tank from being engulfed in literally a jungle. While I was happy with my work in the end, it was definitely not as easy to maintain as a low-tech setup.
In the end, I discovered that both approaches have their positive points unique to each other’s methods; it’s really just a question of discovering what works best for your own lifestyle and goals. 商
Testing the Combination of Different Fish and Plants
One of the pleasures of aquascaping lies in experimenting with various combinations of fish and plants to achieve a balanced and harmonious system. In a small tank like the Fluval Spec 5 Gallon, a high degree of attention must be paid when planning this, because there isn’t much room available. I‘ve always liked the idea of creating an aquascape that looks very natural, where the plants and fish interact with one another both aesthetically and functionally.
One combination which has worked out very well is to put Ember tetras together with a carpeting of Monte Carlo. The little, fiery-red fish stand out beautifully against all the green in the foreground, giving an especially lively visual effect. And(Especially considering) Ember tetras are peaceful, schooling fish. It pays–as they after all should live in big groups. This tank is ideally suited to keeping a few of them together.
Yet another mix I have actually attempted is starting up Neocaridina shrimp and a heavily planted aquascape, which uses moss of any kind really. Shrimp are crazy about noshing on it Since, tomy amazement, the babies of some red shrimp I was keeping began to have an adult color at this large age. That was just beautiful Neptune gave me two lovely little blue shrimp I served them up to my girlfriend. No, I watched the tank everyday for a year and sure enough, they’re all still there–“the children” born from eggs in this Fluval Spec 5! I waited at least three days for three Mango Orange Tigz to show any signs of life and when they finally did move, I forgot my resolve not to touch anything.
One tumbled down as if drunk. The other two were still strong enough, despite all that hoopla coming from their proud momma. And so into Operation Sponge Filter New Airbreak Kit replacement… None experienced any ill effects diving into the cold water once their tails cleared it’s surface.oustful of the eggs in tummy of a pregnant shrimp was all I needed to add color and ravishment My shrimp never stopped growing in this tank!
Anode: Once I put a Betta fish in a Fluval Spec 5, but the tank was designed with a codec planted layout – that said Betta fry might be born here or killed to prevent further survival of its own kind. Bettas are used occasionally in medical research, although there is no proof they have any beneficial effect and some people actually believe that the high degree of early death rates among this species is due to their heavy use in aquaria. I had to think about whether it was right for me as an ethologist to feedfood Betta so many different types of things; this time babies were in clear plastic bags after they grew up at leisure within their parents ‘mouths At the time on this website there was a widely read article about Betta fish.
I read that Bettas are happier in clean water and that even though some people tell you to do otherwise, a filter is better for them than no water filtering at all. Mistaking this for advice, I equipped my tank with a filter and assumed afterwards that it would always be clean without any trouble. Keeping all this in mind, I looked forward to seeing how the Betta would adapt. The equipment first came out of a nine-container box and then sat on nursery stands while electricity and water connections went up one by one. In the afternoon of 26th October I bought live Cryptocoryne plants from Fish Street.
Ha ha, had a very interesting day! The success of this fish-growing experiment set me research and writing entirely new breed combinations of marine life such as sponges or Cnidarians, for which I was expected to travel overseas next year with their own crews.” This can be seen as success of a degree within degrees,” added U-Bi, noting that hishabby local aquarium shop sold Made in China junk that went wrong just two weeks later after purchase. One can only imagine it asked us to write a subheading of “Sad News Inbox” on our website before going on pension Indeed, that particular aquaria shop took up its yellow banners very soon thereafter and went into bankruptcy.
A soft, gentle flow in the tank to cater for the Betta’s need for calm water:In step by step I planted the Cryptocoryne and Anubias tank full of shadows. Yes, he seemed to admire it–swinging in and out of the plants, using leaves as his reading chair. I did find that I had to do more frequent water changes in order to maintain stable water conditions – Bettas do not like changes of quality in their water.
It was a rewarding experience overall, but it did require more care than some of my other arrangements.
The Fluval Spec 5 as a Creative Outlet
For me, aquascaping a Fluval Spec 5 Gallon is not simply about producing a tank that looks good–it is also a form of artistic expression. Each aquascape I create is an extension of my personal style, mood and inspirations at the time. Working with the constraints of a smaller tank, there is a certain amount of freedom; limitations on space force you to make more creative and thoughtful design choices.
One of the most stimulating things about working with the Fluval Spec 5 Gallon was how it opened up whole new avenues for experimentation. In a larger tank you can experiment with new layouts, different plant species and all kinds of interesting hardscape scenes, but there is no way to go back—having built your masterpiece, that’s that. I have often used my Spec 5 Gallon tanks as test beds (some sites call these “labotos”, a term I hate) for concepts that then scale up to larger tanks. It is the ideal combination: getting a chance to polish your craft and find out some new wrinkles without being overwhelmed by too big a project.
Anecdote: Once I had a very interesting phase dealing with minimalism in aquascaping. I decided to make a “Zen garden” aquascape in my Fluval Spec 5 Gallon. I used a single piece of driftwood as its focal point and surrounded it with a sandy substrate. As for the plants, I decided to make them open–I went for just an Eleocharis acicularis here and there (to look like grass). The result was a beautifully tranquil aquascape, in the classical mold. It was pared-down and unfussy yet hauntingly lovely. This told me that sometimes, you really can do more with less, especially in small tanks.
Now the Fluval Spec 5 Gallon as a Gateway to Creativity
Ultimately, the Fluval Spec 5 Gallon is not just a small aquarium–it is a site for creating, exploring, and expounding the limits of our art. Whether you are a beginner or experienced aquascaper, this tank provides untold opportunities for exploration and growth. The difficulties of working within an enclosed space only make the rewards all the more richly satisfying. For me, the Fluval Spec 5 has become a tank to turn to when trying new ideas, getting a technique down pat, or just indulging in the simple pleasure of observing a miniature world come alive.
So, whether you are looking to make a quiet home for Bettas, a lively shrimp tank or perhaps high-tech planted display, then “Fluval Spec 5 Gallon” is as good a canvas as any for taking your first awkward steps in aquascaping. So take up the challenge, thinking big–and yet above all else, enjoy yourself! After all, that’s exactly what aquascaping is all about.