Fluval Spec 5 gallon: Unboxing & Setup 

This video is 10 years old!! I just bought this exact aquarium, but I think it's the updated model. Seeing it being set up was helpful. I also have a 10 w heater, about the same size, so its good to know it will work fine in this aquarium. I still haven't decided what to put in it, or how I want it to look, still collecting ideas.

thank you so much for posting this! as a visual learner, the instructions were damn near possible to understand. very helpful video and my fish loves his new tank! keep up the amazing work 💖

Just bought a fluval spec V and it was just worth watching for the truck of using the net to push the pump down! Very cool! I love this tank and thank you for the in depth unboxing and review pecktec! One of the great Freshwater fish youtube channels that I continue to watch 👍

The plastic screw is to level the LED Light so it is parallel to the top instead of hanging slanted. Just hold the far end of the light level and tighten the screw.

I tried the exact same heater in my tank, put it in the same spot, and my water was a nice chilly 68 degrees the next morning. So I got out the dremel cut a beautiful little u-hole in the black plastic section separating the filter area from the main tank, threw a better heater in the larger side of the tank and ran the heater cord through the hole and out the open section of the lid. Worked like a charm.

I had to stop myself from buying this spec for the 50% sale +15% employee discount on black friday. They are really neat aquariums! love how you set yours up

Great setup video, thank you ! I just ordered this tank online, it is my first aquarium and I plan to put in : one Betta fish, two Anubias and another short-ish plant, a floating plant, pieces of driftwood, one or two water snails and maybe one shrimp. Wish me luck !

Watching in 2020 LOL Almost 2021

Thank you so much for this video. I received my Fluval Spec on Tuesday and there were no instructions at all included. If it had not been for watching your video, I would have been in tears. As it is, it is set up and I like the tank very much. Thanks again!

Also found this then years later after getting that tank as my first one ever after keeping triops and brine shrimp for multiple years in more rudimentary makeshift tank, so your explanations and additional tips for beginners were incredibly helpful. You also have a super nice way of presenting everything and I was stoked to see you're still uploading to this day - definitely a channel I will keep coming back to!

I love this tank. I bought 2 of them. I wish they have a bigger 2 ft type tank. The filtration is the quietest and easiest setup.

Thanks for this video. It is great and I loved seeing yours completed. I haven't had a tank for over 20 years, but now diving back in to it. My youngest son has been asking for fish for a while now, so for his birthday I am getting the Spec V.

Thanks for the great video. We "inherited" a poor betta from friends who are moving across the country (in an overcrowded, unheated, unfiltered about half gallon vase), so I've started to dive into all info on the web. 5 gal seems the healthy minimum for a betta, and we like this tank. Let's hope I can get it to set up well and get the fish happy in his new house. Nice channel, thanks for the informative high quality vids!

The way the light backlit the aquarium at 15:29 was actually quite interesting. Very cool.

Great video and methodical process you went through with the tank. Thanks for sharing.

It's a nice set up . I like the angles how everything is laid out, and the way the gravel varies in colour.

Love to see more on the fish and the experience of what has worked and what has failed when it comes to your tanks.

My planted Spec 5 makes a perfect shrimper. The biggest drawback to this tank is the sub-par lighting. The biggest plus is easy maintenance. I've had it up and running for 8 mos.

I love your Fluval aquarium vids! I'm loving the different styles Fluval is releasing.

Hello and Thank You I have actually changed the fish tank and agree with your comments Have brought Aqua 30 for the goldfish. Thank you again for all your help. Take Care.

about to get one for my 4 yr old this is perfect

thanks for the videos again I have the fluval spec 2.5 gallon it has been going for two weeks now thanks to this video i realized my sump intake was not in or near the right direction i also noticed in the 2.5 I have more room for a heater inside the sump bay I also installed a heater too much watage and cooked my shrimp and gave my tetras a bit of a shock thanks for taking the time to do these vids im hooked on planted tanks all the help i can get the better.

Thank you so much for helping me set up my first fish tank. I appreciate your time and expertise.

I like that you reply to everyones comments, really appreciate it! Im gonna get one of these in white! Keep up the good work!

Very nice set up for 5 gallon..

Your Fluval spec review video pursuaded me to purchase one for my cubicle at work because I love the detail you put in the video. I have a 60 gallon tank at home with live plants and it's thriving and so as the green algea. I set the timer to 6 hours per day and see less green algae on substrates. Here's setting 1) Canister filter with inline heater set to 75 degrees 2) PF40-UV Power Filter (HOB) With UV Sterilization 3) 20% water change with RO/.DI water. I notice there's zero algae.

I like the longer look to the tank.

Watching in 2018. Only issue with this tank is be careful with fry. The small intake is perfect size to trap them. Easy fix is a small piece of mesh which does not restrict water flow else the tank will overflow. You made a nice job of this little tank. I use mine as a hospital/quarantine tank as it has a good pump for size and is very easy to maintain

Yes I have two edge videos. they are pretty neat tanks indeed.

Can't stop the signal, Mal. Thanks for the video....

Watching in 2022 ! Keep it up 👍

Wish we had more of these tanks in Australia

Excellent video. I've been keeping fish for over 50 years, and have had tanks up to 250 gallons. I decided, for the first time, to go with a small tank, and I liked this one. Your video did the trick and I ordered it from Amazon. Thanks.

The Spec V is a great little tank. My only complaint is the pocket space they give you for pump and heater. The pump is so cramped in and then the wire from the pump is jammed against the glass. Of course I always do my 3/4 week water change with vacuuming the gravel (grounded fine gravel.., better to lower the ph).., plus the fine gravel looks like real sand. Not too mention, MUCH better for Corys. The 3rd month I pulled the pump & heater to clean muck on bottom of tank and that's my complaint. Very hard to reach. Fluval should expand the depth by 1/2" to 3/4". This would allow for easier access to clean and not have pump so crammed in there. But overall.., Great Little Tank...!! Would like to see Fluval come out with a Spec 7.5 or even a 10 gallon. BTW.., love your very informative RU-vid videos. I am new to this hobby and you, Mr. Pecktec.., U Da Man...!!! Thank You

I'm glad that heater works for you. My house is cold in the fall and winter and that heater couldn't get my 5 gal above 71 degrees.

using the same exact aqueon heater and its roasting my 2.5 gal betta tank. 86 F, sometimes hotter. this heater is MEANT for 5 gal ONLY guys. thats the sweet spot. any tank thats smaller or bigger will be too hot/cold

I love that you have an "In Bruges", poster!

very helpful. I just got one for Christmas and you put a spark under my ass to do an awesome scape. Thank you for all of the inspiration. Keep up the amazing videos...I count on you!

Will probably be buying this to own on top of my 20 gallon Marineland that I already have. Love you videos they are a lot of help!!!

Great review, I appreciate the detailed info from someone that seems "Normal" if you know what i mean. Props!!!

Nice looking little tank! Thank you for your time and effort you put into these videos.

this video helped me make my decision to purchase this setup. thanks man! keep the interesting and informative videos coming!

The twirly plant is Echindorus Vesuvius, you need quite a bit of light for that plant, and often co2 is required for it to thrive (I speak from experience). But it does look nice. :)

I love your videos. Thank you for your knowledge. I am learning so much to start my first planted tank.

Great job. Awesome video

Thank you. Just bought this tank for a Betta and was thinking about which plants to add. Welcomed your advice.

I don't put much in maybe a quarter cap full. I just started using the flourish tablets that you put in under the gravel. Its working great. I dont vacuum the gravel in any of my tanks the plants use that stuff to grow.

This is a great review. It's solidified my decision to go buy this tank today to keep some shrimps in, maybe a few tiny fish if I have bio-room.

Hey, just want to say thank you so much for all your help. Also, a garden in your fish tank would be a helpful video I think!

Thanks for this, just bought this tank and waiting for it to be delivered. Very helpful!

Mines working well so far. I was worried it was a bit week but then it only need to bring the temp up a few degrees in my house. Remember to area you put it in makes a big difference in the wattage you need.

nice tank.nice fish

Thanks for posting this vid. Will be setting up a tank soon so I'm checking out vids around here... especially need the heads up on cycling tanks. Never realised tanks needed that much time in prep.

Nice looking tank and I love Fluvals attention to detail. The only area that world concern me would be putting a heater in the pump sump as it looks as though there would not be sufficient circulation. A fix I have seen elsewhere is to put a small heater at the bottom of the pump well, install the pump above it and cut the return pipe down to size. Nice.

Very informative vid... I really like my spec v. I had to turn the flow all the way down though. You barely have to turn that little screw to take the light on & off.

Been thinking of doing one of these tanks for a while now as I'm a huge fan of

Great Video :) I liked how you included both the unboxing and the setup of the aquarium

Good idea! Mine is doing well at 75F but the quality of any heater can diverge wildly from one to another.

Excellent video! This video has helped me to decide to buy one.

I'm glad I could help!

Great looking tank man

Thank you I for the information. I am waiting for my aquarium to arrive, exactly like the one you demonstrated with here.

It will be a great office tank. I keep my tanks in a very very simple way. Light for 9 hours, just enough food, balanced livestock, 20% water change with tap water. Nothing fancy at all. but keep in mind My 55, 30, and 12 gallon tanks are around 7 -8 years old and haven't always looked so nice.

I really like my Spec 5. I use it as a fry tank (before going to grow out tank) after they leave the egg tumblers. Perfect because the filter intake is way up top and won't suck them in.

Very informative and nicely produced, thanks for posting

this is an extremely useful video! im glad you showed what kind and size of heater to add. i would have just ended up using one of those bigger cylinder heaters and stuck it to the side and put the cord through the top hole

Great videos. You do a great job speaking and explaining everything!!!

Charcoal pulls tiny things in the water to it like a magnet and makes the water clearer. The white stuff holds good bacteria in it to break down fish waist.

Great video, really helps a lot with making my mind up on a purchase when they are done like this.

I bought the same tank and this was a great help in setting up! Thanks....

finally getting back into having fish getting a bette tomorrow. Hoping to get one of these fluvals for my birthday this December :)

Very nice tank for a betta.

Thank you! That helps, I will be doing some water changes and see what it looks like after a month maybe.

Surprisingly its doing pretty well. I put a flourish tab near the base of it and it seems to have reacted well. I haven't been able to find these around town so I'm hoping it will do well in here.

Thank you, this video helped me figure out how to put my tank together!! great video! :)

Very helpful setup tutorial. Thank you.

Love you videos you. And because of my home it’s to small for big tanks. So have small tanks some time challenging but rewarding. During lockdown. Have had more time to challenge trying to keep live plants . Have a great Christmas keep safer

That sounds like a good use for it if you can keep the biolgical part good between brods.

Yea I saw that as well. I keep my eye on it.

Tetra Safe Start helps with the nitrogen cycle also. It's very good.

loveeeee ur vids. u know what would b gr8 on every vid, is if u always add the dimensions, that's a big thing as to where one will have room to set the tank. thanks for the gr8 vids!

Watching late 2019 almost 2020.

Hi, I'm a newbie about fishkeeping and aquarium stuff. Thanks to your videos, now I know a lil bit of things and it kinda helped me a lot. Subscribed, and please keep making good videos. Cheers.

Great presentation ! I would like to talk about keeping red (blood red) crayfish and their limitations and what to include in a Fluvial 5 spec aquarium...

Just bought one today! Thanks for the video it has been a great help!

Love your unboxing videos

Nice unboxing mate.

The plastic screw is there to adjust the angle of the LED light so it stays horizontal. It's not meant to hold anything in place.

Great video

Thank you for helping us set up our fishtank :)

Yes although you can keep them well in larger bowls, a fully functional aquarium requires much less maintenance for a constantly healthy home. I just put a betta in my 5 gallon spec. The new one in the two gallon is doing well also but no tank mates to help with food.

I have had terrible luck with sand. Some do well with it though. ottos may be ok in the 10 gallon and there is always apple snails. Good water changes and holding back on the amount of food will do the most to help you.

Watching in 2020 because I am enjoying my Fluval Flex so much for my Betta, I think I need a Fluval Spec to put some neocaridina shrimp in. :)

really great video I'm sold on getting this tank its a clean set up things are out of site you know

Hi. Love your helpful and informative videos! My son and I used them to set up a Fluval Spec V I got him for Christmas. I wanted to share my passion with him. A passion that started with a 10 cent goldfish I won at Coney Island (Yes... long long ago lol) We have the same set up as you do... substrate... a couple of small plants. No outside light.. just from the Spec V ... and we are having a constant brown algae issue. I purchased two small pieces of driftwood from PetSmart and they also are getting a light green mold on them... at times some gray mold too...I've had so many aquariums in my lifetime and I have never dealt with this. Algae eaters and small bristlenose plecos died... a couple of guppies died... we have are original cory catfish we used to start the tank still wiggling around in there. It has been two months. We managed to get rid of the algae with scraping and water changes and keeping the light totally off...but when we started using the light again, it came back. Lights on only 6 to 7 hours. Now one of the plants is yellowing... I'm just lost at what to do. Petsmart sold me some API Algae Fix tonight. I really don't know if I want to use that. The only thing I have ever experienced was a little cloudy water... and then clearing up... I get algae in a 20 gallon now that I have... but it is green and normal... and the algae eater takes care of it... (we are in an apartment now... I had a 40 gallon glass fracture and flood another apartment... so now I stick with small aquariums... LOL .. My older two children were young at the time and I was in another room yelling... telling them to turn off the water!! ugh) Anyway... do you have any suggestions? Is it the lighting on the fluval? I've never had that type of lighting before. Any advise you can give would be helpful and appreciated! Thank you :)

Just wanted to say thank you for this video!!! MUCH more helpful than the instructions ;)

thanks for your help got the plants in and setup done I didn't know about the stuff for the plants maybe ill have better luck this time thanks

That's the exact same heater I have in mine. For anybody's who wants to know how well it works in a five gallon it will hold a temp at about 75 f

Awesome firefly shirt !

I was thinking of the smaller 2.6 gallon ,apec but this size looks 👍