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Low Tech indeed! Normal gravel and Java Fern, Anubias Barteri & Nana, Bucephalandra, Cryptocoryne Wendtii and Ludwigia Repens. I’ve had to replace some of the Java Fern as they blackened extensively due to magnesium deficiency so I now feed the plants once a week with Easy Life ProFito which is...

Just a pic of my tank in the present state of its ongoing evolution.

Top ‘scape was stunning, if it ain’t broke...

Think I’ve identified them myself - Tadpole Snail or Pond Snail

If they’re not Nerites does anyone know what they are?

Couple of larger Anubias and three Crypt Wendtii and a bit of rock added. I think I have Nerites breeding, which leaves me amazed as the water is not brackish.

Update, for anyone that’s interested? The big Anubias I had at the rear has completely rotted away, whether that’s a consequence of gluing, I don’t know. Neither of the Staurogyne prospered, so out they went. On the livestock side, I lost a Cardinal (expected as it only had one eye) and...

I’ve got 5 Cardinals in a Fluval Flex 34L and they’re doing fine, along with 3 Harlequins and half a dozen Napoensis Corys. Having lots of plants and good biological filtration (10 bags of ceramic) means you can keep more than just a couple of guppies.

Plants growing in nicely and I’ve traded in the 3 big Sunset Platys for 6 Cardinals and added another Buce and a couple of small Staurogyne. Deep clean at the weekend, quite happy with the way things are going.

Damsel nymphs have three tail appendages that look rather like little feathery leaves. That forked tail doesn’t look like a damsel nymph. I know these things from being a fly fisherman for 40 years and also tying my own flies, many of which represent damsel nymphs.

Anubias and Java Fern aren’t planted in substrate but Buce is. Had one in a previous tank that was planted and it thrived.

Planted the tank, reasonably pleased with the result. The bunched Lobelia at the rear left may die, never had much luck with them and, hopefully, the Crypts won’t melt. Now comes the pleasure of watching the tank develop. You don’t get that with artificial plants.

Got my plants, Both potted and bunched. Couple each of Crypts, Anubias, Java Ferns, a Bucephalandra and one that I forgot the name of! Dropped them into the tank to acclimatise for a while and to see if Crypts start to melt. Finish the ‘scape off in a day or two.

I’d recommend the Fluval Flex 34L, it’s bigger in capacity and size as the others but basically a 13” cube that is a great kit tank, only needing the addition of a heater to be good to go. Black back ground, no equipment in view due to three rear compartments and a great filtration system that...

I am keeping the gravel and rocks in-situ, as the tank is already well established, and just replacing the silk plants with real ones, principally ones that don’t need to root in the substrate.

Knew that, thanks. My gravel is rounded and not sharp or angular. They’ve been living happily, with full whiskers, for 6 months now.

I’ll see how they get on initially. Nitrates tend to be around 80-120ppm before weekly water change so that’ll help the plants. If I think they need it I’ll feed with Seachem Flourish Excel, which has the desirable side-effect of eliminating beard algae (for those unlucky enough to acquire it)

I took down my 34L planted Fluval Flex after a massive infestation of ramshorn snails and a huge explosion in the shrimp population. I did a re-start with silk plants and, to be honest, they looked okay. However I’m going to get rid of them and return to real plants as the enjoyment of that...

If you want any help or hints on setting up your Flex, just drop me a message through the Contact button and I’ll be happy to help.

Check online info about it in case it initially causes a big ammonia spike (my stuff did), however this helps to encourage the formation of beneficial bacteria. Didn’t get any livestock in mine for at least a month while it was maturing.

What substrate are you going to use?

Been a few changes in 7 months. It looks like this now.

One of my Java Ferns has black spots/blotches on some of its leaves. I had a couple of outbreaks of black beard algae and have been dosing daily with Seachem Flourish Excel which has cleared up the beard algae and all the Crypts are really looking healthy and vigorous. Shrimps have bred and...

As the title suggests, my Fluval Flex 34 litre has been up and running for 5 months. Modifications to filtration and flow have been made, rocks have been added to and rearranged, driftwood has been added and then taken away, plants have died and been replaced and livestock is doing well. Various...

Neat solution to the old Fluval Flex vent problem to stop fish and shrimp getting into the pre-filter compartment. This has been variously solved on the forums with sponge, mesh, filter wool, etc. All new Flexes now come with snap-in plastic screens fitted and these can also be purchased as a...

Great! Works a treat now, thank you very much.

Another tweak to the ‘scape - added a piece of root-wood. Might mess about re-positioning it until I get the effect I want.

Problem is you can’t change file extensions on the iPhone, you need to get them into a photo-editing program on a pc or laptop and do it there. It’s a lot of faff for a small return!

Had an Android, prefer the iPhone. Each to his own.

Thank you. As most people with iPhones will upgrade to the latest iOS and all new ones like iPhone 8 & X will come with it installed, it presents problems to a lot of people who actively participate on forums like this one.

It’s an Apple problem as I upgraded to the new iOS on my phone, before I upgraded the iPad. Forum wouldn’t accept photos from the phone but would take the same photo from the iPad which had been shared to it from the cloud.

Ever since “upgrading” to iOS 11.1.2 on both my iPhone and iPad I can’t post photos to the forum. It keeps coming up with a message that the file extension .jpeg is not allowed. Try as I might to re-save photos as .jpg it has no effect and the forum still refuses the image. Given that there...

I bought them as 1cm long, low-grade Cherry Shrimps (from a previously untried dealer) and they just growed! Fairly sure my trusted LFS has them right at Japonica but they aren't harming anything in the tank, so there they shall stay. Here is one pictured with a typical Amano.

My LFS says it’s a Japonica, which I thought was just another name for Amano? However, I’ve only been at this lark for 3 months so every day is a school day!

Today caught first sight of one of my clear Amano Shrimps and one of my dark Amano variants for the first time in ages, so they haven’t been killed off by ammonia! My local aquarist has reported that some API ammonia tests can give false results and an alternative test (which may be Salifert)...

Don’t know if you are familiar with the Fluval Flex but I have the whole centre rear compartment filled with bags of ceramic media. I reckon there are 10 bags filling it to the waterline so hopefully the stocking levels will be supported. I may well remove the Neons though if the low levels of...

My 34L Fluval Flex nano tank is 3 months down the line and coming along nicely. It is planted using TMC Nutrasoil Brown and currently thriving are 3 Java Fern Narrow Leaf, 2 Anubias Nana, 3 Crypt Wendtii and a clump of Java Moss. Livestock are Embers, Neons, Endlers, Otos, an Assassin Snail and...

This is the flow in my Fluval Flex since I modded it with a piece of sponge. Also tested my tap-water for nitrates and it's 5ppm which is a contributing factor to the high-ish weekly readings.

Link to a short video of the tank that I made today.

Update: (if anyone is interested) Removed Azalea Root to give more clear water and added another Anubias and a Crypt. Only regularly seeing 3 of my 6 Otos and not seen any of my shrimps for a week. After 2 months since introducing the fish the tank still looked like a ghost-town with only the...

I like the plants in the foreground, they are very slow-growing. The Crypt Wendtii, furthest left, has been in 2 months. I like the way it's turning out but if I'd gone for an Iwagumi-style scape at least I'd get to see my fish and shrimps a bit more!

Slightly tweaked the hardscape and added another Anubias and a couple of crypts. Fish still being very shy so might introduce a few Endlers to encourage them into the upper layers a bit more.

Proper pic of the imposter! Approx 31-37mm long.

Water flow problem possibly solved by cutting a slit in a piece of filter sponge and inserting it over the outlet nozzles from the pump. Water flow now well diffused. Hope I don’t get any oxygen transfer problems now, since changes with tanks seem to have a domino effect on other factors!

Nearest thing I can see to it in a guide is a “two coloured matano” someone on another site suggested it is a natural coloured Cherry, but it’s massive by comparison - at least 3 times longer than a normal Cherry. Not sure about floating plants as there would be light loss to my other plants...

Another view.

Just observing my tank and noticed this biggish Shrimp that I didn't know I had. The only Shrimps that have been introduced to the tank are 4 Cherry Reds which were very small and almost clear, and 2 Amanos only introduced 2 days ago. This shrimp is around 1.5" long and brownish with a lighter...

If I put a block of sponge over the water outlet nozzles to diffuse the flow will it put the pump under stress and shorten its life? I definitely think the flow is a contributing factor to the fish not moving around freely.

Probably guilty on all counts. I think the tall design of the Flex doesn't help and a longer rectangle shape might be more conducive to shoaling fish being more mobile. However the Flex is a very user-friendly tank for a beginner so I'll have to persist with it. The plants may grow-on and I can...

Anyone got any ideas as to why my fish (Neons and Embers) are hardly ever seen free-swimming in the mid to upper layers of the tank? They spend most of their time relatively stationary near the bottom and behind rocks and plants except, of course, at feeding time.

Are they harmful at all? I've also found (and removed) this organism.

Assassin Snail making short work of them by now.

Like these?

Long time since I posted anything about the tank. Had hair algae problems so bought a couple of large-ish Amano Shrimps, which are busy munching their way through it. Very rarely see my 4 Cherry Shrimp but the Amanos are very visible and active so I might get a few more. Had a mollusc problem...

Three small snail interlopers found, and disposed of. Wonder which plants they came in on?

This is the latest pic of my little project. The crypt in the foreground has been in a week and no sign of melt! The Nerite gets around the tank at a fair old pace. In the photo he is on the uppermost branch of the Azalea Root. The Begonia at the rear right is in decline but all other plants are...

Crypt Wendtii added to foreground and all readings now good so some occupants have been added. Ember Tetras and Otocinclus and a zebra striped Nerite. Cherry Red Shrimps will be added in a day or so.

The Hygrophila Salicifolia was planted as a bunch and rotted away within a week! Replaced with an Anacharis Elodia and I'm going to put some Java Moss in too. Aged ceramic bio media introduced yesterday so hopefully livestock soon.

Title: Fluval Flex 34 litre Dimensions: 34x33x33cm CO2: No Filtration: Fluval Multi Stage (Carbon excluded, 2 x Bio Max Ceramic Media) Lights: Fluval LED 36 + 3 RGB Photo Period: 8hrs Fertilisation: see Substrate Substrate: TMC NutraSoil Hardscape: Dragon Stone, Azalea Root Flora...

Good advice. Newer arrangement.

Finished the aquascaping and planting, and happy with the result. Thinking of a couple of Crypt Wendtii in the front corners then look forward to a few small inhabitants, when the readings are right.

Hygrophila Salicifolia Narrow Leaf Anubias Nana Lobelia Cardinalis Microsorum Pteropus - Java Fern Narrow Leaf The rear right is Lobelia Cardinalis. I'm giving them 8hrs a day at the moment with red LEDs on with the White. I've been told blue light encourages algae so I'll skip the moonlight...

Part 2 - nice new piece of Azalea Root soaking, plants chosen but not planted so a rough approximation of what I'd like to achieve

Initial setup, plants tomorrow. Anubias Nana & Java Fern.

So how many hours a day can I leave the lights on in my 34litre Flex? If the general opinion is that they aren't that effective can I leave them on (with Anubias, Java Fern, maybe Pogostemon) for 10-12 hours? The tank will be in a corner, away from the window (NW facing) but with an up-lighter...

A mate has put some of his existing Biomax ceramics from his tank, along with some new ones, in a bag in his Fluval filter. I'll give them about a fortnight before putting them in my filter, along with my own new stuff and hopefully this will help to cycle the tank effectively.

Sounds logical. Might need it to be a bit more ornamental for 6 weeks as it will have pride of place in the new lounge. I think an adaptation of much of the advice both professional and on the forums is the way to go. Bit like when I taught myself fly-tying and casting, one step forward, two...

Thanks for the help. I've had a long wait of 4 months of decorating and re-furnishing, before I could site the tank, so if I'd had a bit more forethought I could have cycled some ceramic media in my mate's Fluval Edge. Never mind, I'll plant the tank, fill it, check the ammonia levels and maybe...

So, the amount of advice, conflicting and otherwise, is overwhelming. I am shortly to embark on setting up my 34L Fluval Flex using TMC brown Nutrasoil. The general wisdom is that this produces an ammonia spike for a couple of weeks. I intend to leave out the charcoal and go for an extra bag of...

Thought there would be a flaw in my logic somewhere. Still, at least it sinks!

My piece of Red Moor wood has been soaking outside for around 3 months in a plastic tub full of tap and rain water so hopefully there will be some bacteria on that to help kick-start the process.

That's very interesting but as TMC NutraSoil gives an ammonia spike (so I am led to believe) then hopefully just the addition of a proprietary bio starter, like Fluval Cycle, will have the desired effect or am I being too simplistic? There will obviously be plants (Anubias, Java Fern...

I am shortly going to be scaping and planting my Fluval Flex 34L nano using TMC NutraSoil Brown. I want to cycle it fishless and would like to know what's the best proprietary bio medium to kick start it. A local aquarium shop advises cycling with a couple of fish in but, as the TMC NutraSoil is...

Fellow Liverpudlian here, about to get into setting up a planted nano tank.

Greetings from Liverpool also. My planted nano tank is still not set up but I'm working on it!

Fishing (coarse, salmon fly, sea), infrequent cycler, amateur (very) photographer, enthusiastic sampler of wines and beers, long-time pub-quizzer and follower of Liverpool Football Club. Not quite sure where aquatics comes in the hierarchy since I still haven't got my nano tank set up but I'm...

So, overwhelmed with replies and advice, I chose TMC NutraSoil.

Would like to hear your thoughts on all-in-one substrates for a planted Fluval Flex 34L tank? This will be a lo-tech build with "easy" plant species and I intend to keep small Tetras and shrimps and a Nerite. I like the look of Seachem Fluorite Dark and CaribSea Eco Complete and a trusted local...

New member here who hasn't had a tank since the days of angle-iron and undergravel filters. Currently amassing the bits and pieces and have a 34L Fluval Flex with some dragon stone and red moor wood. Hoping to keep low-tech plants, small tetras, shrimp and a nerite, when it's up and running.