Fluval Flex Aquascape - Maintenance - 2019

#geordiescaper #fluvalflex #aquascape #aquarium
Aquarium maintenance and water change tips and tricks on the popular Fluval Flex.
feel free to ask questions in the comments section.
Hood prop/bracket
www.ebay.co.uk...
Mark G
Geordie Scaper

[@jeffreypes94]

the best fluval scape hands down!

[@GEORDIESCAPER]

Thankyou so much, can't get a better compliment than that😁

[@GEORDIESCAPER]

Just a quick video on how I maintain and do my water changes on the Fluval Flex....for more adventures in fishkeeping please hit that subscribe button👍

[@gedheaton1415]

Second vid of yours tonight Mark and totally enjoyed both, thanks for taking the time to help others including me haha. Cheers dude u take care.

[@GEORDIESCAPER]

binge my vids as much as you like mate, so glad you're enjoying them. much appreciated 🙏👍

[@JurijsJutjajevs]

Great video 👍 keep up the good work!

[@GEORDIESCAPER]

Flattered to have you comment on my video, you're a true inspiration to me😁👍

[@warp871]

great video, planning on buying this specific tank. thanks for sharing + happy new year

[@GEORDIESCAPER]

Thankyou, it's a great tank....Happy New Year👍

[@larrydsAquatics]

Nice share your tank looks great.

[@GEORDIESCAPER]

Thankyou, much appreciated.

[@mattcallaghan5987]

Very curious where to get a pump system like that to pump water from a bucket back into the tank! (: I always use a syphon but that requires the bucket to be at a higher elevation then then tank. Also, do you inject CO2??

[@GEORDIESCAPER]

Hi Matt, no CO2 in this setup. All you need is a basic pump I use an eheim compact 1000 (1000lph) siphon water with pump from large bucket to tank. Hope this helps. Mark G

[@schizobipolarjoe]

Flexprops I think is the name for the prop rods. What foreground plant are you using.

[@davidbarnett8199]

Hi Mark, I see you didn't turn filter off when taking water out the tank. Is there a reason for this as understand you should turn it and the heater off when you water change.

[@GEORDIESCAPER]

Hi David, I forgot to show when I turned off heater and filter. I empty a small amount of water (just above heater water level marker). Clean inside glass, disturb plants and substrate to release waste etc. This is the point I turn off filter and heater and start draining with hose removing as much waste as possible. Filter and heater switched back on once refilled. Hope this makes sense. Mark

[@PaulTarnecki]

Hi Mark, great setup. I'm looking to setup fluval flex 57. How often do you change water? Do you think adding 3W NanoZapp inline UV Sterilizer to the setup would help with algae and less often water change? Also would co2 be helpful at all? Big thanks.

[@GEORDIESCAPER]

Hi Paul, I've tried UV sterilizers in the past and never noticed much difference with them. When you first set it up plant as densely as possible, using fast growing stems in the background, 50% water change at least every other day for the first couple of weeks and then once a week after "the solution to pollution is dilution". Good luck with your setup, great little tank the Flex👍

[@PaulTarnecki]

@@GEORDIESCAPER fantastic :) big thanks

[@veneonsiew6349]

Rather silly question, but do you put the dechlorinator into the bucket of water first? Or was it put into the tank directly?

[@GEORDIESCAPER]

Ideally in bucket first but it's ok to add direct to tank👍

[@veneonsiew6349]

@@GEORDIESCAPER thanks! Asking this because I'm trying to run water straight in and out of the aquarium via a hose off a tap.

[@nicolagroves6880]

Good to watch. Just set up this aquarium last week using media and substrate from our old tank. How often do you rinse / change the filter media in your tank? Thank you.

[@GEORDIESCAPER]

Hi Nicola and thanks for watching. Been a while since I had this setup. I used to rinse sponges and biomedia in a bucket of tank water every 3-4 weeks.

[@leepearson4400]

might see if can get some tubing and pump use that like did for putting the water back in, saves my back hurting

[@GEORDIESCAPER]

Well worth it Lee👍

[@leepearson4400]

@@GEORDIESCAPER do have any links to buy the stuff

[@leepearson4400]

@@GEORDIESCAPER do you have any link for the stuff your using on the video so could do the same please. or if sell them

[@GEORDIESCAPER]

www.horizonaquatics.co.uk/collections/aquarium-pumps/products/oase-optimax-1000?variant=33051827568697 www.olibetta.uk/jbl/inset-cristalprofi?sai=1829&gclid=CjwKCAiApNSABhAlEiwANuR9YM2EkrTIgGpqJYz-HPcLuWYMPGhZum-gAOhxp_mF9WWSH5FUSQYobxoCaYwQAvD_BwE you'll also need 16/22 tubing for the length you need.

[@cahillp3]

Nice scape and healthy looking. Are you using Co2

[@GEORDIESCAPER]

Thankyou..no CO2 on this setup.

[@sillysaxophonist]

Do you a link for those stands propping open the lid. Never seen those before, but what a good idea!

[@GEORDIESCAPER]

Very handy, I've just added a link in the description. Thanks Mark

[@sillysaxophonist]

@@GEORDIESCAPER Thanks Mark. Im hoping to get the smaller 34L at the end of the week, your videos have been brilliant!

[@GEORDIESCAPER]

@@sillysaxophonist thankyou Emily, really appreciated the kind words. Good luck with your 34l setup.

[@alanmorris2130]

Hi Mark. Noticed how high your substrate at the front seems to be, is the lower grille on the rear still uncovered or have you reduced the substrate height at the rear left hand side?

[@GEORDIESCAPER]

Hi Alan, substrate is same height front and back just under the the lower grill.

[@markmcdonnell010]

Firstly what a beautiful tank loved that video. Im starting a new nano planted and trying to make as low tech as possible. Would the lighting available in the fluval flex and good soil be enough to grow the hygrophilia siamenises or do you think i need to add ferts. any advice id really appreciate..thank you.just trying to stay as low tech as possible im in middle of rescaping all of my aquariums

[@GEORDIESCAPER]

Thanks Mark, much appreciated. I found the 53B spot on for a low tech setup. I would definitely use a nutrient rich substrate such as Tropica Aquarium Soil, loads of benefits and worth spending on the substrate. I always use a complete daily fertiliser so unsure how it would grow without it....i think you could get away with one squirt of Tropica Specialised (for example) every other day and the lighting in the Flex is fine (I wouldn't use the fancy effects though, full setting white light and maybe a touch of another colour to suit the colour of fish to make them pop) it is important to cut off yellowing, holy leaves when you spot them. When Stem reach the surface cut off around a third of the way down and replant to get a more bushy back drop. Hope this help. Mark G

[@markmcdonnell010]

@@GEORDIESCAPER Thank you for ur quick reply mate very helpful. I did use Tropical soil in my tanks and really loved it. I had some yellow leaves with pin holes in them on my siamensis 53b and thats why i asked, i thought maybe didnt have enough ferts available for the lighting I was using. Il keep on trying and see how i go with the fluval flex. Thanks again appreciate the help

[@GEORDIESCAPER]

Good luck with your Flex👍👍

[@dlealchicago]

I have same video. Your light seems so much brighter. Did you upgrade it?

[@GEORDIESCAPER]

Same light, full intensity white with red added.

[@jamiesampson6432]

amazing tank, love the scape.....do you dose any ferts?

[@GEORDIESCAPER]

Thankyou so much....Been around a year since I stripped this tank down but I used to dose daily with Tropica Specialised.

[@jamiesampson6432]

@@GEORDIESCAPER im not even a year into the hobby yet hahaha...just scaped my flex 34l after the 1st two failed attempts to how i want it and done tons of research this is how i come across your video.....thats the fert i am using but only doing 1 single pump twice a week with daily 70/80% water changes as the scape is new and i want to reduce any algae build up to get that healthy looking green growth and planted more this time just need to get some buce when i can get hold of some....going to watch your videos and keep watching them in the future there awesome keep up the good videos :)

[@GEORDIESCAPER]

Really appreciate you taking the time to watch my videos and hope you get something from them. Best of luck with your next setup🌱🌿💚

[@jamiesampson6432]

@@GEORDIESCAPER :) and thankyou

[@serpico2206]

nice tank, what are the plants ?

[@GEORDIESCAPER]

Thanks for taking the time to message. I'll be putting a video out Sunday with a close look at plants and livestock. Would love for you to check it out👍

[@jaspereeuwijk3873]

Beautiful aquarium mate, how are the Neons coping in this size of tank? I think they may like more space? I am going to buy this tank as my first aquarium ever; very excited.

[@GEORDIESCAPER]

Hi there and thankyou🙏They are Cardinal Tetra and they've been moved to a bigger tank, the flex has been rescaped and now has lambchop rasboras in there, which seem healthy and happy👍

[@simoncushing1048]

Hi Mark, Hope all is good with you. Some advice please, I have a 10gl bowl with live plants and a filter cartridge for filtration, plus four neon tetras which we have had for 6months roughly all going well except I did a 60% water change last night due to 0.6 nitrite reading. This morning I did some tests for Ammonia,Nitrite Nitrate also changed the filter cartridge last night the readings are 0.1 Ammonia, 0.4 nitrite, 10 Nitrates. Do you change 50% of water each day? Or leave for a few days for water change along with testing? This is my Granddaughters fishbowl, plus I'm use to marines and the cycle is slightly different to Tropical. Any advice would be Appreciated. Cheers simon.

[@GEORDIESCAPER]

Hi Simon, I'm good thanks. With it being a smaller volume of water there isn't much room for error. Best to wait around 4 weeks before adding livestock. Also probably best to have some sort of biological media. During cycling I would recommend the following: Wk1 50% water change every day Wk2 50% every 2nd day Wk3 50% every 3rd day etc until you're down to one 50/60% water change a week. This isn't set in stone but it's worked for me over the years. Hope this helps Mark

[@simoncushing1048]

Mark your a Gem👌🙂 much appreciate your advice and quick response. The fact you have answered what the routine is I now know👌. The bowl is established has been now for a year. Something has caused the nitrite spike. The neons are fine we have a small piece of rock along with pebbles and a small soil substrate for the plants which are Anubias petite and a couple crypts which are doing great. I will do a 50% water change each day for this coming week, then from every 2nd day etc. Thank you so much 👍 by the way your friend Peter the Scape is lovely I would have used Dragon stone to compliment the wood and used Tropica aquarium soil powder for the more fine plants. Will update with how we get along👍 thank you so much 👍 keep up the good work 👌 keep well mate 👍

[@GEORDIESCAPER]

@@simoncushing1048 No probs Simon, best of luck with it mate👍

[@Larry1983_]

I I have u3 fluval filter. Seems there are various different types of pads. What kind of media do you use?

[@GEORDIESCAPER]

I use some sort of pre filter sponge where the water first hits or over the intake, then fill with as much bio media as possible. My favourites are Seachem Matrix and Sera Siporax.

[@swegybucket69]

what time of carpeting plant is thats ? val ? or sag of some type ?

[@GEORDIESCAPER]

Hey, it's heleanthium Tenellum green.

[@bluebowser3121]

Do you know what the foreground plant is called?

[@GEORDIESCAPER]

It's Helanthium tenellum green.

[@bluebowser3121]

@@GEORDIESCAPER Thank you good sir.

[@hayleydavis1333]

Hi do you use CO2? thanks

[@GEORDIESCAPER]

Hi Hayley...I didn't in this scape.

[@hayleydavis1333]

@@GEORDIESCAPER It all looks great and healthy the reason i asked :) just found your you tube and just watching all your videos. thanks :)

[@GEORDIESCAPER]

@@hayleydavis1333 Really appreciate that thankyou,, please leave a like on the videos you enjoy, really helps. Hope you enjoy and again thankyou so much.

[@sandrahastie8311]

what plants have you use in this tank plz as its gorgeous

[@GEORDIESCAPER]

Hi there and thankyou😊Plants are: Helanthium tenellum green, anubias petite, cryptocoryne wendtii tropica, Hygrophila 'siamensis 53B' and narrow leaf java fern.

[@y2keefus]

dude - that tank has more substrate than water! looks good though.

[@GEORDIESCAPER]

Haha, I did go a bit overboard with the soil😂